World War I was one of the most significant events in the history of the Newells of the Dock. By the start of WWI the Dock, which was never more than a small village, was in decline. Many Newells, like my grandfather Albert, had moved away to work in the coal mines of Cape Breton, the iron mines at Bell Island, Ontario or New England. In 1911, three years before the start of the War, the population of the Dock was only 167.
At least five Newells from ‘The Dock’ served in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (RNR) and three of these died overseas. At least five other Newells from Burnt Head served in the Canadian Army and two of these were killed in action. At least two other Newells from Brigus / Georgetown served; one in the RNR and one in the Canadian Army; one of these died in France.
The Following is a list of those who served (please let me know if I missed someone):
Cpl. Clement Leslie Newell
– See more at:
https://www.therooms.ca/newell-clement-leslie-0#sthash.mZLPKhgR.dpuf
http://www.rnr.therooms.ca/soldier_files/Newell_Clement_Leslie_rnr-2090.pdf
Memorial to Clement at the Dock
http://ngb.chebucto.org/Cemetery/clement-leslie-newell.shtml
Corporal Clement Leslie Newell (Regimental Number 3812) is interred in Cement House Cemetery – Grave reference XVII. D. 14. His occupation prior to military service recorded as that of a clerk, Clement Leslie Newell was an agent and traveller (travelling salesman – in his case, of insurance) and earning a variable monthly income of about sixty dollars working for the Scarborough Company of Canada. He was a recruit of the Fifteenth Draft.
The youngest son of Nathaniel Newell, former fisherman, deceased August 30, 1912, and Margaret Jane Newell – to whom he had allotted a daily sixty cents from his pay – of The Dock, Port-de-Grave, he was also the brother of Elfreda*, Jabez and Harold. Corporal Newell was reported as having been killed in action, on October 14, 1918, while serving with ‘B’ Company in fighting beyond the Belgian village of Ledeghem during the Hundred Days Offensive. Clement Leslie Newell had enlisted at the age of twenty-three years and four months: date of birth, January 17, 1894, according to the 1911 Census.
See following for above and more info:
https://www.therooms.ca/sites/default/files/newell_clement_leslie_3812.pdf
Cpl. Kenneth S. Newell
Age of Enlistment: 21
Next of Kin: John Newell Sr. (p)
Occupation: School teacher
Active Date: 1915
Religion: Church of England (Anglican)
Date of Death: Saturday, April 14, 1917
Community: Bareneed, Port de Grave District
Fatality: Yes
Division: Royal Newfoundland Regiment
– See more at:
https://www.therooms.ca/newell-kenneth-s#sthash.TEVizsv4.dpuf
http://ngb.chebucto.org/NFREG/WWI/ww1-add-newell1692.shtml
http://www.rnr.therooms.ca/soldier_files/Newell_Kenneth_Serrick_rnr-2042.pdf
MIA Battle Arras near village of Monchy-le-Preux,
The Battle of Arras. Its next major engagement was in the Battle of Arras. On April 11, 1917, British forces had seized the French village of Monchy le Preux from German control. The Newfoundland Regiment was part of a subsequent plan to drive German forces from the surrounding land… It was a tremendous success, but it occurred alongside terrible loss. Reports of the casualties are conflicting, but the Newfoundland Regiment lost about 453 men from April 12 to 15 – 166 died, 134 were wounded, and the Germans took 153 prisoners, of whom 28 later died in captivity. https://www.heritage.nf.ca/first-world-war/articles/other-battles.php#:~:text=The%20Battle%20of%20Arras,forces%20from%20the%20surrounding%20land.
Pte Victor Perrin Newell
Born: The Dock, Bareneed, Conception Bay, NF.
Died: 17 Jul 1917
Father: Nathan Newell
http://ngb.chebucto.org/NFREG/WWI/ww1-add-newell3598.shtml
http://www.rnr.therooms.ca/soldier_files/Newell_Victor_Perrin_rnr-1942.pdf
Private Victor Perrin Newell (Regimental Number 3598) is buried in Ayr Cemetery, Ayrshire – Grave reference G.2.6. His occupation prior to military service recorded as that of a munitions worker earning a weekly $15.00, Victor Perrin Newell was a recruit of the Fourteenth Draft. Having presented himself for medical examination at the Church Lads Brigade Armoury in St. John’s on April 14, 1917, he also enlisted – engaged for the duration of the war at the daily private soldier’s rate of $1.10 per diem – and attested on that same day. Private Newell was not to depart from Newfoundland for overseas service until May 19, when the Bowring Brothers’ vessel Florizel (right) left en route to Halifax. His contingent of three officers and one-hundred eighty-two other ranks, and also ninety-nine recruits of the newly-formed Newfoundland Forestry Unit, then left Nova Scotia for the United Kingdom on board an unspecified* vessel, on May 29.
The son of Nathan Newell, carpenter, and Priscilla Newell – to whom he had allotted a daily sixty cents from his pay – of the Dock, Bareneed, Conception Bay, he was also older brother to both T.-Roy and to Mollie. Private Newell was reported as having died of sickness in hospital on July 17, 1917. The cause was cited as septic meningitis following otorrhœa (middle ear infection) resulting from measles.
https://www.therooms.ca/sites/default/files/newell_victor_perrin_3598.pdf
The following soldiers from ‘The Dock’ survived the war:
Pte. Richard Lewis Newell (actually Louis Frederick Newell, see note below)
Age of Enlistment: 18
Next of Kin: John Newell:
Occupation: Farmer
Active Date: 1915
Religion: Methodist
Service Number: 1821
Community: Bareneed, Port de Grave District
Fatality: No
Division: Royal Newfoundland Regiment
– See more at: https://www.therooms.ca/newell-richard-lewis#sthash.CJPy4GXG.dpuf
Info on Louis Newell collected by Jane Reed from Edna Florence Newell
“As for Louis Newell (my father). I understand that when he was 15 he ran off and joined the Army but Suze [his mother] tracked him down and brought him home. A year later he took off again, changed his name to Richard Newell and got overseas.”
The following 3 photos of Lewis Newell from photocopys provided to me by the late Jane Reed.
The following was provided by Maureen Hastings: My grandfather Louis Frederick Newell (his parents John & Susanna, grp Nathaniel and Virtue) enlisted as Richard Lewis Newell (because he was underage) on Sept 10,1915 age 15 but said he was 18. Re-enlisted Oct 1917, medically discharged Mar 2018.
I believe he is bottom row 3rd from left in first photo (15 yrs age) and bottom row 4th from left in second photo (age 17):
RNR Photo #1.
RNR Photo #2
Harry Newell
Age of Enlistment: 18
Next of Kin: Susan Newell (p)
Occupation: Fisherman
Active Date: 1918
Religion: Church of England (Anglican)
Service Number: 4612
Community: Bareneed, Port de Grave District
Fatality: No
Division: Royal Newfoundland Regiment
– See more at: https://www.therooms.ca/newell-harry#sthash.ITD7MSQ4.dpuf
Private Harry Augustus Wells
Harry Augustus was from Bay Roberts but his mother was Ruth Newell from ‘The Dock’ and his father was a Wells from Salmon Cove who was likely related to my great grandmother Caroline Wells. His parents were married at the Dock in 1890.
Private Harry Augustus Wells (Regimental Number 3943), having no known last resting-place, is commemorated beneath the Caribou in Beaumont-Hamel Memorial Park. Private Wells was reported as having been killed in action on October 25, 1918. His memorial in Bay Roberts states:
| WELLS | Pte Harry | Oct 25, 1918 | 24yrs,9mos | No 3943. Son of Robert and Ruth Wells who was killed at Harleberke, Belgium. Died on the field of battle; ‘Twas noble thus to die, God smiles on valiant soldiers, His record is on high. |
See: https://www.therooms.ca/sites/default/files/wells_harry_augustus_3943.pdf
The Following Newells from Burnt Head & Georgetown, Brigus also served.
