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Record #3270

Name :: : Charles REAPER (1899 - 2003)
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 27 Jul 1899
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: : 1 Mar 2003 Notes : Source: Obituary

Abode (1) : Place of BirthScotland, Banff, Keith

Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Manitoba, Winnipeg

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 8 Apr 1912
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Scotian
Placement Family: :

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Quarriers

NotesCharles Reaper, 12, arrived from Glasgow, Scotland, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with a group of 98 children en route to Brockville, Ontario, Canada.

On February 25, 1915, Charles Reaper enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces. He declared that he was born in Keith, Banffshire, Scotland; that his next of kin was his half-sister, Mrs. Lizzie Bowman of Keith, Banffshire, Scotland; that his birthdate was July 27, 1897 (he was actually only sixteen--he said this was "the only lie I ever told,"; and that he was a farm labourer. He was described as 5 foot 7 inches in height; ruddy complexion; brown hair; and brown eyes.

Charles Reaper lived to the age of 103 years. With his death, Canada lost its last living link to the infantry soldiers who fought at Vimy Ridge in the First World War:

Winnipeg Free Press

INFANTRY'S FINAL SURVIVOR OF VIMY RIDGE DIES AT 103:
An orphan from Scotland, the young Charles Reaper signed up for war because he figured that it would be easier than the farm work he was doing in Manitoba. He was shot twice in battle. In later years he told descendants he was proud to have served his adopted country.

Canadian soldiers return from Vimy Ridge in this May, 1917, photo. The last surviving Vimy Ridge veteran, Charles Reaper, died on Saturday.

WINNIPEG - Canada has lost the last of the thousands of soldiers who climbed out of their trenches to attack and take Vimy Ridge, the First World War battle that turned Canada from a colony into a country.

Charles Reaper died Saturday in Winnipeg from complications from a stroke, one month before the 86th anniversary of what historians consider Canada's first great military victory.

He was 103.

"He was the last Vimy Ridge infantry veteran," said Steve Harris, the chief historian for the directorate of history and heritage at the Department of National Defence. "This is the last of the thousands who went over the top .... there's no one now to answer questions about it, about what it was like."

Mr. Reaper joined the army at 16 because he thought it would be easier than the back-breaking farm work he was doing in rural Manitoba. On April 9, 1917, he was among the 20,000 Canadian soldiers who went over the top to attack German positions on Vimy Ridge. Although the Canadians were given little chance to take the heavily fortified ridge, which French and British troops had tried and failed to capture, within three days they had routed the German defenders.

The victory cost the Canadian Corps 3,598 dead and 7,699 wounded.

"It was living history and now it is learned history," Mr. Harris said. "It's the kind of loss that is priceless. For people who don't know about this event, we've lost the ability to relate first-hand what happened."

"It's now Great Granddad's war, it's gone into the past, like the American Civil War."

There are only about a dozen Canadian veterans of the First World War still alive, all of them more than 100 years old. At least three of them were at Vimy Ridge; Mr. Reaper was the last surviving infantryman.

Darren Stirling, Mr. Reaper's nephew, said his uncle had lived at home with his wife of 69 years, Anna, until he suffered a stroke last month.

"He always said he didn't do anything that a lot of guys didn't do. But I know he said he was proud and loved Canada. He said if he had to, he would have done it again."

Rey Pagtakhan, the Veterans Affairs Minister and a Winnipeg MP, called Mr. Reaper's death "the loss of one more hero."

The battle of Vimy Ridge was the first time that the four divisions of the Canadian Corps had fought together and was the first battle largely planned and carried out by Canadians.

The Canadian troops managed to take the ridge by using innovative tactics such as accurate counter-battery fire to silence German guns and a creeping barrage of Canadian artillery that advanced just ahead of the foot soldiers, who were able to catch the German defenders unprepared.

"So you have three or four factors coming together and, damnit, we won," Mr. Harris said.

He said the first people who realized the significance of Vimy were the ordinary soldiers, such as Mr. Reaper, who fought the battle.

"They knew it. The soldiers were the first ones to recognize that they and all the guys around them were wearing maple leaf [badges] on their shoulders," Mr. Harris said. "And they were the ones who saw what they had done, who took pride in doing what the Brits and the French hadn't been able to do.

"My grandfather -- who was British -- told me that Vimy was the moment when he became a Canadian."

The battlefield was later ceded to Canada by France, and is now the site of the Vimy Memorial, a towering white monument atop the highest part of the ridge which bears the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France during the war whose remains were never found.

Born in 1899 in Banffshire, Scotland, Charles Reaper was an orphan when he came to Canada a few years later. He was put to work on farms in his teenage years before he joined the army.

"He said he figured if he was going to do a man's work, he should get a man's pay. Like a lot of guys at the time, he didn't really know what he was getting himself into," Mr. Stirling said of his uncle.

Mr. Reaper was shot in the abdomen and the arm during his two years of service in the war, but Mr. Stirling said his uncle never considered himself a hero.

"He didn't talk a lot about it," he said. "He was proud of the fact he went and served his country. He thought Canada was a great country to live in.

