838220 A.Sgt. Winfield Scott Hancock was born in Mitchell, Perth County, Ontario, on December 11th, 1880. Growing up on the family farm, he was Samuel and Mary Hancock's youngest son. When his father passed away, the family moved to Toronto, where Winfield became a tailor. After his mother's death Winfield found himself in Owen Sound when hostilities broke out.


Winfield joined the two independent infantry companies being raised by the 31st (Grey) Regiment, for overseas service. When the 147th (Grey) Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was authorized all the men of these two companies were taken on strength of the new battalion on November 29th, 1915.


As the unit was being billeted locally over the winter, Winfield would have been housed in Owen Sound until the unit left for centralized training in the spring of 1916. The 147th Battalion mobilized in Owen Sound in May to finalize the administration and organization of the unit, just prior to their departure for Camp Niagara later that month. As the conditions in this Camp were found wanting, the unit moved to the new training facility of Camp Borden in late June.


Whilst undergoing training in Canada Winfield rose through the ranks and obtained the rank of Sergeant when the unit received their orders to proceed overseas. En route there was an outbreak of diphtheria and they were detained in Amherst, Nova Scotia, for over a month. The unit finally sailed for Great Britain, on the SS Olympicon November 14th 1916.


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. Reverting to the rank of Private at his own request Winfield was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. on September 23rd, 1917.


Rising through the ranks Winfield was promoted Sergeant on October 26th, 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, more commonly known as Passchendaele. Serving with the unit through the winter and spring he left the 4th CMR, as Acting Sergeant, to attend officer training in England. He was sunsequently commissioned as a Lieutenant with the 3rd Reserve Battalion.


838220 Lieutenant Winfield Scott Hancock was struck off strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on October 24th, 1919, and passed away on September 17th, 1947.




Credit and many thanks go George Auer for the above biography.