Alfred David Goes To War (updated Dec.5)



Posted here is Alfred David's Attestation Paper. (scroll down).

When World War I broke out in 1914, Canadian men who signed up to fight in France filled out an attestation paper.

Don Cochrane found it during some research he was doing online about his own family.

I've ordered a copy of Davey's military record from Veterans Affairs and will post it here where I get it. In past experience, that will take several weeks if not months.

Also posted below is Davey's 1919 military service discharge certificate and his 1962 obituary notice in the Winnipeg Free Press. Both say he was a prisoner of war. 

Attestation Paper

David served with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in France and Belgium. It appears he was captured by the Germans after serving about three months on the Western Front and was a POW for almost the entire duration of the war. The war ended in 1918. 

Also posted below is a front page photo of Davey in the Winnipeg Free Press during his last summer at camp in 1961.

Attestation Paper page 2

Alfred David's obituary notice (fifth one down on the left)



Alfred David's last summer at camp





Davey in the his kitchen



Discharge certificate



 







Camp cook Alfred David

 In the meantime, if you haven't seen it, here are some photos and video of Davey I posted earlier: Davey.

"A Living Tradition"

"I'll be going down to camp as long I am able to carry on."

This was written sometime in the early 1950s. Davey's last summer at camp was 1961. I believe this article appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press. The reporter, Clell Bryant, would later be posted at the London bureau of the Montreal Gazette and later become the editor of Time Canada.

Bryant's story refers to Davey's 1947 trip paid for by some of his "boys". I've posted another newspaper article (I Write What I See) that details that trip.


Below is a second article by Bryant he wrote in July 1951 after a visit to Camp Stephens.


"High point of the season is Little Chief's Day, when most of the staff leaves the island and the boys run the camp."