"What he'd done only really dawned on me a few years ago when he received the Legion of Honour from the French government. Since then, I'd catch myself complaining about things, as we all do. I'd bite my tongue and remember. It makes you proud to know someone like him," Mr. Stirling said.

After the war, Mr. Reaper returned to Winnipeg and joined the city transit department. He retired as a supervisor 46 years later.

? Copyright 2003 National Post

Charles beloved wife of 69 years, Anna Reaper, passed away on May 28, 2004.

CHARLES REAPER

CHARLES REAPER Peacefully at the Riverview Health Centre, on March 1, 2003, Charles Reaper passed away into the arms of the Lord. Left to mourn are his dearly beloved and dedicated wife Anna; his nephew Darren Stirling (Debbie) and Janice Gill (Don) who were always there for him with endless love and kindness. Also many loving family members including numerous nieces and nephews. Charles was born on July 27, 1899 in Keith, Banffshire, Scotland. He came to Canada at an early age and joined the army during the First World War. He served in Canada, England and France. He was a survivor of Vimy Ridge. After the war Charles met and married Anna, his wife of 69 years. He worked for the Winnipeg Transit and retired as a supervisor after 46 years of service. During his retirement Charles and Anna visited Scotland and also enjoyed many happy motoring trips. Charles was a longtime member of the First English Lutheran Church where he spent many years of worship and fellowship. He loved people and was loved and respected by all who knew him. The family wishes to thank Dr. R. Hayward for all his care and kindness over the years. Funeral service will take place on Friday, March 7, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Glen Eden Funeral Home, 4477 Main St., with Pastor T. Chell and Pastor D. Lowe officiating. Interment Glen Eden Memorial Gardens. A gathering of family and friends will follow in the Glen Eden Reception Centre. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada, 100-650 Waterloo St., London, ON N6B 2R4. Dear Charles, "Rest in Peace-We will miss you." Arrangements entrusted to: GLEN EDEN FUNERAL HOME 4477 MAIN STREET 338-7111
As published in the Winnipeg Free Press on March 04, 2003

ContributorsCreated : 2008-03-04 19:54:56 / From original database

Additional Contributions from : mollipops1

Last Updated : 2013-09-30 19:46:18 /

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Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 82 Entries

Surnames starting with: R »RAST »REAS »REID »RETZ »RICH »RIDE »ROBB »ROBE »ROBS »ROGE »ROSS »ROYA »RUSS » RZZZ

