The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 1)
“Belleville Depot for Returned Canadian Soldiers Pending Discharge. City Armouries Have Been Fitted up to Accommodate Large Number of Soldiers Who Will Make Headquarters Here And Medical Boards Will Be Established.
Belleville will be a military demobilization centre with headquarters where returned soldiers will have living accommodation and receive Medical Boards. The Armouries have been fitted up for this purpose and over three hundred soldiers can be cared for there.
It is the intention to send to Belleville returned soldiers who are not hospital cases, walking wounded, who will be cared for here and ultimately receive their discharge here. Medical Boards will be stationed here and the necessary staff. Hospital cases will be kept in Kingston for treatment.
The old cannery has at last been abandoned by the authorities and dismantled.
Considerable new plumbing and steam heating has been installed in the Armouries to furnish comfort and convenience for the invalided soldiers. Smith & Co. have the plumbing and heating contract, which is quite extensive and includes shower baths, large lavatories, wash rooms, kitchen, etc.
The practice of sending all the wounded soldiers to Kingston and Toronto has been very unsatisfactory and it is planned to make discharge depots in various centres, including Belleville, which will be able to accommodate up to five hundred soldiers at one time.”
The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 3)
“Thrice Wounded Gassed Twice. Gunner Benjamin Bunton of Belleville Again a Casualty.
Ottawa, August 20, 1918. Mr. B. C. Bunton, 41 Pine Street, Belleville, Ont. Sincerely regret to inform you that 113117 Gunner Benjamin Charles Bunton officially reported admitted to Australian General Hospital, Abbeville on August 9. Gunshot wound in left leg. Director of Records.
Such was the telegram Mr. Bunton received yesterday from Ottawa informing him of the wounding of his son Ben, who joined the 8th C.M.R. in August 1915 and left for England on September of the same year, going to France early in the next year. This is the third time he has been wounded and also gassed twice.
A similar telegram was received by Mr. Bunton on Sunday informing him that William Thomas had been wounded. The brothers were both wounded on the same day. Ben was a gunner in the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Company and had served with that unit ever since he went to France. Before joining the soldiers, he was employed in The Intelligencer Office.”
The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 3)
“Remember by Giving. 300,000 Men Brave the U-Boats for Us. No Government Allowance for their Dependents!
Give! Give liberally! $1,000,000 is Ontario’s objective! Ontario has never failed!
Sailors’ Week, September 1st to 7th inclusive. The Navy League of Canada.”
The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 7)
“Pte. Morgan Wounded. Mrs. Mary Morgan, 13 Geddes St., city, received this official telegram from the Director of Records at Ottawa: ‘Sincerely regret to inform you, Pte. German Morgan, mounted services, is officially reported admitted to No. 15 General Hospital, Rouen, August 12, gunshot wounds both extremities.’
Pte. Morgan was a Hastings County boy and enlisted with the 210th Battalion at Moose Jaw. While in Belleville he was employed as brakeman on the G.T.R.”
The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 7)
“Pte. Knott Wounded. Pte. Harry Knot, whose name was mentioned in Monday night’s casualty list, went overseas in May, 1917, with the 254th Battalion from this city, and went to France the following October. Previous to enlisting Pte. Knott was employed at the Steel Plant of Canada. His many friends will hope that his wounds do not prove serious.”
The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 7)
“Pte. Stapley Wounded. Richard Stapley, Canifton Road, has received the following official telegram from the Director of Record at Ottawa: ‘Sincerely regret to inform you 2584305 Pte. Edward Givens Stapley, infantry, officially reported admitted to 49 Clearing Casualty Station, Aug. 11. Gun shot wound, abdomen.’ Pte. Stapley left with the 1st Eastern Depot Battalion, November 1917, and went to France in April, 1918.”
The Intelligencer August 21, 1918 (page 8)
“Killed in Action. Official notice was received this morning that James Banville, a Belleville soldier, had been killed in action on August 11th. He was an adopted son of Capt. Fagan, and had many friends who deeply regret his death.”
[Note: Gunner Joseph Banville died on August 11, 1918. He is commemorated on Page 363 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.]
First World War Belleville 