• First World War Commemorative Project
• Introduction
• The Memorial Service
• About the Project

Born	November 17, 1895
Died	March 16, 1918, Age 22
Force	Army
Home Address	111 Howland Avenue [Map]

Kenneth Somerville, his parents’ eldest son, was born in London, Ontario, where his father would later become mayor. He attended school in London and spent two years studying at the Château de Lancy in Geneva, Switzerland before moving to Toronto and entering UTS. He enrolled at University College in 1914, where he became a member of Phi Delta Theta, but returned to London the following year, where he was commissioned a lieutenant in the 33rd Battalion that October. He went overseas in April 1916 and reached France in June, where he transferred to the 60th Battalion and spent nearly two years in the trenches, fighting at Ypres, the Somme, and Vimy Ridge. When the 60th was broken up in May 1917, he joined the 5th Mounted Rifles and served at Passchendaele. On 15 March 1918, he suffered a severe facial wound during a raid at Mericourt. Blinded, Somerville was being carried back when he was again wounded by enemy fire. He was eventually brought to No. 57 Casualty Clearing Station, but died during an operation early the next morning. He is buried at Thélus Military Cemetery on Vimy Ridge, along with fellow UTS student William Munro.

Back to Top