April 29, 2019. Pieter Valkenburg, who is researching the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, has discovered that out of the 24 soldiers from WW1 listed on the Cenotaph, two never left Canada: Leigh Hunt CAMERON and Harry ROBINSON, both of them from the 105th Battalion, C Company.
Leigh Hunt Cameron, born May 6, 1898 in Albany, was the son of Alexander Walter Cameron and Phoebe Ann Murray. A farmer before being officially enlisted on March 2, 1916, Leigh Hunt contracted measles and passed away at the age of 18 at the Military Hospital in Charlottetown on May 5, 1916.
An obituary in the May 10, 1916 edition of the Summerside Journal noted that “A few weeks ago he took measles and was getting better when complications set in. Pneumonia and a weakened heart finally caused his death. With full military honours the body was conveyed to the 2:20 train Saturday afternoon, the Summerside band leading the cortege, and was sent to Albany. The funeral took place Sunday afternoon from the home of Mr. William Cameron, an uncle with whom Private Cameron had lived.” He’s buried at the Free Church of Scotland cemetery in Cape Traverse.
Grave of Leigh Hunt Cameron at Free Church of Scotland cemetery in Cape Traverse. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)
Harry Robinson was born July 9, 1881 in Augustine Cove, the son of Thomas Robinson and Sarah Campbell. One of the few soldiers listed on the Cenotaph who had been married, Harry was a widower. He’d lost his daughter Merilla in 1911, and his wife Clara Wadman in 1912. A carpenter before his official enlistment on April 28, 1916, Harry was sent to Valcartier, Quebec for training, where he unfortunately contracted blood poisoning from a cellulitis infection.
An obituary in the July 1, 1916 Agriculturalist explained that “The body arrived by the Northumberland on Thursday evening, accompanied by Pte. John Howatt. The deceased became ill last Saturday and died on Tuesday morning. The case is a particularly sad one as the deceased was the only support of a widowed mother, Mrs. Thos. Robinson, of Augustine Cove. He was a widower, without children, and was about thirty-five years old.” Pte Howatt was John Goodwill Howatt, also of Augustine Cove, whose story was told in an earlier blog posting. (See The Archive Photo That Put A Face To A Name). Harry is buried in the Tryon People’s Cemetery in Tryon.
Grave of Harry Robinson and family cairn at Tryon People’s cemetery in Tryon. (Photo credits: Pieter Valkenburg)
Unfortunately, Pieter has not been able to find photos of either of these two men. If you have information or photos to share on Leigh Hunt Cameron or Harry Robinson, please send an email to dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on this blog.
© Daria Valkenburg
On The War Memorial Trail Research Project........ with Pieter and Daria Valkenburg 