Thomas Stuart Hay - Lest We Forget

Thomas Stuart Hay was born June 3, 1877 at Brockville, Ontario. He was the son of Thomas and Barbara (Grant) Hay of Schreiber, Ontario. Thomas Stuart Hay married Kathleen Lavens Speers on October 23, 1912 in Revelstoke. She was born May 24, 1884 at Liverpool, England.  Kathleen was a nurse at Queen Victoria Hospital in Revelstoke and Thomas worked as a CPR conductor. She enlisted for overseas duty as a nurse on May 11, 1917, a month and-a-half before the death of her husband. At that time she was living in Ottawa.

Thomas Hay enlisted July 21, 1916 at Vancouver. He was 39 years old, married, 5’ 8” tall with brown hair and grey eyes. His religious affiliation was Presbyterian. His regimental number was 1012758.

Thomas Stuart Hay died of wounds on June 29, 1917. He was 40 years old. At the time of his death he was a Private with the 72nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia) Regiment. He is buried at the Barlin Communal Cemetery, France. His name is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques.

In February, 1918 the local newspaper carried this item:

“Nurse Hay, formerly of Revelstoke, whose husband enlisted in the 72nd, and was killed in action, writes to the members of the Canadian Club thanking them for their Christmas remembrance. Nurse Hay is connected with the Canadian Nursing contingent in France.”

After the war Kathleen Hay lived in Namao, Alberta.