Hugh Cameron Sinclair, 142298

Hugh Cameron Sinclair was born in St. Catharines, Ontario on Nov. 19, 1893. His occupation at the time he enlisted on September 15, 1915, was a car checker, and he was a member of the local militia. He enlisted at the camp in Niagara and was first assigned to the 20th Halton Rifles, as a private. That unit was absorbed by the 76th Infantry Battalion. The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Borden, visited Camp Niagara two weeks later, and congratulated the senior officers for, “the splendid Camp at Niagara. The physique, spirit and bearing of the men are magnificent. Sanitary and other arrangements are excellent.” Basic training and advanced training took place that fall in Niagara-on-the-Lake until the Battalion shipped out to winter quarters in Barrie, Orillia and Collingwood. They left Niagara November 5, marching to St. Catharines, then Grimsby and finally Hamilton, where they enjoyed a day of rest before boarding a train for the rest of the journey north. During this training period Sinclair was promoted to Lance Corporal. The 76 Battalion sailed on April 29, 1916 for England on the S. S. Empress of Britain from Halifax. By July they were in France, now part of the 24th Battalion (Victoria Rifles), Canadian Expeditionary Force, and were involved in the Battle of the Somme as part of the Canadian 2nd Division. It’s possible that L/Cpl. Sinclair was active in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, as he was listed as missing on Sept. 15, 1916, the first day of that particular offensive. He was declared killed in action the following year. His grave is 5 miles east of Courcelette, and his name is inscribed on the Vimy Memorial.