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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William James Applin

In memory of:

Private William James Applin

September 2, 1918

Military Service


Service Number:

231482

Age:

23

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment)

Division:

50th Bn.

Additional Information


Born:

March 17, 1895

Son of W. J. and Edith E. Applin.

Digitized Service File.

Commemorated on Page 360 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

VIMY MEMORIAL
Pas de Calais, France

Grave Reference:

N/A

Location:

Canada's most impressive tribute overseas to those Canadians who fought and gave their lives in the First World War is the majestic and inspiring Vimy Memorial, which overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge, about eight kilometres northeast of Arras on the N17 towards Lens. The Memorial is signposted from this road to the left, just before you enter the village of Vimy from the south. The memorial itself is someway inside the memorial park, but again it is well signposted. At the base of the memorial, these words appear in French and in English:

TO THE VALOUR OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN MEMORY OF THEIR SIXTY THOUSAND DEAD THIS MONUMENT IS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA


Inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial are the names of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers who were posted as 'missing, presumed dead' in France. A plaque at the entrance to the memorial states that the land for the battlefield park, 91.18 hectares in extent, was 'the free gift in perpetuity of the French nation to the people of Canada'. Construction of the massive work began in 1925, and 11 years later, on July 26, 1936, the monument was unveiled by King Edward VIII. The park surrounding the Vimy Memorial was created by horticultural experts. Canadian trees and shrubs were planted in great masses to resemble the woods and forests of Canada. Wooded parklands surround the grassy slopes of the approaches around the Vimy Memorial. Trenches and tunnels have been restored and preserved and the visitor can picture the magnitude of the task that faced the Canadian Corps on that distant dawn when history was made. On April 3, 2003, the Government of Canada designated April 9th of each year as a national day of remembrance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial Page– William Applin is honoured on page 100 of the Gananoque Remembers booklet, published on January 31, 2005.
  • Gananoque Remembers– Gananoque, Ontario is a small town situated on the St. Lawrence River in the heart of 1,000 Islands.  It is one of hundreds of communities throughout Canada with war memorials which commemorate more than 110,000 men and women who lost their lives during both world wars. Over a  thousand citizens from Gananoque and surounding areas served in the navy, army, or air force: 83 lost their lives in parts of Canada, and in the battlefields of Europe.  Among the dead of Gananoque include a 15 year old solider, a father of ten, four sets of brothers and a Victoria Cross winner. 
Today the town cenotaph lists the names of those who died and  few citizens are aware of their family backgrounds or their circumstances of their deaths. Geraldine Chase of Gananoque and Bill Beswetherick of Kingston believed it was necessary to collect this information and perpetuate their sacrifices. 	
Gananoque Remembers book is a tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
  • Newspaper Clipping
  • War Memorial– Pte. William James Applin's name is listed on the Gananoque Ontario War Memorial.
  • World War I Memorial– WWI Plaque
Christ (Anglican) Church, Gananoque, ON
courtesy of Chris Andrew
  • Inscription

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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