WorldWar I
FallenSoldiers - RockwoodCenotaph
Page 12
of Ploegstreet andYpres. Hewas survived by hiswidow,AliceElizabethMutrie, of 44Bellevue
Place, Guelph and his four children, the eldest being an 8 year old son. Mrs. Mutrie received the
Memorial Cross from theCanadianGovernment. Later, one of his sons, Eric (1912-2003), became
awell known physician inGuelph.
Major Robert J. Mutrie is buried at PoperingheNewMilitaryCemetery inBelgiumand his name is
alsomemorialized in theBooks of Remembrance, in thePeaceTower of theCanadianParliament
Buildings, Ottawa.
TheBattleof theSt. Eloi Craters
TheBattleof theSt. Eloi Craterswas that first major engagement for the 2ndCanadianDivision,
shortly after their arrival fromEngland. After twoweeks of confused fighting, it ended in disaster with
the loss of 1,373menand a change of command.
Previously, British forces had blown a series of undergroundmines that were filledwith a large
amount of explosives to destroy the sector’sGerman defences. This left massive, mud-filled craters
for the attackers to occupy. When theCanadians relieved theBritish troops on the night of 3April,
they found few actual trenches inwhich to take cover, withmost of them filledwaist deepwith
water. TheGermans could observe theCanadian positions and bombarded them continuously in
preparation for a series of German counterattacks on 6April that drove theCanadians out of the
muddy craters. The battlefield conditionswere so badand confusing, theCanadian commanders
wereoften uncertain as to the location of both theCanadian andGerman forces.
Eventually, with the aid of aerial photography, theywere able to see the trueCanadian andGerman
positions. On16April, the battle ground to a halt with enemy forces holdingmost of the key points.
FallenSoldiers - RockwoodCenotaph
3
(JOHN)WILFREDOAKES
127204Private
Born:
29December 1897 inOustic, 10 km northof Rockwood, Ontario
PreviousOccupation:
Weaver
Enlisted:
8October 1915 inRockw od, Ontario
Died:
12August 1918 at the age of 20
Missingand consideredKilled inAction
WilfredOakeswas born inOustic, 10 km north of Rockwood toGeorge andMaryAnn (neeMellon)
Oakes on 29December 1897. Hewas the ninth of his father’s eleven children. Three children
withMaryEaston (JamesWatson b.1875,AnnieEllen b.1877 andWilliamAlbert b.1879) and
eight childrenwith his secondwife, MaryAnnMellon (Francis b.1882, GeorgeAmbrose b.1887,
CharlesEdwinb. 1890, MaryKathleen b.1892, Margaret Irene b.1895, OwenStanley b.1900 and
Christian Lawrence b.1902). His grandparentswere the original settlers of all of Lot 25, Concession
5 of EramosaTownship, from the 5th Line to the 6th Line. Hewas aweaver by trade before he
volunteered for overseas service inGuelph on 8October 1915.
Interestingly, both JohnWilfredOakes and JamesAlbert Gamble volunteered on the same day, in
the same recruitment office and their regimental numbers are consecutive.
His attestation papers state that hewas 17 years and 10months oldwhen theywere signed by
Col. JohnMutrie. Hewas originally assigned to the 71st Battalion, DCompany.After completing
his basic training, he departed fromHalifax on 1April 1916 aboardHMTOlympic andarrived in
Liverpool, England on 11April. Upon arrival inEngland, PrivateOakeswas transferred to 53rd
BattalionCCompany, and subsequently transferred to 11thBrigadeTrenchMortar Battery on
28May 1916. By the time he landed inFrance on9 June 1916, hewas assigned to the 42nd
Brigade. DuringAugust 1916, PrivatePhillipswas struckwith tonsillitis and since thiswas before
the discovery of antibiotics, his condition deteriorated to the point that hewas sent back toEngland
to recover. ByMarch 1917, hewas transferred to the 42ndRegiment at theCasualtyCareHospital
inBromley, Shoreham, England. InNovember 1917 hewas deemedwell enough to return to
active servicewith the 42ndBattalion and arrived back inFrance again on 21November 1917.
He sawaction in theBattleof theSomme (July –November 1916), VimyRidge (April 1917) and
Passchendaele (October 1917). During the later stages of theBattle ofAmiens, it is reported that on
12August 1918, while performing his duties as amessage runner, hewas shot by an enemy sniper
anddied instantly.
His name is engraved on theVimyMemorial at Pas deCalais, France and his name is also
memorialized in theBooks of Remembrance, in thePeaceTower of theCanadianParliament
Buildings, Ottawa. His family received hisVictoryMedal and theBritishWarmedal.
