Background

Earle Milford Peoples was born October 20, 1898 in Newbury, Carleton County, New Brunswick. According to records obtained through the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Earle's father was Charles Bruce Peoples while little is known of his mother. Newspapers suggest that she passed away when Earle was just an infant. As an only child to a widowed father, Earle lived for a time with his grandparents, George and Hannah, as his father was often away finding work. Living in Kingsclear, his grandfather worked as a local shoemaker. By the time he was twelve, Earle and Charles were living together in Fredericton as boarders in the Orchard residence with Charles employed as a barber and Earle becoming apprenticed as a plumber. Records suggest that they lived at 363 Charlotte Street and had close ties to the downtown community and Wilmot United Church. Although little is known of the particulars of his early life, Earle had no military experience or training prior to the war. At the time of his formal enlistment in Sussex, New Brunswick on November 23,1915, he attested to being twenty-seven years old, single, and working as a plumber's assistant. Earle was described as having blue eyes, light brown hair, a fair complexion, while standing approximately five feet eleven inches tall. In truth, the young man was only seventeen years of age when he enlisted, as his medical history sheet and birth records clearly show that he was still a teenager when he joined as a private with the 104th, and later the 140th, battalions. Over the next few months, Peoples remained in New Brunswick at the Provincial School of Instruction in Saint John where he received promotions to the ranks of Lance Corporal and then Corporal by the summer of 1916. While Earle signed his will in early September leaving everything to his father, it is unclear whether he would ever see his father and friends again before going overseas.

Wartime Experience

On September 25, 1916, Corporal Earle M. Peoples left Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Corsican for Liverpool, England. His service record indicates that he arrived October 10 and, after only a month in training in England, joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at Seaford Camp in late November. By early December, Earle was already in France in the Arras sector making preparations with the PPCLI for the assaults at Vimy Ridge in April. After the success of Vimy, Earle remained with his unit in the same area of France, taking part in actions designed to push the German front backwards. By August, he was in and around the area of Lens and part of actions at Hill 70, a critical battle led by Canadians trying to gain important high ground in the area. According to his circumstances of death record, Corporal Peoples was with his unit on August 27 when he received gunshot wounds and fractures to both legs, as well as his arms. He was evacuated to 7th Casual Clearing Station to treat "dangerous wounds" where medical personnel were unable to help him. Earle passed away two days after being admitted, August 29, 1917. By September 4, the Daily Gleaner would report his death with much sympathy to his father, Charles, highlighting that Earle was only nineteen at the time of his death. Corporal Peoples had only been overseas for less than a year.

Lest We Forget

Corporal Earle M. Peoples is remembered with honour and buried at Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery, located south of Bethune, France. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Earle is one of approximately 198 burials.