Private John (Jack) William Ball
Jack Ball was born in Leicester, England, on March 14, 1886 to George and Elizabeth Ball. In 1901 UK Census, 15-year old John Ball was working as a boot and shoe finisher and living in Leicester with his parents, George and Elizabeth, and his sister and his brother William. By the 1911 UK census, he was married to Lillian Maud Hastings and they had their first child, Phyllis May, at Leicester, England. Jack immigrated to Paris first, and Lillian and Phyllis followed a year later. When he enlisted in Paris on February 26, 1916, the family lived on Broadway St. West with now three children. He was employed as a knitter in the Penmans Sweater Department.
Jack left Canada from Halifax on August 6, 1916, arriving at Liverpool on August 18. He was sent to Witley Camp, in Surrey, England on December 2, 1916. Established in January 1915, it served as a large training and transit base for British and Canadian troops before they were deployed to the trenches. He reached France with the 60th Battalion on December 4.
On April 23, 1917 he was transferred to the 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles, a mounted infantry unit during World War I. The unit was originally raised from volunteers of the 7th and 11th (Canadian) Hussars from the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Formed in 1915, they were transported to England later that year. In 1916, they converted to an infantry battalion attached to the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, later the Canadian Corps. The battalion saw action in France and Flanders between 1916 and 1918.
Jack joined the battalion after the Battle of Vimy Ridge. But he may have taken part in the battle of Hill 70 in August, 1917 and Passchendaele, from July to November, 1917. On May 21,1918 he was suffering from tonsilitis and rejoined his unit on June 15. He rejoined the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles right in the middle of a massive training and restructuring period. After surviving the German Spring Offensive, the Canadians were pulled out of the main lines for rest, intense tactical training, and sports competitions.
Because he recovered and rejoined the unit in mid-June, he was fully present, re-equipped, and trained with his battalion just in time for the launch of the Battle of Amiens on August 8, 1918. To date, his involvement in this battle and others remains unconfirmed. However, Jack continued to serve until the end of the war. He was discharged on March 3, 1919 at District Depot No. 4 in Montreal. Jack returned to Paris following the war and lived at 51 Ball Street. He was a valued member of Canadian Legion No. 29. Private John William Ball died at the Willett Hospital on June 2, 1938. His funeral at St. James’ Anglican Church had a clear military focus and all the pallbearers were veterans. Jack is buried in the Paris Cemetery.