Alexander Clark Duff

Rank:

Private

Regimental number:

11345

Unit at enlistment:

4th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Cemetery:

Mount Hope Cemetery, Soldiers' Plot, Brantford, Ontario

Commemorated at:

Alexandra Presbyterian Church

Birth country:

Scotland

Birth county:

Aberdeenshire

Birth city:

Aberdeen

Address at enlistment:

Tutela P.O., Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

1 Usher Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Labourer

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Married

Age at enlistment:

Image gallery:

Letters and documents

BX May 4, 1915

Letter From Pte. Duff Gives Intimation that Brantford Man was Fatally Injured

W.H. Mulligan of this city has received an interesting letter from Pte. Alexander Clark Duff of the First Contingent, now in France. Pte. Duff states that Jack Grand was killed by having his horse fall over him, and he was buried somewhere in France. There was no Jack Grand who left from Brantford, the only Grand recorded being A.H. Grand, Gladstone Avenue, but it is thought possible this is the man referred to. The letter is:

April 7, 1915

Dear Friend,

You were asking about Bill P. Bryans. I don’t know where he is, as he is in the ammunition column, and I have not seen “it” since we left Valcartier, but I may see him later. About Jack Grand, I think poor Jack is gone, as I think the horse he was riding fell on him and injured him internally. Some of the transport fellows told me he was gone and is buried somewhere in France.

You will have seen by the Brantford papers that we were in the trenches for some time. Eh? Oh yes, we have been in the trenches right there about 150 yards from the GermHuns’ trenches, and some places nearer, but in the places where Fritz did not give us much chance to knock his block off. Of course we did not take many chances ourselves, as you will see by the papers that we have not lost very many. Some of the other battalions have had plenty of killed and wounded, but we have had very little so far. I believe the Pats have lost quite a bunch, but we have never seen them since we came to this country. About a week ago the transports took us up to the back of the first line of trenches to dig some reserve trenches and that nearly finished off a few of them, as the lead was flying right over the first line plunk in amongst us, and they were coming too near to be comfortable. Believe me, we dug the hole deep enough to get our heads out of sight in record time. Our company was lucky, but the other company lost one killed and two wounded, so our luck was in again.

We just arrived in this place yesterday somewhere in France – after hiking about 15 miles with full packs and 200 rounds of ammunition. I expect we are to move tomorrow again to “Somewhere.” This place is a large barn, but there is plenty of straw, so that’s good enough for us.

Yours as ever
A. Duff

BX March 22, 1918

Veterans Met Their Returning Comrades

The veterans who slipped into Brantford on the Hamilton radial at 11 o’clock Wednesday night were met at the station by seven of their old comrades-in-arms. The secretary of the G.W.V.A. and five of the members of the G.W.V.A. spent the evening going from station to station, meeting train after train, until the arrival near midnight of the men they sought. There were eight of them – Privates Blake, Powell, Massengale, Knowles, “Mickie,” Duff, “Dusty,” Rhodes, King, and Anderson. They were all members of the “Mad Fourth,” who had left Brantford in the early days of the war. Four of them left direct to their homes, but five went over to the Returned Soldiers’ home, where a couple of hours were spent talking over old times. Privates Massengale, Powell and Blake remained at the home all night, the two former staying there at present, since they have no friends in the city.

BX December 12, 1956

Alexander C. Duff

Alexander Clark Duff, 20 Bishop Street, died today in the Brantford General Hospital, after a long illness. He was born 65 years ago in Aberdeen, Scotland and lived in Brantford since 1912. He was a veteran of the First World War, having served with the original “Mad Fourth Battalion” for 3 ½ years. Surviving besides his widow, the former Helen G. Young, are two daughters, Mrs. G. (Doris) Day, London, and Mrs. B. (Gladys) Evans, Brantford; four granddaughters, two great-grandchildren and one sister, Isobel Duff, and one brother, William, both of Aberdeen. Mr. Duff is resting at the Beckett Funeral Home until Friday for service at 2 p.m. Interment will be in the Soldiers’ Plot in Mount Hope Cemetery.

BX December 15, 1956

Alexander C. Duff

The funeral of Alexander Clark Duff was conducted Friday afternoon at the Beckett Funeral Home, with the Rev. J. Reynolds Esler, Alexandra Presbyterian Church, officiating. There was a large attendance including a representation from Knox Presbyterian Church. There were many floral tributes. Pallbearers were E. Evans, N. Morgan, R. Doel, W. Durrant, A. Scott and D. Batchelor. Interment was in the Soldiers’ Plot in Mount Hope Cemetery.