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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William John Doxsee

In memory of:

Lieutenant William John Doxsee

April 26, 1915

Military Service


Age:

40

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)

Division:

2nd Battalion

Additional Information


Born:

May 23, 1874
Campbellford, Ontario

Enlistment:

September 22, 1914
Valcartier, Quebec

Husband of Mabel Agnes Doxsee of Campbellford, Ontario. He was the manager of a lumbar yard before he enlisted at the age of 40 years and 4 months. He had 2 years previous years service in South Africa with the 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment.

Commemorated on Page 12 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

Panel 10 - 26 - 28

Location:


The Menin Gate Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and erected by the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission, it consists of a Hall of Memory", 36.6 metres long by 20.1 metres wide. In the centre are broad staircases leading to the ramparts which overlook the moat, and to pillared loggias which run the whole length of the structure. On the inner walls of the Hall, on the side of the staircases and on the walls of the loggias, panels of Portland stone bear the names of the dead, inscribed by regiment and corps. Carved in stone above the central arch are the words:


TO THE ARMIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO STOOD HERE FROM 1914 TO 1918 AND TO THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE.

Over the two staircases leading from the main Hall is the inscription:

HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL IN YPRES SALIENT BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.

The dead are remembered to this day in a simple ceremony that takes place every evening at 8:00 p.m. All traffic through the gateway in either direction is halted, and two buglers (on special occasions four) move to the centre of the Hall and sound the Last Post. Two silver trumpets for use in the ceremony are a gift to the Ypres Last Post Committee by an officer of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who served with the 10th Battery, of St. Catharines, Ontario, in Ypres in April 1915."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Inscription on the Menin Gate - May 2019 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Menin Gate - May 2019 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram November 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Berlin (Ontario) News Record newspaper 1915. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Toronto Star for 8 March 1915.
  • Photo of William Doxsee– From the Toronto Star 28 April 1915.
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Toronto Star 28 April 1915.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Second part of an article in the Toronto Star for 28 April 1915.
  • Circumstances of death registers– Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR. Surnames: Don to Drzewiecki. Microform Sequence 29; Volume Number 31829_B016738. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 173. Page 755 of 1076. No record of burial.
  • Inscription on Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial

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To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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