Other Information
Emigrated to Canada in 1913 and worked as a Labourer. Enlisted: at Toronto, 25th November 1915.
He was 5ft 6in tall with blue eyes and brown hair.
Census 1901 at West Sands, North Queensferry, William Cram (9) born North Queensferry, scholar, son of William (45) mason and Helen. There were also his four sisters.
Census 1911 there is a Cram family, William (56) born North Queensferry, mason and Helen (50) and daughters at Main Street, Davidson’s Buildings.
William Cram was born in North Queensferry on the 18th August 1891.
William had immigrated to Canada prior to the war and his attestation papers show that he was working as a Labourer when he enlisted on the 25th November 1915. His address was 44 Fenning Street, in Toronto.
In October 1916 his battalion was in the Battle of the Somme. The battalion was part of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade which had Regina Trench as its objective on Sunday 1st October 1916.
The Canadian Corps had been attacking in this sector since 15th September and would ultimately take 24,000 casualties during this phase of the battle.
William served in A Company, which was the leading company to attack Regina Trench – Zero hour being 03:15.
The war diary records that the company suffered many casualties during the advance from machine gun and rifle fire. William was one of his battalion’s 224 casualties. They did, however, capture the German first line trench which was described as “Pretty well blown in”.
