Cause of Death: Accident
Location: Guelph, Ontario

BX March 5, 1915

Brantford Soldier Met a Terrible Death, Killed in Guelph – Private Percy Walley, of This City, and a Companion Ground to Pieces Beneath the Wheels of a Street Car – Young Man’s Home is on Superior Street 

Private Percy Walley, a Brantford man who enlisted at Galt for active service, and went to Guelph with the 34th Regiment for overseas service, was with his chum, John Edward Gahagan of Dundas, instantly killed and cut to pieces by a Street car at Guelph yesterday. Percy Walley is a son of John Walley, 18 Superior Street, who is ill at the present time. His brother, Charles, is employed at the Cockshutt Plow works.

The men had driven to Galt in the morning and were returning last night about 8 o’clock, via the Waterloo Avenue road, just inside the Guelph city limits when they were struck by a streetcar and crushed and cut to pieces. The two men were dragged under the wheels for fully 400 feet before being released. The bodies were removed in pieces from under the heavy trucks of the car. Both bodies were lodged against the bottom of the motor and were dragged along until they finally threw the car off the track just at the intersection of Waterloo Avenue and Edinboro Road. 

Tried to Cross Track

Motorman Peter Hohenadel was driving one of the heavy cars on the 8 o’clock trip down Waterloo Avenue when he saw a cutter approaching on the wrong side of the road. Apparently the soldiers in it thought they could get across to the right side of the road before they met the streetcar, for when they were only a few yards in front, they turned directly in front of the coming streetcar. There was an instant smash, and the motorman saw something like a robe fly out of the rig, the horse turning down a side street. The streetcar crew got out and jacked up the robe and noticed that the fender on the car was bent quite badly; in fact so much so that they concluded to take it off, which they did, leaving it beside the road. The horse in the meantime had disappeared along with the rig. The car was started up again to complete the trip to the end of the avenue, where the car barns are situated, the crew in ignorance of the fact that as they made the 400 or more feet to Edinboro Road the bodies of the two men were ground under the wheels of the car. When Edinboro Road was reached, the driver felt something go wrong and the trucks left the track. Upon getting out to make investigation, parts of the body and clothing of the two men were noticed and work was preceded with removing the mangled remains from underneath the trucks.

Coroner Notified

Dr. Orton the coroner was immediately notified and had the remains removed to the morgue. The body of Private Walley will be brought to Brantford for interment.

BX March 6, 1915

Funeral Takes Place in Galt – Private Percy Walley, Brantford Soldier Killed at Guelph Had Wife Residing There

GUELPH, March 6 – With full military honors, the two victims of Thursday night’s deplorable accident were conveyed to the Grand Trunk station at 6 o’clock last evening for their journey to Dundas and Galt, respectively. Private John E. Gahagan of Dundas will be buried at Dundas Saturday morning, and Private Percy Walley, a Brantford man, at Galt on Sunday.

The ceremony was an impressive one. The two caskets each covered with a Union Jack, were placed on two 12-pounder gun carriages and were preceded by the bugle band of the 34th Battalion with a Highlander piper plying “The Land o’ the Leal.”  The street was lined with people all along the route.

A company of which deceased were members, preceded the gun-carriages and at the station the buglers blew the “Last Post.”

Private Gahagan enlisted at Galt, but had always lived in Dundas. He leaves a father at the latter place, a sister in Galt, two sisters in Hamilton and one in Toronto.

Private Walley’s parents Mr. and Mrs. John Walley reside at 18 Superior Street, Brantford, but he leaves a wife at Galt, where he resided, and where he held a good position prior to enlisting in the 34th Battalion.

Dr. Orton, coroner, instituted an inquest into the death of the two soldiers yesterday morning, adjournment being taken until Monday.

BX March 8, 1915

Buried in Galt – Remains of Private Walley of Brantford Laid at Rest with Full Military Honors

GALT, March 7 – With full military honors, the remains of the late Private Percy Walley, of the 34th Battalion third contingent, formerly of Brantford, where his parents still reside, who last Thursday was killed in a streetcar accident in Guelph, were laid to rest this afternoon in Trinity Church cemetery. An escort was provided by A. Company, 34th Battalion, Guelph, of which deceased was a member. The firing party was provided by the 29th Regiment, Highland Light Infantry. The funeral cortege included the brass band of the 29th, the buglers and pipers of the 34th Battalion, A. Company, 34th Battalion, and the 29th Regiment, all in their service uniforms of khaki. The service at the grave was conducted by J. Ridley, chaplain of the 29th Regiment.

This was the first military funeral held in Galt, and the sympathy of the citizens for the deceased was not unmixed with curiosity. The solemn nature of the ceremonial however, created a deep impression on the thousands who lined the streets and gathered at the cemetery.