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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Gerald Hamilton Peters

In memory of:

Lieutenant Gerald Hamilton Peters

June 3, 1916

Military Service


Age:

21

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment)

Division:

7th Battalion

Additional Information


Born:

November 8, 1894
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Enlistment:

February 9, 1915
Montreal, Quebec

Son of Frederick and Bertha Hamilton Peters of Nelson, British Columbia.

Brother of Private John Franklyn Peters, who died while serving with the Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment) and Captain Frederick Thornton Peters VC, who died while serving with the Royal Navy.

Commemorated on Page 147 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 18 - 28 - 30

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

Send us your images

  • Newspaper clipping– from the Daily Colonist of July 26, 1916. Image taken from web address of http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist58y195uvic#mode/1up.
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Daily Colonist of August 1, 1916. Image taken from web address of http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist58y200uvic#mode/1up.
  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Halifax Evening Mail August 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Letter from brother, Frederick Peters VC– Page 1 of a letter from Frederick Peters, VC to his mother regarding the search for his brother Gerald, who was missing and presumed dead.
  • Letter from brother, Frederick Peters VC– Page 2 of a letter from Frederick Peters, VC to his mother regarding the search for his brother Gerald, who was missing and presumed dead.
  • Letter from brother, Frederick Peters VC– Page 3 of a letter from Frederick Peters, VC to his mother regarding the search for his brother Gerald, who was missing and presumed dead.
  • Letter from brother, Frederick Peters VC– Last page of a letter from Frederick Peters, VC to his mother regarding the search for his brother Gerald, who was missing and presumed dead.
  • Memorial Plaque– memorial in Charlottetown church cemetery to Gerald, along with his brother Jack Peters and cousin Arthur Peters
  • Photo of Bertha Gray Peters– Gerald's mother Bertha Gray Peters, who was a daughter of John Hamilton Gray, a P.E.I. Father of Confederation
  • Photo of  Frederick Peters– Gerald's father Frederick Peters (1852-1919), who served as premier of Prince Edward Island in the 1890's before moving west to Victoria and Prince Rupert.
  • Attestation Papers– Gerald's attestation report, page one
  • Attestation Papers (Back)– Gerald's attestation, page 2
  • Grave Marker– Gravestone of Fred Peters in Prince Rupert, B.C. includes a memorial inscription to Gerald on the bottom stone
  • Photo of Mary Cunard– Gerald's paternal grandmother, Mary Cunard, who was the eldest daughter of Sir Samuel Cunard
  • Photo of James Horsfield Peters– Gerald's paternal grandfather, Judge James Horsfield Peters, who was a judge in Prince Edward Island
  • Photo of Gerald Peters– Lieut. Gerald Peters photo taken in 1915 or 1916
  • Menin Gate
  • Inscription on Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial
  • Newspaper clipping– clipping in Prince Rupert Empire on bravery of G.H. Peters
  • Newspaper clipping– Charlottetown newspaper report on Gerald's death
  • Letter– page one of the May 31, 1916 letter Gerald Peters wrote to his mother, a few days before his death
  • Letter– page 2 of May 31 1916 letter from Gerald Peters to his mother
  • Transcription– transcription of May 31 1916 Gerald Peters letter

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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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