John Duncan Daynes
John Duncan Daynes was born 11 November 1890 in Victoria County, ON. Although his war record shows 1892, his birth certificate states he was born in 1890 along with his twin brother, Reuben Morrison Daynes. Their parents, Reuben and Flora Daynes, also had an older son, William George and a younger daughter, Flora Ann. Sadly, their mother Flora would die of influenza at just 27 years old, and Reuben would remarry with Catherine Campbell soon after. Their son, Donald Edward, enlisted with the 109th and served in France with the 20th Battalion.
Duncan enlisted 17 February 1915 in Lindsay ON with the 39th Battaliion, and was transferred to the 13th Battalion in France. He also served with the 45th Victoria Regiment. While in England, he had a series of difficult stomach issues (appendicitis, gastritis) and spent months off recovering (No 2 CCS, No 2 Can Stat Hosp, HS Newhaven hospital ship) before going to Manor House Hospital in Folkstone where he was declared fit for duty on 10 Dec 1915. In his file, its noted by the doctor that “he thinks the cold, wet weather and army rations is the cause of stomach trouble”.
On the 12/13 June 1916, the 13th Battalion war diary notes:
“At 10pm on 12th in conformity to orders the Coys pulled out from the neighbourhood of Manor Farm and marched to front and support trenches. At midnight they were all in their allotted positions, with M-guns and crews as ordered, also Battalion Bombers. The stretcher bearer party of the 14th Battalion and the bomb carrying party were also in position. The Pioneers and Engineers occupied trenches behind the front line. During our own intense bombardment we were subjected to a heavy artillery fire from the enemy and consequently had quite a number of casualties.” It goes on to state: “There were many German dead and wounded, the latter we evacuated as quickly as possible and we also buried as many of our own dead as we could before moving.”
No details are known about the circumstances of Duncan’s death, or where he was buried. His name is on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, in Ypres, France, commemorating the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are unknown. He was 25 years old.
