Harold Huxley
Harold Huxley was born 16 August 1899 in Denbighshire, Wales. His parents, John and Edith Huxley of 627 ½ George Street, Peterborough ON, had 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, with Harold being the oldest son.
His father John enlisted with the 109th on 18 November 1915, and Harold followed just a few weeks later, enlisting on 7 December 1915 with the 109th in Lindsay ON. However, in order to not get rejected as a minor, Harold switched his year of birth to 1898, which was eventually corrected on his records after his birth certificate was noted to have a different date. By this time, Harold was already an adult, and his service continued.
Harold had only been taken on service from the 12th Res Battalion to the 3rd Battalion 15 days prior to being shot near Inchy at the jumping off trench, on 27 September 1918. The 3rd Battalion War Diary describes in detail the action in which Harold Huxley lost his life, near the Drocourt-Queant Line in the Bourlon Wood Attack. He is listed in the notes as wounded on 27 Sept 1918, but according to the Circumstances of Casualty report, he was killed instantly after receiving a gunshot wound to his head. There were approximately 105 soldiers wounded or killed on the day that Harold was killed in action, with gassing noted specifically multiple times. It was also noted that “Enemy prisoners were used for carrying out wounded from the Battalion area and were of great assistance.”
Harold Huxley is buried in the Ontario Cemetery, Sains-Les-Marquion, France. He was 19 years old.
