Person

The middle child of shipyard joiner Thomas Logan and his wife, Annie, Bernard was born in February 1892 in Sunderland. By the time of the 1911 census he was a miner and living with his family in Monkwearmouth. Three years later, on Boxing Day 1914, he was working as an electrician when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in Indian Head, Saskatchewan. He became Trooper 115136 attached to the cavalry draft of the 10th Canadian Mounted Rifles (CMR). Initially based at Camp Hughes in Manitoba, in November 1915 they moved to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. In May 1916 the CMR found themselves at sea on board the SS Olympic, making for Liverpool, Lancashire and an onward posting to camp at Shorncliffe on the south coast.

At Shorncliffe, Trooper Logan was transferred to the Royal Canadian Dragoons Reserve Regiment and, early in September 1916, to the 9th Reserve Battalion. He made out his will in favour of his mother back in Sunderland. Bernard was drafted to the 31st Battalion and would have joined them in the Brigade Reserve at Pozieres, where the battalion was suffering with an outbreak of scarlet fever. Bernard was not affected and soon after the battalion moved to Souchez where, on 14 November, both the Germans and British took pot shots at flocks of wild geese flying over the lines.

The 31st battalion remained in the Souchez area over Christmas and New Year, alternating between the very muddy trenches and time in brigade reserve. By the beginning of April 1917 the battalion commanders were involved in the final arrangements for the offensive that was to take place at Easter. On Sunday the battalion moved to Bois de Alleby where all stores, weapons and tools needed for the attack were issued to the men. After lunch the Chaplain held a service, followed in the evening by a selection of music from the band prior to the battalion moving out to the assembly area for their part in the Canadian Corps attack on Vimy Ridge.

Private 115136 Bernard Logan was killed in action on that night. He is one of the men named on the Vimy Memorial which commemorates more than 11,000 men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France and who have no known grave.

Civil Parish: Sunderland

Birth date: 11-Feb-1892

Death date: 09-Apr-1917

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 24 Whickham Street, Sunderland (1901 census)
17 Beatrice Street, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland (1911 census)

Religion: Wesleyan

Employment: Miner (1911 census)
Electrician (1914 enlistment papers)

Family: Parents: Thomas Blenkinsopp Logan, Annie Elizabeth Logan
Siblings: Ernest Logan, Thomas William Logan, Mary Isabella Logan, Jennie Gwen Logan, Annie Louise Logan, Henry Roland Logan

Military service:

115136
Trooper, 10th Canadian Mounted Rifles
Trooper, Royal Canadian Dragoons Reserve Regiment
Private, 9th Reserve Regiment Canadian Expeditionary Force
Private, 31st Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force

Medal(s): 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Vimy Memorial

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham