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John James Semple

Semple, John James, Berens River, enlisted on the SS Wolverine in Lake Winnipeg, 20 August 1917. Occupation: Axman, Trapper, and Fisherman. Military Service: Private, Reg. No. 2184374, Canadian Forestry Corps, sapper, Canadian Railway Troop, CASC. Attestation Papers. [John James Semple, Reg. No. 2184347 [sic] is also listed in the online Attestation Papers; however, there are no links to the actual papers. These are actually online but under John James Simple rather than Semple. See above].

Additional Biographical Information

1894

John James Semple was born 15 January 1894, at Little Grand Rapids, son of John James Semple, hunter, and his wife Charlotte. He was baptised 23 July 1984 by Rev. J. A. McLachlan (Berens River Methodist Baptisms, 1885-1899, No. 112)

1917-1918

According to family sources, after John James Semple enlisted, he got as far as Halifax but did not go overseas, as he was injured in the Halifax explosion on 6 December 1917. Apparently, he was having his hair cut, when the explosion occurred, and he lost an eye from flying glass. For additional information on that event, go to The Halifax Explosion.

To check the accuracy of this family memory, check documents from Pte. Semple’s Personnel Records below.

• 20 August 1917:
  • Particulars of Family.
• 27 August 1917:
  • Medical History Sheet, Lake Winnipeg
• 5 September 1917:
  • Casualty Form – Active Service (Sailed from Halifax on S.S. Megantic)
• 15 September 1917:
  • Casualty Form – Active Service (Arrived at Liverpool, England and Taken on Strength at Base Depot, C.F.C. Sunningdale)
• 28 September 1917:
  • Proceedings of a Medical Board, Sunningdale, England.
• 29 September 1917:
  • Casualty Form – Active Service (Struck off Strength at Base Depot, Sunningdale, and transferred to Railway Troops, Purfleet)
• 29 October 1917:
  • Proceedings of a Medical Board, Purfleet, Essex, England.
• 9 November 1917:
  • Casualty Form – Active Service (Taken on Strength C.D.C. Buxton in preparation for embarkation to Canada)
• 17 November 1917:
  • Casualty Form – Active Service (Embarked for Canada from Liverpool)
• 23 December 1917:
  • Admitted to hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia (link to that line in medical report of 27 May 1918)
• 10 January 1918:
  • Medical Report, Halifax
• 16 January 1918:
  • Proceedings of Medical Board at Discharge Depot, Halifax.
• 16 February 1918:
  • Discharged from hospital in Halifax (link to that line in medical report, 27 May 1918)
    • Tuberculosis, Not Improved.
    • Medical Case-History Sheet
• 27 May 1918:
  • Medical Board Report, Ninette, Manitoba
• 5 July 1918:
  • Medical Board Report, M.M.H. (Manitoba Military Hospital) Tuxedo Park, Winnipeg.
• 28 September 1918:
  • Medical History, M.M.H. Tuxedo Park, Winnipeg.
• 30 September 1918:
  • Case History Sheet, Manitoba Military Hospital, Tuxedo Park, Winnipeg.
  • Dental History Sheet
• 1 October 1918:
  • Case History and Specialist Report, General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
• 8 October 1918:
  • Discharge Certificate, Winnipeg

1920

John James Semple, aged 26, bachelor, of Berens River, Methodist, and Margaret Boucher, aged 18, spinster, of Berens River, Roman Catholic, daughter of William Boucher and Mary Tobacco, were married at Berens River, October 1920 by Rev. Jno. W. Niddrie. Witnesses: Zella Richardson and Willie M. Hart. (Berens River Methodist Marriages, 1920-1952, No. 37)

1987

John James Semple died 23 August 1987 (Personnel Record, John James Semple, Reg. No. 2184374, Library and Archives Canada)