22 May 2016

Alexander Rennie: Ottawa WW1 Beechwood burial

A century ago, 22 May 1916, saw the death at Kingston General Hospital from diphtheria and paralysis of the heart while on active service of Alexander Rennie of the 51st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery.
According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records he was age 22, the son of David Rennie, of Clark's Crossing, Sask., and the late Catherine Rennie. His father's address on the Circumstances of Casualty record is 32 Armstrong St., Ottawa and later 58 Ella St. There is no attestation paper on file at Library and Archives Canada.
According to the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial he was born at Leswalt, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland and was working as a car checker when he enlisted at Ottawa four months before his death. He is remembered on the Leswalt War Memorial.
He was buried on 25 May and lies in Sec. D. Range 24. Grave 4 at Beechwood Cemetery where the CWGC gravemarker has the inscription "Where Death Divides Fond Memory Clings".

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