Material Type

Artifact

Date

1916

Materials

STEEL, WOOL, LEATHER

No. Pieces

2

Height

22.4

Length

14.8

Width

4.6

Description

FABRIC COVERED PAINTED STEEL WATER BOTTLE, PEAR SHAPED, CORK STOPPER & LEATHER COLLAR (TORN). WOOL FABRIC HAS 4 SNAP STUDS. BOTTLE STAMPED "OMAC 1916". INTERIOR OF BOTTLE COATED TO PREVENT CORROSION.

Subjects

PERSONAL GEAR

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

DONOR'S FATHER, A LETHBRIDGE DOCTOR SERVED IN WORLD WAR I, CANTEEN WAS AMONG HIS PERSONAL EFFECTS. *UPDATE* IN 2012 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT DAVID SMITH CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS. HE WAS ABLE TO DISCOVER NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. HE LEARNED THE FOLLOWING: ACCORDING TO THE BOOK ALBERTA, PAST AND PRESENT BY JOHN BLUE, “DR. JOHN STANLEY WRAY WAS BORN IN LINWOOD, ONTARIO, OCTOBER 28, 1882, A SON OF GEORGE AND ANN (ALLINGHAM) WRAY, BOTH OF WHOM WERE NATIVES OF IRELAND. JOHN STANLEY WRAY IS THE YOUNGEST OF A FAMILY OF SIX CHILDREN. HE ATTENDED THE KITCHENER HIGH SCHOOL AND THE EDMONTON HIGH SCHOOL. HE ENTERED THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO IN TORONTO, CANADA, IN 1905, AND BY REASON OF THE STEADY PROGRESS THAT HE MADE IN HIS STUDIES WAS THERE GRADUATED IN 1909. HE THEN LOCATED FOR PRACTICE AT RAYMOND, ALBERTA, WHERE HE CONTINUED FOR SIX YEARS, WHEN THE NEED FOR AID IN CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD WAR LED HIM TO JOIN THE ARMY AS A MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS, WITH THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. HE SERVED IN CALGARY UNTIL MARCH, 1917, WHEN HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-FIRST BATTALION IN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT AND WENT OVERSEAS. HE SERVED IN ENGLAND WITH RESERVE BATTALIONS AND IN HOSPITALS AND WAS FOR A TIME A MEMBER OF A TRAVELING MEDICAL BOARD, THUS CONTINUING IN ACTIVE DUTY UNTIL MAY, 1918, WHEN HE WENT TO FRANCE AND WAS ATTACHED TO THE THIRD CANADIAN AMBULANCE CORPS. LATER HE WAS IDENTIFIED WITH THE FIRST CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY AND WAS IN THE BATTLE OF AMIENS IN AUGUST, 1918. LATER HE RETURNED TO ENGLAND WITH A BROKEN ARM AND WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE CANADIAN ARMY ON THE 27TH OF APRIL, 1919. AT THE BREAKING OF THE HINDENBURG LINE ON THE 1ST AND 2ND OF SEPTEMBER, 1918, HE WAS ON DUTY WITH THE THIRD FIELD AMBULANCE. FOLLOWING HIS RETURN HOME HE LOCATED AT LETHBRIDGE FOR THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IN JUNE, 1919, AND HAS HERE REMAINED.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P19890025000

Acquisition Date

1989-06

Collection

Museum

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