839054 Pte. Laird Dowling Binns was born on February 28th, 1898, in Harriston, Ontario and was working in Markdale as a farmer when hostilities broke out. Laird attested to the 147th Battalion on April 24th, 1916.
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.
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 March 7th, 1917, Laird was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. and was immediately attached to the 3rd Canadian Engineer Battalion. Joining the 4th C.M.R. in the field on April 12th he served with them through the remainder of the Battle of Arras.
Laird was subsequently attached to the 182nd Tunnelling Coy in September 1917 and was wounded on September 29th while serving with them.
He rejoined the Battalion on his discharge from hospital, served with them for the remainder of the war and was struck off strength of the 4th C.M.R. on March 20th, 1919. Pte. Laird Binns' service is recognized on the Markdale Cenotaph.
Biography details credit: George Auer