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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Russel Hubert Britton

In memory of:

Lieutenant Colonel Russel Hubert Britton

May 2, 1917

Military Service


Age:

35

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Field Artillery

Division:

5th Brigade

Citation(s):

Mentioned in Despatches

Honours and Awards:

Distinguished Service Order

Additional Information


Born:

August 11, 1881
Gananoque, Ontario

Enlistment:

August 12, 1914
Valcartier, Quebec

Son of Charles E. and Marian Britton, of Gananoque, Ontario. Husband of Julia Bernice Gordon (formerly Britton), of Toronto, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 207 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

LA TARGETTE BRITISH CEMETERY
Pas de Calais, France

Grave Reference:

I. E. 16.

Location:

Neuville-St Vaast is a village 6.5 kilometres north of Arras, a little east of the road from Bethune to Arras. LA TARGETTE BRITISH CEMETERY lies to the south-west of the village on the north-west side of the road to the village of Maroeuil.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram October 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram January 1917. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram May 1917. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram May 1917. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the British Whig, a Kingston, Ontario newspaper. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of Russel Hubert Britton– From "The War Book of Upper Canada College", edited by Archibald Hope Young, Toronto, 1923.  This book is a Roll of Honour including former students who served during the First World War.
  • Memorial Tablet– Lieutenant Colonel R. H. Britton is remembered on this brass Memorial Tablet.  It was unveiled on May 1st, 1921 in memory of Upper Canada College students who died on active service during the First World War.  Upper Canada College is located in Toronto, Ontario.
  • Obituary– From the "University of Toronto / Roll of Service 1914-1918", published in 1921.
  • Newspaper Clipping
  • Gananoque Remembers– Gananoque, Ontario is a small town situated on the St. Lawrence River in the heart of 1,000 Islands.  It is one of hundreds of communities throughout Canada with war memorials which commemorate more than 110,000 men and women who lost their lives during both world wars. Over a  thousand citizens from Gananoque and surounding areas served in the navy, army, or air force: 83 lost their lives in parts of Canada, and in the battlefields of Europe.  Among the dead of Gananoque include a 15 year old solider, a father of ten, four sets of brothers and a Victoria Cross winner. 
Today the town cenotaph lists the names of those who died and  few citizens are aware of their family backgrounds or their circumstances of their deaths. Geraldine Chase of Gananoque and Bill Beswetherick of Kingston believed it was necessary to collect this information and perpetuate their sacrifices. 	
Gananoque Remembers book is a tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
  • Memorial Page– Russell Britton is honoured from  page 70 to 77 of the Gananoque Remembers booklet, published on January 31, 2005.
  • Memorial Page 2
  • Memorial Page 3
  • Memorial Page 4
  • Memorial Page 5
  • Memorial Page 6
  • Memorial Page 7
  • Memorial Page 8
  • Gananoque War Memorial - Gananoque, Ontario.
  • Photo of Russel Britton
  • Newspaper Clipping
  • Photo of Russel Britton– Russel Britton as a young man.

From the collection of Dr. Hugh Walker, son of Marion Kathryn Britton Walker, and grandson of Russel Britton.
  • Family photo– Major Russel Britton, his wife, and twin daughters before the Gananoque Battery left for Valcartier August 28, 1914.

From the collection of Dr. Hugh Walker, son of Marion Kathryn Britton Walker, and grandson of Russel Britton.
  • Original grave– From the collection of Dr. Hugh Walker, son of Marion Kathryn Britton Walker, and grandson of Russel Britton.
  • Grave marker– Grave of Lieut. Col. Russel Britton at La Targette Military Cemetery, near the Vimy Memorial.

From the collection of Dr. Hugh Walker, son of Marion Kathryn Britton Walker, and grandson of Russel Britton.
  • Grave Marker– Photo of grave markers for (on left) Major A. Ripley and Lieut. Colonel Russel H. Britton who were killed when 5th Brigade Hdqtrs received a direct hit, killing them instantly. 

Photo taken July 2008 by Wilf Schofield, England.
  • Grave Marker– Photo courtesy of Wilf Schofield
  • Memorial– Memorial window at Christ Church, Gananoque.
Photo courtesy of Chris Andrew.
  • The Soldiers' Tower– The Soldiers' Tower was built at University of Toronto in 1924 in memory of those lost to the University in the Great War. Their names are carved on the Memorial Screen.  Photo:  K. Parks.
  • World War I Memorial– Christ (Anglican) Church, Gananoque, ON
courtesy of Chris Andrew
  • Memorial Room– Memorial Room, Soldiers' Tower, University of Toronto.  Photo by David Pike, 2010; courtesy of Alumni Relations.
  • Inscription– Inscription in Memorial Room, Soldiers' Tower.  The carillon was installed in 1927.  Originally there were 23 bells. Alumni and friends donated funds for bells in memory of those who fell in the Great War. Dedications are carved high on the walls of the Memorial Room, several of which pertain to those who studied at University College. Bell XXIII is dedicated: "University College Alumni Association". The alumae (female grads) also donated a bell. Photo courtesy of Alumni Relations.

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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