PASSING - JOHN BABCOCK - Last Canadian WWI Veteran; The RCR

[Tim Robinson]

The Regiment regrets to inform you of the passing of Mr John Babcock, the last Canadian WWI Veteran.

OTTAWA - Canada's last known First World War veteran has died, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement, John Babcock was 109.

"As a nation, we honour his service and mourn his passing," Prime Minister Harper said in a statement issued from Ottawa. Babcock was the last link to the 650, 000 Canadian men and women who served in the First World War, Harper noted.

"The passing of Mr. Babcock marks the end of an era," Harper said in the statement. "His family mourns the passing of a great man. Canada mourns the passing of the generation that asserted our independence on the world stage and established our international reputation as an unwavering champion of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

Babcock joined the military at the age of 16, but because of his age wasn't allowed on the frontlines.

He spent his final years living in Spokane, Washington.

Once a Royal Canadian, Always a Royal Canadian
Acting Lance Corporal John Babcock

Prepared by: Capt M.M. O'Leary, Regimental Adjutant
(Reproduced from Pro Patria, Issue No. 88, 2006)

In the recent exchanges in the media concerning the last surviving veterans of the First World war, it was identified in a Globe and Mail article (11 Nov 2006) that one of these veterans, John Babcock, was a Royal Canadian. Since the Regiment has not maintained a comprehensive roll of those soldiers who served with the Regiment in the Great War, it was necessary to confirm this statement by examining John Babcock's CEF service records. Consequently, the service record of 835571 Acting Lance Corporal John Babcock was acquired by the Regimental Adjutant. The following is a brief summary of information from that file.

John Henry Foster Babcock attested for overseas service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 1 February 1916. He originally attested for the 146th Overseas Battalion, which was recruiting at Kingston, Ontario, at that time. Five foot, four and one-half inches in height, with blue eyes and fair hair, Babcock gave his date of birth as 23 July 1900. The medical examiner stated his "apparent age" at the time was 18 years and on 4 February 1916 he was pronounced fit for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force.

With his file annotated "Not to be sent overseas until 19 years of age", John Babcock did not sail to England until October, 1916. On the 18th of October he arrived in England aboard the S.S. CALIFORNIA as a designated reinforcement for The Royal Canadian Regiment. He was taken on strength the R.C.R. & P.P.C.L.I. Depot at Caesar's Camp effective the 13th October 1917. This period of service with the R.C.R. & P.P.C.L.I. Depot, and being identified as a reinforcement for The RCR in France, confirms the John Babcock was, and remains, a Royal Canadian.

John Babcock was with the Depot until 1 January 1917 when he was transferred to the 7th Reserve Battalion, located at Seaford, near Newhaven on the southern coast of England. He was subsequently transferred to the 26th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott on 7 February 1917 and then was transferred again, this time to a "Boys", or "Young Soldiers", Battalion at Bexhill. Apparently throughout this period, Babcock's youth was catching up to him and he continued to be transferred 'away' from front line service, at least until he was of age.

Serving in the Young Soldier's battalion, John Babcock was promoted to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal (with pay) in September 1917, and then Acting Corporal (with pay) in October. In March 1918 he lost his stripes, being reduced to Private for "Neglect of Duty", although he did regain a promotion to Acting Lance Corporal again in October 1918.

John Babcock was repatriated to Canada from the Young Soldier's Battalion in November 1918. He arrived back in Canada aboard the S.S. AQUITANIA on 28 November 1918. His processing through the demobilization and release system lasted until his final discharge on 1 January 1919 at Kingston, Ontario.

At the age of 18 years, 7 months (in accordance with his Discharge Certificate), Acting Lance Corporal John Henry Foster Babcock returned to civilian life after 2 years and 11 months of service. Accepting the age recorded at Discharge as correct means that John Babcock attested for service at the age of 15 years, 8 months.

Pro Patria

[Ron Gross]

GOD Bless and keep you by his side John, and rest in peace.

PRO PATRIA BROTHER

Ron

[Tim Robinson]

Memorial service for Canada's last WWI soldier

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPOKANE, Wash. -- John Babcock, Canada's last soldier from World War I who died this past week at the age of 109, was remembered at a memorial service as a symbol of his 650,000 countrymen who volunteered to serve in the Great War.

Babcock died Thursday in Spokane, where he had lived since 1932. On Saturday, family, friends and some of Canada's top dignitaries gathered at Spokane's Messiah Lutheran Church to honor his life.

"He captured the spirit of adventure," said Gen. Walter Natynczyk, chief of the defense staff for Canadian Forces and the country's top soldier.

"Jack was a part of that generation who went forward with great courage," Natynczyk said.

During World War I, just 11 million people lived in Canada. Of those who served, more than 60,000 died.

"John Babcock was Canada's last living link to the Great War, which in so many ways marked our coming of age as a nation," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement last week.

"Today they are all gone," Harper said. "Canada mourns the passing of the generation that asserted our independence on the world stage and established our international reputation as an unwavering champion of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

Natynczyk was joined Saturday by Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Canada's minister of veterans affairs and minister of state, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported. Also attending were members of the Canadian army and the Royal Canadian Regiment, the unit in which Babcock served.

Blackburn presented Babcock's wife, Dorothy Babcock, with the Canadian flag that was flying over the Peace Tower at the Canadian parliament in Ottawa, Ontario, the day he died. She also received a flag from the regiment flag, and a regiment bagpiper played "Amazing Grace."

"We have to remember that Mr. Babcock was only 15 years old when he enrolled and decided to defend and value our country," Blackburn said.

John Henry Foster Babcock was born July 23, 1900, on a farm near Kingston, Ontario, one of 11 children. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Regiment, lying about his age. Kept in Britain with nearly 1,300 other underage soldiers, he trained in anticipation of facing enemy fire, but the war ended before he could set foot in France.

After the war, Babcock moved to the United States, where he served in the U.S. Army from 1921-24. After moving to Spokane he operated a heating business for 26 years. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen when he was 46 years old, and at 95 earned his high school diploma.

Babcock attributed his longevity to the physical training he received from serving in two armies. He didn't drink much and stopped smoking years ago.

At his memorial service, his grandson, Paul Babcock, described his grandfather's life as "an adventure novel from the get-go," one that "didn't let up."

Babcock was married to his first wife, Elsie, for 45 years. His second wife, Dorothy, was a nurse who helped care for Elsie before she died.

Babcock and his second wife were married for more than 30 years.

Survivors include his son, Jack Babcock Jr., of Spokane; a daughter, Sandra Strong, of Hamilton, Mont.; stepsons Eric and Mark Farden; 16 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.

Frank Woodruff Buckles, 109, of West Virginia, is now the only surviving North American World War I veteran.

[Tim Robinson]

Photos provided by MWO Ingersoll, The RCR.

[Mike Blais]

Well done, Derek.

MIke

[outback jack]

Nice to see Denis Thompson there