George Dottridge

Rank:

Private

Regimental number:

401875

Unit at enlistment:

2nd Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Birth country:

England

Birth county:

Greater London

Birth city:

London, Greenwich, Blackheath

Address at enlistment:

Paris, Ontario

Next of kin address:

Isle of Wight, England

Trade or calling:

Proofreader

Employer:

London Lithographing Co.

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX December 29, 1915

Non-Coms Hold a High Opinion – Lieut. H.L. Walsh Thought Well of Writes Former Brantfordite – Want Letters

An interesting letter from a former proof reader of The Expositor was given in The London Free Press yesterday. He is now with A. Company, 9th Reserve Battalion, C.E.F., at Sandling, England and he takes the occasion to pay tribute to Lieut. Harris L. Walsh formerly city editor of The Expositor. The letter in part follows:

Somebody has been telling me we are making history. I suppose we are; anyway, this life is full of surprises. All my old country friends seem to be lieutenants or casualties and I seem to be meeting Canadian friends everywhere. In “our” battalion is Scout-Sergt. Bendall, still slow of speech and blandly smiling, but very competent and hard as nails. He is a typical of the present day Canadian soldiers and used to work in the London Litho.

I rather think that Londoners would be very interested if they could see their former fellow-citizens as they are now – strong as horses, blithe as children and full of initiative.

Have High Opinion

Harris L. Walsh is also round here. He used to be city editor of The Brantford Expositor and is now a lieutenant in the 36th. I have been trying to summon up enough courage to accept his invitation to visit him – but alas! I am a simple private and he a splendid lieutenant. I doubt if even my awe of an officer will stop my old habit of being impolite to him. His non-coms., however, seem to have a high opinion of his ability.

Write to the Boys

And here I’ll tell you a little thing. The big complaint from everybody here is that our friends are not very good correspondents, with very few exceptions. You have no idea how interesting letters from friends are. Our reception of the Canadian mail would be an eye-opener to the different ones who do not think they can write interesting stuff. If they heard one of our fellows look up with a happy smile and say; “father has made up his mind to paint the fence again next spring,” they would know that we all want letters.

Maple Leaves in Demand

A very great friend of mine sent me about half a dozen maple leaves. I was offered a shilling apiece for them. Get wise to this you Londoners, as you love us.

Geo. Dottridge

BX March 9, 1916

Boy in Good Humor

In a newsy letter to The Expositor Pte. George Dottridge of the 2nd Infantry Battalion says in part:

It is raining a lot and cold, but everybody seems in the best of spirits. Now it is certain we have the upper hand, the boys are a little kinder in their talk of the Germans whom they call collectively, “Fritz.” Their humor is amazing – as is their good-tempered acceptance of bad conditions. We have had the shells pretty close – close enough to shake us – and the first contingent men keep joking about them all the time. You could hardly tell that they were excited.

BX July 24, 1916

Two Casualties from Brantford – Pte. George Parker and Pte. George Dottridge Were Wounded

Hardly a day passes without the appearance in the casualty lists of the names of one or more Brantford men, either killed, wounded or a prisoner of war.

Yesterday’s list of the wounded contained the name of Private George Parker, 73 Strathcona Avenue, Brantford, Ont. No mention of any person by that name who enlisted from that address could be found in The Expositor’s records of the men who have left from Brantford.

Private George Dottridge of London, formerly proofreader for the Expositor, is at present in hospital at Portsmouth, England, with a bullet in the lungs. He is reported to be doing well.

BX January 19, 1917

On Way Home

Included in a large list of officers and men who have arrived back at St. John, N.B., from the fighting zones is Private George Dottridge, a former proof reader on the staff of The Expositor. After severing his connection with The Expositor, Mr. Dottridge went to London where he was employed with the London Lithographing Co., and enlisted there. Some time ago he was reported seriously wounded.