Image: A page from Harry’s military service file, indicating at the bottom that he was “granted permission to marry” in July of 1918. (Library & Archives Canada)
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this new blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.
Regimental Number: 1037322
Rank: Private
Branch: Canadian Forestry Corps
Harry was born in Monmouthshire, England on January 23, 1891. He was living in Kisbey, Saskatchewan at the time of his enlistment in August of 1916. In August of 1918, Harry married an Englishwoman named Margaret. He brought his young bride to his homestead in Saskatchewan, where their daughter was born. In 1923, Margaret and their daughter returned to England as farm life was difficult and his wife was ill and homesick; Harry planned to send for them once he got established. He came to the South Peace in 1928, and in 1930 filed on the northern half of 22-76-1-W6. Harry was reluctant to send for his family as conditions were still primitive and the nearest school for his daughter was twelve miles away. In 1935, another man with the surname Moss was killed in central Alberta. Harry’s brother and wife in England heard of it and assumed it was Harry, so they stopped writing. Harry was unaware of this and as Harry was not much of a writer, he lost contact with his family in England. Some years later, an inquiry for Henry J. Moss was printed in the Legionnaire (a magazine for war veterans) saying that a daughter was interested in his whereabouts. Harry replied to the inquirer and found that it was indeed his daughter, who was married and living in southern Alberta. Harry’s daughter traveled to Wanham to meet her father. When Harry retired from farming several years later, he moved to southern Alberta to be nearer his daughter and four grandchildren.
Sources: Grooming the Grizzly p. 450