Cyril Ross Card was born on 16th July 1896, his parents were William and Flora Card.
The 1901 Census for Canada on Ancestry.co.uk shows us that the Card family was living in Trenton Town, Ontario. The head of the household is shown as William Edward Card, age 34 born 10th June 1866, he was of Scottish origin and a Pump Maker by trade. His wife Flora, age 31 was born on the 28th July 1869 and their two children Charlie W. age 7 was born on 1st November 1889 and Ross age 4 was born 16th July 1896.
Ten years on the 1911 Census shows that the family was living in Calgary. William Edward was not listed. Flora was recorded as married but not Head of the household. I have done a search for William but been unsuccessful. The children were listed as Charles Wesley age 17, Assistant Bank Teller, Ross 14, Gerald, age 9 born October 1901 and Victor age 8 born January 1903.
The 1916 Census records William Edward as Head of the household. He was a Drayman by trade. Also listed were his wife Flora and children Charles Wesley, Bank Clerk, Cyril Ross, Hardware Clerk, William J. aged 15 and David Victor aged 13.
Charles Wesley went on to marry Daisy Hunt on 8th December 1921.
His Army records tel us that Cyril Ross Card enlisted into 1st (Reserve) Battalion, Canadian Infantry on 22nd July 1918 at Vancouver, British Columbia. He gave his trade as Dry Goods Salesman and his address as 0940 – 1st Ave, N. West Calgary. His next of kin was his father William Edward Card.
Cyril embarked from Canada on board the S.S. Durham Castle and arrived in England on 25th September 1918 when he was posted to Seaford Camp then on to Kinmel Camp, Rhyl on 15th October 1918. (From Library and Archives of Canada Service Files of 1st WW 1914-1918).
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. Sadly Cyril Ross Card contracted Bronchial Pneumonia,and was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital where he died on 20th October 1918.
Cyril Ross Card is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
Cyril Ross Card was laid to rest in St. Margaret’s Cemetery, Bodelwyddan.
All the images shown further down the page are taken from a Public Family Tree on Ancestry.co.uk the Lorimer, Warren, Wilson, Whelan, Family Tree, with the kind permission of the tree owner.
