The long story of Ambrose Marten Hill came to a close on October 8th (2025), 95 years after he died.
Ambrose lived in Port Elgin where he worked at the Stephens-Hepner brush factory and, it was in Port Elgin that he enlisted in the 160th Bruce Battalion in 1916.
In a story written by G. William (Bill) Streeter and published in 2021 in the Saugeen Times, Ambrose reached France on April 25, 1918 and became a member of what was then referred to as the 47th Battalion Western Ontario Regiment.
On August 8, 1918, the allies started the big push, known as the 100 Days Offensive, that led to the war’s end on November 11th. It was during this time that the Canadians fought in the most extreme fighting of the war. The 47th Battalion was right in the middle of it right from the start. On September 2nd, the 4th Division, including the boys of the 47th, attacked the south end of the trench line south of the River Sensee. On September 3rd, the Germans were in retreat with the Canadians and British taking many prisoners.
In the battle however, Ambrose Hill was shot in the head and hip and was taken to a close-by Field Hospital.
He was returned to Canada in 1919 to the Military Victoria Hospital in London (ON), a small shell of the man he had been. The shot to his head left him with a wound the size of a half-dollar and a small metal plate and he suffered from what would be known today as Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder (PTSD). Ambrose did not live long and died in 1930 at the age of 53.
On October 8th, 2025 is where the story continues.
He was living in Seaforth when he died and it was thought that his brother arranged for his burial at ‘Willow Creek’, where there is the small Shiloh cemetery however, there was no record or trace of his being there. Streeter, a researcher and military historian, began his search for his long lost great-uncle in the Shiloh cemetery but to no avail.
“Ambrose was born in what was known as Gresham, a few kms west of Lovat. Prior to WWI he moved to Port Elgin where he raised his family, and worked at the brush factory, until joining the 160th Bruce Battalion in 1916 at the age of 39. He was badly wounded in France and returned a small part of the man he was before the war. Subsequently, a marriage breakdown occurred, and when he died in 1930, his burial was not properly recorded,” said Streeter.
“What was confusing was the reference to ‘Willow Creek’ cemetery, as it is actually a creek that runs by both Shilo and Lovat,” said Streeter, “Instead of looking in Shilo, I realized it might have been Lovat. Also, searching further, I discovered that on the death certificate, there were two dates, January, 1930 date of death and 1927 date of burial. Obviously, a mistake but one hard to catch.”
Upon reading a story in the Saugeen Times about the ‘No Stone Left Alone‘ project, Streeter contacted Sharon Kelly Hope of the Paisley Legion, who has been part of the organizing of the ‘No Stone Left Alone’ project in Bruce County and has records for surrounding cemeteries. She replied that she had, in fact, found the records of both of Ambrose’s parents, and other family members, including his sister Mary MacGregor, who were buried in Lovat Cemetery, close to the family’s pioneer home … but nothing for Ambrose, a Veteran.
Not to be deterred, Streeter continued his search in earnest.
He discovered newspaper clippings from the early Walkerton Telescope and the Paisley Advocate where an obituary write-up made it clear and confirmed that Ambrose was, in fact, buried in Lovat Cemetery.
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“There had been a marriage breakdown years before his death and, after the war, he lived alone in Seaforth. When he died in the hospital in London, the body was, in fact, sent to the Paisley undertaker. Ambrose’s sister, Mary MacGregor, made arrangements as indicated in the obituaries for his burial in Lovat,” said Sreeter. “His death in January would have probably meant the body being kept in an above-ground storage at Lovat, or close by, before burial in the early spring. The large plot that surrounds his parents’ graves could have easily provided the space for a third casket and that was the logical place to look for his casket.”
Working with the Lovat Cemetery Board custodian, Streeter initiated the search for Ambrose using probes and, immediately beside his parents’ graves where there should have only been two adult caskets, a third in an unmarked grave site was discovered. Streeter knew instinctively, it was Ambrose.
“We now have his gravesite identified in Lovat Cemetery on the 8th of Bruce where he is with his parents, who were my great-grandparents,” added Streeter.
As Ambrose was a veteran, Streeter arranged for a grave marker to be made and a proper funeral to be held at the grave-side. Members of Ambrose’s family, including two granddaughters, grandson, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, who all still live locally in Port Elgin and Kincardine, attended.
In recognition of his service, Sharon Kelly Hope placed a ‘No Stone Left Alone’ on Ambrose’s grave marker and a colour party from Port Elgin and Southampton Legions honoured him. More than 1,000 stones have been placed at veteran grave-sites in Bruce County cemeteries.
For larger view, click on image
“The book is now closed for Ambrose,” said Streeter. “He can now rest in peace and we will remember him.”
