Timothy Kelly

This is the only picture that I am aware of Timothy Kelly  (Other than the family portrait below).  Both pictures are assumed to have been taken at the same time.  Timothy Kelly was born in Deptford, England in 1869.  His father was a ship builder with the British Royal Navy.  They immigrated to Canada in 1870 when Tim was a year old.  He grew up in Pembroke, Ontario where he met and later married Mary Brennan before moving to Lethbridge, NWT. in 1904.  Tim had several jobs in Lethbridge, but perhaps most noteworthy is the time he spent helping to construct the high level railroad bridge.  On September 30, 1915 he enlisted in the 82nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.  Even though at 46 he was too old to enlist, he lied about his age and signed up as a 43 year old recruit.  His early basic training occurred in Calgary, and later continued in England and France.  Due to the unimaginable loss of human life on the Somme - the 82nd Battalion was split up on arrival and the men were divided to fill holes in the Battalions already fighting.  Tim was reassigned to the 2nd Canadian Division, 6th Brigade, 31st (Alberta) Battalion, "C" Company, and moved to the front lines at the Battle of Courcelette on September 15th, 1916.  This date and location are historically important as "Zero Hour" on that day was not only Tim's entry to WWI, but it was also the first time that tanks were ever seen on a battlefield.  Interestingly, two of the tanks deployed in this battle were assigned to his Company - so he would have fought alongside of them on that historical day.  On September 30, 1916 - exactly one year to the day after he enlisted - Timothy died of a gunshot wound to the head at Le Havre France.  He left behind Mary and six small children.  Timothy is buried in Le Havre France at the Ste. Marie Cemetery.