Private
Wesley, Thomas
Unit
16th Canadian Infantry Battalion
Branch
Infantry
Service Component
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Service Number
721376
birth
1894/02/10
St. Peters, Manitoba, Canada
death
1917/08/16
Vimy, France
grave
Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France
Gender
Male
Thomas Wesley was born in St. Peters, Manitoba, on 10 February 1894.
A labourer, Wesley enlisted in the 108th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Selkirk) in Selkirk, Manitoba, on 31 December 1915. After initial training in Canada, he sailed for England with his unit on 24 July 1916, aboard SS Olympic. The battalion disembarked in Liverpool on 31 July 1916. Upon arrival in England, it provided reinforcements to Canadian units already in the field. As a result, Wesley was transferred to the 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion.
On 15 August 1917, during the Battle of Hill 70, the 16th Battalion successfully attacked and captured a number of German positions near Lens, France. It faced only sporadic, half-hearted resistance from the German troops that had survived the massive pre-assault barrage launched by the Canadian artillery. As a result, the battalion suffered few casualties.
That was not the case on 16 August 1917, when the battalion came under heavy shell fire for the most of the day as it attempted to consolidate its new position. The battalion suffered a number of casualties. Wesley was killed in action that day, and his body was lost.
Thomas Wesley is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, on Vimy Ridge, in France.
