Background
Guy D. McBean was born October 9, 1895, in Taymouth, New Brunswick to Ernest McBean and Ella Dennison. According to marriage records Ernest and Ella were married September 7, 1892 in Fredericton. Together they had three children; Ray, Angus, and Guy. Although few accounts exist detailing his early life in Taymouth, newspapers suggest that Guy's father owned a family farm in the area. Census records show that a sister in law named Isabelle also lived with the family for a short period of time. After spending much of his childhood working on the family farm, Guy eventually moved to Fredericton just prior to the war finding work as a chauffer at the York Hotel for Harold Young and Willis McPherson. Still a teenager at the time, by all accounts, Guy appeared to be incredibly well-liked by all who knew him in Fredericton. At the time of his formal enlistment for service in Sussex, New Brunswick on November 23, 1915, Guy had no prior military training. According to his service record, McBean was twenty years old and described as having blue eyes, brown hair, a fair complexion, while standing five feet five inches tall. Along with other young boys from the area, he joined the 104th Battalion and soon began training in preparation for going overseas. His brother, Angus, would enlist with the medical corps. After spending the winter and spring of 1915-1916 in Canada training, the 104th would leave Canada from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Although Guy did not sign a will, all of the particulars of his service including pay and medals would be sent to his parents.
Wartime Experience
On June 28, 1916, Private Guy McBean left Canada aboard the S.S. Olympic for England, arriving a few days later on July 6. It appears that during the trip on the Atlantic Ocean, Guy developed a bacterial infection causing severe soreness and swelling in the throat. Upon arrival he was diagnosed with diphtheria. Immediately taken in for treatment at Moore Barrack Hospital at Shorncliffe and then to Folkestone for isolation, Private McBean's medical case sheet shows that he had been suffering from nausea and swollen tonsils so severe that he had a temperature of 105. After just two days at Moore Barrack Hospital in Shorncliffe, he was put directly into isolation at Folkestone where his condition quickly worsened. McBean had the patterned symptoms of diphtheria from the very beginning which included, low grade fever and swollen neck glands, followed by vomiting. Suffering for the next 7 days, medical personnel could not reverse the infection that had spread so quickly into Guy's body. On July 12, news of his condition had reached Fredericton where it was revealed that he had been admitted to hospital. Two days later, July 14, Guy passed away unable to overcome the toxins that had infected his body. Private McBean had only been on active service for less than seven months. Guy was 20 years old.
Lest We Forget
Private Guy D. McBean is buried with honour at the Shornecliffe Military Cemetery near Folkestone, England. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Guy is one of approximately 577 identified casualties in the cemetery from the First and Second World War.