Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Map – Sergeant Elton Kight #108324 was killed in action during the period known as "Canada's Hundred Days", specifically during the crossing of the Canal du Nord and the capture of Cambrai. He was killed by a sniper while taking part in the operations near St. Olle, on the northwest edge of Cambrai. He was serving with the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, 3rd Canadian Division. St. Olle is marked on the map with the orange-blue arrow (Source: Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, Col. G. W. L. Nicholson, National Defence Canada).

Document – Sgt. Kight's remains were recovered from the battlefield and he was initially buried in Plot 1 Row A Grave 23 of the North British Cemetery at Raillencourt. This is recorded on the Graves Registration Report Form (GRRF) which tells us that the cemetery was located on Trench Map 57b in Sector A, Sub-sector 1 and at grid locations d.2.8 (Map Reference: 57b.A.1.d.2.8). With that information you can easily locate the initial burial of Sgt. Kight at GPS coordinates 50.1844, 3.1944 (50°11'3.84"N 3°11'39.84"E). It is now the back yard of a house. His name was initially recorded as KNIGHT with the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, killed 29 October 1918. All but the last name was corrected, as you can see on the record.

Document – On August 24, 1923 Sergeant Kight's remains were exhumed by a local French Labour team from Plot 1 Row A Grave 23 of the North British Cemetery at Raillencourt, France. This is recorded on the Concentration of Graves (Exhumations and Reburials) BURIAL RETURN, as shown in the image. This document tells us that the remains were concentrated in the Raillencourt Communal Cemetery Extension located at 57c.F.5.a.25.85 (GPS 50°11'17.88"N 3°10'30.72"E).

Document – The final stage in the recording of the transfer of the remains from the North British Cemetery at Raillencourt to the Raillencourt Communal Cemetery Extension was the preparation of the new Graves Registration Report Form (GRRF). This now shows that he is buried in Plot 1 Row F Grave 1 and that his record has been changed to show his correct unit, name and date of death. The notation beside his name "I.W.G.C." is for the "Imperial War Graves Commission", later changed to the "Commonwealth War Graves Commission". At the time of his death he was an "Acting Sergeant", which was changed to "Sergeant" on all subsequent records.

Circumstances of Death Registers – Circumstance of Death Record (front) showing the details of the death of Sergeant Elton Kight #108324 of the 3rd Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps near St. Olle, France (near Cambrai) on September 29, 1918. He was killed in action by a machine gun bullet fired by an enemy sniper while taking part in operations near St. Olle.

Document – Form E-13 the "War Graves Register" details the path of the remains of Sgt. Kight from his death on September 29, 1918 to his burial in Plot 1 Row A Grave 23 at the North British Cemetery at Raillencourt. This is followed by the reporting of his exhumation and reburial in the Raillencourt Communal Cemetery Extension in Plot 1 Row F Grave 1. These records are shown here as an example of the process to recover, bury and concentrate a Canadian Soldier of the Great War. In February 2016 it was discovered that the records of Sergeant Kight were recorded incorrectly, all of which has now been corrected.

Grave Marker – Grave of Sergeant Kight: Plot 1 Row F Grave 1, Raillencourt Communal Cemetery Extension