Tag Archives: British Columbia Regiment

Horace Clare Waterfield

Horace Clare Waterfield was born on the 12th April 1876 at East Sheen, Surrey. He was the son of Sir Henry Waterfield, and his first wife, Katharine Jane, daughter of George Edward Wilmot Wood. Horace came from a staunch Westminster Family; both his father and his maternal grandfather had attended the school before him, as did several other relatives, including his elder brother Richard and his younger brother Frederick. Horace was admitted to the school in September 1889 and joined Rigaud’s.

After leaving the school in April 1894, he won the Brown Scholarship to the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester. He was awarded a Gold Medal in 1896, and started work as a land agent in England.

He married Margaret Elspeth on the 25th June 1906. Margaret was the daughter of Colonel Edward William Creswell, R.E. They had at least one daughter, Jean Katherine Mita Waterfield and one son Donald Waterfield.

The family emigrated to Nakusp, British Columbia in around 1912, and Horace managed an apple ranch.

He enlisted as Lieutenant with the British Columbia Regiment, Canadian Infantry in October 1916, and went out to the western front in May 1917. He was wounded in action on 26th April 1918, and died in Etaples on the 5th of May.

His daughter remained in Nakusp, and married a Christopher Spicer, who established Spicer’s Farm.

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Horace Montague Gundry

19160926_Gundry,HMHorace Gundry was a member of Homeboarders house from September 1898 until July 1901. He played cricket for his house. Upon leaving the school he entered an architect’s office, but by 1908 he had decided to emigrate to Canada. During the early-twentieth century, emigration from Britain reached unprecedented levels, with approximately 3.15 million people leaving between 1903 and 1913. The most popular destination during these years was Canada, drawing almost half of Britain’s emigrants.

Early in 1915 Gundry enlisted as a Private in the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion (British Columbia Regiment). The Regiment travelled first to England and then on to France on 10th Feburary 1915 becoming incorporated into the 1st Canadian Division. Gundry probably lost his life in the Battle of Thiepval, one of the Battles of the Somme. The 7th Battalion losses were estimated at 250 men after the first day of fighting, on which Gundry was killed in action.

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