Albert Edward Wells was born on 10th December 1873 in Farnham, Port of Quebec, Canada.

The 1891 Census for Canada on Ancestry.co.uk shows that the Wells family was living in Quebec. The Head of the household, Frederick Burns Wells, born in  U.S.A was 50 years of age and a Railway Manager. He had emigrated to Canada in 1860 and married his wife Ammitie  (nee Page Buck) in 1868 in Farnham, Quebec. She i 42 years of age and had been born in Quebec, Canada. Their son Albert Edward was  17 years of age.

The 1901 Census for Canada reveals that Frederic Wells was widowed, aged 60 and still in the same trade with the railways and still living in Quebec. His only son Albert Edward Wells age 27 was a Student.

In 1904 Edward Albert Wells married Blanche Gervais in Manhatten, New York. ( Extracted Marriage Index 1866-1937 on Ancestry.co.uk)

The 1910 Census for the United States of America on Ancestry.co.uk shows that Albert and Blanche Wells were living in a rented house in Waco Ward 3, Texas, and that they had a daughter, Dorothy who was four years of age. It also reveals that Albert Edward Wells was a Teacher. There are also U.S. City Directories 1822-1995 on Ancestry dated 1917, stating that Albert Edward Wells of 1321 North 12th St. Waco, Texas was a Pianoforte Teacher at Baylor University, Waco Texas.

Attestation Papers for Private 3312094, Albert Edward Wells from the Library of Canada.

Albert’s army records tell us that he was drafted into the 152nd Draft of the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionery Force on 26th August 1918 in Chicago. He named his wife Blanche Wells as next of kin. His  address was 1321 North 12th St. Waco, Texas, U.S.A. he was a Teacher. His  date of birth was  10th December 1973, married.

There is a document on Ancestry.co.uk showing that Albert was a citizen of U.S.A. but chose to serve in the Canadian Army.

He was described on his medical form as being 5ft 3 ins tall with a medium complexion, brown hair and eyes.

Albert embarked from Chicago to Toronto on 28th August 1918 and after a brief period of training at Camp Niagara he embarked for England from Quebec aboard the S.S. Durham Castle on 10th September 1918 arriving in London, England on 25th September 1918.On arrival in England, Albert was posted to Whitley Army Camp and shortly after on 9th October 1918, when it became obvious that hostilities were coming to an end he was posted to Kinmel Army Camp in Rhyl, North Wales. Sadly Albert contracted Bronchial Pneumonia, and was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital where he died on 26th January 1919.

All of Albert’s effects were sent to his wife Blanche together with his medal, plaque and scroll.

(From Library of Canada Archives)

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, many succumbed to the Influenza Epidemic or complications associated with this infection.

Albert Edward Wells is buried in St. Margaret’s Cemetery in Bodelwyddan.

He is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.