Geoffrey Still - Lest We Forget

Geoffrey Still was born December 11, 1888 at Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. He was the son of Arthur and Liddesdale Frances Still. He had a least one sister, Marion Charlotte. In 1914 Geoffrey’s parents lived in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. It was while living in Lloydminster that Geoffrey gained four years of military experience with the Saskatchewan Light Horse. After the war his parents resided in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1914 Geoffrey was employed as a locomotive fireman working for the Canadian Pacific Railroad out of the Revelstoke Division. He was also active in the YMCA. When war broke out in August 1914 he was one of the first 69 men from Revelstoke to volunteer to serve in Canada’s army overseas. 

Geoffrey Still signed his enlistment papers September 12, 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec, the assembly point for the First Contingent of Canadian volunteers to serve in the Great War. His regimental number was 17059. He was 25 years old, single, 5’ 10” tall with black hair and brown eyes. His religious affiliation was Anglican. The First Contingent sailed for England in October 1914 and spent the winter in training on the wet and damp and cold Salisbury Plain.

Geoffrey Still participated in Canada’s baptism of fire, the Second battle of Ypres. This was the occasion when for the first time in modern warfare poison gas was used in a battle. Geoffrey wrote a couple of letters home that were printed in the local newspaper describing this battle and some of the effects on the Canadian soldiers, and in particular on some of the Revelstoke volunteers. He ended one of his letters with this sentence... “I wish I were back in Revelstoke for a time, a game of tennis and an ice cream would be very welcome right now.”

 Geoffrey Still died November 11, 1917 during the battle of Passchendaele. He was almost 29 years old. At the time of his death he was a Lieutenant serving with the 7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia) Regiment. He is buried at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

 The name of Geoffrey Still is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques and on the YMCA Honor Roll.