30 Days of Remembrance - Day 6- Allan Sidney Farmer

Book or Remembrance, Ottawa ON

In memory of
Private
Allan Sidney Farmer
who died on November 3, 1917 

Military Service:

Service Number: 145425

Age: 24

Force: Army

Unit: Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment)

Division: 42nd Bn.

Additional Information:

Date and Place of Birth: July 4, 1893

Son of Fred Farmer, of Kirk's Ferry, Quebec.

Cemetery: MENIN GATE (YPRES) MEMORIAL, Belgium

Grave Reference: Panel 24 - 26 - 28 - 30

Commemorated on Page 235 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.

Allan Sidney Farmer was born July 4 in Kirks Ferry, Quebec but there seems to be a discrepancy about the exact year. All of of his available military records show his yob as 1893 which is the year that appears on his attestation papers.

However, both the 1901 and the 1911 Canadian census have Allan born  July 1895 and bookended by an older sister born Dec 1892 and a younger brother born July 1897. Of course census data is notorious inaccurate when it comes to age and I have not located a baptism record for any of the children so there's no way of proving which is correct. Just out of curiousity tho, I wondered if Allan had lied to make himself older in order to be able to join up but when I checked the age requirements on the Canadian War Museum site I found this

In 1914, strict medical exams required a potential soldier to be at least five feet, three inches tall, and between 18 and 45 years old. Good eyesight, arched feet, and healthy teeth were essential.

So no obvious explanation there since Allan would have been at least 20 when he joined up on Nov 15, 1915. He had no difficulties passing the other requirements either- at  5' 10" with a ruddy complexion (and brown hair and eyes) he was deemed fit for duty.

Allan's younger brother Frederick William Farmer also joined up in April of 1917 but unlike Allan he survived to return home. Allan Sidney Farmer was killed in action at Passchendaele on Nov 3 1917 but his grave cannot be located.

Allan Sidney Farmer is listed on The Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.

The Menin Gate Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War.

Remembered at home in Canada at St Andrew's United Church Cemetery, Cantley Quebec