Percy Elsworth Lynn was born on 30th May 1889 in Claremont, Pickering, Ontario, Canada.

The 1891 Census for Canada on Ancestry.co.uk reveals to us that the Lynn family was living in Ontario (West) and the Head of the household was Daniel Lynn aged 54. He was born in England and was a a Farmer by trade. His wife was Sarah Catherine, aged 43. She had been born in Ontario. Their listed children were Anna Maria aged 25 born in 1866. William Edgar was 21 and had been born 1870. He was a Farm Labourer.   Mary Jane was 19 having been born in 1872. Frederick Benjamin was 8 and was born in 1883. Robert Gordon 6 was born in 1885 and Percy Elsworth aged 2 who had been born in 1889.

The 1901 Census records the Lynn family living in Pickering, Ontario. It appears that Daniel Lynn was deceased as the  Head of the household was then Sarah Lynn, a widow who was a Housekeeper.  The children listed on the census were, Frederick Benjamin 18, a Farm Labourer.  Robert Gordon 16 was also a Farm Labourer. Percy Elsworth was 11.

Percy was drafted into the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry at Uxbridge, Ontario on 22nd October 1917 and completed his basic training at Camp Niagra before embarking for England. He gave his mother, Sarah Lynn as next of kin and his trade as Painter.

Percy embarked for England on board the S.S. Themistocles and arrival in England on 25th September 1918, and was transferred to 8th (Reserve ) Battalion Canadian Infantry and posted to Whitley Army Camp  to complete training. By the time Percy had completed his training, hostilities had ceased, therefore Percy was posted to Kinmel Camp in North Wales to await repatriation to Canada. Tragically,  whilst there, Percy contracted Bronchial Pneumonia, and was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital where he died on 23rd October 1918.

(From Library and Archives Canada),

Kinmel Park Camp was a segregation camp used to house Canadian Soldiers awaiting repatriation to Canada after the end of WW1. Unfortunately the conditions at that time were extremely harsh with a lack of every kind of commodity, the camp was overcrowded and the services were poor, there were shortages of clothing, food and blankets. As a result of this situation, a vast number of servicemen and women became ill and many succumbed to the Influenza Epidemic or complications associated with this infection.

He is buried in St. Margaret’s Cemetery in Bodelwyddan.

Percy is Commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.