Mark White was one of the fortunate local men who took part in the Great War and survived it, passing away in 1969. Although commemorated in the Book of Remembrance, he is included here as an example of the personal battlefield horrors endured at Vimy Ridge as described in a letter to his wife and published in the accompanying Evening Guide article.
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 Photograph credit: S. Huntington |
Mark Edward White (805390), son of Joseph Edward & Mary Elizabeth (Young), was born 04 August 1884 in London, England. He arrived at Quebec City aboard the SS Dominion 03 May 1905.
A farmer in Franklin, the 5’3”, 130-pound husband of Annie Elizabeth Alcock (married 05 January 1910 in Bowmanville) enlisted with the 136th Overseas Battalion 18 February 1916 in Port Hope, arriving in France 15 November 1916. Annie is shown, in his military record, as later living on Cavan Street in Port Hope. As described in his military file, he was "dangerously wounded" with a gunshot wound to the chest 01 January 1917 at Vimy while serving with the 75th Battalion. He was dispatched to England 28 January and discharged from hospital to duty 20 August 1917, some eight months later. The newspaper item (right) claims his injuries were caused by shrapnel. Mark was again admitted to hospital in Rouen 16 August 1918 for stomatitis (a mouth infection) and again 31 August for more treatment on his prior gunshot wounds. He was discharged from hospital 20 June 1919. Demobilized 15 July 1919 at Toronto, he returned to Port Hope, Annie, and sons Thomas, Frederick, and James. He and Annie produced seven more children in the following decade. Mark passed away 02 March 1969 in Peterborough and was interred with his wife (died 1943) in Little Lake Cemetery. |
 Evening Guide: 16 Mar 1917 |
Peter and Barbara Bolton - Port Hope, Ontario
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