Corporal Arthur Harper Qua
Harper Qua was born in Paris on December 2, 1886. He was the eldest son of the late Arthur and Mrs. Qua. He had two sisters and a brother. He attended Paris High School and later graduated as a mechanical engineer from the School of Practical Science in Toronto. At the time of his enlistment, Harper held the position of Chief Draughtsman with the Westinghouse Company in Hamilton. He attended the Paris Presbyterian Church.
Harper was one of the first from Paris to enlist, at the age of 30. He enlisted in Hamilton in August, 1914. He joined the 3rd Field Engineers Company, Canadian Engineers, supporting the Canadian 3rd Division. He served at the Front in France and Belgium from February, 1915 without suffering any injury, although he had been through a number of serious engagements, until the time of his death. The Engineers focused on mobility, construction (roads, bridges, defenses), and specialized tasks like bridging. They were vital units for the infantry, ensuring movement and fortification on the battlefield.
In June 1916, the Engineers were supporting the 3rd Canadian Division as part of the Canadian Corps in the Ypres Salient, specifically during heavy fighting around the Mount Sorrel area. The 3rd Canadian Division itself had only arrived in France in February and March 1916, so June was a critical early engagement period for the new division. It was at this time, on June 4, 1916, that Corporal Arthur Harper Qua was killed in action. One of his closest soldier friends said, “Harper was, without any reservation, the best soldier and man I knew. In my year of soldiering I never heard him grouch or grumble once. He was always cheerful and thoughtful of others. Whether on the march, in billet or in the trenches, he carried himself the way I would like a brother of mine to do.”
Corporal Arthur Harper Qua is buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, two kilometers south of Ypres.