Captain William Samuel Stephenson

The man called "Intrepid". World War II spymaster, he has been said by some to have been the single most important man in the war to defeat Hitler's Third Reich. Stephenson enlisted in the Canadian Engineers in 1916 where he served as a Sergeant. He was wounded in a gas attack. In 1917 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and shot down 12 German planes before being shot down himself and captured by the Germans. During WWII he was made head of British Security Coordination, headquartered in New York. He was knighted and received the Presidential Medal for Merit from the United States for his counter-intelligence work during the war.

NOTE: LAC CEF personnel file has no record that WS Stephenson served in France or Belgium; no record of any wounds or injuries while on active service with CEF. He stated before CEF Pensions and Claims Board: "No" to service in France or Belgium and "No" to service in the trenches. He was discharged from the CEF to the RFC, commisioned and served in France with 73 Squadron. See also William Thomas Stephenson 701143.
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Sergeant William Samuel Stephenson
Regimental Number: 700758
Force: Army
Regiment: Canadian Engineers
Unit: Canadian Engineer Training Depot
Company: Signals Company
Date From: July 16, 1916
Date To: August 15, 1917
Default Rank: N
Notes: On arrival at Shorncliffe with the 101st Bn, he was assigned to CETD for training, and to 17th Reserve Battalion for "rations, quarters and discipline". He remained a corporal, and was not voluntarily reduced in rank, as usually happened on transfer between battalions. He was assigned on temporary duty to GHQ, London on occasion. After the first assignment ended, on September 01, 1916, he was promoted to Sergeant, "with pay as clerk". He did not receive sergeant's pay until March 10, 1917. His "Statement of Pay Account" on discharge shows his rank as 'private'; while his "Proceedings on Discharge" show it as 'sergeant'. He was discharged from the CEF on August 15, 1917 at 2CDD, London, "having been appointed to a Commission in the Imperial Army". Stephenson stated before the Pensions and Claims Board that he had no service in France or Belgium or "in the trenches", and no injuries due to active service.
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