John William Boucher
John William Boucher | |
|---|---|
John William Boucher in 1927 | |
| Born | December 20, 1844 Port Maitland, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | February 27, 1939 (aged 94) Miami, Florida, United States |
| Service years | 1861–1864, 1917–1918 |
| Unit | Company U, Michigan 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Michigan Regiment and the Canadian Engineers, Sapper Canadian Army CEF |
| Conflicts | |
John William Boucher (December 20, 1844 – February 27, 1939) was a Canadian-American American Civil War veteran and one of only two Civil War veterans to fight in World War I, with the other being Peter Conover Hains.[1][2]
Early life
Boucher was born in Ontario, British Canada. When John's father died in 1850, he was sent to a boarding school near the Candian-United States border.[2][3]
Civil War
When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Boucher sneaked into Michigan and enlisted in Detroit and was mustered into Company U of the Michigan 24th Infantry Regiment in September 1864. He was transferred to the 25th Michigan Regiment and fought in the Battle of Nashville in Tennessee. Boucher was discharged on October 26, 1864, in Jackson, Michigan.[2][4][5][6]
Post Civil War
Following his service in Michigan, Boucher moved back to Canada and started a family and worked various odd jobs including as a surveyor, baggageman and freight conductor for multiple railroads, carriage factory worker in Gananoque, Ontario, a guide for the St. Lawrence River. Boucher's wife died in 1898, while visiting St. Louis, Missouri, leaving John a widow when he was 54 years old.[7]
World War I
By the time World War I broke out, Boucher was 69 and by the time Boucher began to think about enlisting, he was 72. In January 1917, Boucher passed the physical exam, stated that he was 48 years old, and became a sapper. Boucher served on the Western Front for only a few months before his true age was discovered by Red Cross personnel and he was discharged.[2][3][4][5][1]
Later years
When Boucher's story became known to the press, he was hailed across England, Canada and the United States as a hero and Boucher was personally invited to Buckingham Palace and spoke with King George V.[2] Upon his return to North America, he began to go on tour across the Eastern and Southern United States to raise American support for the war. In 1919, Syracuse, New York and joined the American Legion. In 1920, he became an official U.S. citizen and on February 27, 1939, Boucher died while visiting Miami, Florida for the winter.[2][7]
References
- ^ a b "john boucher picture". The Daily Herald. 1928-01-13. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ a b c d e f Yetto, Nick. "The 72-Year-Old Who Lied About His Age to Fight in World War I". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-12-27.
- ^ a b Stilwell, Blake (2025-03-07). "The 72-year-old Civil War veteran who lied about his age to fight World War I". We Are The Mighty. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ a b Stilwell, Blake (2023-08-09). "The Civil War Veteran Who Lied About His Age to Fight in World War I". Military.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ a b "The 72-year-old Civil War veteran who lied about his age to fight World War I". Yahoo News. 2025-03-07. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ "John William Boucher's Memorial". www.vlm.cem.va.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ a b "Obituary for Boucher". The Kingston Whig-Standard. 1898-02-05. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-12-27.