Private Leslie Willard Hebb
Private Leslie Willard Hebb was born on August 28th, 1894, in Maitland Bridge to Albert and Mary Letitia (nee Freeman) Hebb. He had six siblings; Josephine, Raymond, Walter, Horace, Laura, and Robert. The Hebb family homestead was on the north corner of New Grafton Road at the intersection with Route 8, and he attended the one-room Maitland Bridge School (now Community Hall). Leslie listed his occupation as a lumberman and stood five feet and nine inches tall (175 cm) when he enlisted on March 15th, 1918, at 23 years old.
His archival file does not detail his military occupation. Private Hebb perished one month after enrolment at a military hospital in Halifax (probably Bellevue House) on April 15th, 1918, of measles and bronchial pneumonia. His remains were brought back to Caledonia by train, along with the remains of Private (Sapper) Theodore Sawler, on April 17th. Private Hebb's funeral service was on April 18th, 1918.
Private Leslie Hebb is interred alongside his brother Walter, in Row 1 in the Maplewood Cemetery in Maitland Bridge. His mother, Letitia was presented with a Memorial Plaque and Scroll, and awarded the Memorial Cross Medal (also known as the Silver Cross) in his honour.
Private Hebb is commemorated on page 426 of The World War One Book of Remembrance. He is also listed on the Caledonia Cenotaph.
Note that Private Hebb’s headstone (erected on his brother’s lot), the Caledonia Cenotaph, and the commemorative websites all list his middle name as Millard. The 1901 Canadian Census does not list his middle name. But his enlistment papers (signed by him) and his military records list his middle name as Willard. So, this website uses Willard, as he acknowledged by his signature.
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Ideally, a local records search might note the names/contact info for any living descendants of his siblings. It is possible that they might have more information on his place of death, along with photos or family letters that could enhance this profile.
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Online References
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2754817/leslie-millard-hebb/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149977526/leslie-millard-hebb
