Name
Horace Fisher (*1 Frank) Ford
14th December 1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/05/1915
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12982
Canadian Infantry
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GUARDS CEMETERY, WINDY CORNER, CUINCHY
IV. H. 34.
France
Headstone Inscription
Thy Will be Done
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin memorials
Pre War
Horace was the eldest son of George Robert Fitzroy and his first wife Charlotte Diana Ford of 2, Cavendish Mansions, Langham St. Portland Place, London. He was a native of Hitchin born on the 14th December 1889. He was educated privately at the Roan School, Greenwich and St. Francis Xavier's College, Bruges. He went to Canada in 1906 and settled in Moose Jaw. By 1912 he was the sporting editor of the ‘Moose Jaw Morning News’ and was responsible for the initiation of clean sport in Western Canada. He was influential in the Y.M.C.A. in Moose Jaw and was good at athletics.
The only relevant census found to date was 1891 when the family were living at 87 Tilehouse Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents: George (27) and Charlotte (30), with George working as a solicitor’s clerk. At that time they had two children Horace (1) and Ernest K at 4 months.
According to his service record, Horace enlisted in the 5th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force on 22 September 1914, and his record records his father George R Ford as his next of kin and living in London. He was 24, 5’ 5 1/2” tall, with red hair, blue eyes, sandy complexion and was Roman Catholic.
He was known as "Red".
Wartime Service
According to his De Rivigny entry after the outbreak of war he enlisted in the 27th Light Horse under his friend Col. Tuxford and later transferred with him to the 5th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry with the Regimental Number 12982. The Battalion was known as the Western Cavalry and left for Europe with the first Canadian contingent in October 1914. They went to the Western Front on the 7th January 1915. At the time of his death the 5th Battalion was part of the 2nd Brigade in the 1st Canadian Division.
The 5th Battalion was in the area of La Quinque Rue south for about 1 1/2 miles to Givenchy north of La Bassee Canal and engaged in fierce fighting against a strongly fortified position known as Bexhill.
Col Tuxford said that “His conduct was always good and he never gave trouble; during the battle of Festubert, when we took the German trenches and machine-gun emplacement at a cost of nearly 400 casualties, a position that had been attempted on three previous occasions by other units and failed; Ford was wounded, not seriously, and was walking down the trench to a dressing station when another shell caught and killed him. His death was instantaneous.” . . . “Private Ford came to me to enlist, and said he was determined in his course and that I could rely on him to ‘play the game.’ He died as he declared to me in my office ‘playing the game.’
However, he was first reported missing and enquiries were made of the Red Cross by his family.
The Winipeg Telegram said "’Red’ Ford was a character of the great west and in days to come would be remembered as a first-class sporting editor, a lighter and a hero.”
He was buried in Plot 4, Row H, Grave 34 of the Guards Cemetery in Cuinchy in France. Cuinchy is approximately 3 miles east of Bethune. A private inscription on the headstone reads "Thy Will be done".
Additional Information
*1 Although UK records give his middle name as Fisher according to his Canadian service record his middle name was Frank.
His brother, Ernest Kendall Ford, was a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Division.
After his death his father’s address was recorded as 2 Cavendish Mansions, Langham Street, Portland Place, London.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
