Born: January 25, 1902
Died: June 4, 1918
Age: 16 years and 130 days
Service Number: 362
Unit: 1st Canadian Garrison Artillery

Harold Jabez Cossitt was born in Nova Scotia, likely Digby, on January 25, 1902. His attestation papers and service file are either missing or not digitized but fortunately, his War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty) record confirms Harold served as a Gunner in the 1^st Canadian Garrison Artillery. They provided coastal defence for Halifax Harbour.

On May 21, 1918 Harold was admitted to the Station Hospital in Halifax where he died on June 4 from pneumonia and paratyphoid fever. Harold is buried in Smith’s Cove Cemetery in Nova Scotia.

Date of Birth Research
The 1911 Census of Canada confirms that Harold was born in January 1902 however the only reference to a specific date I could find was on an Ancestry family tree, and it stated he was born on January 25, 1901. It provided no sources however I have used January 25, 1902 as a basis for calculating his age.

Sources:
Ancestry.ca (subscription required): 1911 Canadian Census Record; War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty)
First World War Service File (missing or not digitized): https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=624787&lang=eng
Canadian Virtual War Memorial: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/665417
Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147000853/harold-jabez-cossitt
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2754981/harold-cossitt/

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