George Selley was born January 6, 1882 in Devonshire, England where he was raised. A gardener by trade, he married Lavinia and in 1907 celebrated the birth of daughter Doris, in Sidmouth, Devon, living at #6 Hill Side Terrace. The family emigrated to Canada on May 15, 1912 and eventually had two more children – Aileen and Cyril. They lived in Ottawa at 189 McGillivary Street in Old Ottawa South, just off the Rideau Canal.



Less than a year later, on April 3, 1916, George Selley enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force (# 246104), and was assigned to the newly formed 207th Infantry Battalion, known as the Ottawa Carleton Battalion. They trained at both Rockcliffe and in Amherst, Nova Scotia until they deployed to England with a total strength of 679 soldiers, sailing from Halifax on June 2, 1917 on the SS Olympic (sister ship to the ill-fated Titanic). The 207th Battalion was used to reinforce the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, 2nd Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment. Private Selley and his unit were deployed to France on November 11, 1917 and entered the trenches 10 days later on November 21, 1917.

On the home front, Lavinia, with the 3 children, moved to the Glebe in 1918, living at 417 Catherine Street. Private Selley served with the ‘Princess Pats’, one of Canada’s most famous fighting units and having seen action in all the most famous battles to that point including both Vimy and Passchendaele, for the next 10 months.

By late summer of 1918, the Allies were desperate to break the stalemate of trench warfare of World War 1 which was now entering its fifth year. “The Hundred Days Offensive” began on August 8, 1918, and was designed to bring the war to a close with the Patricias’ heavily involved in this battle plan. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens, the Allies achieved a series of strategic victories which finally brought the fighting to a close on November 11, 1918 with the signing of The Armistice.  Halfway through this Offensive, the Canadian Corps, under the leadership of Lt. General Arthur Currie, found itself charged with the responsibility of capturing the heavily defended commune of Cambrai. To achieve this meant overcoming German defenses throughout a series of manmade canals in this area, further compounding the challenges faced by the Canadians. The Battle of Canal du Nord was part of this campaign to liberate Cambrai, lasting from September 27 to October 1.

At 05:20 am on September 27, all four Divisions of the Canadian Corps attacked under total darkness, capturing areas defended by 1st Prussian Guards Reserve Division as well as the 3rd German Naval Division. Most objectives were captured that day and eventually the key objective of securing Bourlon Wood was taken by the Canadians. The road to Cambrai was opened, the famed German Hindenburg line was pierced, and 36,000 prisoners were captured. The Princess Pats were held back from the initial assault, but moved forward that same afternoon, crossing the canals on the wooden bridges built and installed by the Canadian engineers for the battle. At 6pm, and under the cover of growing darkness, The Pats moved forward to capture Tilloy Hill and village, just outside Cambrai. While resulting in yet another victory, casualties on both sides were heavy with overall allied losses tallied at 30,000 troops.

In an attack on Tilloy Hill as part of the Battle of the Canal du Nord, on September 28, 1918, just 54 days prior to the signing of the Armistice, Private George Selley of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) was killed in action, witnessed by his comrade in arms, Private Discombe also originally from Sidmouth, Devon.

Private George S. Selley is remembered by the Town of Sidmouth WW1 Memorial Monument, in Devonshire, England, He is also remembered by the PPCLI “Patricia’s Roll of Honour” as well as at St. Matthew’s. Unfortunately, George’s wife Lavinia passed away in 1924 at age 41, with his 3 children taken in by their uncle. Happily, George’s oldest daughter Doris, in 1928 at age 21, graduated in Nursing from the University of Toronto.

Private George Seely was buried in the Mill Switch British Cemetery, alongside 106 other fellow Canadian soldiers from the Battle of Canal du Nord, where he rests today.