Family :

Education & Career :

Born at Toronto in 1892, he was educated at Upper Canada College, where he became head of the School and obtained the Governor-General’s medal. He then attended Clifton College, England, and later became a scholar at Clare College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in June, 1914

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

“He was one of my best and most able of officers. I shall always remember his gallant bearing during our first real operation on the night of August 7th last year when we were digging a trench only eighty yards from the German trenches, and how he encouraged the men by his bearing.” Extracts from letters received from his brother officers at the front read as follows :

“He was one of the most high principled and unselfish men that one could possibly meet. He always sunk his own grievances or disappointments and championed the cause of others, and there was no officer in the Battalion who took more trouble about the welfare and comfort of his men. He was absolutely without fear and never had the slightest thought for his own safety, and the hotter the action the cooler he seemed to become. His bravery was notorious and the men would follow him anywhere.

It is no secret that he earned the Military Cross more than once, and if he had been of the pushful and selfish kind he might have had the ribbon to wear. He was certainly the cleverest officer and the finest fellow in the Battalion, and nobody was more popular, in fact he was beloved by both officers and men. He was always jolly and full of fun, and there was never discomfort so great or danger so serious but he would pass a joke. He was extraordinarily conscientious ; if he thought a thing was right he did it and it did not matter what happened. He was killed gallantly leading his men against a Hun bombing attack down an advanced sap and died, as always, doing his duty.

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley