John James Rushton - Lest We Forget

John James (Jack) Rushton was born on November 25, 1885 at Liverpool, England. He listed no next of kin on his attestation papers. His occupation was dairyman. He may have been working for Mrs. Andrew Carlson of Revelstoke.

John James Rushton signed his enlistment papers on July 9, 1915 at Vernon.  He was 29 years old, single, 5’ 4” tall with black hair and brown eyes. His regimental number was 443312. His religious affiliation was Anglican. He was one of about 100 men from Revelstoke to enlist with the 54th Battalion in the spring and summer of 1915. Rushton sailed out of Halifax on November 22, 1915 on the Saxonia, arriving at Plymouth on December 1. He proceeded for service at the front on June 18, 1916.

John James (Jack) Rushton died October 15, 1916 of wounds suffered in the Somme offensive. He was almost 31 years old. At the time of his death he was a Private with the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario) Regiment. He is buried at the Contay British Cemetery, France.

The November 2, 1916 edition of the Revelstoke Review carried this notice of the death of Jack Rushton:

“Mrs. Andrew Carlson was notified last night of the death of Private Jack Rushton, who died of wounds received in the recent battles on the Somme front in France.”

The name of Jack Rushton is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques.