Richard Arthur Switzer - Lest We Forget

Richard Arthur Switzer was born September 1, 1885 at Benbrook, Ontario. He was the son of William B. and Elizabeth Switzer of Benbrook, Ontario. The 1911 census noted him living in a camp near Galena Bay working as a railway foreman. By 1915 he was working as a carpenter. He was a very well-known Arrowhead resident and also had many friends in Revelstoke and Golden.

 Richard Arthur Switzer signed his enlistment papers September 28, 1915 at Vernon. His regimental number was 464382. He was 30 years old, single, 5’ 9” tall with black hair and blue eyes. His religious affiliation was Methodist. He had joined up with the 62nd Battalion.

 Richard Arthur Switzer died October 3, 1916 during the battle of the Somme. He was 31 years old. At the time of his death he was a Private serving with the 15th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario) Regiment. He is buried at the Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

  The name of Arthur Switzer is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques under the Arrowhead listing.

 There is a Switzer, R.J. listed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques under the Revelstoke listing. There is no R.J. Switzer named on the Canada Virtual War Memorial Site. This site lists all of the fallen from all of Canada’s conflicts from the Boer War to the current conflict in Afghanistan. We strongly suspect that Richard Arthur Switzer and R.J. Switzer may be the same person.