HALLIDAY Sidney

Sidney Halliday enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on 14th December 1915. On his attestation paper he gave his current address as Minto, Manitoba, his date of birth as 20th October 1895 at Apple Tree Cottage, N. Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, his next of kin as his father George Halliday of the same address and his occupation as a farmer. Sidney was 5 feet 3¾ inches tall with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion.

Sidney sailed from Canada on the SS Empress of Britain on 20th May 1916, arriving in England on 29th May 1916. On 11th June 1916 he was admitted to the Military Isolation Hospital at Aldershot with a ‘not yet diagnosed’ illness. This turned out to be diphtheria and he remained in the isolation hospital until his discharge on 17th July 1916. He embarked for France on 12th August 1916. On 11th July 1917 Sidney was admitted to No 1 General Hospital at St Omer suffering from Rubella. He was discharged on 26th January 1917. He was reported wounded on 3rd May 1917 but recorded as Remaining at Duty. Sidney was killed in action on 11th August 1918.

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 3961 – 19.

Cap badge, 78th Battalion. Image courtesy of Jim Busby.