On November 25, 1915, just weeks after his eighteenth birthday, Karl Henry Dusome volunteered for service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, enlisting in his hometown of Penetanguishene. On his enlistment papers, he proudly listed his occupation as “Tailor,” a reflection of the trade he learned from his Métis father, John Peter Dusome, a respected tailor and business owner in Penetanguishene. Less than a year later, in October 1916, Karl Henry departed for England with the

Karl Henry, son of Métis tailor John Peter and Alice Dusome, learned the value of skill and hard work from an early age through his father's tailoring business, situated in the heart of Georgian Bay. J. Dusome Tailoring first opened its doors in 1884, more than a decade before Karl Henry's birth in November 1897. The October 1884 edition of the Penetanguishene Herald  announced the “New Tailoring Establishment” on Robert Street, advertising clothing “...made up in the Latest

George Dusome was born on July 17, 1899, the oldest child of Paul and Victoire Dusome in what would become their large Métis family. Though growing up in relative poverty, George and his family shared a love of music—a trait common among many of Penetanguishene’s Métis families. According to his niece Leona Paul, "They loved to dance, they loved to sing, they loved to play the mouth organ and guitar."  On March 3, 1916, at just seventeen years old, George voluntarily enlisted

James (Jake) Begg was one of many Métis men to serve in the First World War, enlisting in the 94th Battalion, which included recruits from throughout Northern Ontario including Port Arthur, Fort William, Kenora, Rainy River, Fort Frances, and Dryden. James voluntarily enlisted on February 29, 1916, and spent the spring training before departing Canada in early summer. Upon arriving in England in July 1916, James was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion and, shortly after

Known affectionately as “Jake” to his family and friends, James Begg was the third of eleven Métis children born to James Sr. and Jemima Begg in Kenora on April 19, 1895. James’ father, James Begg Sr., had relocated to Rat Portage–now known as Kenora–from Manitoba in 1888. He first worked as a bookkeeper for the Hudson's Bay Company at Northwest Angle before joining Murphy Brothers, a Kenora cartage business. He later turned to farming in the nearby township of Melick. In 189

Despite a considerable age difference and being one of eleven siblings, James Young maintained a close relationship with his younger brother, Lawrence, throughout his life. The strong ties of their Métis family extended beyond their home community of Kenora, as both brothers served in the Canadian military during the First World War. Before his service, James was a teamster, living in Kenora next to his extended family and his brother Lawrence through the early 1910s.  James,