Private #629061
11th I.F. of C. > 47th Battallion (BC) Canadian Expeditionary Force
John Bosman enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at New Westminster, British Columbia, on March 25th, 1915. He was initially enlisted in the Vernon 1914 11th [Regiment] (I.F. of C.). They may have also been called the Irish Fusiliers.
He was quickly transferred to the 47th Battalion (B.C.) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Another document shows he was in the 47th Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment, but that regiment wasn’t formed until February 1918, after Private Bosman was dead.
Canadian Corps – Lieutenant-General Hon. Sir Julian Byng
4th Canadian Division – Major-General D. Watson
10th Canadian Infantry Brigade – Brigadier-General E. Hilliam
47th Battalion (B.C.) – Lieutenant-Colonel M. Francis
Private John Bosman
[Two other men from Strathroy who also served in the 47th Battalion (B.C.) but whose names are engraved on the cenotaph are Neil McLean and Charles H. Smithrim.]
He was transported to Montreal and on November 13th, 1915 he boarded the SS Missanabie. He disembarked at Plymouth, England, on November 22, 1915.
While in England, he appears to have developed a relationship with Miss. Bertha May White, 6 Underwood Road, Hazlemere, Surrey, England. In his military will he named her as his beneficiary. It was to her that his medals and decorations if any were to go. He also named his father, John Bosman of Strathroy as a beneficiary, with a c/0 beneficiary of Mrs. W.G. Buttery, R.R. No. 7, Strathroy. John was not eligible for the 14 -15 Star but was eligible for V.M. & B.H.M. However the Canadian database does not show that Private Bosman received any medals or decorations.
On August 10th, 1916 he embarked for France. On August 11th, 1916, he arrived at Havre, France and placed on the nominal roll of the 47th battalion.
From the medical records, it appears that John Bosman had a rough adjustment to military life. On September 7th, 1916, less than a month after arriving in France, he was sentenced to 14 days for “not complying with an order”. On December 23rd, 1916 he entered a military hospital for the first of several times, for “myalgia” and “vomiting”. Myalgia is chronic and severe muscle pain often caused by ‘trench life’.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought between April 9th to April 12th, 1917. According to his “Casualty Form – Active Service” – “Army Form B. 103., he is reported as “Missing after action”, on April 13th, 1917, and he is subsequently “struck off strength accordingly”. It seems likely that JohnBosman was killed on the last day of the battle (April 12th) and was only noticed as missing the next day when he did not appear for role call.
There is a family memorial marker in the Strathroy Municipal Cemetery.
