Horace Underwood MM

Rank:

Corporal

Regimental number:

83453

Unit at enlistment:

4th Brigade C.F.A., 13th Battery

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Cemetery:

Farringdon Cemetery, Brantford, Ontario

Awards or decorations:

Military Medal

Birth country:

England

Birth county:

Worcestershire

Birth city:

Kidderminster

Address at enlistment:

102 Terrace Hill Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

102 Terrace Hill Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Clerk

Employer:

Grand Trunk Railway

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Gallantry medals:

Yes

Letters and documents

London Gazette: 31227
Date: March 13, 1919
Honour or Award: Military Medal
Authority: C.O. 1930, November 9, 1918
Name: Underwood, Horace (83453)
Unit: 4th Brigade C.F.A.

BX November 20, 1918

Mrs. Elizabeth L. Underwood, 121 William Street, has received official word that her son, Corporal Horace Underwood of the C.F.A., was reported admitted to No. 56 General Hospital, Etaples, France, on Nov. 5 with gunshot wounds in the face and legs. Corporal Underwood went overseas with the 13th Battery, from Toronto, in the second contingent, and was previously wounded by gunshot in the face on August 23, 1917. He was an employee of the G.T.R. previous to enlistment.

BX November 30, 1918

Mrs. Elizabeth Underwood, 121 William Street, has received word that her son, Horace Underwood, was admitted to hospital, Nov., 7 suffering from a wound in the left leg. Other wounds received were of a light nature. Pte. Underwood pays a tribute to the nurses and the hospital where he is confined. He was the winner last August of the Military Medal, this being the first intimation. He left here with the 32nd Battery and has served in France with the famous 13th.

BX February 1, 1915

Patriotic Service – St. Andrew’s Congregation Said Farewell and Made Presentations to Four of its Members

Twelve members or adherents of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church have thus far volunteered for active service in the present war and in recognition of the approaching departure of four of these with the third contingent, special service of a patriotic character were conducted on Sunday evening by the pastor, Rev. J.W. Gordon. The church was filled to capacity, despite the inclement weather, and those who were in attendance were amply repaid by the inspiring service.

Captain Finlay D. Fraser who in command of the Dufferin Rifles’ company now being recruited for active service, and Privates A.G. Austin, Horace Underwood and Adam Young are the volunteers from St. Andrew’s Church, who will leave with the third contingent, and who were honored by the fellow members of their church last evening, each receiving through the pastor, Rev. Mr. Gordon the best wishes of the congregation for Godspeed and a safe return, and as a more tangible expression of their good wishes, a handsome silver wrist watch.

An appropriate sermon was delivered by Rev. Mr. Gordon, in which he emphasized his conviction that the cause of the Allies was righteous. Britain was not making war on poor, down spirited Austria-Hungary, or on the bankrupt and misdirected Turk, nor even on the German people themselves. It was to crush Prussian militarism that so much was being and would be sacrificed. A war, however, continued the speaker, became a holy war when militarism and autocracy, as opposed to democracy, were to be settled by its issue. To accomplish this end, Britain’s troops must be trained and equipped efficiently, and Mr. Gordon believed that Kitchener would leave no stone unturned to accomplish the purpose of this great catastrophe and bring to a successful termination this greatest of world wars. Members of his congregation were shortly to leave to fight for a moral and righteous cause, and in the name of God, as a Christian and pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, he invoked the blessing of the Almighty God that their efforts might be crowned with glory and success.

During the service, Miss Estelle Carey, of Hamilton, delighted the audience with two vocal selections by Dudley Smith. “I Will Lay Me Down in Peace” and “Fear Ye Not, O Israel.”

BX December 19, 1960

Horace Underwood

Horace Underwood died Saturday at Detroit, Michigan. He was born at Kidderminster, England and came to Brantford in 1911. While in Canada, he was employed with the Canadian National Railways and was with the Brantford office for ten years and in Kitchener for several years. Before his retirement five years ago, due to ill health, Mr. Underwood resided in Detroit where he was with the Michigan Central Railroad for 35 years. A veteran of the First World War, he served overseas with the Signaling Corps and was awarded the Military Medal. Mr. Underwood was a member of the Masonic Order. Surviving are Mrs. Underwood, the former Grace Brittain; one daughter, Mrs. Richard (Eleanor) Purchiss of Detroit; one son, Donald of Lake City, Florida; two sisters, Miss Daisy and Miss May, both of Brantford; six grandchildren. Mr. Underwood will be resting at Thorpe Brothers’ Funeral Home from Wednesday morning for service Wednesday at 3 p.m. Interment will be in Farringdon Burial Ground.