Date of birth:
Tuesday, 10 March 1903
Marital status:
married
Ethnicity/Nationality:
English
Profession:
journalist; machinist; editor of Communist Party of Canada paper
Hometown(s):
Toronto, Ontario; Kweiyang, China
Education:
primary school in China
Political affiliation:
Communist Party of Canada, 1931
Prior military experience:
Sergeant-Major in the Canadian Army, engineer, 1921-28
Approximate date arrived in Spain:
1937-02-17 sailed
1937-03-07 arrived
Unit:
Trained at Madrigueras and attended Officer Training School; Washington Battalion, Company 2, Company commander; Mackenzie Papineau Battalion, Company 1, Company commander; Promoted to Mackenzie Papineau Battalion Commander shortly after Fuentes; Promoted to Major 23 January 1938 because of actions at Teruel; Served at Brunete, Fuentes de Ebro, Teruel, Segura de los BaƱos, the Retreats, and the Ebro Offensive
Final status:
WIA 6 July 1937 at Brunete in left hand and left knee; WIA again in 'accidental discharge' while cleaning pistol at Corbera; Survived; Returned to Canada 4 February 1939 on the Duchess of Richmond; Sevred in Canadian army in 1939 but was discharged; Mackenzie Papineau Veterans Association (Toronto); Died in 1963
Disciplinary record in Spain:
Tried to desert during retreats; It seems to have been covered up
Sources:
RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 569, ll. 92-144; RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 545, ll. 64; Liversedge; Momryk; Petrou; Hoff