1066078 Pte. Wallace Balfour Brett was born on May 5th, 1895, in Clarksburg, Collingwood Township, Grey County, Ontario. The eldest of six children born to Thomas and Elizabeth Brett, Wallace moved to Markdale and was working as a labourer when war was declared.

When the 248th Battalion C.E.F. was authorized Wallace volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary Force, attesting to the new battalion on January 15th, 1917. Sailing with the unit in May of that year, Wallace was reassigned to a Reserve Battalion once the 248th arrived in England.

Wallace was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. in the field on November 9th, 1917, in a draft of reinforcements to take the place of the casualties inflicted on the unit at Passchendaele. He saw service with the 4th C.M.R. during the German spring offensive of 1918 and fought with them during the Battle of Ameins. While the unit was moving northward by convoy towards Arras an unfortunate accident occurred that took Wallace's life;

"While moving with his battalion by bus, from Folies to Hambercourt on the night of August 20/21st, 1918, a bomb was accidentally exploded, seriously wounding Private Brett in the head. He was evacuated to No. 61 Casualty Clearing Station where he succumbed to his wounds."

Private Wallace Balfour Brett is buried in Daours Communal Cemetery Extension and his service is remembered locally on the Cenotaph in Markdale, Ontario.

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Biography details credit: George Auer