Métis First World War Hero Remembered

To mark the end of the First World War Centenary, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has launched its “Road to Peace” project. The project tells 120 personal stories of casualties who died during the final 100 days of the First World War, from 8 August to 11 November.

The stories have been compiled by the CWCG’s team of historians and includes the remarkable account of Private Norwest, a First World War hero from Alberta, Canada.

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is marking the end of the First World War Centenary with 120 personal stories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the last months of the war
• One remarkable story is that of Henry Norwest, from Alberta, who died in August 1918
• The CWGC commemorates 65,000 Canadian First World War casualties

Born in 1884, Henry Louis was of Métis French-Cree Ancestry. A young ranch hand from the Fort Saskatchewan area, Henry became one of the most famous snipers of the First World War, with 115 confirmed kills. 

Before the outbreak of the First World War, Henry worked as a Rodeo Performer and briefly served with his local police department. In 1915, he volunteered for overseas service in the Canadian Army.  However, after three months he was discharged from service for “misbehavior”. Undeterred, he reenlisted under a new name, Henry Norwest and in August 1916, left for the Western Front with the 50^th (Calgary) Battalion of the Canadian Infantry.

His first action was in October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. Henry quickly impressed officers with his sharpshooting skills. He was able to stay motionless for hours and his camouflaging techniques allowed him to spend long periods in no man’s land. He was able to search out enemy snipers and shoot with deadly accuracy.

In 1917, Henry took part in the Battle of Vimy ridge and “for great bravery skill and initiative in sniping the enemy” he was awarded the Military Medal. His skill as a sniper was becoming legendary, and in 1918 he earnt a second Military Medal.

On 18 August, Henry went out to hunt a German sniper, however he was killed aged 34.

From famous casualties like war poet Wilfred Owen, through to relatively unknown individuals; from those dying in battle to those who died of Spanish Flu; each story has been carefully chosen to shine a light on the human stories on the costly Road to Peace.

CWGC Historian, Max Dutton, explained: “Behind every one of our headstones or names on a memorial to the missing, is a human story just waiting to be told. Our 100 days ‘Road to Peace’ campaign will remind people of the human cost of the Great War, the sheer diversity of those who took part and the global nature of that sacrifice and remembrance today. In Canada, there are over 7400 servicemen and women commemorated by the CWGC.

We hope Henry Norwest’s story will inspire people to find out more about him and his Canadian comrades commemorated by the CWGC and visit their graves and memorials”  

The Road to Peace campaign started on 8 August – the 100th anniversary of the Allied victory at the Battle of Amiens – and will conclude on 11 November with the stories of 11 people who died on the very last day of the First World War, even as the guns fell silent. The “100 Days” is a term applied to the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives on the Western Front that ultimately led to peace. Not actually 100 calendar days, the term is a reference to the final period of the Napoleonic Wars.

The Road to Peace stories will be shared across the CWGC’s digital channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Follow us using @CWGC and the hashtag #RoadtoPeace or add your own stories of those who died during this period using the hashtag. A story will appear every day – with a more in-depth feature appearing weekly.