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Jelly, Willis, St. Vital, Manitoba, formerly Manchester, England. Occupation: Carpenter. Military Service: Private, Reg. No. 460754, 200th Bn. transferred to 107th Canadian Pioneer Bn., Attestation Papers.
Additional Biographical Information
July 1917: “Then we moved to Petit Vimy, and were billeted in real dug-outs. Awful-smelling, deep, damp holes, full of rats and filthy with vermin. We were so used to the latter, by this time that they had ceased to trouble us, but we kept up a continual war-fare on them. We had a man with us, named Jelly, a terror to smoke cigarettes, he was death on rats. [p.10] One night he decided to slay a particularly friendly old rat, for the sole reason that it ate his bread and cheese. He armed himself with a long and wicked looking bayonet, got in a good supply of smokes, and waited. In the dark watches of the night, I heard a mighty yell, and a smothered imprecation on all and sundry rats. Poor old Jelly, making a mighty slash at the rat, hit his own toe, and away went the rat. My, we did laugh.” My Impressions & Experiences, 4 August 1916 – 18 April 1918” by Jack Beaumont, p. 9-10.
Reg. No. 460754, Private Willis Jelly, born in England, Former Corps: Territories, enlisted in Winnipeg 18 June 1915, next-of-kin: Mrs. Minnie Edna Jelly, 126 Raglan Avenue, St. Vital, Manitoba. Nominal Roll of the 200th Battalion, Bob Richardson Collection, p.6.