Fonds - Earl Wheeler records

Earl Gilbert Wheeler was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 22, 1899 and later moved to 190 James Street in Belleville, Ontario. His father Fred Wheeler worked in a local mill and was married to Ada Maude Wheeler and had one other son, Ray.

A student at the outset of the war, Earl enlisted in the Cobourg Heavy Battery at the age of eighteen in April 23, 1917 after serving three years in the Cadet Corps. After an initial period of training in Cobourg, he departed from Halifax in June of that year to begin training at Otterpool Camp in England. He was later relocated to Ross Barracks at Shornecliffe Camp before finally transferring to Whitley Camp before departing for France on February 1, 1918. While in France he served in both the 1st Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column as well as the 5th Division Trench Mortars.

While attached to the Y Battery of the 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade on September 2, 1918, Gunner Wheeler was wounded in combat and later presumed dead. Despite no official record of his death at the time of the incident, a search of casualties and prisoners of war turned up no evidence of his survival. His service number was 2327329.