Herbert Haddler Costain

Rank:

Lieutenant

Regimental number:

225791

Unit at enlistment:

Depot Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Date of death:

December 4th, 1919

Cemetery:

Mount Hope Cemetery, Brantford, Ontario

Awards or decorations:

Croix de Guerre

Commemorated at:

Victoria Public School Honour Roll

Birth country:

Canada

Birth county:

Brant

Birth city:

Brantford, Ontario

Address at enlistment:

156 Glencairn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

Next of kin address:

14 Palmerston Avenue, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Reporter

Employer:

Brantford Courier

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Gallantry medals:

Yes

Letters and documents

BX May 19, 1919

Lieutenant Herbert Haddler Costain Won the Croix de Guerre and Palm

Lieutenant Herbert Haddler Costain, a brother of Thomas Bertram Costain, editor of Macleans Magazine, has returned from service overseas with the R.N.A.S. He won the Croix de Guerre and palm. Previous to going overseas he was on the local staff of the Toronto Mail and Guelph Mercury. Lieut. Costain has accepted a position on the local staff of the London Free Press. – Printer and Publisher

Cause of Death: Suicide (Carbolic Acid Poisoning)
Location: London, Ontario

BX December 4, 1919

News of the Death of Herbert Haddler Costain was Received this Morning

The sad intelligence was received in the city this morning of the death of Herbert Costain, the youngest son of Mrs. Costain, Edgerton Street and a former well-known Brantford boy. The death took place under distressing circumstances. He was formerly employed on the Brantford Courier, and had recently been a member of the reportorial staff of the London Advertiser. The young man served during the war with the Royal Flying Corps, and was married to an English girl, the couple taking up residence in London. Besides the sorrowing mother, a family of brothers and sisters are left to survive the very sad loss. Mr. James Milne, brother-in-law, left for London this morning to make arrangements for the obsequies. Dr. Will Costain and Mr. Bert Costain, the latter of Toronto, are brothers of the deceased.

BX December 6, 1919

Herbert H. Haddler

The funeral of the late Lieutenant Herbert H. Costain took place yesterday afternoon. Services were held in London in the presence of a large number of the friends of the deceased, including many newspapermen with whom he had been associated, and many overseas comrades. The body was brought to Brantford on an afternoon train and taken to Mount Hope cemetery, where services were conducted by Rev. W.H. Langton of First Baptist church. The pallbearers were all comrades of the Flying Corps: Capt. Grant MacDonald, Lieuts. Hume Ryerson, Lyman Goold, Gordon Webster, Frank Weir and Harry Hately.

Lieutenant Costain enlisted in 1915 as a private in the Canadian Mounted Rifles. Before proceeding overseas he was given a commission and later transferred to the Flying corps. He saw continuous service in France for nearly a year, being assigned to the night bombing squadron. For the splendid work that he did he was awarded the Croix de Guerre, with palm. He finally suffered a complete breakdown as a result of the arduous nature of his duty and had been nearly a year in hospital when the armistice came. His health has never been normal since and his death came as a result of his shattered condition. Like so many of his comrades, he has laid down his life for his country.

The London Advertiser today noted –

The remains of Herbert H. Costain, who died here suddenly on Wednesday evening, were forwarded this morning to Brantford, his birthplace, for interment.

A funeral service was held here at 11:30 o’clock. Services were conducted by Rev. Clarence Foreman. Members of the Free Press and Advertiser editorial staffs attended in a body, he having been a member of the editorial staff of both papers.

The pallbearers were W. Elliott, I. Hunter, M. Minhinnick, Ross Taylor, E. Penny and C. Grafton.

BX May 11, 1916

Herbert Haddler Costain Enlisted as Private

Although holding a lieutenant’s rank in the cavalry, Herbert Costain of this city has enlisted as a trooper with the C.M.R. at Hamilton. Some time ago Mr. Costain qualified at Toronto but not desiring to wait indefinitely for an attachment has shown the proper spirit and enlisted as a private. “Herb” is well known in the city, his mother residing at 21 Edgerton Street. In civil life he was a newspaper man, having worked on the Courier here, the Guelph Mercury, and the Toronto Mail and Empire. His brother, Dr. William Alfred Costain is now at the front.