1066278, Pte. William John Hazen was born on November 7th, 1888, in Listowel, Ontario, the eldest son of Christopher and Sarah Hazen.


Eventually moving to Grey County, William was living in Proton Station, working as a labourer, when he attested, in Toronto, in to 248th Battalion C.E.F. on April 4th, 1917.


A month later the unit received its orders to mobilize in Owen Sound for final administrative processing before sailing for England in early June, 1917.


Upon arrival the 248th Battalion was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion, a unit which was tasked with supplying reinforcements to the 58th Battalion and the 4th C.M.R.


William was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R., in the field, on November 9th, 1917. He served with the unit through the winter and was transferred to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps in May 1918.


Hospitalised briefly, following an accidental injury to his eyes in mid-October 1917, William was more seriously injured just under a year later, when, on October 1st, 1918, at Sainte-Olle, a few kilomtres north west of Cambrai, he received an expensive "Blighty" (a wound sufficient enough to require specific attention in the UK). Taking a gun shot injury to his left thigh, which fractured his femur and severed an artery, William was medically evacuated and his left leg was subsequently amputated above the knee on October 7th.


William returned to Canada, aboard the Essequibo on April 10th, 1919. It was reported, in May 1919, that his injury had healed, and that an artificial leg, which was first fitted in June, was supplied in August 1919. He was struck off strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on September 13th, 1919.


Returning to Grey County, Ontario, William married Freda Mathewson, on May 20th, 1925, and would later pass away, on November 6th, 1950.




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