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CWM 19920166-1535
CWM 19920166-1535

Lance-Corporal

Inkster, John Colin

Unit

31st Canadian Infantry Battalion (Alberta)

Branch

Infantry

Service Component

Canadian Expeditionary Force

Service Number

79221

birth

1893/08/12

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

death

1916/09/15

Somme, France

grave

Ovillers Military Cemetery, France

Gender

Male

John Colin Inkster was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on 12 August 1893. He was the eighth of James and Mary Inkster’s 10 children.

Inkster was a surveyor before he enlisted in the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion (Alberta) in his hometown on 16 November 1914. After initial training in Canada, he sailed to England on 29 May 1915 aboard SS Northland as part of the 31st Battalion’s 1st Reinforcement Draft. He arrived in Plymouth on 4 June 1915 and joined the battalion in the field on 27 October 1915.On 16 June 1916, Inkster was promoted to the rank of lance corporal. He was killed in action on the Somme, during the Battle of Courcelette, on 15 September 1916.

John Colin Inkster is buried in Ovillers Military Cemetery, in France.

The Canadian War Museum’s Collection includes the following artifacts for this recipient