3033834 Pte. Frank Sims Wilton was born on 28th September 1891, in York, Toronto, fourth child of six to Samuel and Emily (née Sims) Wilton.
When the call came to sign up, Frank was living in Toronto and working as a shipper at George Hees & Son, being drafted under the Military Service Act 1917. He attested in Toronto on 29th October 1917.
Initially attesting into the 1st Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment, it was after training that Frank was transferred to the 4th CMR and joined them in the field on August 12th, 1918. The 1st C.O.R. supplied a total of 249 men to the 4th CMR between June and November 1918.
At the time of Frank's loss, just 14 days after being transferred to the 4th CMR, the regiment had been part of a costly but successful attack on Monchy-le-Preux, near Arras. Frank was injured by a gas shell on 26th August and succumbed to his wounds two days later. When the action finished on August 29th, 4th CMR losses amounted to 4 officers killed, 11 wounded, 22 other ranks killed, 214 wounded.
Frank's brother-in-law, 678383, Pte. Ernest Ough, also served, attesting into the 169th Battalion in January 1916. Subsequently transferred to the 5th Canadian Railway Troops in February 1917, Ernest survived the war.
Pte. Frank Sims Wilton is one of 20 men of the 4th CMR known to lie at rest in Ligny-St.Flochel British Cemetery, Averdoingt, France.
Biography details, headstone and portrait obituary images, credit with thanks to Pauline O'Neill.
Service and additional biography details courtesy of 4cmr.com