BRISTOW, William H

William Bristow was the son of Richard and Madeline Bristow and was born in Wollaston in 1888. By 1917 his parents were living at 111 High Street, Wollaston. Their son, however, had emigrated to Canada to become a carpenter, and in 1916 he enlisted at Vernon, British Columbia, in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He spent ten months in the British Columbia Horse and was transferred to the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles (British Columbia Regiment). They came to Flanders for the Third Battle of Ypres when the Canadians were involved in several phases of this long battle. On the 26th October they arrived at the front line opposite Passchendaele and on the 30th began the assault on the village. Great losses were taken in the four day assault and among them was Private William Bristow who was killed on the 30th October. He was 29 years of age and left a widow and child and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Stourbridge, Wollaston church and Canadian National Memorials.