Stratton, William (Willie)
Private
No. 639185, 2nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
Died in service on Friday 27 September 1918 (aged 31)
Buried:
Quarry Wood Cemetery, France (Grave II. B. 38)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM)
Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance
Stratton Family Grave Headstone in Ballycranbeg Roman Catholic Graveyard
BIOGRAPHY
In some records, including civil birth registration records, William Stratton’s surname is spelt Straiten.
In the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Debt of Honour Website it is recorded that Private William Stratton (No. 639185) was a son of John and Mary Ann Stratton of Nunsquarter, Kircubbin, Co Down, Ireland.
William Straiten (known as Willie) was born on 28 July 1887 in Nunsquarter, Kircubbin (at attestation he declared 14 August 1893 as his date of birth; it was not unusual for older recruits to state at attestation that they were younger than they were) and he was a son of John and Mary Ann Straiten (nee Gilchrist) who were married on 30 October 1871.
John Straiten worked as an agricultural labourer and he and Mary Ann had at least seven children:
Hugh (born 2 August 1872 in Nunsquarter; married Jane Dorrian; died 25 April 1910)
Peter (born 15 March 1875 in Nunsquarter)
Teresa (born 6 June 1878 in Nunsquarter)
Margaret (born 19 April 1882 in Nunsquarter)
William (born 28 July 1887 in Nunsquarter)
Two daughters, Kathleen and Maggie, died in infancy; Maggie died of meningitis on 21 November 1880
Their mother Mary Ann Straiten, died of Bright’s Disease on 24 December 1887 (aged 35).
Their father, John Straiten, married Margaret (Maggie) Printer on 27 April 1891 in Ballycran Roman Catholic Church, Portaferry. John Straiten, a widower and a servant from Nunsquarter was a son of Hugh Straiten, a servant. Maggie Printer, a spinster and a servant from Nunsquarter was a daughter of James Printer, a servant.
John and Maggie Straiten had at least two children:
Elizabeth (born 23 December 1891 in Nunsquarter)
James (born 1 April 1895 in Nunsquarter)
William Stratton worked as a labourer before he moved to Canada where he lived at 12 Bennett Street, Brockville, Ontario. He enlisted on 5 January 1916 in Brockville, Ontario. In his attestation papers it was noted that he was 5 feet 7 inches tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. It was also noted that he had a small scar below his left nipple. He declared that his date of birth was 14 August 1893 and that he was born in Belfast, Ireland. His brother Peter lived at 11 Lowry Street, Ballymacarrett, Belfast.
His Unit sailed for England on 17 October 1916.
Private William Stratton (No. 639185) served with the 2nd Battalion Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment) and he was 31 when he was killed in action on Friday 27 September 1918. He was buried in Quarry Wood Cemetery, France and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
REST IN PEACE
In the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Debt of Honour Website his next-of-kin is recorded as Mr P. Stratton, 11 Lowry Street, Belfast.
Private William Stratton (No. 639185) is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM); in the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance (Page 508) and on the Stratton Family Grave Headstone in Ballycranbeg Roman Catholic Graveyard, Co Down.