Canadian FPs & the Great War

Expeditionary Force (CEF) and 21 fatalities were recorded. This loss represented about 8.6 percent of all FPs killed and noticeably diminished the population of FPs living in Canada who numbered in the low hundreds at the outbreak of hostilities. Moreover, when viewed from the perspective that a number of FPs who survived the conflict did not return to Canada (possibly as many as 14) and that the FP migration momentum of pre-War days was severely blunted (perhaps 100 FPs came to Canada in the period 1914-45), the cumulative impact of war upon a young Canada from this one Scottish school was notable.

Robert Combe was of that cohort of FPs who, motivated by opportunity and adventure, came to Canada in considerable numbers in the quarter-century prior to WWI. Combe’s first step upon leaving the School was not dissimilar to that of other FPs who chose to gain experience through local apprenticeships or similar means prior to their emigration. A number were apprenticed to local engineering firms, for example Robert first attended Ferryhill School and then the Grammar, and was subsequently apprenticed to be a chemist with William E. Hay in Aberdeen and received further training in his chosen profession in London. In 1906 (some sources say 1907) he moved to Canada and found employment in a drug store in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, and later set up his own business in Melville. He married Jean Traquair Donald of Scottish descent in August 1909 and enlisted at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, with the CEF on 1 April, 1915. Thereafter he was in Britain and France with various Canadian units until his death between Acheville and Fresnoy near Vimy Ridge.

Just as Combe found opportunity to pursue a career as a chemist on the prairies, so were other FPs attracted (or recruited) to careers throughout Canada with such as the Canadian Bank of Commerce, Canadian Pacific Railway and Hudson’s Bay Company, or through personal endeavour in urban business, farming or fruit growing, mining and medicine. Cross-country railway tours by visiting FPs such as William McCombie Alexander (1887-96) in 1912 and Canadian FPs’ correspondence with the Editor of the Magazine brought evidence of FP omnipresence from Halifax to Victoria, and stretching northwards to include those who were participating in the fur trade.

I have been gathering information on FPs in Canada and my interest, in part, has been drawn to those who served with British regiments and who are unaccounted for in statistics about Canadian FPs. While conceding that my data are incomplete what has been assembled to date broadens our appreciation of the overall contribution by Canadian FPs. Also to be noted is that the vast majority re-crossed the Atlantic to the European theatre of war; very few served in Canada alone. Some instances follow of those who served with British units. Robert Smith Asher (1898-1903) first worked as an engineer with William Jackson of Aberdeen and then moved to Weyburn, Saskatchewan, as Assistant City Engineer. He returned to Britain and served there and in France for five years with the Royal Engineers. Asher subsequently worked with the City of Edinburgh 38

Former Pupils’ Section and the City of York. He did not return to Canada. Of the three Gray brothers who went to Canada, one, Eric (1897-1900), enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery. His brothers David (1895-98) and William (1895-99) served with the Canadians –the Canadian Mounted Rifles and Canadian Infantry respectively. Both David and William were killed. Leonard Smith (1890-1902) joined the Royal Engineers, survived the war and returned to Canada. Stuart Robertson (1895-1904), after employment with the North-West Mounted Police and Dominion Lands Branch, joined the Fort Garry Horse, CEF, then the Gordon Highlanders and afterwards the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, winning the Croix de Guerre. He returned to Canada.

Through recourse to dates of departure from the School and other sources (especially Watt’s Roll and the School Magazine) the record suggests that almost 330 FPs went to Canada during the period 1880-1913, a number far exceeding the less than 70 FPs known to have gone there during the prior period extending back to the 1790s. Of the population of 1880-1913 migrants about one third joined Canadian and British units, all but a handful being men who left School in the quarter-century before the War; that is, from 1890 onwards. This means that the number of Canadian FPs in total who served slightly exceeded 100. There are known to have been four Canadian fatalities among British units, bringing the total of known Canadian war dead to at least 25. The former were Douglas Jamieson (1895-1903), an architect from Vancouver who obtained a commission in the Royal Engineers; John Rattray (1903-05), in business in Montreal, who joined the Gordon Highlanders and was killed by a shell while laying cable near Ypres; Thomas Keith (1903-04) in service with the Canadian Bank of Commerce who served with the Black Watch, Lovat’s Scouts and Cameron Highlanders; and Alexander Robertson (1893), a solicitor in Winnipeg who joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

In 1917 Jean Combe was presented with her late husband’s Victoria Cross, posthumously awarded for “conspicuous bravery and example.” In 1963, Mrs Combe donated the medal to the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan in Regina. Perhaps little known too, is that Jean followed her husband to Britain in 1915, working in a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in England and at Edinburgh War Hospital. A relative, Ian Macdonald, has suggested that she may also have spent time at Aboyne Castle Hospital. If such occurred one wonders whether Robert Combe’s wish of 2nd January 1915, printed in the Magazine, for Jean to see “the old School” of which he was so proud was fulfilled. Doubtless many an FP at that time of conflict, upon his impending return to Britain from experiences to date in Canada, likewise held this same wish.

Participation by Canada in WWI, notably at Vimy, is widely acknowledged as the country’s “coming of age.” We cannot forget that Canadian FPs within their limited number contributed mightily to that endeavour. Together with their FP forebears from a century and more before, Canadian FPs by the end of the war

had become part and parcel of the Canadian story, their efforts, sacrifices and accomplishments indelibly etched into the fabric of this vast country.

