Soldier, insurance executive.
Born at Ilfracombe, Devon, England on 11 November 1878, son of the Reverend Charles E. Wansbrough and Mary E. Cole, he was educated at the Leeds Boys Normal School. He served in the Territorials in Leeds and Bristol, England before moving to Canada where he settled at Toronto in 1905 and received a commission in the Queen’s Own Rifles, rising to the rank of Captain.
During the First World War, he trained and went overseas with the rank of Major with the 35th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He served in France and Belgium with the 20th Battalion, including at The Somme, and was wounded at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. He was invalided and afterwards was the officer in charge of training for the 5th Reserve at Witley. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and later a Bar. After his military discharge, he returned to Canada where, in 1925, he was the Insurance Manager with the Boston Insurance Company and New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company at Winnipeg.
He was married twice, first in 1903 to Gertrude Myers (1876-1916) of Leeds, England and second in 1919 to Rose Russell (1884-1964) of London, England. He had three daughters: Aileen Mary Wansbrough (1906-1991), Margaret Joan Wansbrough (1909-1993, wife of Daniel Patrick Daly), and Audrey Rose Wansbrough (1922-1986, wife of H. D. Richardson). The family lived at 199 Waterloo Street, Winnipeg. He was a member of the Military Institute (Toronto), United Service Club (Winnipeg), Carleton Club, and Engineers Club (Toronto). His recreations included golf and tennis.
He died at the Deer Lodge Hospital on 27 July 1953 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.
Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.
Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.
Marriage registration [Margaret Joan Wansbrough, Daniel Patrick Daly], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Rigle regiment former CO dies aged 75,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 July 1953, page 16.
Obituary [Audrey Rose Richardson], Winnipeg Free Press, 5 August 1986, page 44.
Obituary [Margaret Joan Wansbrough Daly], Times-Colonist, 13 November 1993, page 50.
We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 21 March 2024
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