John Cumberbatch

Private 30866 3^rd Canadian Division Motor Transport Company, Canadian Army Service Corps

John was born 9^th August 1880 in Brownlow, Astbury, Cheshire, England. Perhaps John was frail and not expected to live as he was privately baptised the next day at Astbury Parish Church by his mother Hannah Cumberbatch.

The family had moved to Bradley Green, Biddulph, Staffordshire when their mother Hannah Cumberbatch married Thomas Turner at St Lawrence’s Church, Biddulph in 1889. John became a coal miner in the north Staffordshire coal mines.

John migrated to Canada on 24^th January 1914 aboard the Scotian which sailed from Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

John had previously served in the 5^th Volunteer Battalion of the Staffordshire Regiment and so at the onset of World War One John immediately enlisted in the Canadian Army on 23^rd September 1914 at Valcartier, Province of Quebec, Canada. He became Private 30866 of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in the 14^th Canadian Army Service Corps (CASC). He joined the Railway Supply Detachment of the CASC. He enlisted for one year or for the duration of the war.

John was described on enlistment as:

• Height: 5ft 7½ inches
• Chest: 37 inches expanded with 4 inches of expansion
• Complexion: dark
• Eyes: brown
• Hair: black
• Religion: Church of England
• Distinctive marks: 1 Vaccination mark on left arm, 5 irregular black lines on point of left shoulder, 1 scar 1½ inches on the superior angle of the left scapula
• Passed fit for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 30th August 1914 at Valcartier

John arrived at Le Havre, France on 7 Feb 1915 and therefore qualified for the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the 1914-15 Star.

He contracted influenza and was admitted to the Canadian Field Ambulance on 17^th February 1916. He was transferred to Mont des Chats a week later and then to the North Midlands Division Casualty Clearing Station a few days later. He returned to his unit the Prov. Canadian Corps Troops Supply Column Reports on 3^rd March 1916.

John again contracted influenza with broncho-pneumonia on 18^th February 1919 and was admitted to the 7^th General Hospital at Etaples, France on 25 February 1919. He was transferred to the 1^st Birmingham War Hospital at Rednal on 3^rd March 1919 and remained there for 17 days.

20 Mar 1919 Patient has only been out of bed one day. Still feels sick and weak. Pulse 120. General Condition: fair. No duty. To be kept in sick lines.

John was admitted to the Military Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom, Surrey, England on 19 March 1919 and remained there for 49 days.

2 Apr 1919 Transferred from sick lines much improved. Pulse 90 gaining strength daily, appetite good. Heart & Lung & other systems normal. Cat. A. W Munro, Capt.

He was discharged 5^th May 1919 to the CASC at Blandford.

He returned to Canada on 26^th June 1919 and travelled aboard the Baltic arriving in July. He was discharged in Canada due to demobilization 10^th July 1919.

He briefly returned to England between 13 October 1922 and 18^th July 1923 to visit a sick relation. His brother Joseph Cumberbatch would die in 1924. John married Florence ‘Flossie’ Edith McKinley in 1923 at Stoke on Trent during this visit to England and they both returned to Canada.

John lived to 84 years of age and died of broncho-pneumonia, pulmonary emphysema and aortic stenosis with congestive heart failure on 7^th April 1965 at The Veteran’s Hospital, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. After being privately baptised the day after his birth he survived WW1 and lived through two doses of influenza. The 1918-1919 Spanish flu epidemic killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide but John lived through it. He was cremated at the Royal Oak Crematorium, Saanich, Vancouver Island, Canada on 10^th April 1965. John’s wife Florence nee McKinley, was born in Sussex, England in approximately 1883 and died of a cerebral vascular accident at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on 16^th January 1976 and she too was cremated 20^th January at the Royal Oak Crematorium, Vancouver Island, Canada.

WW1 Service Record Extracts

CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE

THIS IS TO CERTIFY that No. 30866 (Rank) Private Name (in full) Cumberbatch John enlisted in the C.A.S.C. CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE at Valcartier on the 23^rd day of September 1914.

HE served in France with the C.A.S.C. and is now discharged from the service by reason of Demobilization.

THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS SOLDIER on the Date below is as follows:

• Age: 33 years 8 months
• Height: 5' 7½"
• Complexion: Dark
• Eyes: Brown
• Hair: Black
• Marks or Scars: Five irregular black lines on point of left shoulder. One scar 1½" on the superior angle of scapula.

Signature of soldier: J Cumberbatch

Date of discharge: JUL 10 1919

MEDICAL EXAMINATION UPON LEAVING THE SERVICE OF OFFICERS AND OTHER RANKS WHO HAVE NO DISABILITY

1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

• Physique: Good
• Weight:  160 lbs
• Height: 5ft 9½ inches
• Colour of eyes: Brown
• Nutrition: Good
• Pulse: Good
• Condition of arteries: Good
• Vision: Right 6/6, Left 6/6
• Hearing Right 21 ft, Left 21ft
• Identification marks: Five (5) irregular black lines on left shoulder, one scar 1½" on superior angle scapula right, scar left upper lip, vaccination scars two left
• Opinion as to general health and physical condition: Good

2 Has Officer or Other Rank ever suffered from, or has he now…

• Nervous System: No
• Genito Urinary System: No
• Cardio Vascular System: No
• Special Senses: No
• Integumentary System: No
• Respiratory System:: Yes
• Disturbance of mentality: No
• Muscular System: No
• Digestive System: No
• Osseous and Joint System: No
• Any other general condition: No

3 If any answer is Yes give particulars

• 3 Mar 1919 Influenza
• 5 Mar 1919 Broncho-pneumonia
• Now recovered, heart, lungs & other systems normal. Cat. A.

WAR SERVICE GRATUITY

Christian name: John

Surname: Cumberbatch

Rank: Private

Unit: 14th Company CASC

Reg No. 30866

• Payment to: Union Bank Calgary Alberta
• Date of Enlistment: 12 August 1914
• Dependants: Not Applicable
• Give total length of time served on active service:
• Aug 1914 until 20 Aug 1914 CASC
• 30 Aug 1914 until Feb 1915 1st RSD Canada & England
• Feb 1915 until Jun 1915 RSD France.
• Jun 1915 until Aug 1915 RSD
• Aug 1915 until Mar 1916 CSC France. Then 3rd CSC

Signature of Applicant: John Cumberbatch

Place of residence: GPO Calgary

Declared before me at: Winnipeg

28th May 1919

PROCEEDINGS ON DISCHARGE

(Demobilization)

No. 30866

Rank: Private

Name: Cumberbatch John

Unit: 3rd M T Company

Date of Discharge: JUL 10 1919

Place: Calgary

Reason for discharge; Demobilization

Residence after discharge: P.O. Calgary, Alberta

Service & Casualty Form