Sergeant-Major William Stanley Le Poidevin

Name: Le Poidevin, William Stanley

Religion: Presbyterian

Date of death: 1920-01-28

Cause of death: Died after the war of related injuries/illness

Buried: Montreal (Mount Royal) Cemetery, Sec B/1100

Highest Rank: Sergeant-Major

LAC ID: 526321

Attestation record(s): image 1, image 2

Service file: B5585-S025

Uploader's Notes: While in Canada, Le Poidevin saw two promotions: to Sergeant (June 6, 1915) and Sergeant Major (August 8, 1915). He arrived in England on March 13, 1916 and was taken on strength as an Acting Sergeant Major at Sandgate. Eight weeks after arriving in England, he was transferred to the Canadian Army Medical Corps Training Station at No. 7 Stationary Hospital in London on May 9th. Later that Summer, Le Poidevin was transferred to No. 4 General Hospital and reverted to the ranks on August 7, 1916, in preparation for overseas service to Salonica (Salonika), Greece. He embarked Southampton, England on August 9th, arriving on the 20th and posted to 3rd Echelon General Headquarters. He was attached to the British Army, which was under Lieutenant General George Milne, accompanied by French troops, which were posted to Salonika to oppose Bulgarian advances in the region as part of the Macedonian front. He was transferred to the 28th Casualty Clearing Station on March 30, 1917 and was granted one Good Conduct Badge on May 31st. After serving one year in the Greek theatre, he embarked for England on August 16, 1917 and was taken on strength from Salonika at Basingstoke on September 5th, reverting to the permanent rank of Private on February 28, 1918. He was transferred to the Canadian Army Medical Depot at Shorncliffe on April 6th, to prepare for overseas service in the French theatre, struck off strength on April 24th, disembarking at the Canadian Base Depot in LeHavre, France and posted to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on April 28th. Two weeks later, Le Poidevin was posted to No. 6 Field Ambulance on May 11th and almost three months to the day of his posting, was wounded at Amiens on August 12, 1918, suffering a gun shot wound to his left chest. He was admitted to No. 9 General Hospital at Rouen on August 14th, then transferred to No. 8 American General at Boulogne for evacuation to the United Kingdom, where he was admitted to 3rd Western General Hospital at Cardiff, Wales on August 16th. He was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom on October 31st. It was here that doctors stated that he "Complains of pain over kidneys" and "in the head" and that his "Urine shows trace of Albuminuria". He was returned to hospital, this time to King's Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital at Bushy Park on November 12th, where he was diagnosed with "Nephritis" where he was to spend the next month before being discharged on December 11th. Two weeks later, he proceeded to the Canadian Army Medical Corps Casualty Company on December 23rd, then taken on strength from the Canadian Army Medical Corps at the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park, for return to Canada on January 21, 1919. Le Poidevin was struck off strength to Canada on February 16th, embarking England aboard the Empress of Britain the following day, arriving in Canada on the 25th and was posted to the Casualty Company in Montreal on the 26th. In his Medical History of an Invalid, dated March 14, 1919 at Montreal, it noted that he had a "Slight debility following Nephritis" and "pain in muscles of back". It went on to trace his steps, in regards to his medical situation: "Had taken ill while on duty in France Aug. 1918 and was sent down line to No. 8 American General at Boulogne and evacuated to England where he was in hospital with Nephritis for five months, was discharged to convalesce and sent to Wales to await embarkation to Canada." It was declared by the doctors that he would not be able to continue in the Army, nor resume his former trade of Lumber Scaler, as he would endure "impaired efficiency on account of myalgia (muscle pain, a symptom of many diseases and disorders) of lumbar muscles." Le Poidevin was discharged upon demobilization on March 17, 1919, at Military District No. 4 in Montreal, credited with having served in Canada, the United Kingdom, Salonika and France. He was to live only ten months before he died from disease, related to his war service, on January 28, 1920. His mother, Mrs. John LePoidevin of Jersey, Channel Islands also received his Memorial Cross.

Uploader's Research notes: entitled to Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps - Relief of Ladysmith, Natal (No. 12 Stationary Hospital, Ladysmith; and, 10th Brigade Bearer Company, RAMC Natal), Tugela Heights (1st Ambulance Train), South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. Served as Private and Corporal 12439. [Sergeant Major Army Canadian Army Medical Corps ]

Date added: 2005-04-08

Last modified: 2014-01-10