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Edison Franklin Lynn fonds
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Fonds
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1899-1901 (Creation)
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Physical description
1 notebook (2 cm of textual records).
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Biographical history
Born on 17 June 1882 to Joseph and Mary Lynn, in Belleville (Sidney Township), Hastings County, Ontario. When he was just 17 years old, Lynn identified his trade as that of a butcher and claimed to be 22 years old in order to enlist for service in the South African (Anglo-Boer) War, on 21 October 1899. Lynn served with the XV Battalion Belleville (he also served with the 15th Argyle Light Infantry and the 49th Hastings Regiment). He saw active service at Cape Colony, Paardeberg, and Driefontein. The Boer War was Canada’s first foreign war, and although Canada had entered as a British dominion, this war been cited as helped provide a sense of growing independence in Canada, as well as highlighting internal differences between the French, who sympathized with the Boers with what they viewed as British imperialism, and English-Canada, who “rallied to the British cause.” [Canadian Encyclopaedia]. Lynn returned home on 5 November, was discharged on 15 November 1900.
He subsequently trained as a civil engineer, and may have worked for the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission prior to re-enlisting on 24 September 1914 as part of the Canadian Infantry. Lynn rose through the ranks, becoming a Lieutenant, then Major. He earned an award for his service at Ypres and is mentioned in “Shoestring Solders” with the 1st Canadian Division defending Gravenstafel Ridge, 22-23 April, 1915; was mentioned in dispatches, and was awarded the Military Cross in 1916, earned the Distinguished Service Order in 1917 for service with the 2nd Field Company Engineers. Edison Lynn died in Hampstead, London, in 1960.
Custodial history
Scope and content
This fonds consists of a single handwritten diary containing detailed, daily entries from the date of Lynn’s departure from Belleville on 23 October 1899, until his return home and a ceremony with the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York on 11 October 1901, in Toronto. The entries provide detail of Lynn’s voyage; his immediate call to the front upon his arrival in Cape Town, and all aspects of his service and battles.
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There are no restrictions on access.