838728 Pte. Roy John Beaton was born on July 12th, 1892, in Denver Colorado, U.S.A. Emigrating to Canada he was living outside of Owen Sound working as a farmer when hostilities broke out.
Roy attested to the 147th Battalion on February 14th, 1916 and was assigned to "A" Company. Billeted locally over the winter the 147th Battalion mobilized in Owen Sound in the spring of 1916 and left for training at Camp Niagara. As the conditions in the Camp were wanting the unit moved to the new training facility of Camp Borden in late June.
In September 1916 the unit received their orders to proceed overseas, but due to an outbreak of diphtheria they were detained in Amherst, Nova Scotia for over a month. The unit finally sailed for Great Britain on November 14th 1916 on the S.S. Olympic.
On January 1st, 1917, the 147th Battalion ceased to exist when it became the nucleus for the 8th Reserve Battalion. On March 7th, 1917 Roy was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. and served with the unit through Vimy, Passchendaele, the German Spring offensive and the final 100 days of the war.
It was during those final 100 days, during the Battle of Cambrai, that Roy was Killed in Action, on October 4th, 1918 while conducting routine duties:
"This soldier was with his Company, who were holding the front line, along the West bank of the Canal-de-L'Escaut. He was on sentry duty, when an enemy shell exploded near him, seriously wounding him in the head and left arm, from the effects of which he died almost immediately."
Private Roy John Beaton is buried in Drummond Cemetery, France.
Biography details credit: George Auer