The 1901 Census for Quebec, Canada on Ancestry.co.uk shows that the Farrar family were living at 45, St. Gabriel, Quebec. The Head  of the household was Joseph Farrar, aged 43. He had been born on 30th December 1857 in England. He was a machinist by trade and had emigrated to Canada in 1880. His wife, Grace was 27. She had been born on 8th April 1874 in Vermont U.S.A. Their listed children were Harold J  3 years old was born on the 17th August 1897. Phyllis aged 2 was born on 10th January 1899.  Both children had been born in Quebec.

The 1910 Census for America   records the family  living at 533 Highland place, Bellevue, Pennsylvania having emigrated from Canada in 1908. Head of the family, Joseph Farrar was 52 years of age and his trade was  Superintendent at a Locomotive Works. His wife Grace was 36 years old and the two children Harold J. and Phyllis L. were 12 and 11 years old respectively.

Harold John Farrar enlisted into the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, 72nd Battery at Kingston on June 17th 1916. He gave his trade as Student and stated that he had completed eight months in the Officers Training Corps. His address was given as 119 Alfred Street, Kingston, Ontario and his next of kin as Joseph Farrar (Father) of the same address.

After basic training in Canada, Harold embarked from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Mauretania on 23rd November 1916 and arrived in England on 30th November 1916 when he was posted to Shorncliffe Camp in Kent to complete training. Harold remained at Shorncliffe until 27th March 1917 when he was transferred to 1st Heavy Battery and embarked for France arriving on 28th March 1917 and joining his unit on 4th April 1917.

He remained in the Field until  28th December 1917 when he contracted Pleurisy and was transferred by Ambulance train to the Canadian General Depot where he remained until 3rd March 1918 when he was discharged from hospital and rejoined his unit on 20th March 1918..

He remained in the Field until 12th March 1919 when he again became ill with Pleurisy  and was transferred to the 16th Canadian Hospital in Orpington on 19th March 1919. He was discharged on 1st April and transferred to Kinmel Camp in North Wales for repatriation to Canada.Unfortunately Harold became ill at Kinmel Camp and was admitted to 12th Canadian General Hospital on 1st May 1919 where he became critically ill and died at 12.45 pm on 30th May 1919, cause of death, Tubercular Meningitis. Harold was 21 years of age.

Harold John Farrar is buried in St. Margaret’s Church Cemetery, Bodelwyddan, North Wales, U.K.

He is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.