Thomas Edward Pares

 

Thomas Edward Pares was born of August 7^th 1885 in Derbyshire England.He was the son of Major E.H. Pares, husband of Helen Mary Pares of West Summerland.  Tom was one of the first soldiers from Summerland to enlist. In Summerland Tom was a rancher. Tom had previous experience with the Cap Mounted Rifles (1903-1908 and seven months with the 2^nd Canadian Mounted Rifles. When World War One broke out he initially joined the 30^th B.C. Horse regiment. He went to CampVernon for his training. In the summer of 1914 he was promoted from the rank of corporal to that of Sergeant Major of the A Squadron.  Part of his responsibility was local recruitment. By October 1914 Tom had become Sergeant-Major and recruited Summerland soldiers, H.J. Collas, Ralph Deans, Bill Sauter, F.C. Naper, Tom Whitfield, Jones, Darrach, Bindley, B. Newton, Wall, S. Peters, J.C. Kennedy and D. Heron. In January 1916 Lieutenant Pares of the 11^th Canadian Mounted Rifes, was appointed to the board of officers composing an examining body in equitation. According to the Summerland Review, “ their duties will be to pass upon the horsemanship of officers who have been attending the ProvisionalSchool, A.S.C. at Victoria. This is a recognition of Lieutenant Pares’s splendid horsemanship that his friends here will concede is well merited.” In August 1916 Mrs. T.E. Pares left for England to visit her husband. Lieutenant Pares was part of the 11^th Canadian Mounted Rifles. Miss Helen Shuffrey, who had been living with the Pares, accompanied Mrs. Pares to England. He was assigned as Lieutenant for the 47^th Battalion. While serving with the Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment ) 47^th Battalion, Lieutenant T.E. Pares was killed in action on June 1 1917. According to the Summerland Review, “he was struck in the breast with what was termed a ‘whizz bang’ which caused great suffering until relieved by death.” He was buried at the VillersStationCemetery in Pas de CalaisFrance. (Grave X.B.8)