838494 Pte. Samuel Crawford was born on October 22nd, 1897, in Dundale, a hamlet located in Grey County, Ontario.
Samuel was working as a farmer when he attested into the 147th Battalion in Owen Sound on January 6th, 1916, where he assigned to "C" 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 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, sister ship to the earlier ill-fated Titanic.
On January 1st, 1917, the 147th Battalion ceased to exist when it became the nucleus for the 8th Reserve Battalion, whose task it was to supply reinforcements to the 58th Battalion and the 4th C.M.R. On February 17th, 1917. Samuel was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. in a draft of reinforcements replacing the casualties inflicted at the Somme.
Samuel saw service with the 4th C.M.R. through the battles of Vimy and Hill 70 and was wounded on September 17th, 1917, while the unit was manning the front lines in the vicinity of Vimy.
During his service Samuel rose to the rank of Acting Corporal and survived the war without further noted incident.
Acting Corporal Samuel Crawford was struck off strength on May 14th, 1919.
Biography credit: George Auer