This is part of a series of essays about the First World War casualties commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Massachusetts.

Holgar Robert Johnson was born on 11 October 1893 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the second eldest and second of the four sons of Peter John Johnson. His parents were Danish and had emigrated from Bønsvig in Denmark in 1892.^[1] The family later lived in Woburn.

When war broke out Holgar Johnson was a student. Travelling to Montreal, he enlisted on 3 June 1915 and joined the 2^nd University Company at McGill University and was allocated the number McG153. The university contributed hugely to the war effort raising no fewer than six reinforcement companies and the core of two general hospitals.^[2] The 2^nd University Company sailed from Montreal aboard the SS Northland on 29 June 1915 and arrived in England in July 1915 and was absorbed by the 11^th Reserve Battalion. Johnson was posted to Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in August 1915 and joined the battalion in the field at the end of the month. The first Canadian infantry battalion to serve in France, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry was part of 8^th Infantry Brigade in 27^th Division until late in the year when it joined the newly arrived 3^rd Canadian Division.

This is part of a series of essays about the First World War casualties commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Massachusetts.

Notwithstanding the dates on his gravestone and enlistment record, John R. Gientner was born at Ashland, Massachusetts on 2 May 1868, the fifth of the eight children of Rudolf and Mary Gientner (many records show the family name spelled as ‘Gentner’). His father had emigrated from Germany and worked as a shoemaker. John Gientner worked as a blacksmith and metal fabricator.

This is part of a series of essays about the First World War casualties commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Massachusetts.

Ezra Charles Fitch Jr. was born on 2 May 1881 in New York, NY. His father was the president of the renowned Waltham Watch Company. Charlie Fitch was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard (Class of 1905). On 14 November 1906 he married Ethel Tucker.^[1] When war broke out he was managing the Montreal office of the Waltham Watch Company, although his home was in Manchester, Massachusetts.

He enlisted on 20 August 1917 and joined the 2^nd Reinforcing Company, 5^th Regiment (Royal Highlanders of Canada) where he was allocated the number 2075594.^[2] While travelling in New England on a recruiting tour, he fell ill with pneumonia; he was admitted to Hartford Hospital, Hartford Connecticut on 8 October 1917 and died 13 October. He is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Mattapan in the family plot (Lot 1054, Grave 19) on Central Avenue just before the junction with Union Avenue.

His memorial plaque and scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his wife. Private Ezra Charles Fitch  is commemorated on page 237 of the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance; that page is displayed on 27 May. He is also commemorated on the wall of the Memorial Room in Harvard’s Memorial Church.

1. (Back) Ethel Tucker (11 February 1878-31 May 1942). Former wife of Archibald Lionel Bethune, later the 13^th Earl of Lindsay (divorced March 1906). Their son, William Tucker Lindesay-Bethune, became the 14^th Earl of Lindsay. On 17 May 1921 she remarried Bethune.

2. (Back) The training of recruits was later undertaken by the depot battalions formed in late 1917 and early 1918. In this region that was by 1^st Depot Battalion, 1^st Quebec Regiment which was formed in August 1917, at about the time of Fitch’s recruitment, hence the terminology on some of his documents and on his CWGC commemoration.

This is part of a series of essays about the First World War casualties commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Massachusetts.

William Feeley was born on 20 May 1889 at Bandon in County Cork, Ireland. The use of different dates of birth and the commonality of his name and its variant spellings make it difficult to identify other family members but his enlistment papers indicate that his father lived in Timoleague, County Cork and that his sister, Catherine, lived and worked in Massachusetts.

He enlisted in Quebec on 28 January 1918 giving his date of birth as 20 May 1882 and indicating that he lived and worked in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He joined the 249^th Battalion and was allocated the number 1070090. The battalion sailed for England aboard RMS Saxonia, arriving on 4 March, and on its arrival was absorbed into the 15^th Reserve Battalion. Feeley served there until posted to France in early June with a reinforcement draft. After a period at the Canadian Base Depot, on 20 July he joined the details of 5^th Battalion (Western Cavalry), an infantry battalion in 2^nd Infantry Brigade, 1^st Canadian Division. The battalion came out of the line in the early hours of 21 July and the following day it was joined in its billets in Arras by the draft of reinforcements, which numbered 100 other ranks.

This is part of a series of essays about the First World War casualties commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Massachusetts.

Albert Moore Downs (several records show his name as Albion) was born on 20 July 1873 in Maine (although he declared on his enlistment that he was born in Head Millstream, Kings County, New Brunswick). He was married with two daughters and prior to his enlistment he worked as a carpenter.^[1]

He enlisted in New Brunswick on 2 March 1917 and joined No. 16 Canadian Field Ambulance (536452 Private), which was being raised in Saint John. The unit sailed from Halifax on 28 March 1917 aboard the RMS Saxonia and arrived in England on 7 April 1917. It served in England with 5^th Canadian Division until the division was broken up in early 1918 and the medical personnel were despatched to the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot at Shorncliffe. Downs was then posted to France to No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, where he arrived in April 1918.