Person

Young Ben Cawthorn was born in Pallion, Sunderland on 16 March 1894 and was baptised in Bishopwearmouth two months later. He was one of seven children born to paper mill worker James Cawthorn and his wif,e Albertha Thubron. His parents had married in Darlington in the summer of 1890. On 20 April 1912 father James and the three oldest boys, Hubert, Ben and John left England for Canada. They sailed on the SS Victorian from Liverpool , Lancashire to Halifax, Nova Scotia and then travelled onwards to Calgary, Alberta and work as miners. They were followed six months later by Albertha, the three girls and young James.

In March 1915 Hebert enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), to be followed into the army by younger brother Ben who enlisted in Calgary in November. Ben named his mother as his next of kin, gave his occupation as a miner and became private 183401 of the 89th Battalion. By June 1916 he was back at sea as his battalion embarked for England. In October 1916 he found himself transferred to the 3rd Battalion fighting in France. He joined them at rest at Camblain l’Abbe before moving into the trenches later in the month.

On 28 April 1917 at Farbus Wood Ben was wounded in the back and was evacuated to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereaux followed by convalescence at Boulogne. He did not return to his unit until 1 September 1917. Ben remained with the 3rd Battalion until the end of hostilities only having two periods of leave in December 1917 and again in December 1918. He finally returned to England on 24 March 1919 and back to Canada for demobilisation in Toronto, Ontario one month later.

Private 183401 was awarded the Military Medal in November 1918, but there is no trace of a citation.

Ben returned to live with his parents in Calgary and found work as a street labourer. After their death he remained living in the same house with his younger brother Jim. Ben Cawthorn died on 19 September 1972 and is buried in Queen Park Cemetery, Calgary.

Civil Parish: Sunderland

Birth date: 10-Mar-1894

Death date: 19-Sep-1972

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 26 Brookland Road, Pallion, Sunderland (1901 census)
1403 25th Street, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (1916 census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
1415 25 A Street, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (1921 Canadian census)

Religion: Church of England

Employment: Miner (1915 enlistment papers)
Street labourer (1921 Canadian census)

Family: Parents: James Cawthorn, Albertha Cawthorn nee Thubron
Siblings: Hebert Cawthorn, Bertha Cawthorn, John Thubron Cawthorn, Elizabeth Ellen Cawthorn, Mary Cawthorn, James Cawthorn

Military service:

183401
Private
89th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
3rd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force

Medal(s): Military Medal,
Victory Medal
British War Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham