A little digging online found the WW1 attestation papers for James Rae with Regimental Number 700418. (There were at least 20 other men with the same name in the Library Archive Canada database of Canadian Soldiers. It makes me realize the monumental number of files they had to digitize during the project.)
Volume 2 of the Blanshard Municipality History book written in 1970 says James left Galashiels, Scotland some time after his brother Pete did in 1910. He worked for farmers around the Oak River area until enlisting in WW1 just before Christmas on December 23, 1915 when his current address was 438 Hampton St in St James now Winnipeg. According to the history book, he saw service in France with the 43rd Cameron Highlanders.
The online personnel files fills in a few details for James but also gives but a glimpse of the terrible experience it must have been for him. He was no stranger to the hospitals overseas and the combined effect of his injuries and illnesses would have left him a changed man. After his enlistment and during his training at Camp Hughes, Jim contracted diphtheria in April of 1916. Although hospitalized in Winnipeg, two months later he was well enough to set sail on board the Olympic for England. In October of 1916 he is admitted to hospital for gun shot wounds to his arm and as a result he lost his left index finger up to the first joint. He was admitted again in November for influenza. In April of 1917, James is docked a day's pay for the neglectful loss of equipment - his helmet. June 30, 1917 he received gunshot wounds to both legs. Continued x-rays and removal of pieces of shrapnel are documented over the next few weeks until his wounds are declared "practically healed" by the end of July.
Notable in his file is a notation that be refused to make a will dated October of 1918. I wonder if he thought by the time he had lived through that much, there was no need to make out a will! On his discharge in March if 1919, he stated he intended to make his home at Oak River. Twenty dollars was sent to his mother Elizabeth in Scotland as support each month he was on duty.
After the war he worked for a Henry connection of mine, Charles Henry among others. The history book goes on to say he became ill with sleeping sickness and remained in poor health for several decades until his death at age 71 on January 25, 1966. His mother Elizabeth came to Canada to live near her sons in the early twenties and perhaps it was due to James needing more care than Pete could supply. A note from Veterans Affairs appears in his personnel file that James died on January 25, 1966 at the Hospital for Mental Diseases in Brandon. There is no evidence but I wonder if James suffered from the following condition as described in Wikipedia.
Encephalitis lethargica is an atypical form of encephalitis. Also known as "sleeping sickness" or "sleepy sickness", it was first described in 1917.
The disease attacks the brain, leaving some victims in a statue-like condition, speechless and motionless. Between 1915 and 1926, an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica spread around the world. Nearly five million people were affected, a third of whom died in the acute stages. Many of those who survived never returned to their pre-existing "aliveness".
Although not one of my blood relatives, James Rae deserves to be honoured and remembered for his part in fighting under Canada's flag and being a friend and neighbour to my ancestors. He is buried with a soldier's headstone in Oak River Cemetery alongside his mother Elizabeth. Rest in Peace, James.
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