Rank
Bombardier
Service No.
41116
Unit
Canadian Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade, 5th Battery
Died
Accidentally Killed (See below)
02 March, 1915
Age 25
Age 25
Buried
Terlincthun British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France - VII A 28
Remembrance:
Additional Info
Son of John A. and Frances H. Paddon, of St. John's, Newfoundland
Hubert Archibald Paddon was born 7 December 1889 in Regina Saskatchewan. His parents, John and Francis, had 3 sons of which Hubert was the youngest. They sent two of their sons to was in France, with Hubert’s younger brother Gerald serving with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles. Gerald was wounded a few months before Herbert was killed. Before moving to St. John’s NFLD with his family, Hubert attended public school in Lindsay, and as an adult moved back to be the manager of the Bank of Montreal branch. His attestation papers listed Hubert as an engineer. He enlisted 26 September 1914 in Valcartier with the 6th Battery 6th Brigade, before being transferred to the 5th Battery 2nd Brigade. During his service, he was promoted to Bombardier. On 2 March 1915, Hubert was standing outside of the guardroom while a changeover was taking place. When relieved of duty, the solider was required to empty the magazines of the weapon before handing them to the soldier who was coming on duty. One of the cartridges was jammed in the extractor port of the rifle, and the soldier used his knife to pry it free. Once that was done, he slid the bolt home and eased the spring, and the rifle fired. The bullet went through a mattress on a bed sitting in the same room, at about 2’ off the ground. It then went through the wall and was deflected upwards by a strip of wood on the other side of the wall, and struck Hubert in the left temple, killing him instantly. A Court of Inquiry was held shortly after which determined that the weapon had been pointed at the ground while being serviced, and that the discharge was an accident. Hubert Paddon is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Boulogne France. He was 25 years old. Attestation and other Documents (pdf, 32 pages - 12MB)
Hubert Archibald Paddon was born 7 December 1889 in Regina Saskatchewan. His parents, John and Francis, had 3 sons of which Hubert was the youngest. They sent two of their sons to was in France, with Hubert’s younger brother Gerald serving with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles. Gerald was wounded a few months before Herbert was killed. Before moving to St. John’s NFLD with his family, Hubert attended public school in Lindsay, and as an adult moved back to be the manager of the Bank of Montreal branch. His attestation papers listed Hubert as an engineer. He enlisted 26 September 1914 in Valcartier with the 6th Battery 6th Brigade, before being transferred to the 5th Battery 2nd Brigade. During his service, he was promoted to Bombardier. On 2 March 1915, Hubert was standing outside of the guardroom while a changeover was taking place. When relieved of duty, the solider was required to empty the magazines of the weapon before handing them to the soldier who was coming on duty. One of the cartridges was jammed in the extractor port of the rifle, and the soldier used his knife to pry it free. Once that was done, he slid the bolt home and eased the spring, and the rifle fired. The bullet went through a mattress on a bed sitting in the same room, at about 2’ off the ground. It then went through the wall and was deflected upwards by a strip of wood on the other side of the wall, and struck Hubert in the left temple, killing him instantly. A Court of Inquiry was held shortly after which determined that the weapon had been pointed at the ground while being serviced, and that the discharge was an accident. Hubert Paddon is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Boulogne France. He was 25 years old. Attestation and other Documents (pdf, 32 pages - 12MB)
