ALL IN THE FAMILY - A Wartime Story
/Information supplied by Sandra Townsend
For the McCann family of Malone, service in the armed forces was not only a duty but also an honour.
William Charles McCann and Letitia Gawley of Malone married in 1888 and went on to have three sons, John, David and Thomas, who enlisted, spanning both world wars. Son Charles was exempt from military service, to do his duty to his country as a farmer.
John McCann and wife , Margaret “Maggie” Brown
Donald McCann, Son of David
John Ernest McCann, born in 1891, enlisted as a corporal in WWI in the 49th Battalion in 1910 aged 19. He returned in 1917 and was promoted to Sergeant of the 254th Battalion, and served his time on a Canadian Training Base. His daughter, Alice McCann Sutton, proudly joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corp. (WWII)
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Pictured on the right is David McCann, born in 1897, and friend who we think is Andy Gawley. They were actually first cousins and enlisted the same year, 1916. David was 18 and as the military later learned Andy was only 16. Andy was released for a medical issue and for being underage. David joined the 155th Overseas Battalion. He was part of a Machine Gun Unit, and was deployed to France. In the first three days at Passchendaele, he was buried in mud by shelling, and suffered a shrapnel injury in his collarbone and ending in his shoulder After treatment at the field hospital he was sent back to England for care at the Canadian Military Hospital.
His son, Donald Arthur McCann, served in WW2
Andy's story is also compelling as he had lost his father David Gawley in 1913 to tuberculosis and was his Mother's sole support. Most likely the military may have shown mercy in their decisions in his regard,
Alice McCann Sutton
David McCann and possibly Andy Gawley
155th Battalion, Barriefield, July 6, 1916. No. 498 The 155th (Quinte) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Barriefield, Ontario, (Now east Kingston) the unit began recruiting in late 1915 in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. After sailing to England in October 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 154th Battalion, CEF and 6th Reserve Battalion on December 8, 1916. The 155th (Quinte) Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. M. K. Adams. (Wikipedia)
William and Letitia’s son, Thomas James McCann, about whom we have written before in regards to Malone, was the youngest son and joined the war effort in World War 2 in the Midland Regiment, infantry. He was well known back home as Chief of Police in Marmora, an employee of Deloro Smelting and Refining Co., and post master in Malone.
William and Letitia’s daughter, Clara, was also connected to the forces in that her two sons, Orville and Cecil Pack were military men. Orville served overseas with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment in the Provost Corp while Cecil saw action in Africa, Italy. Holland, Belgium and Germany.
