Major Ross was one of the very-badly-spent lives in World War One. As detailed on his page at The Kenora Great War project, Ross was beginning what would have been a stellar career in the Canadian Army if he'd lived. He went straight to the Army in 1913, was finishing his officer's training when war broke out, and became the second-youngest Major in the Empire, at 22. In charge of 200 men of the 24th Battalion, the Victoria Rifles, he died along with 196 others in a single disasterous charge.

Other links for Jack Ross:
His distinguished service record,
(cached copy).

Ethel mentions him often, he was almost a boyfriend, they met whenever he had leave. They'd been friends back in Lethbridge in Volume 3, there are pictures of him at home in 1913. (First links, below)

On scans 159 and 160, she passes back to home a story told or written to her by her brother Henry Bruce Attwood Conybeare, that he had "found Oly", as an arm sticking out of a shell-hole in No Man's Land, within sight of whatever trench Bruce claimed to be in.

Bruce's 10th Battalion was 10km away from our Courcelette area where Oly had died. The notion that soldiers walked past a decaying body with Major's insignia visible, for a couple of months, while No Man's Land was safe enough for Bruce to just nip over and dig him up, on some sort of long-range tour away from his Battalion area... beggars belief. I think that my grandmother had very little idea what a WW1 battlefield actually looked like, or the story would not have gone over. And, of course, it was what she needed to hear.

I think it was kind of Bruce to fool her, give her some closure.

Concordance of mentions of: \bross\b|\boly\b|\boley\b

NOTE: Links on right all lead back to this page, and don't work, from this page.

LinkText
Vol 3 Scan 098Glorious visit to Ross Ranche with "Oley." and "a certain Eric Ings"

Vol 3 Scan 098"Oley", or "Oly", later Major Jack Ross,

Vol 3 Scan 116Ross Lethbridge

Vol 3 Scan 116Oley Ross

Vol 4 Scan 092while studying. Was sent by Devonshire House to Mrs. Ross, Hon. Sec. of

Vol 4 Scan 093PS: You aren't getting any more of Oly's

Vol 4 Scan 093[Refers to scan 097 - "Major Jack Ross Writes from the Trenches" in the Lethbridge Herald -dated October 30, 1915.]

Vol 4 Scan 097pasted-in story from Lethbridge Herald, "Major Jack Ross Writes From the Trenches".

Vol 5 Scan 014"Walter Ross asked me how I learned to talk English"

Vol 5 Scan 014[Name of father of Jack Ross ]

Vol 5 Scan 016Oly leaving for front again, won't be in trenches until 10th.

Vol 5 Scan 068"A nice letter from Oly yesterday - his battalion has changed its frontage...

Vol 5 Scan 069Oly inspects his men and reads by his fire in bedroom slippers all day.

Vol 5 Scan 099This one is from J.A. Ross, 2/3/16. (He was well.)

Vol 5 Scan 109Hope to "go on spree together" with Oly, coming for his second leave.

Vol 5 Scan 122Hopes Oly will finally appear on leave.

Vol 6 Scan 023Have not heard from Barney for a long time, Oly hasn't had his leave yet

Vol 6 Scan 065Hopes Oly can come, too.

Vol 6 Scan 086Now have single rooms, no more room-mate. Letter from Oly promising to come visit if he gets leave.

Vol 6 Scan 087"That rotter Oly has a D.S.O. and has not told me.

Vol 6 Scan 087Discussion of Ross or others ("George" and "Edna Ault's brother Wellington")

Vol 6 Scan 100"Oly's parcel arrived, so I sent it off to Major J.A. Ross D.S.O., together

Vol 6 Scan 100[This is just 16 days before Major Ross's death at the Somme (Courcelette),

Vol 6 Scan 124[NB: Major Jack Ross was 18 days dead at this point, and she hadn't been

Vol 6 Scan 128Has heard about Oly - Major John Alexander Ross, missing since Sept 17 1916,

Vol 6 Scan 134PS expresses hope for Oly, but has little "and Tou-tou has never heard

Vol 6 Scan 159"Bruce thinks he's found Oly. He saw the arm of what was evidently a British

Vol 6 Scan 160story of "Finding Oly". Continues:

Vol 6 Scan 16024th (Oly's Battalion) was there at the time.

Vol 6 Scan 160the the Jack Ross links page of the diary website.]