Burlington carpenter doing reno. unravels hidden history of fallen Vimy Ridge soldier

A carpenter was curious when he discovered a name and date scribbled on a piece of wood he found while do renovations on a Burlington home, which he believes are those of a Vimy Ridge soldier. Now, the home owners also own a piece of history.

Carpenter finds name and date scribbled on piece of wood believed to by carpenter before leaving for WW1

Laura Clementson · CBC News · Posted: Nov 11, 2017 6:00 AM EST | Last Updated: November 11, 2017

Burlington carpenter Greg Johnson was curious about the name and date scribbled on a piece of wood he found while renovating a Burlington Ont. home. After doing some research, he discovered that Thomas Douglas Drever could have been that of a carpenter that enlisted in June 1915, according to military records. (Laura Clementson/CBC)

While renovating a 100-year-old home in Burlington just days before Remembrance Day, Greg Johnson found a message from the past — the scribbled signature of a young carpenter who may have been killed at the battle of Vimy Ridge.

"It looks like he was practicing writing," Johnson said, "probably his cursive signature."

The name was scrawled on the back of a board hidden under grey, cedar siding — Thomas Douglas Drever — signed into the wood along with the date: Aug 19, 1913 in Burlington Ont., Canada.

Greg Johnson was working on the outside of the Burlington house doing renovations when he found the piece of wood with the signature on it. (Laura Clementson/CBC)

Johnson was curious.

He researched and found a man named Thomas Douglas Drever, from Burlington, who fought and died, just 21-years-old, at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Drever was one of 3,598 Canadians killed at Vimy in 1917, a three-day battle at which more than 7,000 more Canadians were wounded.

A photo a Thomas Drever who enrolled with the 37th Battalion CEF. He died in action at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. (Veterans Affairs Canada)

Military records show Drever, like Johnson, was a carpenter before he enlisted in June 1915, Johnson says, less than two years after working on the Burlington home.

Even though he died at 21, he had a life, a short life, but he had a life, and he was a Burlington boy and he left his mark literally and figuratively.- Casey Pope-Lyster, homeowner

Drever was stationed in England before being sent to France. His story, and his sacrifice, mean a lot to Johnson.

"He was a carpenter, I am a carpenter and we ended up working on the same house, just in the exact same spot. I just found it very interesting," said Johnson. "Even the fact that he cut those pieces of wood that are up there and drove those nails in, I just find it cool to be part of that."

Casey Pope-Lyster and Andrew Lyster have been living in their Burlington home for the past 24 years and are currently renovating the upstairs. Pope-Lyster says the century home is on the list of heritage homes, but they've never designated it. It was completed in 1917. (Laura Clementson/CBC)

Johnson says he even grew up just down the street from the Greenwood Cemetery where Drever has been laid to rest. His name can be found there on a headstone and at the Burlington cenotaph.

An attestation paper shows that Thomas Drever was born in Hamilton in 1895. One of the questions asked on the form says, "Do you understand the nature and terms of your engagement," to which he writes, "yes." (Veterans Affairs Canada)

A piece of history

Now homeowner Casey Pope-Lyster says her home holds a piece of history.

"We don't even know this young man, but we felt proud that even though he died at 21, he had a life, a short life, but he had a life, and he was a Burlington boy and he left his mark literally and figuratively," said Pope-Lyster.

Pope-Lyster and her husband have lived in their Burlington home for 24 years and were renovating when the board was found. Pope-Lyster says the home, completed in 1917, is on the list of heritage homes, but they've never designated it.

"We've put a lot of time, energy, and money into restoring this old house and it actually felt very heartwarming to know that we didn't rip it town," said Pope-Lyster. "It's just made us feel like it has a history and that was really moving for us that it had a history and that we've tried our best to keep the old girl standing"