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Church Amos Charles Lefebvre

 

The 1901 Census (Library and Archives of Canada) records the Church family living in Megantic County, Quebec. Head of the household was Charles Church aged 49. He had been born on the 9th January 1857 in Quebec of English origin.   His trade was ‘Merchant’.  His wife was Mary,  aged 41 She was  born on the 17th January 1860 in Quebec and was of Scottish origin. Their  son Amos was 7 and had been born on the  22nd March 1894 in Quebec.  Also listed was Mother Louisa Church aged 79 born 9th November 1824 in England. There was also an Aunt, S. Glover aged 73 born on the 20th January 1828 in England. The property was possibly a business of some kind  as there  were  two employees who were Clerks by trade.  Their nameswere John Prouler and N.M. Gingers.

The 1911 Census show that the family was still in Megantic County Quebec.  Widower Charles Church, was Head aged 54 and Amos Church aged 19.  ( This is incorrect as his year of birth was 1894 making Amos 17 years of age and not 19) .    Mary Church wife and mother had died on 11th February 1908. (See Public Family Tree, Megantic County Pioneers, on Ancestry.co.uk)

Amos Charles Lefebrve Church’s Army records tell us that he enlisted into the Mobile Veterinary Section, 4th Canadian Division on 25th April 1916 in Montreal. His previous trade was Merchant and his next of kin was his Father Charles E. Church of Leeds, Megantic County, Quebec.

After training in Canada Amos embarked for  England and arrived on 27th June 1916.

He was transferred from the Mobile Veterinary Section to 97th Canadian Siege Battery on 15th August 1916 and posted to France. The 97th Canadian Siege Battery was renamed the 1st Canadian Siege Battery in January 1917.  His medical records show that he had a turbulant war healthwise.  During 1917 Amos contracted Influenza on 10th March and  he was wounded on 8th April, transferred to hospital and rejoined his unit on 14th April. He then  reported sick on the  10th August with Mumps with  debility afterwards until 29th September when he returned to his unit. He was transferred to Number 3 Rest Camp at Boulogne on 5th October 1917 then posted to the Canadian Labour Pool in the Field on 6th January 1918.

He remained in France until 30th January 1919 when he returned to England and was posted to Bordon Camp then on to Kinmel Camp for repatriation to Canada.

(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 Amos contracted Bronchial Pneumonia,and was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital where he died at 5.40pm on 14th February 1919.

According to The Public Family Tree, Megantic County Pioneers on Ancestry.co.uk there are three gravestones for Amos, in Quebec, Alberta and Wales.

Amos is buried in St. Margaert’s Cemetery, Bodelwyddan.

He is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.


Learn more about the other soldiers on the Bodelwyddan Memorial

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