1066295 Pte. Alexander Heron was born on March 6th, 1886, in Wigtown, Scotland. Emigrating to Canada the thirty-one year old was working as a blacksmith in Ravenna, Grey County, Ontario, when attested to 248th Battalion C.E.F., in Toronto, on April 26, 1917 - a week before the unit received orders to mobilize in Owen Sound for final preparation before heading overseas.


Sailing with the unit in early June of that year, the 248th Battalion was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion upon its arrival in England, with the mandate was to supply reinforcements to the 58th Battalion and the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles.


Alex was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. in the field on November 2nd, 1917. Serving with the unit through the winter and into the battles of the final 100 days, Alex was gassed on August 24th, 1918, when the German's unleashed a pre-emptive artillery barrage just prior to the start of the Battle of Arras.


Evacuated through the hospital system to England, and following his recovery, Alex was subsequently struck off strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on March 5th, 1919, as being medically unfit. Returning to Grey County Alex carried on with his life and in time passed away in the town of Meaford on July 12th, 1965. He was laid to rest in the Thornbury and Clarksburg Union Cemetery.


1066295 Private Alexander Heron's service is remembered locally on the Collingwood Township's War Memorial, located in the village of Revanna, Ontario.




Biography credit: George Auer, with thanks.