838759 Pte. Frederick William Jarrett was born in Bristol, England, on October 12th, 1890. Emigrating to Canada the family settled in Owen Sound, Ontario, where Fred was working as a clerk when he attested to the 147th Battalion on January 11th, 1916.
As the unit was being billeted locally over the winter, Fred would have lived at home, with his parents Samuel and Elizabeth, until the unit left in the spring. The outlying companies of the 147th Battalion centralized 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 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 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. Fred was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. on October 19th, 1917, and was immediately sent to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp for more training thus missing the Battle of Passchendaele.
Rejoining the unit on November 1st, Fred served through the winter of 1917 and the battles of the Final 100 days, coming through it all with no physical injuries.
838759 Private Frederick William Jarrett was struck off strength of the C.E.F. on March 20th, 1919.
Biography credit: George Auer, with thanks.