William Coubrough

Rank:

Private

Regimental number:

772292

Unit at enlistment:

125th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Cemetery:

Mount Hope Cemetery, Brantford, Ontario

Birth country:

Scotland

Birth county:

Midlothian

Birth city:

Edinburgh

Address at enlistment:

52 Rose Avenue, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

52 Rose Avenue, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Baker

Religious denominations:

Presbyterian

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX September 9, 1918

Good Treatment for the Wounded – William Coubrough Writes Home Interesting Letter from Hospital

Private William Coubrough, wounded, writes interestingly to his mother Mrs. M. Coubrough, Rose Avenue, as follows:

August 19, 1918

My Dear Mother,

Just a few lines, hoping this finds you all well. Well mother, I guess you know by now that I have been wounded. It is a pretty bad wound in leg, also a fracture, but nothing for you to worry about, dear mother. I will be in England for a long time, and I am in a nice hospital. It is a private place and they look after me well. All kinds of nice grub to eat and as much as one can eat, and a lot of nice sisters’ and nurses to look after one. I got wounded in the push the Canadians made on August 8. Although the Germans got me, I got one of them too. He was a Prussian. But they wouldn’t show fight. You couldn’t see them for dust. They certainly ran when they seen the Canadians after them. They call us the white Gurkhas, after the Indian troops. It was an airplane bomb that got me. It dropped from one of his planes. I got four pieces of shrapnel in the leg, so it will take a long time to heal up, and I may not go back to France again. I won’t if I can help it. Well mother, I haven’t had a letter from Dad for a long time, and I don’t know how his is. I don’t think he knows I am wounded yet, but I am just going to write to him and Dave. I am going to try and get Dave down to see me. I am in a London hospital, so I think he ought to be able to come and see me, see mother. There isn’t many Canadians here, and the other boys have all got visitors, all but the Canadians, so it will do me good to see old Dave again, and I will be able to see Dad again when he gets his leave. I will be getting a leave as soon as I am able to move about again, and I am going up to grannies, as I have seen enough of England.

Well mother, how is everybody at home? I haven’t had a letter from you or Miss Hext for a long time, but I guess all the mail has gone to the battalion, and I will send over and get it, but please remember me to Miss Hext and all. Well, mother, I guess this is all this time, so I will close with fond love to all, cheer up mother, and don’t worry.

From your loving son,

William

Coulter Hospital
5 Grosvenor Square,
London W., England

BX August 21, 1918

The following has been received by Mrs. I. Coubrough, 52 Rose Ave.:

“Sincerely regret to inform you that Pte. William Coubrough, Infantry, has been officially reported admitted to No. 10 General hospital, Rouen, Aug. 10, gunshot wounds left leg. – Director of Records.”

Private Coubrough enlisted with the 125th Battalion in this city and has been in France 15 months. His father, Sergeant Malcolm Coubrough, went overseas with the 58th Battalion, and has been in France two years and seven months.

BX July 9, 1968

COUBROUGH – In St. Joseph’s Hospital, on Monday, July 8, 1968, William Coubrough, in his 71st year, of 260 Grand River Avenue; husband of the late Lillian Brazier; dear father of David, Mrs. Shirley Judd, Mrs. Macella (Betty) Turcotte, Mrs. Harry (Christine) Gerhue, all of Brantford. Mrs. Isabel Dickinson of Hamilton, Mrs. Donald (Jean) Slaght of Simcoe, Mrs. Frank (Dorothy) O’Connell of Cleveland, Ohio, Mrs. Leyland (Joyce) Kinney of Nova Scotia; brother of John and David and Mrs. Isabel MacAfee, all of Brantford; also 32 grandchildren. Resting at Hill and Robinson Limited, Funeral Home, Nelson and Queen Streets, until Thursday. Service in the chapel at 2 p.m. Interment in Mount Hope Cemetery. Rev. John MacCallum will officiate.