MILITARY HISTORY
SAPPER CEPHAS HECTOR ABBOTT – No. 2022430– Active Service (World War I)
On March 27th, 1918, Cephas Hector Abbott completed the Attestation Paper for the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Vancouver, British Columbia.
He was 26 years old when, as unmarried man, he enlisted for the duration of the War. Cephas was born in Lakefield, Ontario and gave his birth date as October 7, 1890. He listed his present address as Mission City, British Columbia, Ontario. Cephas indicated that he had no previous Military experience and he had not served in an Active Formation or Unit of The Canadian Army.
Cephas indicated he had previously worked as a plumber, tinsmith and vulcanizer. He was described as standing 5 feet 7 ½ inches with fair complexion and brown eyes. He was trained in St. John Quebec.
Sapper Abbott was sent to England with 6th Field Canadian engineers and arrived in England on July 26th, 1918. In England he served as Engineering support and never was sent to France. A Sapper is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, ridge building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses and road construction and repair.
The 6th Field Engineer Squadron, Canadian Engineers, then known as the 6th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers was formed on February 1st, 1911. Based in North Vancouver, the first enrollment was in 1912. In 1947, the unit was renamed the 6th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers. Between 1955 and 1975, the Squadron was part of the militia. Since 1975, the unit has been known as the 6th Field Engineer Squadron. As the 6th Field Company, the unit served in Europe during both World Wars. In peace time, the unit maintained a state of readiness to assist civilian authorities, usually during floods and other natural disasters.
Sapper Abbott was granted permission to marry on December 17th, 1918 as the war had ended. He married to Mary Ellen Squires in the Leaford Parish Church on January 5th, 1919. Sapper Abbott was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with Spanish Flu on March 15, 1919. He died three days later March 18th, at 5:20 a.m.
Sapper Abbott had served 1 year in England. He was eligible for the Volunteer Service medal, British War Medal (England only) and his wife received the Memorial cross.
An excerpt from an article in McLean’s magazine by Barbara Amiel, September 1996:
The military is the single calling in the world with job specifications that include a commitment to die for your nation. What could be more honorable?
PERSONAL HISTORY OF CEPHAS HECTOR ABBOTT
Cephas Hector Abbott was born in Lakefield on October 7, 1890, the only son of Charlotte and Edward Abbott. Cephas had three sisters. It was in November of 1894 that the family decided to move west to Mission, B.C. Cephas received his schooling out west and later worked as a tinsmith, plumber and vulcanizer. On December 8, 1912, Cephas married Annie Maud Adshead in Mission City, B.C. She was the daughter of Esther Elsam and John Samuel Adshead. We have not learned what happened to this marriage. On March 27, 1918, Cephas decided to go to Vancouver B.C. and enlisted, as a single man, to serve King and Country. As soon as the war was over, Cephas married Mary Ellen Squires in Eastborne, Sussex, England on January 31, 1919.
Sadly, Cephas came down with the Spanish Flu and died three days later on March 18th, 1919. Sapper Cephas Hector Abbott is remembered with honour in the Seaford Cemetery, Seaford, Lewes District, East Sussex, England.
FAMILY HISTORY OF CEPHAS ABBOTT
The paternal grandparents of Cephas Hector Abbott were Jane Hurl and William Frederick Abbott. They lived in Douro Township and have a family of nine children. By 1911 William and Jane Abbott were living in New Westminster, B.C. Jane passed away on January 22, 1915 and William died on March 21, 1920; both are buried in the Hatzic Cemetery, Hatzic, Fraser Valley District, British Columbia.
The maternal grandparents of Cephas Hector Abbott were Isaac Snelgrove and Charlotte Anne Payne. They lived in Dummer Township, then Smith Township and finally settled in Lakefield. Isaac was a wagon maker and they had a family of eight children – Henry, Mary, James, Jacob, Isaac, Sarah, Charlotte and Moses. Isaac passed away on April 12, 1895 and Charlotte died on October 23, 1912; both are buried in Lakefield Cemetery.
The parents of Cephas Hector Abbott were Charlotte Ann Snelgrove born in Douro Township on September 29, 1858, and Edward James Abbott born in Dummer Township on December 11, 1860. They were married in Lakefield on March 29, 1882. Edward worked at the Pine Grove Cheese Factory as a cheesemaker and they had a family of four children – Mina Rosetta, Ira Melville, Cephas Hector and Etta May Abbott. In November 1894, the family moved west to Mission City, B.C. Edward was working as a farmer in 1901 and by 1911 Edward was a fruit grower and the family was living in New Westminster, B.C. Edward passed away on January 12, 1932 and Charlotte died on November 16, 1940; both are buried in Hatzic Cemetery, Hatzic, Fraser Valley District, British Columbia.