The call to serve King and country in the Great War was so strong, it mobilised volunteers from every corner of the British Empire. Allan Tunningley explores how one man, who emigrated from Westmorland to Canada, returned home to make the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom.

THE description on the medical form is clipped, just as you would expect of the military. It states that Roger Wilson was 5ft 8ins tall with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light hair.

It also declares him to be fit and able to expand his 38 inch chest by four and a half inches. Not surprising, perhaps, for as a farm worker Roger would have undoubtedly been a strong young man - just the sort of individual an enlisting officer in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force would be keen to sign up.

And that’s what happened on December 11, 1914, when the 19-year-old former Longsleddale lad was enlisted into the Canadian force’s 89th Infantry (Calgary) Battalion of the Alberta Regiment. Roger had been born thousands of miles away at Ravenslodge in the Lyth Valley on April 6, 1896, the eldest son of William and Alice Wilson.

The family later moved to Nether House Farm at Longsleddale, where Roger worked before taking a job in Kendal with John Tyson, who owned two drapery shops. When Roger later emigrated to the small hamlet of De Winton, south of Calgary, in the spring of 1914, he probably hadn’t a care in the world.

The world was at peace and the future looked promising for a fit young man who was willing to to work hard in a dynamic new country. Within five months, however, the peace was to be shattered - along with the hopes and dreams of thousands of young men like Roger who were to make the ultimate sacrifice. As with many of his Canadian contemporaries, Roger appeared to have no hesitation about signing up.

He was given the rank of private and, after a period of training, travelled to England in early summer 1915 with his fellow troops on HMT Olympic - sister ship to the ill-fated Titanic. In August 1916, Roger was transferred to the 31st Battalion Calgary and moved out to France, where it is believed he fought in the Battle of the Somme from September to December, 1916.

He was killed four months later on Easter Monday in the battle of Vimy Ridge at Arras - just three days after his 21st birthday. A report in The Westmorland Gazette of April 28 quoted a letter written to Mr and Mrs Wilson by his platoon commander.

“During our attack on the 9th, about 9.20am, Roger was advancing with his gun crew under very heavy shell fire. A shell made a direct hit on gun and crew, killing Roger outright, wounding two others, and smashing the gun. Your boy suffered no pain whatever.

“He was a splendid type of young soldier, always cheerful and attentive to his duties and a favourite with all his comrades. Pte Wilson was 21 years of age.”

The story of Roger’s short tragic life was researched by his great-nephew, Milnthorpe motor engineer Mike Wilson, and Mike’s 26-year-old daughter Danielle, who carried out the detective work as part of her History and Philosphy degree at Lancaster University.

Mr Wilson says the platoon commander’s letter suggests Roger was killed by friendly fire. A copy of a page referring to the the Vimy Ridge action from the official war diary of the 31st Battalion states that shells from the allied barrage ‘fell some 75 yards short of the line’ and that ‘several casualties’ occurred in the leading company.

Roger is buried at Ecoivres MIlitary Cemetery near Arras in Pas de Calais.