Orval Dodson, #679009, 164th Infantry, Canadian Expeditionary Force, WWI.

Photographer Unknown

b. February 10, 1900
d. May 20, 1985, Belleville, Ontario, CANADA

Orval Dodson was 16, underage and didn't want to miss WWI, so on February 11, 1916, he assumed the name of a relative and enlisted as Jack Anderson, b. October 21, 1885. He was accepted but the reverse of his Attestation Paper notes, "Apparent Age 20 years, 4 months". Later his record was changed to reflect his real name, Orval Dodson, b. February 10, 1900. From various stamps on his Attestation Paper he appears to have been assigned to the 164th Bn, 160th Bn, and 205th Bn. These have not been confirmed.

Orval was Granny Johnston's first cousin on the Anderson side of the family. Granny J's daughter Evelyn donated her B- blood to Orval's son Jack during WWII. The family bond was very strong. Orval served in both WWI and WWII. Granny J named her youngest son Orville - a slightly different spelling of the name, but in his honor.