Collections List | Page 8 | Canadian Letters

Jamieson, Donald Sinclair

Donald Sinclair Jamieson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in June 1924. He enlisted with the RCAF and served with the 426 Squadron. On December 16, 1943, while returning from a mission over Germany, his Lancaster crashed on return to England. Five crew members were killed immediately, one later died of injuries, and Jamieson walked away with only ten stitches (see his letter of December 1943). While returning from a mission over Germany on June 28/29 1944 his his Halifax was shot down, but all the crew bailed out successfully over France and were sheltered by French citizens of the village of Honguemare. Jamieson and another crew member were captured on July 14 and held in prison. They were taken out of the prison on the night of August 21, 1944 and executed. Their bodies were never found and they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Jamieson was twenty years old at the time. The collection currently consists of two letters and one photograph.

External links:
Flying Officer Donald Sinclair Jamieson’s service record (Serv/Reg# J19863) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Jamieson can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Higgerty, John Patrick Crawford

John Patrick Crawford Higgerty was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta in March 1891. Higgerty enlisted with the No. 10 Forestry and Railway Depot in Winnipeg in February 1918. He was discharged in July, 1918 as medically unfit. The collection currently consists of his discharge certificate.

Higgerty, Frederick Charles

Frederick Charles Higgerty was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in November 1893. Higgerty enlisted in Winnipeg in December 1915 with the 108th Battalion. While in England Higgerty took a commission in the Imperial Army in August of 1917. He then served with the London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) until he was killed November 30, 1917. Higgerty is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial. The collection currently consists of a poem, a clipping, and one photograph.

Finn, Eric Morgan

Eric Morgan Finn was born in December 1920, the son of Arthur and Hilda Finn of Toronto, He enlisted with the RCAF and served in Newfoundland as part of a Liberator crew engaged in anti-submarine activity. Finn was on his way home for leave on Liberator Harry when it crashed in Quebec on October 20, 1943, killing all twenty four on board. It remains the worst accident in Canadian military aviation history. The collection currently consists of one letter written by Finn and two photographs.

McQueen, Alexander Robertson

Alexander Robertson McQueen was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in July 1892. McQueen was a student at the time of his enlistment in May 1915 with the 2nd University Companyy CEF in Edmonton. He served overseas with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry until his death from wounds on June 4, 1916. The collection currently consists of thirteen letters and numerous photographs,

Corcoran, John Andrew

John Andrew Corcoran was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in August 1886. Corcoran enlisted in Vancouver in January 1916 with the 102nd Battalion. He served overseas, was wounded in August 1918 and was demobilized back to Canada in 1919. The collection currently consists of twenty-seven letters as well as photographs and miscellaneous items related to his servce.

Moore, William Addison

William Addison Moore was born in Derbyshire, England, in October 1895. Prior to the war William and his brother immigrated to Canada and farmed in Alberta. Moore enlisted in November 1914 in Red Deer, Alberta, with the 31st Battalion. He was with the 31st until he took a commission with the Essex Regiment in early 1916. He was killed May 5, 1916. The collection currently consists of one letter, one memorial, and three photographs.

Thomson, Walter Cunningham

Walter Cunningham Thomson was born in Hastings, Ontario, in December 1895. Thomson enlisted in February 1916 in Peterborough, Ontario, with the 93rd Battlion. He served overseas with the 21st Battalion until he was demobilized and returned to Canada at the end of the war.

The collection consists of seven letters, one newspaper clipping, two cards, and one misc. document. The letters were written to Reverend Arthur Mansell Irwin, pastor of Norwood Methodist Church, Ontario.

Gibson, Gordon Lloyd

Gordon Lloyd Gibson enlisted with the RCAF in 1942 at the age of twenty two. In 1944 he was flying with RAF 268 Squadron and flew thirty seven tactical missions between May and August 1944. Gibson returned to Canada at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of one letter which describes the D-Day invasion from the perspective of a pilot.

Birnie, Peter

Sergeant Peter Birnie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on January 15, 1908, to parents Jane and Noah Birnie.

Birnie had been active in the Militia from 1930 to 1939 with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, and then attested with them in September 1939 as part of the Canadian Active Service Forces. He was sent to England and then was part of the invasion of Sicily with the 48th Highlanders, where he was killed on July 25, 1943.

External links:
Sgt. Peter Birnie’s service record (Serv/Reg# B73375) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format from Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information can be found at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Birnie can be vistited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Gibson, Ralph Milton

Lance Corporal Ralph Milton Gibson was born in Petrolia, Ontario, September 16, 1893 to parents John and Helena Gibson. He enlisted on December 20, 1915 in Montreal, Quebec with the 5th Overseas Universities Company (McGill Co.). Gibson sailed to France on April 1, 1916 aboard the S.S Olympic, arriving in England on April 11, 1916. On June 7, 1916 he was sent to France, where he joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment). While serving with the PPCLI Gibson was killed at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917.

External links:
Lance Corporal Ralph Milton's service record (Serv/Reg# 487442) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial Information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Gibson can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
Lance Corporal Ralph Milton's Circumstances of Death Register card can be viewed/downloaded through Library and Archives Canada.

