The Port Coquitlam cenotaph is located in Veterans Park at 2580 Shaughnessy Street and there are 41 men listed on it. They deserve more than just a line on a stone, so I'm researching them all.
David Edmond Baird was born on 14 May 1895 in Quebec, Canada to William John Baird and Mary Jane Peever. He was killed in action at Ypres - “the first local boy to fall in battle”.
John Bruce (known as Jock) was born on 11 July 1885 in Renton, Scotland. He moved to Canada and became a well-known soccer player for the Westminster-Coquitlam team, the Black and Gold. He enlisted in 1916, after knocking four years off his age. Jock was killed in action in 1917, aged 32.
George Reid was born on 28 April 1885 in Greenock, Scotland. He moved to Canada and was a highly-regarded cricket player. He enlisted in 1915 and became an officer in command of expert bomb-throwers. George was killed in action in 1917, aged 31.
Duncan James McDonell was born on 29 December 1887 in North Bay, Ontario. He enlisted in September 1914 and sent loving postcards back to his family. Duncan was killed in action in 1915, aged 28.
William Henry Oatway (sometimes known as Harry) was born on 10 October 1889 in Bristol. He enlisted on 1 November 1915 and served as a Private with the 72nd Battalion. William was killed in action at Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917, aged 28.
Thomas Arthur Smith was born on 13 July 1886 in Eastbourne. He was a police constable in Port Coquitlam with a wife and two daughters and was posthumously awarded the military cross, However, he also was married bigamously.
William Johnstone Hunter was born on 11 January 1889 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He moved to Port Coquitlam and played for the Ranchers Football Club. During the war, he wrote many letters to his brother, George. William as killed in action on 26 September 1916, aged 27.
George Bates was born on 22 August 1887 in Toronto, Ontario. He died of peritonitis on 31 August 1915 at the Shorncliffe camp military hospital in Kent, England. He was 28 years old.
John Eustace St Pierre was born on 11 October 1885 in Hackney. His father was a blind piano tuner. John moved to Vancouver and worked as a painter decorator. He was killed at Ypres on 10 November 1917, aged 32.
