Doctor Young Ormerod 

 

Private 436844
49th Bn, Alberta Regt, Canadian Infantry

Doctor Young Ormerod was killed on 1 May 1916, and his name is inscribed on a memorial in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium. He was the son of Robert and Nancy Ormerod, of Atherton, Lancashire.

At the time of the 1901 Census of England and Wales, Doctor was living 78 High St, Atherton, Lancashire, and employed as a pawnbroker's assistant. The details from this entry in the census are as follows.

Dwelling:

78 High St

Census Place:

Atherton, Lancashire

Source:

PRO Ref RG13; Piece 3596; Folio 39; Page 11

Marr

Age

Sex

Birthplace

Ernest ORMEROD

S

24

M

Lancs Atherton

Rel:

Occ:

Head

Manager Boot & Shoe (Worker)

Annie ORMEROD

S

22

F

Lancs Atherton

Rel:

Sister

George ORMEROD

S

20

M

Lancs Atherton

Rel:

Occ:

Brother

Cotton Spinner (Worker)

Henry ORMEROD

S

19

M

Lancs Atherton

Rel:

Occ:

Brother

Painter's Apprentice (Worker)

Minnie ORMEROD

S

17

F

Lancs Atherton

Rel:

Sister

Doctor ORMEROD

S

14

M

Lancs Atherton

Rel:

Occ:

Brother

Pawnbroker's Assistant

Doctor's attestation papers, which can be viewed below, give his date of birth as 24 May 1886, and his place of birth as Manchester, England. These attestation papers are stored in the National Archives of Canada (Ref. RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7482 - 3). Doctor Ormerod is described as a draughtsman on these attestation papers.

Doctor's brother, George Young Ormerod, who is listed as next of kin on the attestation papers, was still living in Manchester, when Doctor signed up to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Doctor's nephew, Ernest Ormerod, was also killed during the First World War and is buried at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery.

The 49th (Edmonton) Battalion, Alberta Regiment, with which Doctor served, was formed on 1 July 1915, in Edmonton, Alberta. It formed part of 7 Brigade, 3 Division of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

On 1 May 1916, the 49th Battalion's War Diary records that they were in trenches just to the south of Sanctuary Wood. Between 09:45 - 10:15, and 17:00 - 20:15 they were heavily bombarded, before - at 20:15 - "the bombardment ceased and a party of Germans, believed to be about 20 in number came over their parapet in front of the loop in Trench 62 and made a determined attack on that portion of the line. They were met by a heavy rifle fire, supplemented with bombs and Lewis gun fire, and it is though that few, if any, of the enemy attacking party escaped. A German Officer, namely Lieut. W Binder, 121st Wurttembergers, and an N.C.O. accompanying him were both taken prisoners. The German N.C.O. died of wounds shortly afterwards. The German officer was seriously wounded. Casualties as follows: -

Killed - 11 O.R.

Wounded

Officers

Lieut. Hobbs. Henry (Shell shock)

Lieut. Arthurs. Ronald Cook (slightly at duty)

Other ranks wounded

41 (includes 10 O.R. shell shock & 4 O.R. slightly at duty)

Total Casualties

2 Officers 52 O.R."

Doctor is commemorated on Page 144 of the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance (shown below).

He is also commemorated on the gravestone of his parents, Nancy and Robert Ormerod, in Atherton Cemetery (Grave Ref. 1993).

The epitaph on their grave reads:

"In Loving Memory of / Nancy / wife of Robert Ormerod who died / August 1st 1887, aged 44 years. / also John their son / who died April 6th 1875, / aged 1 year and 9 months. / also the above Robert Ormerod / who died March 12th 1898, / aged 52 years. / also Ernest the beloved son of the / above who died in Nobles Hospital / Douglas Isle of man August 27th 1903 / aged 26 years / Gone but not forgotten / also Doctor Young the beloved / son of the above, who was killed in / Belgium whilst fighting with the / Canadian contingent May 1st 1916 / aged 29 years / interred in Sanctuary Wood"

Doctor Young's memorial stone in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery. The exact location of his grave within the Cemetery is not known.

Hill_62_Memorial.JPG (236373 bytes)

The Canadian Memorial on Hill 62, above Sanctuary Wood, Ypres. The inscription reads "Here at Mount Sorrel and on the line from Hooge to St Eloi the Canadian Corps fought in the defence of Ypres April-August 1916".

Sanctuary_Wood_Trench01.JPG (126252 bytes)

Sanctuary_Wood_Trench02.JPG (123000 bytes)

Preserved trenches in Sanctuary Wood

Sanctuary_Wood_Tree.JPG (135881 bytes)

One of the original splintered and bullet-scarred tree trunks remaining from the fighting in Sanctuary Wood - now a symbol of remembrance.

Doctor_Young_Ormerod_front.jpg (412393 bytes)Doctor_Young_Ormerod_back.jpg (262619 bytes)

Doctor Ormerod's attestation papers

Ww1144.jpg (390343 bytes)

Page 144 of the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance

     

The gravestone of Doctor's parents, Nancy and Robert Ormerod, in Atherton Cemetery

(Grave Ref. 1993)

Doctor's name commemorated on Atherton Cenotaph

The images of Doctor's attestation papers and the First World War Book of Remembrance are supplied from the National Archives of Canada and the Veterans Affairs Canada websites respectively.

Both these sites allow their images to be used for public non-commercial use, but ask that users remind viewers that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made, in affiliation with or with the endorsement of National Archives of Canada or Veterans Affairs Canada.