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Record #3724
Name :
: Gordon CAMERON (1898 - 1918)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: Nov 1898

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 28 Sep 1918   Notes : Killed in Action
Abode (1) : Place of BirthScotland, Helensburgh
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialFrance, Vimy Ridge
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 11 Apr 1911
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Hesperian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Quarriers
NotesIn 1901, Gordon Cameron, 2 years of age, was residing at 40 John St, Row, Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire, Scotland. Other family members included: Donald Cameron, 31 coachman (not domestic); David Cameron, 5; and Jessie Cameron, 24. (Source: 1901 Census of Scotland; Parish: Row; ED: 8; Line: 14; Year: 1901.)

At the age of four, Gordon's father, Donald Cameron, died of pneumonia which he caught while helping a young pregnant women and her husband to the hospital during a severe storm. Two years after his father's death, Gordon's mother, Jessie, remarried. Her new husband forced Jessie to give up two of the boys. She gave up Gordon, the youngest and David, the oldest. A terrible choice to make under any circumstances.

In 1910, Gordon Cameron, 11 (along with brother David Cameron, 14) arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with a group of 100 children en route to Brockville, Ontario, Canada.

In 1911, Gordon Cameron, 12, is shown as adopted by John and Sarah Carr in Bathurst, Lanark, Ontario, Canada. His date of birth is shown as November 1898 and his immigration year as 1910. The hours were long, the work was hard and the pay was small.

On November 15, 1916, Gordon Cameron, 18, enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces (Service Number: 1042365; Force: Army; Unit: Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)). He declared that he resided in Perth, Ontario; that he was born in Dumbarton, Helensburg, Scotland; that his next of kin was his mother, Jessie Mitchell, who resided at 41 Hills Street, Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland; that he was born on November 22 1897; that he was a farmer; and that he was not married. He was described as 5 foot 3-3/4 inches in height; ruddy complexion; hazel eyes; and black hair. He was a member of the Presbyterian faith. He had distinguishing marks of a pitted scar along inner border of scapula. Gordon shipped off to Seaford, England aboard the S.S. Megantic.

(Gordon's brother, David Cameron, enlisted, but due to a bad stomach, left the service.)

On January 28, 1918, after six months of training, Gordon, who had taken as much of the time as he could to get to know his mother all over again, joined the forces of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) - one of Canada's most historic, decorated and respected military units then and now. All the while, Gordon's brother Donald, had registered to fight with British infantry forces. Donald survived the first World War but was killed in the Second World War.

Gordon joined the PPCLI in France and participated in battles throughout 1918. In late September, Canadian forces pulled off the miraculous, middle of the night Battle of Canal du Nord. Tens of thousands of troops were marched across the canal and took the enemy forces by total surprise when morning broke. This led to the major push to Cambrai and then onwards to Germany where war ended just over a month later. On September 28, 1918, Gordon was lost in action. The action leading up to his death had the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) attacking German positions along the Marcoing Line. Their advance was arrested by barbed wire fencing, not visible in aerial photographs of the area due to foliation. The RCR was bogged down and many lost there lives in a hail of bullets from enemy machine gun nests. In a valiant effort, the RCR held their position. The PPCLI were called in to support the RCR. Five hours later, the allied forces had overun German positions in the immediate area. In all likelihood, Gordon was killed in this fighting.

There is no specific record of him falling, and no body was ever found, but the story that was passed on to his brother back in Canada was that Gordon had strapped hand grenades to his body, pulled the pins and threw himself into a German machine gun nest, sacrificing himself for the safety of his buddies. A few of his possessions were returned to his brother David, including two bibles, both recognized as belonging to Gordon. One of the bibles is singed from fire, while the other is blood stained on every page. This lends some credence to the story. Because no body was ever found and Gordon was listed as missing in action and presumed to have died of wounds on his official record.

Private Gordon Cameron is remembered on the VIMY MEMORIAL in Pas de Calais, France.

The Vimy Memorial is Canada's most impressive tribute overseas to those Canadians who fought and gave their lives in the First World War. The monument overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge. At the base of the memorial, these words appear in French and in English:

TO THE VALOUR OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN MEMORY OF THEIR SIXTY THOUSAND DEAD THIS MONUMENT IS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA

Inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial are the names of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers who were posted as 'missing, presumed dead' in France. 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-04-28 13:26:54 / From original database

Last Updated : 2015-07-02 11:02:11 / alanmack

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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  8 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
19915 CAMERON, Alex1881ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Fegan Homes for Boys  
3723 CAMERON, David1896SCT,    , Helensburgh Apr 1911 : Hesperian CAN Quarriers  
8700 CAMERON, Donald1912ENG,     Mar 1930 : Nova Scotia CAN Salvation Army  
3724 CAMERON, Gordon1898SCT,    , Helensburgh Apr 1911 : Hesperian CAN Quarriers  
7935 CAMERON, John1914SCT,    , Greenock Apr 1930 : Letitia CAN Quarriers  
25808 CAMERON, Lizzie1878 Jun 1891 : Norwegian CAN Quarriers  
26842 CAMERON, Mary Edith1925 Feb 1934 : Jervis Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
7936 CAMERON, William1914SCT,    , Ross-Shire Apr 1930 : Letitia CAN Quarriers