More about William Hosie Dryden

William’s D.C.M. was awarded “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty near Keerselaere on 23rd April 1915, in going to the assistance of Lieutenant-Colonel Hart-McHarg who was lying wounded between our own and the German lines.”

William married his wife, Miss Chrystal Kinnear who was from Michigan, USA on 10th January 1916. He was killed in action action soon after on 27/09/1916.

On 2 June 1915, ‘The Courier’ reported that 16420 Sgt. William Hosie Dryden, Canadian Army Medical Corps, attached 7th Canadian Infantry, had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

D.C.M. FOR DUNDEE CANADIAN. DEVOTED SERVICE TO WOUNDED COLONEL. Police-Constable James Dryden, 10 Blinshall Street, Dundee, has received a letter from his son, Sergeant W. H. Dryden, R.A.M.C., 7th Battalion Canadians, stating that he has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The letter is dated 25th May, and in it Sergeant Dryden describes the deed that gained him the coveted distinction.
In referring to the wonderful stand made by the Canadians at Ypres he says: – “I am sorry to say that we lost a lot of men. I have been awarded the famous D.C.M. I had to go in front of the major, who is acting as colonel, as our colonel was killed in action. He was lying in front of our trenches about 150 yards away, and the captain and I crawled out to him on our stomachs and dressed him, and dragged him out of a ‘Jack Johnson’ hole over the trench, and then sat with him until dark. I then crawled back and sent a stretcher squad out for him, but he died next day.”
Sergeant Dryden is 29 years of age, and was in Vancouver, B.C., when war was declared. Before going to Canada eight years ago he had attended Dr Kinnear’s ambulance classes for three years, and that training has stood him in good stead, and he threw in his lot with the Canadian R.A.M.C. He was promoted to the rank of corporal in December, and in the following month received his sergeant’s stripes. He was a joiner by trade. His father, Constable Dryden, is a well-known member of the Dundee Police Force. The Courier, Wednesday, 2 June 1915, 4.

William was the brother of Cpl David Duncan Dryden, 102416, 4th Battalion, Canadian Engineers.

For more information on William, visit William’s Memorial and William’s Service Record and Circumstances of Death Register

There are 10 references to William in the local Dundee Newspapers held in the Central Library Dundee.

Peoples Journal 05/06/1915 page 9, and 04/11/1916 page 14

Courier 02/06/1915 page 4, 11/01/16 page 6, and 01/11/1916 page 4

Advertiser 02/06/1915 page 3, 02/06/1915 page 9, and 11/01/1916 page 8

Evening Telegraph 01/06/1915 page 3 and 10/01/1916 page 3