WWI Attestation Paper — Walter George Ponceby, 202nd Battalion CEF, 1916

Source type: military attestation paper (manual transcription)
Original filename: BAC-LAC_pffww_580558.pdf
Repository: Library and Archives Canada (BAC-LAC)
Form: Attestation Paper, Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force
Copy type: Triplicate
Service number: 231409
Unit: 202nd O.BATTN.C.E.F. (202nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force)
Folio: 6

--- QUESTIONS TO BE PUT BEFORE ATTESTATION ---

1. Surname: Ponceby
1a. Christian names: Walter George
1b. Present address: 8203-109 St., Edmonton, Alta., Canada
2. Town/Township/Parish and Country of birth: London, England
3. Next of kin: Margaret Ponceby [wife]
4. Address of next of kin: 8203-109 St., Edmonton, Alta., Canada
4a. Relationship of next of kin: Wife [implied by context]
5. Date of birth: May 9th, 1872 [also indexed by LAC as 1872-05-09]
6. Trade or Calling: Electrician
7. Married: Yes
8. Vaccinated/re-vaccinated: Yes
9. Active Militia: No
10. Previous military service: No
11. Understands nature and terms of engagement: Yes
12. Willing to be attested: Yes

--- DECLARATION ---
Signature of Recruit: Walter G. Ponceby
Date: April 17th, 1916
Witness signature: J. G. Armour

--- OATH ---
Signature of Recruit: Walter G. Ponceby
Date: April 17th, 1916
Witness signature: Herbert Penby [uncertain reading of surname]

--- CERTIFICATE OF MAGISTRATE ---
Location: Edmonton
Date: [day unclear], April 1916
Signature of Justice: [illegible]

--- DESCRIPTION ON ENLISTMENT ---
Apparent age: 44 years
Height: 5 ft. 6 in.
Girth (expanded): 36 in.
Range of expansion: 2½ in.
Complexion: Fair
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Light Brown
Religion: Presbyterian [checked]

--- CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION ---
Date: 17-4-16
Place: Edmonton South
Medical Officer signature: [illegible]
Conclusion: "fit" for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force

--- CERTIFICATE OF OFFICER COMMANDING UNIT ---
Name confirmed: Walter George Ponceby
Date: April 17th, 1916
Commanding Officer signature: P.E. Bowen [uncertain reading]

Transcription notes:
- This is a triplicate copy of the attestation paper.
- Birth date reads as "May 9th, 1872" and LAC indexes it as 1872-05-09. Apparent age 44 in
  April 1916 is close but not exact for that birth date. This conflicts with the Boston 1901
  marriage register, which records groom age as 33 (implying birth ~1868). Age discrepancies
  in historical records are common; do not update the canonical person birth year until this
  proposed source is reviewed.
- The witness surname at the Oath is partly obscured; reads as "Herbert Penby" or similar.
- "202nd O.BATTN.C.E.F." = 202nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, recruited in Alberta.

Image file location: 05_raw/pdfs/attestation-paper-walter-george-ponceby-1916.pdf (pages 1-2, citation stripped)