This memorial tree was planted in memory of Private Edward Welland Gemmill who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele.
Edward Welland Gemmill was born in February 1898 in Pakenham, ON. A gifted student, he graduated from high school at the age of 16 and shortly afterwards entered Queen’s University. Cutting short his college studies, he enlisted in March 1917 in Kingston and a month later embarked for England. Assigned to the 38th (Central Ontario) Battalion, his unit sailed for France soon afterwards and took part in many of the Canadian Corps’ actions in the spring- fall 1917 period. By October 1917, the Canadian Corps had been ordered to capture Passchendaele with the initial attack starting on 26 October. It is during this first day of the advance that Private Gemmill was wounded and transferred to a military hospital. He later died of his injuries on the 3rd of November and was buried at the Nine Elms British Cemetery, just west of Poperinge, Belgium.
