Private Harry Jones Myles 710128
5th Canadian Mounted Rifles
3rd Canadian Division
Canadian Expeditionary Force
5th Canadian Mounted Rifles
3rd Canadian Division
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Harry Jones Myles was born in Hammond, Kings County on December 6, 1888. He was the son of Martha and Weldon F. Myles and the family attended the Church of England. Harry enlisted on March 20, 1916 at the age of 27 years old. He was single and stated in his attestation papers that he was a clerk. He had no previous military experience. He had a fair complexion, brown hair and was 5 feet 6 ¾ inches tall.
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Harry joined the 104th Overseas Battalion (B Company). He set sail with his friend from the Shepley Road, John Ashe, on June 28, 1916 on the SS Olympic and they arrived
together in Liverpool, England on July 6, 1916. He trained with John at Camp Witley while in the UK. He was sent to France on November 7, 1916 and was taken on strength by the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles on December 16, 1916.
In 1917, it was decided that the Canadian Corps would have the responsibility of taking Vimy Ridge. Our four Canadian Divisions would each have distinct responsibilities in this well planned and well rehearsed attack. The 5th CMR was part of the 3rd Division and their war diary indicates an active role in this significant battle. The 5th CMR suffered 91 casualties of which 20 died as a result of the battle. After the battle between April 13th and April 20th, the 5th CMR continued moving forward in adverse conditions as weather and constant shelling affected greatly their advance. On April 20th, patrols were sent forward to determine enemy positions. It was reported in the 5th CMR War Diary on this date that enemy artillery was very active around Bois de la Chaudière which barraged the 5th CMR’s front line heavily between 10:00 and 11:00 PM. At some point on April 20, Harry Myles was killed, eight days after the great Canadian success at Vimy. According to the war diary of the battalion, Harry was one of two 5th CMR’s killed between April 17 and April 23, 1917.
Harry is buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery which is located 3.5 kilometers north of Arras in Souchez, France. There are 7655 Commonwealth burials from the First World War in this cemetery. Harry Myles is the only soldier from the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles buried at Cabaret-Rouge. He was only 29 years old when he died.
Two men, Harry Myles and John Ashe, both born and raised here in Kings County, NB, friends for many years, went to war together, both fought at Vimy and both died in April of 1917. The news surely reverberated deeply with their families and saddened their community. Both men paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Lest we forget.
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Harry joined the 104th Overseas Battalion (B Company). He set sail with his friend from the Shepley Road, John Ashe, on June 28, 1916 on the SS Olympic and they arrived
together in Liverpool, England on July 6, 1916. He trained with John at Camp Witley while in the UK. He was sent to France on November 7, 1916 and was taken on strength by the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles on December 16, 1916.
In 1917, it was decided that the Canadian Corps would have the responsibility of taking Vimy Ridge. Our four Canadian Divisions would each have distinct responsibilities in this well planned and well rehearsed attack. The 5th CMR was part of the 3rd Division and their war diary indicates an active role in this significant battle. The 5th CMR suffered 91 casualties of which 20 died as a result of the battle. After the battle between April 13th and April 20th, the 5th CMR continued moving forward in adverse conditions as weather and constant shelling affected greatly their advance. On April 20th, patrols were sent forward to determine enemy positions. It was reported in the 5th CMR War Diary on this date that enemy artillery was very active around Bois de la Chaudière which barraged the 5th CMR’s front line heavily between 10:00 and 11:00 PM. At some point on April 20, Harry Myles was killed, eight days after the great Canadian success at Vimy. According to the war diary of the battalion, Harry was one of two 5th CMR’s killed between April 17 and April 23, 1917.
Harry is buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery which is located 3.5 kilometers north of Arras in Souchez, France. There are 7655 Commonwealth burials from the First World War in this cemetery. Harry Myles is the only soldier from the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles buried at Cabaret-Rouge. He was only 29 years old when he died.
Two men, Harry Myles and John Ashe, both born and raised here in Kings County, NB, friends for many years, went to war together, both fought at Vimy and both died in April of 1917. The news surely reverberated deeply with their families and saddened their community. Both men paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Lest we forget.
