Friday, June 4, 1915
Rest billets, Oblenghem
The Battalion War Diarist wrote for this day: “C.O. and Adjutant reconnoitered trenches at Givenchy-La Bassée which were to be taken over by the 14th.”[1]
THIS DAY IN RMR HISTORY: “Lieutenant Gordon Knox Ross was born in Montreal in 1884. In 1901 he entered the service of The Royal Trust Company where his outstanding ability won him rapid promotion. In 1913 he was appointed Secretary of the Company. He enlisted in 1914 with the 3rd Victoria Rifles, in which he was given his commission as Lieutenant, and after qualifying he was posted to the 60th Battalion. He went to England with a company of this battalion, which was sent over in advance of the others. During his period of training in England he was offered an appointment in the Pay and Records Office, London, for which, because of his banking experience, he was particularly fitted. Preferring active service he declined the offer, and went to France to the 14th Battalion in March 1916. One month later, on the 30th of April 1916, he was instantly killed in action.” [4]
Lieut. Ross, died at 5:15 in the morning when a rifle grenade fell into the trench where he was stationed at The Bluff, Ypres. He was buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery close by Lieutenant John Howe of the 14th Bn. who had been killed five days earlier. This is the second largest British Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium, containing 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.
[1] War Diary, 14th Canadian Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment, June 4, 1915. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e044/e001089757.jpg
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_La_Bass%C3%A9e
[3] “Memorial Of The Great War 1914-1918: A Record Of Service,” The Bank of Montreal, 1921, pg. 83. https://archive.org/stream/memorialofgreatw00bankuoft#page/82/mode/2up
[4] Ibid