Private Forman Henry Rawding was born on May 30th, 1887, to William and Deborah Rawding in Albany New.  He was the second of four brothers, the others Alvin, Hastern, and James (spelling could be incorrect, Census scan is poor), and was raised as a Baptist on the family farm.  Forman stood 5 feet 9 inches tall (175 cm) with blue eyes and light brown hair. 

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      Forman married Ida (nee Fancy) on November 5th, 1908. They had a child Randal who died as an infant, and went on to have another son, Emery, and two daughters, Esther and Helen.  He worked primarily as a Mill-man, listing his occupation as Shingle-maker on the 1911 census and as a “Filer of Saws” on his enlistment papers.  Forman, Ida, and the children lived in North Brookfield, and his children were 8, 6, and 4 years old at the time of his enlistment.

 

      Forman Rawding enlisted in 242 Forestry Battalion on September 19th, 1916, when he was 29 years old.  He was made a Private, and his Regimental number was 1049229.   Private Rawding sailed from Halifax on SS Mauritania, arriving in Liverpool, England on November 30th, 1916.  He joined his Battalion and continued to France, disembarking at Havre on January 2nd, 1917, less than three months after enlisting. 

 

      Private Rawding’s pay records list his employment as Log-Setter, which would have ranged from felling trees for lumber, through sawmill operations, and to construction of buildings, railways, and airfields.  Surely, his decade-long experience in the forests and sawmills of North Queens were a prized asset amid the need for expertise in the field.  In fact, he was awarded the Good Conduct Badge on September 19th, 1918, for his contribution to the Battalion’s efforts to support the front lines.

 

      After wrapping up operations in early 1919, the Forestry Battalion disbanded, and Private Rawding sailed from England on SS Cretic, arriving in Halifax on March 22nd, 1919.  While awaiting his discharge, Private Rawding took ill with Influenza and was admitted to a Military Hospital in Halifax.  His condition deteriorated over nine days and he perished on April 7th, 1919, at 31 years old.  Having survived two years near the front lines in France and Belgium, he died just a few hours away from Ida and his children.

 

      Private Rawding bequeathed his estate to his wife, Ida.  Ida was also presented with the Memorial Plaque and Scroll, and was awarded the Memorial Cross Medal (also known as the Silver Cross), as was his mother, Deborah. 

 

      Private Rawding is interred at the Northfield Community Cemetery.  He is also remembered on the Honour Roll of congregation members of the North Brookfield United Baptist Church who served “In the Great War”

 

      Private Forman Rawding is commemorated on page 541 of the World War One Book of Remembrance.  He is also listed on the Caledonia Cenotaph.

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Online References

War Grave Search – https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2755422/f-h-rawding/

Local Grave Search - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208512521/forman-henry-rawding

Canadian Virtual War Memorial - https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2755422?Forman%20Rawding

Canadian Census  - https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/index

First World War Personnel Records Database (file download size 31 Meg) - https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=595501&ecopy=595833a

 

http://www.davidmckie.com/felling-the-kaiser-how-canadian-lumberjacks-helped-win-world-war-i/