he was 15 years old when he joined the 146th battalion of the canadian expeditionary force in sydenham (near kingston), ontario. a few months later, he arrived in england. he was transferred to reserve battalions and ended up with the boys battalion in 1917, waiting until he turned 18 to go to the front lines. the war ended first. mr. babcock would later move to the united states, where he served in the united states army from 1921 to 1924. mr. babcock married dorothy after losing his first wife, elsie, in the late 1970s.