Macpherson, John Alexander Clark

John Alexander Clark Macpherson was born in Ottawa, Ontario in July, 1882. Macpherson enlisted in Ottawa, Ontario with the 38th Battalion in January, 1915 and served overseas in France and Bermuda. He was demobilized in 1919 with the rank of Major. The collection currently consists of his photograph album containing more than two hundred photographs.

Wood, William John

William John Wood was born in Ottawa, Ontario, in May 1877. He later settled in Midland, Ontario, where he enlisted in February 1916 with the 157th Battalion the Simcoe Foresters. Wood served in England and in France with the 20th Battalion until his demobilization and return to Canada in May 1919. Wood was also a noted painter and friends with the Group of Seven. The collection currently consists of twenty five letters and two postcards.

Cook, Alfred Frank

Alfred Frank Cook was born in Midland, Ontario, in August 1894. Cook was a law student who enlisted in August 1915 in Niagara, Ontario, with the 58th Battalion. He served overseas with the 58th Battalion until 1918 when he transferred to the R.A.F. as a flight cadet. He was found to be medically unfit and was discharged and returned to Canada at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of thirty eight letters.

Swinton, Hugh Alastair

Hugh Alastair Swinton enlisted in the fall of 1939 and joined the 61st Battalion Royal Canadian Artillery. The collection currently consists of more than one hundred eighty letters from 1940 to 1945, plus several photographs.

Townsend, Thomas Franklin

Thomas Franklin Townsend was born in Harrowsmith, Ontario, in February 1889. Townsend enlisted with the No. 9 Field Ambulance in Montreal, Québec, in January 1916. He served overseas with the Canadian Army Medical Corps until his return to Canada in 1919. The collection currently consists of letters, his diary, and numerous photographs.

Hogarth, John Gordon

John Gordon Hogarth was born in Stephen, Huron County, Ontario in October, 1895. Hogarth enlisted in Exeter, Ontario in September, 1915. He served overseas with the 34th Battalion and the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles until his death on October 1, 1916. Hogarth is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial. The collection currently consists of four letters, two photographs, and one card.

Lawson, Alfred

Alfred Lawson, MC, was born in South Shields, England, in December 1880. Sometime prior to the war he immigrated to Canada and enlisted in July 1915 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with the 90th Battalion (Winnipeg Rifles). Lawson served overseas with the 27th Battalion and was awarded the Military Cross in July 1917. He returned to Canada in May 1919 with demobilization. The collection currently consist of one memoir of the attack on Vimy Ridge. While undated it was written either in 1917 or 1918 given the reference to his use of a camera.

Stewart, Harold Charles Edward

Harold Charles Edward Stewart was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in August, 1920. Stewart enlisted with the RCAF and was killed in a mid-air collision while training near Dunnville, Ontario on January 17, 1944. The collection currently consists of personal correspondence, photographs, telegrams, and clippings.

External links:
Leading Aircraftman Harold Charles Edward Stewart’s service record (Serv/Reg# R210519) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Stewart can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Bridges, Jeannette Drysdale

Jeannette "Nettie" Drysdale Bridges was born in August 1889 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Drysdale served as a V.A.D. in England during 1918 and into 1919. The collection currently consists of more than thirty letters and an extensive photograph album.

Haddow, George Caldwell

George Caldwell Haddow was born in Milton, Ontario in August, 1894. Haddow enlisted in March, 1916 in Toronto, Ontario with the 4th Divisional Cyclists and served overseas with the 3rd Machine Gun Company. He was demobilized and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection currently consists of more than fifty letters.

Jones, William Pearce

William Pearce Jones was born in North Wales in September 1896. Prior to the war he immigrated with his family to Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and enlisted in Victoria, British Columbia, in September 1915 with the 67th Battalion. Jones served overseas with the 102nd and 29th Battalions until he was killed in action April 15, 1918. The collection currently consists of more than twenty letters and several photographs. He was the son of John Jones, who also served.

Hogarth, Lucien Victor

Lucien Victor Hogarth was born in April, 1898 in Stephen Township, Ontario. Hogarth enlisted in May, 1916 in Exeter, Ontario with the 161st Huron Battalion. He served overseas in France with the 47th Battalion until he was demobilized and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection currrently consists of four letters, Christmas cards, and numerous photographs

Evans, Stanley William

Stanley William Evans was born in Calgary, Alberta in April, 1923. Evans enlisted in Calgary in September, 1941 and served overseas in Britain and Europe before he was demobilized in October, 1945. The collection consists of more that forty letters and several other items.

Jones, John

John Jones was born in North Wales in February 1873. Prior to the war he immigrated to Canada and settled in Vancouver, British Columbia. Jones enlisted in Victoria, British Columbia, in May 1916 with the 11th Canadian Mounted Rifles. He served overseas with the 5th Battalion, was wounded in 1917, invalided back to Canada, and discharged as medically unfit in 1918. The collection currently consists of four letters. He was the father of William Jones (below) who was killed in 1918,

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