Photograph: The Lake Saskatoon baseball team in the Twilight League, in 1914, before the First World War. Players included Walter Roberts (second base), M. Stewart (shortstop), Frank Douglass (left field), ? (right field), Ulia Douglass (pitcher and third base), Clem Douglass (catcher), ? Stokes (pitcher and third base), Walter Eaton (first base), and Harold Anderson (pitcher and centre field). The photograph was donated by Mrs. Luella Roberts.
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: 101230
Rank: Sergeant
Branch: 66th Battalion; 49th Battalion
Walter was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 7, 1880. He filed on a homestead at NW 36-71-8-W6 and also worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Lake Saskatoon. Walter married Julia around 1906, and the couple had three children. He enlisted in the Canadian army in September of 1915 and was sent overseas. Late in 1916 there were mistaken reports that Walter had been killed in action, but a letter he sent to the Grande Prairie Herald in January 1917 confirmed that he was “very much alive and in good health.” In August of 1917, he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Walter was killed in action in the vicinity of Passchendaele on October 30, 1917.
Sources: Pioneers of the Peace p. 195; Lake Saskatoon Reflections, p. 30, 147, 175, 250, 254; Edson to Grande Prairie Trail p. 101
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- Attestation Paper
- Lives of the First World War profile
- Canadian Great War Project profile
- Photograph (1912)
- Photograph (1914)
- Enlists (Sept. 7, 1915)
- Home on leave (Jan. 4, 1916)
- Letter (May 9, 1916)
- Letter (Jan. 16, 1917)
- Killed in action (Nov. 29, 1917)
- Biography (1934)
- Military Medal
- Grande Prairie Honour Roll
- Circumstances of Death Register
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- CWGC Register
- CWGC Register
- Find A Grave