Gordon Jackson Kean was born on 28th February 1899 in Illinois, U.S.A.

The 1900 United States Federal Census for 1900 on Ancestry.co.uk records that the Kean family was living at North Sawyer Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.The Head of the family was John Ironside Kean, aged 31 who was born on the 6th August 1868 in Scotland.  He emigrated to America in 1890 and he was a Marble Setter by trade. His wife was Mary, 31  who was born in  December 1868 in Canada.  She emigrated to America in 1893. Their listed children were Leslie J.  7 born in April 1893 and Gordon Jackson aged 2.  Both children were born in Illinois. 

Gordon’s army records tell us that he enlisted into the Canadian Field Artillery of the Canadian Over Seas Expeditionery Force on 13th May 1918 in Toronto, Canada. He gave his address as 49 Hambly Avenue, Toronto and next of kin as Mary Kean (Mother) at the same address.  He was a Student at this time and had  single status.

After basic training in Canada, Gordon embarked from Quebec aboard the S.S. Themistocles on 18th September 1918 and on arrival in England on 25th September 1918 was posted to Whitley Army Camp to complete training.

As hostilities were coming to an end, Gordon was transferred to Kinmel Army Camp in Rhyl, North Wales.

Sadly, he died in a Military Hospital at Kinmel Camp on 24th October 1918. Cause of death,  Broncho Pneumonia.

(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. Sadly Gordon contracted Bronchial Pneumonia, and was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital where he died on 24th October 1918.

Gordon’s mother received his medals and his father received the Plaque and scroll.

He was buried in St. Margaret’s Cemetery at Bodelwyddan.

Gordon is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.