Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of Thomas Armstrong, of Plevna, Ontario.
Digital gallery of Private Thomas John Armstrong
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Thomas John Armstrong was born in Mountain Grove, Ontario on October 8, 1896 to Thomas Armstrong and Catherine Drew (died 1905). Thomas married Estella Sills in 1907 and moved to a farm outside Plevna in 1911. His children were Robert, Oliver, Frances, Thomas John and Richard, hers -Arthur and Laura, and theirs - Charles, Susan, Andrew, Martha and Allen. Andy, then 3, remembers Thomas polishing the buttons on his uniform. A neighbour apparently wanted to marry but he “didn’t want to leave any orphans”.
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
WITH THOMAS KRING
Thomas John (right) was recruited in Plevna in January 1916, with Thomas J. Kring (left) who went overseas with him. Soldiers trained in a building built for WWI and slept at a hotel down the main street.
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
THE GRAVE SITE
Private Thomas John was killed September 16, 1918 at Vimy Ridge. Apparently, Thomas was wounded by a shell, but was helping someone when another shell hit killing a number of them. Thomas was buried at Dury Crucifix Cemetery, near Arras, which was begun by Canadian Units after capture of Dury village, and contained 72 graves at Armistice.
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
THE GRAVE SITE WITH BROTHER
In 1967 Charles (Thomas’ half brother) travelled to Dury Cemetery with his wife and daughter, the first family to visit the grave site. Charles was a retired RCAF Squadron Leader who served in WWII in London and with the Occupation Forces in Celle, Germany.
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
NAME AT VIGIL
At the National Vigil for the 90th Anniversary of the Armistice, Thomas John Armstrong's name appeared on the War Memorial in Ottawa at approximately 8:00pm on November 7, 2008
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Vigil at War Memorial November 2008
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Birth Record
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Certificate of Service in the Great European War
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Attestation Certificate signed by Thomas John Armstrong
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Certificate of Service in the Great European War
Digital gallery of
Private Thomas John Armstrong
Certificate of Service in the Great European War
Image gallery
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Thomas John Armstrong was born in Mountain Grove, Ontario on October 8, 1896 to Thomas Armstrong and Catherine Drew (died 1905). Thomas married Estella Sills in 1907 and moved to a farm outside Plevna in 1911. His children were Robert, Oliver, Frances, Thomas John and Richard, hers -Arthur and Laura, and theirs - Charles, Susan, Andrew, Martha and Allen. Andy, then 3, remembers Thomas polishing the buttons on his uniform. A neighbour apparently wanted to marry but he “didn’t want to leave any orphans”.
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WITH THOMAS KRING Thomas John (right) was recruited in Plevna in January 1916, with Thomas J. Kring (left) who went overseas with him. Soldiers trained in a building built for WWI and slept at a hotel down the main street.
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THE GRAVE SITE Private Thomas John was killed September 16, 1918 at Vimy Ridge. Apparently, Thomas was wounded by a shell, but was helping someone when another shell hit killing a number of them. Thomas was buried at Dury Crucifix Cemetery, near Arras, which was begun by Canadian Units after capture of Dury village, and contained 72 graves at Armistice.
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THE GRAVE SITE WITH BROTHER In 1967 Charles (Thomas’ half brother) travelled to Dury Cemetery with his wife and daughter, the first family to visit the grave site. Charles was a retired RCAF Squadron Leader who served in WWII in London and with the Occupation Forces in Celle, Germany.
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NAME AT VIGIL At the National Vigil for the 90th Anniversary of the Armistice, Thomas John Armstrong's name appeared on the War Memorial in Ottawa at approximately 8:00pm on November 7, 2008
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Vigil at War Memorial November 2008
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Birth Record
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Certificate of Service in the Great European War
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Attestation Certificate signed by Thomas John Armstrong
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Certificate of Service in the Great European War
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Certificate of Service in the Great European War
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 361 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
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DURY CRUCIFIX CEMETERY Pas de Calais, France
Dury is a village about 17 kilometres east-south-east of Arras. Travelling from Arras Centre, take the N39 Arras-Cambrai road for approximately 16.5 kilometres, where you turn left along D956. On this road take the first right fork of the Y Junction at 900 metres. Take the first right at 650 metres. The DURY CRUCIFIX CEMETERY lies on the left side of this road 100 metres from the junction.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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