Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Sidney/Sydney Charles Curl was the first son of Thomas and Amelia, and was born on 26th June 1891 whilst they were living at 17 Burn Place, Willington. The family moved to Langley Park, where younger brother George Alfred was born, and then to Chopwell, where in 1911 Thomas and Amelia were living with Sidney, George and youngest daughter Emma; older daughter Maud was married and also living in Chopwell.

In 1912 the Curl family and Maud’s family, the Shields, travelled across the Atlantic to New York, before crossing the US/Canada border and setting in Paris, Ontario. Thomas, Amelia, Emma and George moved in to 173 Catherine Street, and next door at 172 were Maud and her family. Sid had remained in England and at the end of 1912 married Florence March in Chopwell before leaving her in England and travelling to Canada to join his parents in July of the following year.

On 6th September 1915 Sidney travelled the 75 miles from Paris to Niagara to enlist in the CEF and became Private 164068 in the 84th Battalion. He arrived in England on board the Empress of Britain on 29th June 1916 and was transferred to the 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) which arrived at Le Havre, France on 13 August 1916 on HMTS Copenhagen, becoming part of the new 4th Canadian Division whose first operation was at Ypres. All the men prior to leaving the UK would have completed their paybook will and Sidney was no exception leaving everything to his mother in his will dated 7th July, even though his next of kin was listed as his wife.

Just 3 days short of a year since he enlisted, on 3rd September 1916, Sid was on sentry duty in the trenches near Kemmel when he was killed and died instantaneously. Sidney Charles Curl is buried in La Laiterie Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.

An obituary in a Canadian newspaper states “Sidney was well known in Paris being a great football player and all round athlete...and a member of St. James’ Church. His brother Private George Curl is serving in the trenches”.

Sydney Charles Curl is remembered at Chopwell on C92.01 and C92.02

He is also remembered in Canada at St. James’ Anglican Church, Paris, Ontario, on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and in the Canadian Book of Remembrance.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Curl