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
15959	RASTALL, Horace	1916	ENG,	Mar 1930 : Lancastria	CAN	Church Army
7531	RATCLIFF, Hannah	1858	ENG,	Nov 1869 : Hibernian	CAN	Maria Rye
5182	RATCLIFFE, Charles	1917	ENG, , Kidderminster	Mar 1932 : Montclare	CAN	Barnardos
7559	RATCLIFFE, Mary A.	1858	ENG,	Nov 1869 : Hibernian	CAN	Maria Rye
7822	RATCLIFFE, Mary Ann	1858	ENG,	Jul 1870 : Prussian	CAN	Maria Rye
22492	RATES, Agnes	1884	ENG,	Sep 1901 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
7406	RATHERHAM, William	1868	ENG,	Jun 1878 : Sarmatian	CAN	Middlemore
15771	RATICAN, Cecilia	1881	ENG,	Sep 1889 : Parisian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
15772	RATICAN, Thomas	1879	ENG,	Sep 1889 : Parisian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
18164	RATLEY, Cecil	1890	ENG,	May 1901 : Numidian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
20291	RAVEN, Arthur	1878		Mar 1887 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
5883	RAVENHILL, Bessie	1887	ENG,	Oct 1904 : Bavarian	CAN	Barnardos
5688	RAVENHILL, George A.	1902	ENG,	Jun 1911 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
17666	RAVWITCH, Annie	1892	ENG,	Sep 1905 : Bavarian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
5819	RAVWITCH, Rose	1899	ENG,	Aug 1907 : Tunisian	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
17159	RAVWITCH, Rose	1898	ENG,	Aug 1907 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
25936	RAW, Alice	1914		Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
5291	RAWDEN, James	1913	ENG, , Liversedge	Aug 1930 : Duchess of York	CAN	British Immigration and Colonisation Association
20427	RAWLE, Beaty	1895		May 1908 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
15233	RAWLES, Ada May	1902	ENG, , Poole	1916 : - Unknown -	CAN	Barnardos
24395	RAWLINGS, Alfred	1855		May 1870 : Peruvian	CAN	Annie MacPherson Homes
5774	RAWLINGS, Annie	1900	ENG,	Mar 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
24394	RAWLINGS, Charles	1856		May 1870 : Peruvian	CAN	Annie MacPherson Homes
26544	RAWLINGS, George H	1890	ENG,	Mar 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
19877	RAWLINGS, Herbert	1891	ENG,	May 1907 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
23558	RAWLINGS, John Stanley Roland	1916	ENG, SSX, Hastings	Mar 1928 : Benalla	AUS	Fairbridge Homes	Alan PENNO
5773	RAWLINGS, Mary	1900	ENG,	Mar 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
10557	RAWLINS, Violet	1909	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Oct 1920 : Scandinavian	CAN	Barnardos
21880	RAWLINSON, Alfred	1889	ENG,	May 1906 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
25731	RAWLINSON, Elizabeth	1896	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
5109	RAWLINSON, George	1912	ENG,	Aug 1926 : Montrose	CAN	Barnardos
23972	RAWLINSON, Reginald	1907	ENG,	May 1920 : Minnedosa	CAN	Middlemore
4924	RAWLINSON, William	1909	ENG, LAN, Liverpool	Mar 1925 : Aurania	CAN	Liverpool Sheltering Home
21479	RAY, Ernest William	1896		Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
5882	RAY, Louisa	1893	ENG,	Oct 1904 : Bavarian	CAN	Barnardos
23434	RAY, Reginald	1894	ENG, BRK, Reading	May 1908 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
19070	RAYBOLD, Amy	1891	ENG,	Aug 1901 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
21469	RAYBOULD, Francis Allen	1890		Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
11699	RAYBOULD, G	1891	ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
24522	RAYBOULD, Lily	1896		Jun 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
27435	RAYFIELD, William	1858		Aug 1872 : Sarmatian	CAN	Macpherson Homes
4846	RAYMENT, George Edgar	1909	ENG, CAM, Whittlesey	Apr 1925 : Montclare	CAN	Barnardos
16406	RAYMENT, Thomas	1878	ENG,	Mar 1893 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
23602	RAYMER, Robert J	1908	ENG,	May 1924 : Demosthenes	AUS	Barnardos
14044	RAYMOND, Joseph	1891	ENG,	Apr 1900 : Dominion	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
14045	RAYMOND, Samuel	1888	ENG,	Apr 1900 : Dominion	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
9497	RAYNOR, Annie	1893	ENG,	Oct 1903 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
18892	RAYNOR, Richard	1888	ENG,	Sep 1899 : Arawa	CAN	Barnardos
6261	RAYNOR, Robert G	1900	ENG, , Swanscombe	May 1911 : Tunisian	CAN	Louisa Birt
6248	REA, James	1889	ENG,	Mar 1901 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
22174	REA, Thomas	1888	ENG,	Apr 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
26411	READ, Albert	1919	ENG,	Jul 1931 : Oronsay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
19254	READ, Alexander Lewis	1906	ENG, LDN, London	Aug 1921 : Megantic	CAN	National Childrens Home
18137	READ, Arthur E	1874	ENG,	May 1887 : Parisian	CAN	Waifs & Strays
11665	READ, D	1892	ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
21315	READ, Edith	1902	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
8491	READ, Elsie	1899	ENG,	Oct 1909 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
19255	READ, George William	1901	ENG, LDN, London	May 1912 : Corsican	CAN	MacPherson Homes
25086	READ, Mahala	1896		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
18968	READ, Robert	1894	ENG,	May 1905 : Bavarian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
19900	READ, Robert	1880	ENG,	Jun 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
4784	READ, Ruth	1910	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	May 1925 : Montclare	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
8490	READ, Thomas	1899	ENG,	Aug 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
15018	READ, William	1884	ENG,	Aug 1898 : Laurentian	CAN	Southwark Catholic Emigration Society
23105	READ, William	1898	ENG,	Apr 1909 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
3559	READ, William Henry	1891	ENG, , Bath	Apr 1907 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
3992	READER, Constance Marjorie	1904	ENG,	Mar 1914 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
24048	READER, Ernest	1906	ENG,	Jun 1916 : Scandinavian	CAN	Middlemore
6099	READER, Hilda	1881	ENG, , Romford	Aug 1895 : Numidian	CAN	Maria Rye
25937	READER, Jesse William Reginald	1914	ENG, KEN	Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
11676	READING, Charles	1867	ENG, SSX, Brighton	May 1878 : Peruvian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
19937	READING, Ernest	1887	ENG,	Apr 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
22257	READING, Frank	1885	ENG,	May 1896 : Scotsman	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
9636	READING, George	1900	ENG,	Jun 1911 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
17668	READING, Hilda	1895	ENG,	May 1910 : Victorian	CAN	Boys and Girls Refuge (Manchester)
7407	READING, William	1873	ENG,	Jun 1879 : Moravian	CAN	Middlemore
18385	READON, Felix	1889	ENG,	Jul 1902 : Tunisian	CAN	Unknown
12909	READY, John	1883	ENG,	Sep 1897 : Numidian	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
7970	READYHOUGH, James E	1913	ENG, , Halifax	Apr 1930 : Letitia	CAN	Church Army
3270	REAPER, Charles	1899	SCT, BAN, Keith	Apr 1912 : Scotian	CAN	Quarriers
19690	REARDEN, Edward	1877	ENG,	May 1893 : Sardinian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Society
20728	REARDON, William		ENG,	May 1908 : Tunisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Surnames starting with: R »RAST »REAS »REID »RETZ »RICH »RIDE »ROBB »ROBE »ROBS »ROGE »ROSS »ROYA »RUSS » RZZZ

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 82 Entries

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