Joseph Fenwick French (1877-1963)
Gateshead sawyer served as a Sapper in Canadian Field Artillery
Joseph Fenwick French was the son of Thomas, a sawyer, and Elizabeth French. He was born on 6th February 1877 at Salt Meadows on the south bank of the Tyne and was baptised three weeks later at St James Church, Gateshead. Joseph was the middle child of five and the second of their three sons. After being apprenticed to a barrel maker, by 1901, Joseph was working alongside his father as a wood sawyer, possibly at a local shipyard.
He married Mary Jane Pattison in the spring of 1903 and eight years later they and their two sons, Frank and Fenwick, arrived in Nova Scotia. They had crossed the Atlantic on board the SS Virginian with the intention of making for British Columbia, Canada. The 1911 census shows that they were living in Victoria, British Columbia (BC). Joseph had found work at a mill, and was also a member of a militia group, the 50th (Gordon Highlanders of Canada) Regiment.
In January 1915 Joseph was mobilized with his militia group at Victoria and promoted to Lance Corporal. A year later having transferred to the 5th Regiment Canadian Field Artillery (CFA), he enlisted with the 10th Artillery Brigade, CFA at Esquimalt. He was assigned to 10th Brigade Ammunition Column as Gunner 313888.
On 26th February 1916 he left New Brunswick on board the SS Missanabie and arrived in Plymouth on 13th March for a posting to Bramshott Camp, Hampshire. There he was assigned to 38th Battery, 10th Artillery Brigade.
Four months later the brigade sailed from Southampton to France as part of the 3rd Canadian Divisional Artillery (CDA) and after just two weeks went into action near Zillebeke.
Joseph served continuously as a Gunner with the 38th Battery until he was wounded in the back on 17th November 1917 during the fighting as Passchendaele. Treated at 149th Field Ambulance he was invalided to England three days later aboard HS St David and admitted to East Suffolk General Hospital, Ipswich. After convalescence at Woodcote Park, Epsom he was discharged to duty on 8th February 1918 and granted sick furlough. When he returned from leave he was posted to CFA Reserve Brigade at Bramshott, and after eight weeks transferred to the CFA Composite Brigade at Witley, Surrey. He remained there on light duties until the end of the war.
Joseph returned to Canada in January 1919 on the SS Empress of Britain. He was admitted to Esquimalt Military Hospital in Victoria to have some dental work done, at the army’s expense. At his final Medical Board at the end of February he complained of lower back pain at the site of his wound and an X-ray found that there was a small foreign body (not removed) and he also complained of deafness caused by exposure to gunfire. The Board recommended that no further treatment was available; although he was slightly disabled he should improve.
Joseph Fenwick French was discharged from the CEF as medically unfit on 1st March 1919.
Although his discharge medical board had stated that he would not be able to return to his former occupation as a lumberman, he eventually did so and retired in 1935. Joseph and Mary Jane lived in the same house their entire lives at the wartime address of 2528 5th Street which is now the back of 2530 Vancouver Street in Victoria.
Joseph Fenwick French died on 31st August 1963 from a heart attack and was cremated four days later at Royal Oak Crematorium, Victoria, British Columbia.
Civil Parish: Gateshead
Birth date: 06-Feb-1877
Death date: 31-Aug-1963
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Salt Meadow, Durham (birthplace)
53 John Lane, Hebburn (1881 census)
36 Charles Street, Hebburn (1891 census)
61 Rollox Street, Hebburn (1901 census)
943 Pandora Avenue, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (1911 Canadian census)
2528 5th Street, Victoria, British Columbia (enlistment papers)
2530 Vancouver Street, Victoria, British Columbia (1921 Canadian census)
Religion: Church of England
Employment: Apprentice cooper (1891 census)
Wood sawyer (1901 census)
Saw mill man (enlistment papers)
Lumberman (death certificate)
Family: Parents: Thomas French, Elizabeth French (nee Clark)
Siblings: John Thomas French, Hannah French, Joseph French, James French, Mary A French
Wife: Mary Jane French (nee Pattison)
Children: Frank French, Fenwick French
Military service:
Pre-war Service: 50th (Gordon Highlanders of Canada) Regiment (militia)
313888
Sapper
Canadian Field Artillery
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham | Jim Busby, Canada