Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Southampton Cenotaph – Elias Mitchell was born on June 16th, 1882 on the Chippewa Hill Reserve (Saugeen Reserve), Bruce County, Ontario. He signed his Attestation papers to join the CEF on December 31st, 1915 at Southampton, Ontario, listing his prior occupation as a farmer. He indicated that prior to the war he had served in the 32nd Bruce Regiment. Elias Mitchell is remembered on the Southampton Cenotaph. This war memorial includes plaques with the names of men from World Wars 1 & 2. The WWI list is inscribed: "In grateful remembrance of the men of Southampton who fought and died in the Great War" and indicates which of the men were from the Saugeen Reserve (5 names). Two other men from Saugeen, Peter Ritchie and Daniel Nawash, died the day before Mitchell was killed, and were also with him in the 18th Battalion Western Ontario Regiment. Peter Ritchie and Elias Mitchell are both buried at Wancourt Cemetery, France. Southampton is in Bruce County, Ontario. The Saugeen Reserve is on the shore of Lake Huron and is home to the First Nation Chippewa of Saugeen. This photograph was taken by Mr. Clive Freeman in the summer of 2002.

Enlistment Cards – Records are property of the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.