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Shortly after War was declared in
September of 1914, young men from across the country enlisted in the Canadian
Expeditionary Forces. On November 3rd 1914 one of the first men to enlist from
the Windsor area was Walter Frank Cole. Since 1899 Walter Cole had been a volunteer with
the 21st Essex Fusillers, a local militia regiment. Walter Cole was born July 12th 1879 in Guilford Surry, England. He was married to Hattie with whom they had five children. At the time of his enlistment Walter's occupation was listed as Ironworker and he was employed at the Canadian Bridge Company in Windsor. In community circles Walter Cole was a parishioner of St. Mary's Anglican Church, Walkerville and a member of Great Western Lodge No. 47 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Ark Chapter No. 80 Royal Arch Masons and The Sons of England Coronation Lodge. |
After his arrival in France, Private Walter Cole was promoted Sergeant and then Lieutenant. He was stationed with the 18th battalion of Canadian Infantry, Western Ontario Regiment.
On August 28th 1918 a major thrust near the town of Arras was executed by the allied forces. Lieutenant Walter Cole commanded a platoon of infantry during that battle.
Two weeks later on September 9th 1918 the local newspaper published the following headline:
"Heavy Toll of Local Boys in the Big Drive"
"Eight Windsor and Walkerville men on List"
In that newspaper article it was reported that Lieutenant Walter Cole had been wounded during the battle. The following day that report was revised, Walter Cole was now reported as missing in action. The following day it was reported that he had been killed during the battle.
Lieutenant Cole's body was recovered from the battlefield and buried in the En-Artois British Cemetery, France
Walter Cole's name appears on two memorial plaques at St Mary's Anglican Church in Windsor, one as a parishioner of the church, the other as a member of the Sons of England, Coronation Lodge. Brother Walter Cole's name also appears on the Masonic Memorial erected by the Windsor and Erie Districts.
Lieutenant Walter Frank Cole was posthumously awarded British War Medal, the 1915-18 Star and the Memorial Cross. Those Medals were presented to his widow Hattie at the conclusion of the Great War.
