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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Alexander Sproule

In memory of:

Private Alexander Sproule

June 5, 1916

Military Service


Service Number:

117094

Age:

29

Force:

Army

Unit:

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (Saskatchewan Regt.)

Additional Information


Born:

May 1, 1887
Dublin, Ireland

Enlistment:

January 5, 1915
Calgary, Alberta

Son of George Sproule of Dublin, Ireland.

Brother of Sergeant Francis David Sproule, who died during service with the Royal Canadian Regiment.

Commemorated on Page 166 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 30 and 32

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

  • Inscription– Inscription on the Menin Gate … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
  • Group photo– Photo of Frank and Alex Sproule who emigrated to Canada in May 1910 and enlisted in 1915. Frank died at Vimy Ridge and Alex at Mt. Sorrel.
  • Banff War Memorial– Banff (Alberta) War Memorial.   Erected by the Mount Rundle chapter of the I.O.D.E. and unveiled September 2nd, 1923 near the Great War Veterans' Association Memorial Hall on Banff avenue.  It was made of stone from Mount Rundle.   The current memorial includes a pair of World War Two panels with 29 names on either side of a central panel listing 52 World War One names.  It is now located at the front wall of the Royal Canadian Legion, Colonel Moore Branch #26, on Banff avenue.
  • Banff, Alberta– View of Banff avenue showing the location of the Royal Canadian Legion building - near the Canadian flag.  The Banff (Alberta) War Memorial is located outdoors on the front wall of this building.

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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