835787 Pte. Harold Mouck, son of John Mouck, was born on December 23rd, 1895, in Tamworth, Ontario. Since he was three years of age he resided in Napanee with his uncle, R. J. Wales, and was educated in Napanee Public School and Collegiate Institute.


Originally enlisting with the 146th (Frontenac) Battalion, Harold trained in Napanee, Barriefield and Valcartier camps, and proceeded overseas in September, 1916. On arrival in England the 146th Battalion was absorbed into other units, with most of the men (276 of them between November 3rd and December 1st, 1916) being attached to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles.


Harold was wounded on December 6th, 1916, while out in a forward listening post, and was sent to hospital at Le Treport, France. He returned to duty in January, 1917, and fought at Vimy Ridge. After this he contracted pleurisy and was sent to England to recuperate. He returned to France in September, 1917, and joined his battalion, which was then at Passchendaele, but shortly afterwards moved south to Lens. Here he served in the trenches on a Lewis gun for eighteen days, including Christmastide.


Having just finished his eighteenth day on the gun team, Harold was returning to the rest billet in the rear when he was struck by a trench mortar shell from the enemy lines. He died whilst being carried out of the trenches, and was buried the next morning, January 9th, 1918, in St. Patrick's Cemetery at Loos, France.






Thanks go to Peggy Mouck for providing details, which appear in the book, "The War Work of the County of Lennox & Addington".