John Ramsay Whitham

Rank:

Private

Regimental number:

476060

Unit at enlistment:

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Commemorated at:

Park Baptist Church

Birth country:

Canada

Birth county:

Norfolk

Birth city:

Villa Nova, Ontario

Address at enlistment:

107 Clarence Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

107 Clarence Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Carpenter

Religious denominations:

Congregational

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX June 20, 1916

A Terrible Experience – John R. Whitham Would Not Have Missed it for the World, When Once Through It

Mrs. Whitham, 107 Clarence Street, has just received the following letter dated June 6 from her stepson, John Ramsay Whitham, who is in the machine gun section of the 3rd University Contingent, P.P.C.L.I.:

June 6, 1916

Just a line to let you know I arrived back in the camp O.K., also Fred Irwin, both without a scratch. Suppose you will read the full account in the papers of the big scrap. It was a terrible experience, but now that we have escaped would not have missed it for the world. We had several very narrow escapes. Once, five of us were in a dug-out and a shell blew it in. I was stunned, two wounded and two killed. Was in the front line and saw my first Germans and accounted for a few of them and it was certainly with great gusto I saw the first one throw up his hands and drop dead. They gave us an awful shelling. Will write later.

Lovingly yours,
Jack

P.S. – Lost everything except what I had on. Am enclosing a clipping from an English paper. Its description is good.

BX September 23, 1916

Mrs. Dr. Whitham, 107 Clarence Street, was notified last night that her step-son, John Ramsay Whitham had been wounded and was admitted to Oakbank War Hospital, Glasgow, on September 19. He is a brother of Mrs. Wiles of 181 Chatham Street. It is believed that he is one of the many Canadians who were injured in the big Somme fight which opened on September 15.

BX October 2, 1916

Mrs. Whitham had a letter on Saturday from her son, Private John Ramsay Whitham, No. 1 Co., P.P.C.L.I., saying that he had received a slight shrapnel wound, and her cousin, Sergeant Frederick Irwin, had been killed during their first charge at the Somme, Sept. 15.