Image: clip from November 1, 1916 Grande Prairie Herald
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this new blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.
Regimental Number: 101381
Rank: Private
Branch: 66th Battalion; 49th Battalion
William was born in Nashua, Iowa on June 1, 1876. He enlisted in Grande Prairie on September 21, 1915. On October 10, 1916, just four months after arriving in France, William died at the Casualty Clearing Station Special Hospital in Warloy-Baillon, France. He had been wounded in the legs on the German wire and bound up his own wounds and those of two other soldiers. According to Col. Griesbach’s battle report, “German bombers endeavored to bomb the shell hole… he caught the German bombs in his hands and threw them away… he crawled away from his shell hole and was again bombed; endeavoring to catch and throw these latter bombs away, one of them exploded in his hands…” Col. Griesbach gives further details of Hannigan’s injuries and journey to the Field Ambulance where he died of his wounds (see link below).
- Attestation Paper
- Lives of the First World War profile
- Canadian Great War Project profile
- Photograph (1914)
- Enlists (Oct. 5, 1915)
- Mention in Merlin Rae’s letter (Oct. 24, 1916)
- Letter (November 1, 1916)
- Letter (November 7, 1916)
- Mention of death in Jim McDonald’s letter (Feb. 13, 1917)
- Mention of death Matheson’s letter (May 1, 1917)
- Battle Report by Col. Griesbach (Edmonton Journal)
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial