Hamilton, Samuel
Ex-Private
No. 127313, ‘D’ Company, 71st Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Died on Monday 28 October 1918 (aged 37)
Commemorated:
Carrowdore Parish Church of Ireland Church (Christ Church)
Coates family grave headstone in Carrowdore Graveyard
BIOGRAPHY
The name Samuel Hamilton, Canadian Expeditionary Force, is listed on the Memorial Plaque in Carrowdore Parish Church of Ireland Church (Christ Church) as one of those men from the Parish who gave their lives in the Great War.
Samuel Hamilton was born on 4 April 1881 (at attestation he declared 5 April 1881) in the townland of Ballyblack and he was a son of Samuel and Ann Hamilton (formerly Dickson, nee Patton) who were married on 28 May 1879 in Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark).
Samuel Hamilton worked as a labourer and he and Ann had at least four children:
James Dunken (born 8 January 1880 in Ballyblack; died 12 December 1883)
Samuel (born 8 January 1880 in Ballyblack; died 10 January 1880)
Samuel (born 4 April 1881 in Ballyblack)
James (born 4 November 1885 in Ballyblack)
Samuel Hamilton worked as a labourer before he moved to Canada.
Samuel Hamilton enlisted on 13 January 1915 at Galt, Ontario and in his attestation papers it was noted that he was 5 feet 10¼ inches tall with a medium complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair and he had a birthmark on his right forearm. He was considered fit for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force.
Private Samuel Hamilton was discharged from the service on 15 November 1915 at Woodstock, Ontario ‘by reason of being medically unfit for war service’. It was noted that he was suffering from chronic otitis media (middle ear infection) in both ears due to ‘lying out at St Thomas during a route march’ and ‘sleeping on damp ground’. His condition was ‘a result of service’.
On the Coates family grave headstone in Carrowdore Graveyard there is an inscription by ‘James Hamilton in memory of his brother Samuel Hamilton who died at Galt, Ontario, Canada, 28th October 1918 aged 38 years’.