871505. Private (Bandsman) Alfred Grandbois

16th. Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) “Canadian Scottish”, Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force. Born 15th. January 1886 in Dominion City, Manitoba. Unmarried and a Labourer by Trade. Enlisted in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 15th. March 1916, joining 183rd. Battalion, Canadian Infantry. 

Embarked from Halifax, Canada per S.S. “Missanabie” on 4th. October 1916

Disembarked in Liverpool, England  on 13th. October 1916

Struck off Strength 183rd. Battalion and Taken on Strength 108th. Battalion, Canadian Infantry on 26th. October 1916 at Witley, Surrey

Struck off Strength 108th. Battalion and Taken on Strength 14th. Reserve Battalion C.E.F. on 10th. January 1917 at East Sandling

Struck off Strength 14th. Reserve Battalion on 14th. February 1917 at Dibgate

Taken on Strength 16th. Battalion Canadian Infantry on 15th. February 1917 “In the Field”

Died of Wounds received in Action from a Gun Shot Wound in the Back “In the Field” during the third day of The Battle of Hill 70, on Friday 17th. August 1917, aged 31, at No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station.

Buried in Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France, Plot V, Row C, Grave 3

In his Military Will dated 8th. February 1917, Alfred left his real estate and personal estate to Mrs. Pasquin Landas, P.O. Lebret, Saskatchewan.

Alfred’s Medals & Decorations, Plaque & Scroll were sent to his Sister, Mrs. Antoinette Paquin (nee Grandbois), Lebret, Saskatchewan.

Alfred was one of only 3 Servicemen with the surname “Grandbois” to have Fallen in The Great War - all were Canadians.

The Battle of Hill 70 was a localized battle of World War I between the Canadian Corps and five divisions of the German Sixth Army. The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France between 15 August 1917 and 25 August 1917.

The Attack on Hill 70

Haig ordered Sir Arthur Currie, who in June had been placed in command of the Canadian Corps, to launch a frontal assault on the city of Lens. Instead of attacking the heavily fortified city directly, Currie, after studying the ground, convinced his British superiors that a better plan would be to capture Hill 70, directly to the north. If this dominating hill could be taken, the Germans would have no choice but to counterattack. Currie planned for artillery and machine-guns to smash these German concentrations, thereby weakening their hold on the entire sector.

The Canadians attacked on 15 August and captured many of their objectives, including the high ground. They then held their positions against 21 determined German counterattacks over the next four days. Canadian probing attacks against Lens on 21 and 23 August were unsuccessful, but Currie’s forces had inflicted severe casualties on the enemy and gained the high ground overlooking the city.

A Canadian Victory

The Canadians lost more than 9,000 soldiers at Hill 70, but killed or wounded an estimated 25,000 Germans. Currie proved an able and innovative commander. His Canadian Corps would soon move north to help Haig and his faltering Passchendaele campaign.

Barry Jenkins