Private William Mears

William Mears was born in London, England on July 6, 1878, the son of Mrs. Carrie Mears. He and his wife had been married for 21 years and had six children, one son and five daughters, when the family immigrated to Canada in 1902, living first in Montreal, then Stratford, and then Paris in 1903. William was employed as a laborer, and the family lived on West River Street. They attended St. James Anglican Church.

William enlisted in August, 1914, at 37 years of age, with the Brant Dragoons, did basic training at Valcartier, then transferred to the 38^th Battalion. In England he was drafted to the 215^th Battalion, but before he could serve, he was sent to the base hospital, suffering what turned out to be a tubercular kidney. He was returned to Paris a virtual invalid. He was ill for about nine weeks before he died of the condition.

Private William Mears’ funeral was held at St. James. Members of the Paris and Brantford branches of the Great War Veterans Association paid a last fitting tribute to their deceased brother-in-arms. William is buried in the Soldiers Plot at the Paris Cemetery.