669764 Private Samuel George Shiers, born 19 January, 1898 in Jersey Isle, England to Samuel B and Hanna Parker Shiers.

Shiers volunteered for active service in the First World War, he attested into the 166^th Battalion (Queen’s Own Rifles) Canadian Expeditionary Force 14 February 1916, at Toronto. At that time, he was a salesman and lived with his parents and three younger brothers at 767 Richmond St West, Toronto. He died at Toronto General Hospital 10 April 1916, of complications of tonsillitis surgery after less than two months of service. He was buried by his comrades of the 166^th Battalion at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto Sec. 8- 5629

Shiers’ Obituary from the Toronto Star:

“Whistling as he was carried into the operating room of the General Hospital Monday morning, Pte. Geo. Samuel Shiers, 166^th Battalion, 17 years of age, was operated upon for tonsillitis. He died in the hospital Monday night. “We all believed that it was only a minor operation and that he would be out in a few days,” said his father, Samuel Shiers, at his home, 767 Richmond street, today. “When he enlisted we spoke sharply to him about it because he was so young. He celebrated his 17^th birthday just three months ago. We did not know he enlisted until he came home with his uniform on. He said that if we stopped him going into the 166^th he would join some other regiment. He was very determined about going. He was in the battalion just ten weeks. He was born in the Isle of Jersey and was the oldest of three boys. Before enlisting he was employed in the mail order department of the Robert Simpson Company. He was a good boy and well liked, holding the position of secretary to the Sunday school class of St. Matthias Church.”

The funeral was held from the Richmond street address this afternoon, and arrangements being attended to by the officers and men of the 166^th Battalion. The casket, draped in the folds of the Union Jack and the Maple Leaf, was borne to the gun carriage by his former comrades in the 166^th. Attended by a military escort and borne by six pall-bearers from his regiment the funeral cortege proceeded to St. Matthias Church, where services were held. Internment took place at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.