Remembering World War I Yarmouth Connections

Floyd Ashton Flower

Name: Service No Rank Battalion/Service Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment: Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Hair Colour: Eye Colour: Martial Status: Religion: Trade: Next of Kin: Date of Discharge: Date of Death:

Floyd Ashton Flower 734218 Private 112th Battalion 25th Battalion January 26, 1900 Bethel, Windsor County, Vermont, United States March 17, 1916 Yarmouth NS Lower Argyle, Yarmouth Co., NS 16 5 feet, 8½ inches fair dark brown blue Single Baptist Fisherman Reginald E. Goodwin (Uncle) Lower Argyle, Yarmouth Co., NS February 5, 1919 (on demobilization at Halifax, NS) December 22, 1991 (Sarasosta, Florida, US) Floyd Ashton Flower was the son of Edward Oscar Flower (1870-1901) and Georgianna (Gorgie) Goodwin (1870-1952). Floyd was the youngest of five children. His mother was the daughter of George Norman Goodwin of Argyle, Yarmouth Co., NS. She was born on Frost Island (a 20 acre Island off Argyle Sound). On December 9, 1891 Georgianna married Edward Flower in Lynn, Massachusetts, US. The family lived in Vermont where Floyd Ashton Flower was born. In 1915, Floyd came to Lower Argyle where he lived with his uncle Reginald E. Goodwin. He enlisted at Yarmouth with the 112th Battalion and served in “A” Company; however, he enlisted as Floyd Ashton Goodwin giving his date of birth as January 26, 1898 (making him 18 years of age). He also gave his place of birth as Lower Argyle. He served as Floyd Goodwin until April 10, 1918 and claimed his actual age on April 26, 1918 when his birth certificate was received by the Record Office. Private Flower trained in Canada until July, 1916 when he embarked Canada on the SS Olympic arriving in England on July 31, 1916. He was transferred to the 25th Battalion on October 6, 1916 and went overseas to France with the 25th Battalion. While serving in France he became seriously ill with bronchitis and was transferred to England for hospitalization in February of 1917 and discharged to the 26th Reserve Battalion in May at Bramshott Camp and to the 17th Reserve Battalion in March 1918. On December 11, 1918 he was transferred to Kinmel Park Camp at Rhyl for return to Canada. Private Flower was discharged at Halifax on demobilization on February 5, 1919. He served in Canada, England, and France. On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1927, Floyd married Marion Sooley (1906-1974) at the Baptist Church in Lynn, Massachusetts. Marion was born January 1, 1906, in Heart’s Content, Newfoundland. They lived in Lynn, Massachusetts from the 1930’s until at least the 1960's. Floyd worked for General Electric Co., in Lynn as well (as indicated on his WWII draft registration card). They retired to Florida and both he and his wife passed away in Sarasota, Manatee County, Florida. Marion died February 7, 1974; Floyd died December 22, 1991.

Sources: Library and Archives Canada