During the First World War, pilots received 40 to 60 hours of training and had a life expectancy of weeks, but that didn’t deter Basil Ward Binkley from joining anyway.
Binkley was born in Moose Jaw on May 13, 1892, to John Whitfield and Alice (nee Gunby) Binkley, who later moved to Armstrong, British Columbia. Binkley was also the brother of Glen, Manswell, Hope and Melvin.
The First World War started on July 28, 1914, and the 22-year-old Moose Javian enlisted on Oct. 28, 1914. He joined Great Britain’s Royal Flying Corps and was made a lieutenant in the 15th Battalion.
Almost three years later, Binkley was shot down and killed on July 12, 1917 at age 25. He was buried in France’s Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension near the Belgian border.
Binkley posthumously received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his efforts.
Information about Binkley came from the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, which catalogues every Canadian who died during the First World War. Sue Knox, a member of Moose Jaw’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 59, collected the information as part of a project to honour the nearly 500 individuals from the Moose Jaw area who fought and died in both world wars.
The Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com plans to run several stories highlighting these individuals. Click here for part 1 of the First World War series.
Ravages of war
Pte. Martin Edward Waddington was born in Moose Jaw on Jan. 13, 1894, to John M. and Mary Waddington of 1116 Fourth Avenue Northeast.
Waddington enlisted sometime between 1914 and 1916 and was assigned to the 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Infantry Regiment). The regiment took part in the massive Battle of the Somme in France in the summer of 1916.
During this months-long battle, Waddington died at age 22 on June 17, 1916. His body was never found, so his name was etched into the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium, to remember him. The monument contains the names of 55,000 other Commonwealth men who died in the Ypres Salient and have no known grave.
War’s final months
Pte. Edward Bruce Carpenter was born on Sept. 8, 1885, in Moose Jaw and was the husband of Mrs. E.P. Carpenter at 330 Lillooet Street West.
It is unknown when he enlisted, but he was assigned to the 16th Battalion (Manitoba Infantry Regiment) and given the service number 426368.
Carpenter’s unit likely participated in combat weeks or months earlier because information about him indicates he died of his wounds at age 32 on March 5, 1918. He was later buried in the Barlin Communal Cemetery in France.
Last Hundred Days
Pte. Clarence Henry Christmas was another Moose Javian who died in the final months of the war.
Christmas was born on June 23, 1897, to Elizabeth Christmas of 1346 Connaught Avenue. He enlisted with the 28th Battalion (Saskatchewan Infantry Regiment) and received the service number 781900.
The Battle of Amiens — which started Aug. 8, 1918 — was the first engagement of the Allies’ Last Hundred Days campaign that would eventually lead to the Armistice in November.
Christmas was likely killed during this battle since he died on Aug. 9 at age 21. He was later buried in the Rosieres Communal Cemetery and received the Military Medal posthumously.
Summer of battles
Pte. Richard Southwell Urton was born in England on Aug. 5, 1889, to William and Mary Jane (nee Golding). The family eventually moved to Moose Jaw, where Richard later married Annie Mary (nee Lemke), and they lived at 417 Fairford Street West.
Urton enlisted with the 46th Battalion (Saskatchewan Infantry Regiment) and shipped overseas to serve with the unit.
The year 1917 saw numerous battles on the Western Front in France, such as Arras, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Ypres and Passchendaele — and the 46th Battalion participated in all of them.
It was likely during the Battle of Hill 70 or Battle of Ypres when Urton was killed on Aug. 22 at age 28. He was later buried in Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery.
