Officers of the 7th. Fusiliers Who Volunteered in 1914

It will take a while to go through the list of the men who volunteered, and were accepted, for the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1914. We will start with the officers.

From left to right- William John Taylor, Francis Bethel Ware, Henry Campbell Becher, Walter Chester Butler. The London Advance 22 August, 1914.

Henry Campbell Becher
In 1914 Lt. Colonel in command of the 7th. Fusiliers. Born 20 January 1874 in London, Ontario, and died 15 June 1915.
 
William John Taylor

In 1914 Captain in the 7th. Fusiliers. Born 29 January 1872 in Cayuga, Ontario. His attestation papers show a transfer to the Royal Highlanders of Canada. He seems to have survived the war but more research is needed to find out where he served.

Francis Bethel Ware

In 1914 Captain in the 7th. Fusiliers. Born 29 January 1877 in London, Ontario. At Valcartier he was made a staff officer, and served in that capacity throughout the war. Later he became commanding officer of the 7th. Fusiliers. His book “The Story of the Seventh Regiment, Fusiliers of London, Canada 1899 to 1914” (London, 1945) is one of the few histories available on the regiment.

George Boyd Watson

In 1914 Captain in the 7th. Fusiliers. His attestation papers give his birth date as 1914. Pretty much an impossibility. In the 1911 Canada Census his birthday is given as 12 October 1877 in London, Ontario.

Gordon Cecil Hunt

In 1914 Captain in the 7th. Fusiliers. Born 11 October 1884 in London, Ontario.

Walter Chester Butler

In 1914 Lieutenant in the 7th. Fusiliers. Born 10 September 1886 in London, Ontario. He was wounded in 1915. He returned to England where he was posted to Canadian Headquarters in London for the remainder of the war.

Archibald Hendry Galbraith

In 1914 Lieutenant in the 7th. Fusiliers. Born 6 January 1871 in Southampton, England. The only officer in this list who was born outside of Canada.

According to Francis Ware’s book the only officer still actively serving on the Western Front by November 11, 1918 was himself.