Pvt. Oscar Arthur Crandall

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 155384599
• _UID: CD61846831DC4199AA70294FD1F32CE265E2

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155384599

Died:
Oscar Arthur Crandall (note the spelling is incorrect on the headstone) died in New Westminster on June 8 1916, according to his BC Archives Death Registration Number 1916-09-094218. He was 50 years old at the time, and his last noted occupation was soldier. He died of arteriosclerosis and cerebral hemorrhage. Previously, he was noted as being a school teacher. His gravestone states he was with the 104th Regiment (104th Regiment of the Westminster Fusiliers of Canada), which was a training unit for battalions in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Within a year, his son Pvt James Thomas Crandall died serving overseas in February of 1917, according to the Vancouver Daily World (note spelling again). He is buried at Villers Station Cemetery, France. The Daily World states James was a member of the 131st Battalion (Westminster). This article also mentions James T Crandall had a brother named Arthur, who also served overseas in the 131st Battalion; this was Arthur Leslie Crandall.

This leaves a few ambiguities.

First, Oscar Arthur Crandall Sr was not 18 years of age, as the gravestone states; he was 50. The regimental number 1336 likely does refer to the father as it is such a low number; the son Arthur Crandall's regimental number was 790994 and the son James Crandall's regimental number was 790995.

Why the military records seem to use the spelling Crandell instead of Crandall is unclear, but perhaps the spelling was used interchangeably.

The Great War Memorial for Oscar states Oscar Arthur Crandell was the son of the late Oscar Arthur Crandell and Jessie Alston Crandell, of Eburne, British Columbia, but this seems to be one of the complicating errors.

Father:
http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?Id=21585

Son Arthur:
http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=97788

Son James:
http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=2635


Buried:
Private 1336
Oscar A Crandell
104th Regiment, Canadian Militia
Age 18

Oscar married Jessie Alston Baird in 1893. Jessie (daughter of William Baird and Jennett "Janet" Alston) was born on 27 Sep 1867 in Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; died on 20 Jul 1931 in New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; was buried in Fraser Cemetery, New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Arthur Leslie Crandall was born on 15 Aug 1894 in Surrey, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; died on 13 Jan 1967 in Vancouver Crematorium, Vancouver, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
2. Leah Helen "Helen" Crandall was born on 30 Apr 1896 in New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; died on 10 Nov 1968 in Vernon, North Okanagan Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; was buried in Vernon Cemetery, Vernon, North Okanagan Regional District, British Columbia, Canada.
3. Pvt. James Gordon Crandall was born on 28 Apr 1898 in New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; died on 4 Feb 1917; was buried in Villers Station Cemetery, Villers-au-Bois, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.
4. Howard William Baird Crandall was born on 9 Sep 1899 in Salmon Arm, Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; died on 24 Aug 1976 in New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; was buried in Robinson Memorial Park, Coquitlam, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada.