John Albert Forth

John Albert Forth

John Albert Forth was born July 4, 1890, in Gravenhurst, Muskoka District, Ontario. I have no idea why John, known to the family as Jack, was born in Gravenhurst. The return is definitely for Gravenhurst and the informant was a James Lucas. The "accoucheur" (one who assists at a birth) was noted as Dr. Cornell. The family was living in Utterson the year before for the birth of Jack’s elder brother, Fred, and living in Bracebridge the following year for the 1891 Census.
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John Forth was listed on the 1911 Census for Toronto East, Ward 2, living as a lodger with his aunt, Mary Louise Little, and her husband, Sam Little, at 231 Leslie Street. He was recorded as a student at business college. The 1911 Census for Henry Forth in Utterson also listed John, but stated that he was living at 231 Leslie Street. John A. Forth was the witness to the marriage of his cousin, Lucy Abigail Willson, when she married George Law, on September 20, 1911 in Toronto.
​Jack first enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on June 19, 1916 in Bracebridge. He listed his occupation as labourer. His attestation record shows he was 5’ 10” tall, had a sallow complexion, grey eyes, and light brown hair. He was assigned to the 122nd battalion. Jack was discharged from the army on August 14, 1916 as medically unfit. This was due to a large bunion on his right toe, the result of an axe accident in Utterson. 

Jack enlisted a second time on February 12, 1917 in Parry Sound and was assigned to the 227th battalion, regimental number 1004186. The family was then living on Church Street in Parry Sound, but moved shortly thereafter to Gibson Street, likely over the bakery which they had opened. Jack listed his occupation as bookkeeper. He had, apparently, found work that enabled him to use the training he had received at business college. It is altogether possible he was working as a bookkeeper for the bakery his mother had started.  

Jack travelled aboard the Carpathian to England on April 22, 1917. There, he joined the 102nd Battalion which headed off to France some three months later. He served 20 months in France. It seems that Jack was not really cut out for the army. 


On January 24, 1918, Jack was sentenced to 14 days for neglect of duty. On January 27, 1919, Private John A. Forth was tried in military court in the field for 1) disobeying a lawful command given by his superior officer, 2) using insubordinate language to his superior officer, and 3) using violence to his superior officer. Jack was found guilty on the second and third charges and sentenced to two years in prison. According to International Humanitarian Law, the prisoner had to be removed from the combat zone as soon as possible and on April 15, 1919, Jack was transferred to His Majesty’s Prison, Wormwood Scrubs, in London, England. 


On June 6, 1919 Jack was transferred from Wormwood Scrubs Prison to Wandworth Detention Barracks and from there returned to Canada and was demobilized in Halifax on August 2, 1919. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals, but I have no idea if he ever received them.


Jack did not return home from the war in good shape, although his discharge medical exam did say he was in good physical health. Family lore suggested that he suffered from mustard gas attacks in the field. I suspect that Jack actually suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, likely from those gas attacks and generally the horrors of war. But PTSD was not a known condition of returning soldiers in those days. Jack lived with his family and worked as a labourer at odd jobs. He was living with his family on Seguin Street in Parry Sound on the 1921 Census. On the 1935 and 1945 Voters Lists, he was recorded as a farmer living in Snug Harbour, a little hamlet to the north of Parry Sound. He lived as a recluse in a small cabin with a dirt floor. He hunted, fished and farmed the small holding, never marrying. 


After the death in 1942 of her father, Harry Forth, my grandmother, Edna Prosser, and her family built a house on Waubeek Street in Parry Sound. She and her spinster sister, Viola Forth, bought a lot close to where they had lived with their father and there they built their family homestead. Gran, Poppa, Aunt Grace and Aunt Vi lived there until they all passed away. Jack would come to Parry Sound periodically and would stop in to visit Gran and Aunt Vi.


My gran was a very giving person and she always gave food to those in need. Her house backed onto the railway line. The poor fellows who rode the rails knew Gran’s house was a safe house and they would get something to eat there. Just after my parents got married, they were living in the shed at the back of my gran’s house while they looked for an apartment. Mom was in the kitchen with Gran when she spotted this filthy old feller comin’ up the back path (as my Gran would have told it, haha) and my mom turned to Gran and said, “Mom, it is one of those hobos coming to the back door!” My gran told her to answer the door and she would get some food out of the fridge for him. Suddenly the back door flew open and in the hobo walked! Mom was horrified! Gran turned around and embraced him, yelling “Jack! How great to see you! Come and meet my new daughter-in-law, Marg. Marg, this is my brother, Jack!” Mom just about died of embarrassment of course. Our family has loved to share that story time and time again. 

​Jack never bothered anyone much and never depended on other people to get by. He lived out his life simply in his little cabin in Snug Harbour. When he became too ill to live on his own, he moved to Westminster Hospital, a veteran’s hospital in London, Ontario. It was there that he died on November 22, 1964, at age 74. I presume he may have died from cancer, but do not have a death record to know for sure. 


Jack was buried as a veteran in London, in Mount Pleasant Cemetery and Crematorium, Section VT, Row 4, Stone 19.


His sacrifice to his country was one he endured for 55 years. I hope you have found peace, Uncle Jack.

 

Photo of his headstone was taken May 16, 2018 by Find a Grave member Cfulf at my request. Please cite this source if you copy this photo.

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