John Thomas McMaster was born on September 8th, 1880 in Hespeler, Ontario to Anne Flynn and Thomas McMaster. John’s father worked as a spinner when John was born, later joining the police force and eventually was promoted to Police Inspector. John’s mother stayed home and looked after John and his siblings, as he was the 7th of nine children. John was a weaver by trade, but also spent 15 years with the 29th Waterloo Regiment (later the Highland Light Infantry of Canada).
Upon declaration of war in August 1914, John as an active military member joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force at the age of 34. During training at Valcartier in Quebec John was promoted up to the rank of Corporal. After arriving in France, John was killed in a traffic accident. His Circumstances of Death Registers card read,
“His battalion had entered at Nantes, at 6.46 PM, on February 11th, 1915, and just as the train was leaving the station Corporal McMaster attempted to get on but missed his footing and fell under the train sustaining a crushed thigh and arms. He was taken to hospital at Nantes where he died.”
Corporal John Thomas McMaster is buried at the Nantes (La Bouteillerie) Cemetery.
Service number: 7057
“Canadian Virtual War Memorial: John Thomas McMaster,” Veterans Affairs Canada, accessed March 21, 2015, http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/325776?John%20Thomas%20McMaster