Private
Handford, Isaac
Unit
Royal Canadian Regiment
Branch
Infantry
Service Component
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Service Number
473109
birth
1884/01/03
Yorkshire, United Kingdom, England
death
1916/10/08
Somme, France
grave
Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, France
Gender
Male
Isaac Handford was born in Middlesbrough Yorkshire, England, on 3 January 1884. It is unclear when he immigrated to Canada.
A carpenter, Handford enlisted in the 65th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Saskatchewan) in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, on 22 July 1915. After initial training in Canada, he left for England aboard SS Corsican on 25 September 1915 with the battalion’s Reinforcement Draft, arriving there on 4 October 1915.
On 5 February 1916, Handford was transferred to the Canadian Engineer Training Depot for training in combat engineering. Two months later, he was shipped to France as part of the 7th Field Company, Canadian Engineers. After three months with that unit, he was transferred to the Royal Canadian Regiment.
On 8 October 1916, Handford was reported missing after the unsuccessful Canadian assault on Regina Trench during the Battle of the Somme. The report was changed to “killed in action” when Handford’s body was discovered.
Issac Handford is buried in Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, France.
