Edgar Doxsee was born in Ontario in 1893. When he turned 20 he moved to Auburn, New York to apprentice in saddlery hardware. He was there when war broke out in August 1914. He told his family at the time that if the war wasn’t over by Christmas, he’d return home to Canada and join the army.

Earl was 22 when he enlisted in August 1915 and was soon on his way to England with the 77th Battalion as a Signaler. In July 1916, Earl was reassigned to the 50th Battalion as a reinforcement during the Battle of the Somme, where he was wounded in November 1916.

Earl was still in hospital during the attack on Vimy Ridge in April 1917. He returned to his unit later that year where he served out the rest of the war. Twenty years later, Earl served again with the Home Guard during the Second World War.

Many years later while living in England with his parents, Earl`s great-grandson, Jeffrey Butler visited the battlefields and cemeteries of the First and Second World Wars.

Jeffrey heard about his great-grandfather but had never met him. After his return to Canada, while in sixth grade, Jeffrey composed the following poem in honour of his great-grandfather, which he was asked to read on Remembrance Day.

In a similar tribute, Earl`s great-granddaughter, eight year old Emma Sultmanis, placed first in the Remembrance Day Poster Contest in 2006, run by the Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Provincial Command, with her colour poster, shown above.