William Edgar Elliott's

July, 1918

Canadian Expeditionary Force Letter

to

William George Murduck

of Coleman Post Office, Ontario

In early August of 1918, William George Murduck, of  East Toronto, received a letter from England. The letter had been written by his friend and neighbour William "Bill" Edgar Elliott, who was stationed at that time at Witley Camp while serving with the Canadian Expeditinary Force (CEF). This letter is significant because we find here one of the very few extant references to Frensham Pond, one of the CEF segregation camps set up for Canadian soldiers during the Great War. Frensham Pond and other locations were established as places to isolate arriving Canadian soldiers from the general British population, in an effort to reduce the potential transmission of disease. Bill also mentions by name many of the men he and George knew from East Toronto whom he met at Frensham Pond Camp, at Witley Camp, and at local English villages.

Read the full story (it opens in a new window).... Do you know anything about Bill Elliott? Do you have any photographs of him, or of George Murduck - perhaps as someone you've been unable to identify? We'd love it if you could....