Pte. William Enfante

Private William Enfante endured the brutal realities of gas warfare while serving Canada on the Western Front during the final year of the First World War.

The First World War

The Canadian Expeditionary Force, 31st Battalion

Private William Enfante was born on 25 September 1891 in Venice, Italy, and later emigrated to Canada. On 31 August 1917, he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Calgary, Alberta, naming his mother, Mrs. Silas Enfante of Venice, Italy, as his next of kin. He was employed as a farmer at the time of enlistment and had no prior military experience.

On 4 October 1917, Enfante embarked from Quebec aboard the R.M.S. Metagama, arriving in Liverpool on 17 October 1917. He was assigned to the 21st Reserve Battalion at Bramshott Camp, where Canadian reinforcements underwent further training prior to deployment. On 18 January 1918, he was transferred to the 31st Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and proceeded to France later that month. He joined the battalion in the field on 29 January 1918, entering front-line service on the Western Front during the final year of the war.

While serving with the battalion, Enfante suffered serious gas injuries on 24 September 1918 during operations in France. At this time, the 31st Battalion was engaged in the advance east of Amiens as part of the Last Hundred Days Offensive, the series of Allied attacks that pushed German forces back toward the Armistice.

He was evacuated through a series of medical facilities, including the 55th General Hospital at Boulogne, followed by treatment at convalescent depots in Boulogne and Étaples, and later at the 25th General Hospital at Hardelot. During his recovery, he also sustained a sprained left ankle on 9 October 1918, as recorded in his medical file.

His condition required transfer to England, where he was admitted to Mile End Military Hospital in London on 30 October 1918 and later transferred to S.M.C.H. Ipswich in January 1919. Following several months of treatment, he was discharged from hospital care on 21 January 1919 and returned to the administrative system for demobilization.

Enfante departed England aboard the R.M.T. Caronia on 29 March 1919, arriving in Halifax on 5 April 1919. He received his formal discharge from the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 22 April 1919.

His service was recognized with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, awarded to Canadian soldiers who served in a theatre of war. Following his return to Canada and formal discharge from service, Enfante’s record noted that Calgary was his intended place of residence.

Private William Enfante’s service reflects the experience of many immigrant soldiers who volunteered for Canada during the First World War. After training in England and serving on the Western Front with the 31st Battalion, he endured the effects of gas warfare during the final Allied offensives and a prolonged period of medical treatment before returning to civilian life in Canada.

Sources

• Library and Archives Canada, Personnel Records of the First World War, Service No. 262181.

Research and compiled by Luigi Audia