Sergeant Samuel Newell (Born Burnt Head)
Served in Canadian Army, Killed in Action August 27, 1918
|
Regimental Number:
|
55261 |
Survived War:
|
No |
|
Force:
|
Army |
Regiment:
|
Canadian Infantry |
|
Battalion:
|
19th Battalion |
Company:
|
A Company |
|
Place of Birth:
|
Burnt Head |
Country:
|
Newfoundland |
|
Next of Kin:
|
William Newell of 29 Redwood Avenue, Toronto, Ontario |
Address at Enlistment:
|
29 Redwood Avenue, Toronto, Ontario |
|
Date of Birth:
|
June 28, 1893 |
Trade or Calling:
|
Machinist |
|
Marital Status:
|
Single |
Prior Military Experience:
|
No |
|
Place of Enlistment:
|
Toronto, Ontario |
Date of Enlistment:
|
November 19, 1914 |
|
Age at enlistment:
|
21 |
Height:
|
5 Feet 6 Inches |
|
Chest:
|
36 Inches |
Expansion:
|
4 Inches |
|
Religion:
|
Church of England |
Enlisted or Conscripted:
|
Enlisted |
|
Saw service in:
|
Europe | ||
|
Cause of Death:
|
Killed in Action |
Battle Died/Wounded:
|
Killed in attack near Cagnicourt. |
|
Date of Death:
|
August 27, 1918 |
Age at Death:
|
25 |
|
Buried at:
|
Valley Cemetery, France |
Plot:
|
A. 10. |
SON OF WILLIAM AND MARY JANE NEWELL, OF 29, REDWOOD AVENUE, TORONTO. NATIVE OF BURNT HEAD, CONCEPTION BAY, NEWFOUNDLAND.
obwfa.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/TORONTO-WAR-DEAD.xlsx
William Robert Newell born Burnt Head (recorded as Brigus)
Served in Canadian Army, Died from wounds 10 Nov 1917.
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/list.aspx?SurnameSearch=newell&GivenNameSearch=william&
Following birth record indicates that he was from Burnt Head not Brigus; he likely gave the location of nearest large town on form.
| Nov 7, 1881 | Burnt Head | NEWELL | George & Maria | William Robert | M | Thomas Roberts | Nov 16, 1881 | C of E |
http://ngb.chebucto.org/Vstats/pre-1891-registration-burnt-head-ce-bap-1860-1891-p-1-16-pdg.shtml
Wife Matilda, Arrived in Canada Aug 1917 (see below)
John Newell born Burnt Head (listed as Conception Bay)
His marriage United Methodist Church, Brigus list home town
| 633 | John Newell, Burnt Hd | Virtue Dawe, Burnt Hd. | Jan 16, 1897 |
Note 43 years old when he served in France
His wife Virtue. He sailed from Halifax in 1916.
Details on his family. His son George Alfred also served (see next record)
George Alfred Newell born Burnt Head (listed as Nfld.)
Re birth see his father John Newell from Burnt Head above
Served in England but did not go to France due to illness. Married in England (see below)
Arthur Newell born Burnt Head
Recruited in Sydney N.S
Underage and did not serve overseas. Parents Edward and Chailotte Lilly
Pte. James Henry Newell born Georgetown (Brigus)
Age of Enlistment: 18
Next of Kin: William Newell (p)
Occupation: Clerk
Active Date: 1916
Religion: Methodist
Service Number: 2429
Community: Georgetown, Port de Grave District
Fatality: No
Division: Royal Newfoundland Regiment
– See more at: https://www.therooms.ca/newell-james#sthash.L5Uunvis.dpuf
James Henry Newell was christened on 3 October 1897 in Brigus, Newfoundland, Canada. Parents: William Newell and Bertha .
http://www.greenaus.com/canada/newfoundland/b1234.html
Charles H. Newell born Brigus (listed as Newfoundland)
He was from Burnt Head (Millitary records give Brigus as place of birth), his parents were George Newell and Emily Hussey who were married in 1891.
| Dec 9, 1891 | Burnt Head | NEWELL, George | 24 | Bachelor | C of E | Burnt Head | |||
| HUSSEY, Emily | 18 | Spinster | C of E | Burnt Head |
George and Emily are buried in St. John’s Norway Cemetery in Toronto Ontario
Canadian Field Artillery 2nd Div. died in France due to Illness
Reference to Brigus in Medical Records
Photo Charles H. Newell
Headstone for Charles H. Newell – Jan 22 1917 – Etaples Military Cemetery, France
WWII Harvey Newell RA
At the start of WWII the Government of Newfoundland made a decision not to raise an Infantry Regiment as they did in WWI but instead raised two Newfoundland Artillery Regiments. These Regiments served in North Africa and Europe. Records for WWII are not yet in the public domain so it is difficult to identify men who served in these Regiments but I did find a press clipping from a Canadian War Correspondent reporting on a British Artillery Regiment in Normandy as part of D-Day. He describes the Newfoundlanders serving with the Regiment including Harvey Newell from Bell Island. Harvey was a Newell from the Dock (b 1916, son of Isaac & Sarah Morgan, decendant of James son of Philip) who moved to Bell Island to work in the Iron Mines.
