Private Archie Ernest St. Onge

Private (Army).

Son of Pierre St. Onge of Huntindon, Private St. Onge was conscripted into the Army at the end of April, 1918. He was in training in England, when he became ill and died.
From the Huntington Gleaner, December 12, 1918
Archie Ernest St. Onge, son of Pierre St. Onge, Connaugt Settlement, enlisted April 22 in the Canadian Tank Battalion, and left with other recruits last summer for England, where they were undergoing training, but peace stopped and their going to France. Young St. Onge took ill of bronchitis-pneumonia and died in a military hospital at Woolwich, November 22, in his 22nd year. Requiem Mass was celebrated for him at St. Joseph Church yesterday morning and was attended by a large concourse of neighbors and friends.
From the Huntington Gleaner, December 19, 1918
Aboard S. S. Araguaya, December 1, 1918
Dear Mr. St. Onge:
You have heard long before this reaches you, of the death of your son, Private A. E. St. Onge, of pneumonia, at Woolwich military hospital, November 21st. I called, as chaplain of the first Canadian Tank Battalion, on your boy frequently before he got very bad, and grew to like him very much. Several of his comrades told me how fine he was, and I found that all they said was true. He won the affection of the nurses by his patience and gentleness, and they and the doctors did all the was humanly possible to save him. When he took the turn for the worse, I sent for the Catholic priest, who called on him several times, I believe, before he died. I saw him just a quarter of an hour before he passed away. He was unconscious and was in no pain. He was buried by the priest at East Lulworth on November 23rd. I had to leave to catch the boat before that date and was not able to attend the funeral. There was to be a firing party of mourners from the Battalion. It would be with full military honors. The priest will, no doubt, write you fuller particulars of the burial.
It must be a great sorrow to you to lose such dear boy. I pray that the Heavenly Father may give you the blessed Vision of Faith to see beyond the darkness of the grave to the glad reunion in God's Better Land.
Yours in deepest sympathy,
George C. F. Pringle, Presbyterian Chaplain to the Canadian Tank Battalion