Private # 803200
Wilfred Vernon “Verne” Sullivan was born in Adelaide Township, Middlesex County, on April 23, 1894. He worked as a school teacher in Adelaide Township before attesting in the 135th Battalion on the 12th May 1916. He was 5’9″, 148 lbs, with a fair complexion, hazel eyes, dark brown hair, and had a ‘clear’ medical.
He sailed to England from Halifax on August 22, 1916, arriving there on August 30th. He was Taken On Strength with the 134th Battalion at Bramshott, England on October 17, 1916. On October 19th he was placed in hospital isolation at Aldershot, England with rubella (measles). He was discharged on October 28th. He was placed with the 19th Btn at Witley England and went to France.
Private Sullivan served in the 19th Battalion, (1st Central Ontario Regiment), Canadian Infantry. He was reported wounded and missing after being in action at Vis-En-Artois, France on August 24th. He was presumed to have died on or about Tuesday, August 27th, 1918. His medals and decorations went to his father at Box 49, Strathroy. He was 24 years old.
[Source: Strathroy Museum]
His name is on the Vimy Memorial at Pas de Calais, France. There are 11,285 names of Canadians killed in France and whose final resting place is unknown, engraved on the Vimy Memorial.
His family has a memorial stone in the Strathroy cemetery. It is located at C.25.7, section C, row 25, 7th stone in the row.
The War Diary of the 19th Canadian Battalion, for the month of August 1918 is below. It will give an idea of what life was like for Private Sullivan in the days before his death.