David Edward Kelly

Rank:

Private

Regimental number:

772008

Unit at enlistment:

125th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Cemetery:

Trinity Cemetery, Galt, Ontario

Commemorated at:

St. Luke Anglican Church

Birth country:

Canada

Birth county:

Brant

Birth city:

Brantford, Ontario

Address at enlistment:

328 Marlborough Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

328 Marlborough Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Labourer

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX November 30, 1916

The following letter has been received by a friend from Private David Edward Kelly of the 125th Battalion.

November 16, 1916

Dear Friend,

Received your welcome letter and was glad to hear from you. I am better now and have returned to duty. We have moved out of Bramshott camp down the road to a camp Witley. There is a nice little town about three miles from here by the name of Godalming. We can go down there after drill at night, but we have to be in at half-past nine, so we don’t have much time to look around. We are looking forward to a trip to France at any time now. We have to go on a 16 mile march tomorrow. We do not see any one but soldiers over here. I have a brother in the hospital with fever and I do not think he will be able to go to France, and he wanted to go to France so bad. We will not be together at all, but we can do our bit just the same. Well I must close and go to my blankets for the night. We are in luck over here, and we have straw to sleep on and the food is all good and clean, and we nearly always get enough. So now, good bye.

Pte. D.E. Kelly
D. Co., 15th Platoon,
125th Batt., C.E.F.

BX September 4, 1917

Mrs. Charlotte Kelly, 328 Marlboro Street, on Sunday received official word that her son David Edward Kelly, infantry, had been admitted to the 58th General Hospital, Etaples on August 20 wounded severely. Private Kelly left here with the first Brant Battalion, was a Bell Telephone lineman previous to enlistment. His brother Pte. William, who is in Leeds, will never be able to use his arm again, owing to the damage inflicted by shrapnel wounds.

BX September 15, 1917

Mrs. Charlotte Kelly, 320 Market Street, has received further word of her son, Private David Edward Kelly. He was slightly gassed, but is now doing well. A gas shell entered the door of the dugout in which he was sheltered at Lens affecting his eyes.

BX October 23, 1967

KELLY – David Kelly, 74, formerly of Brantford and Paris and late of Galt, died Saturday at Westminster Hospital, London. Mr. Kelly was the husband of Charlotte Hibbard and son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Kelly. Surviving besides his wife are two daughters, Mrs. S.J. (Lillian) Williams of Ottawa and Mrs. N. (Pearl) Vokey of Galt, 9 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, three brothers, Richard and Thomas of Brantford and William of Woodstock and two sisters Mrs. Jessie Newstead and Mrs. Bertha Newstead both of Brantford. He was predeceased by two brothers, Fred and Elmer. Mr. Kelly is at the Little’s Funeral Home in Galt until Wednesday. Services will be held Wednesday at 2 o’clock from St. Thomas Church. Interment in Trinity Cemetery.