Robert C. Scace

(1954-60)

The Paton Bequest

The Magazine of December 1957 recorded the death of Herbert William James Paton (1896-99) together with the intimation of what was then described as a valuable bequest for the benefit of the School. Mr Paton entered the service of the old North of Scotland Bank in Aberdeen until 1908 when he left to form the travel agency Paton’s Travel & Shipping Offices in the city. He directed this business for eleven years before moving to London to join Walter Hepworth & Co., Yeast Merchants. He was managing director of this company at the time of his death on 10 July 1957 at the age of 74.

Intimation was made soon thereafter that, subject to certain liferent interests, one eighth part of the residue of his estate was to go to the F.P. Club for the provision of scholarships and/or prizes for the School for the promotion and encouragement of the study of the English language, Mathematics and Science. At the time his estate was valued at over £30,000 so the bequest was reckoned, in the very different financial circumstances of over sixty years ago, to be very valuable.

Intimation was received in May of last year that the liferentrix had now died and the capital of the Trust Fund could be paid over to the F.P. Club for the benefit of the School. The sum involved is £1,695.67.

The School and its finances are very different now in contrast to the time of the making of Mr Paton’s Will, scholarships as envisaged in 1957 being outdated. Discussions are taking place with the School on the most appropriate way for this long delayed gift to be utilised.

Former Pupils’ Club Founded 11 September 1893 40

Former Pupils’ Section Club Office-Bearers, 2021-2022

Honorary President:

ALISON MURISON MA (Head Teacher)

Honorary Vice-Presidents:

BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46), TD, MA, LL.B (President, 1983-84) Prof. PHILIP N. LOVE (1952-58), CBE, DL, MA, LL.B, LL.D (President, 1987-88) A. KEITH CAMPBELL (1944-53), TEng (CEI), FInst AEA (President, 1992-93) DOUGLAS G. FOWLIE (1950-64) MB,ChB, FRCPsych. (President, 2002-03)) IAN H. McLEOD (1951-55) (President, 2004-05) GORDON G. MILNE (1950-61) MB.ChB (President, 2005-06) DAVID L. ALLAN (1945-58) QPM, LL.B, MPhil, FCMI (President 2006-07) GARY J.G. ALLAN (1963-76) QC, LL.B (President 2007-08) JAMES M. CLARK (1947-59) (President 2008-09) NEIL BORTHWICK (1952-65) BSc, PhD (President 2009-10) DONALD A. LAMONT (1952-65) MA (President 2010-11) TRACEY J.H. MENZIES (1981-87) MBE, DCH, LL.B (President 2011-12) NIGEL G.M. WATT (1963-69) LL.B, WS (President 2012-13) J. MARTIN JEFFREY (1942-57) BSc (President 2013-14) MARGERY G. TAYLOR (1975-81) (President 2014-15) DOUGLAS R. HARPER (1944-58) MB,ChB, MD, FRCSE, FRCS (President 2016-17) GILLIAN A. THOMAS (1975-80) (President 2017-19) IAIN S. HOPKIN (1962-68) MA, FCCA (President 2019-20)

(Specially Elected)

J. PETER JEFFREY (1944-59) MSc (Eng) (Elected 2010) H. ALAN S. HAMILTON (1943-56) (Elected 2012) GRAHAM LEGGE BEd, MEd, (Rector 2004-15) (Elected 2016)

President: STUART W. CUMMINGS (1965-69)

President-Elect: KENNETH McHARDY (1964-73)

Vice-President of Club and Chairman of Executive: ALAN G. CAMPBELL (1959-65) CBE, LL.D, LL.B,

Interim Secretary: IAIN S. HOPKIN (1962-68) MA, FCCA

Treasurer: JOHN C.A. MICHIE (1944-58)

General & Notes Editor of Magazine: BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46) TD, MA, LL.B

Regional Centres

Edinburgh: President –NIGEL G.M. WATT (1963-69) Acting Secretary – NIGEL G.M. WATT (1963-69) ngmwatt77@gmail.com Glasgow: President – MALCOLM GAULD (1947-61) Secretary – MARGERY TAYLOR (1975-81) marg7ery@ntlworld.com London: President – SANDY NICOL (1962-71) Secretary – GRAHAM THOMSON (1979-83) grahamsally501@btinternet.com Yorkshire: President – Secretary – DAVID GALLOWAY (1976-82) davegalloway1964@hotmail.com Canada: President – ROBERT C. SCACE (1954-60) Secretary – MICHAEL G. KING (1951-60) michaelking806@comcast.net

Secretaries of Sections

Cricket – RICHARD S.T. FERRO theferrofamily@lineone.net

Curling – NORMAN PATERSON (1947-61)

nwp21tp@outlook.com Football – MALCOLM ROBERTSON grammarfps@gmail.com Men’s Hockey – DUNCAN HARRIS (1985-91) dharris@technip.com Women’s Hockey – EMMA MAIR (1985-91) emma.mair@gmail.com Pétanque –

Executive Committee

ALAN G. CAMPBELL (1959-65) Chairman Vice-Chairman

The Secretary, the Treasurer and the General Editor of the Magazine, ex officiis The Rector of the School, ex officio RICHARD L.C. DARGIE (1964-73) RUSSELL GRAY (1951-65) GRANT A. HAMILTON (1988-94) J. MARTIN JEFFREY (1942-57) EMMA A. MAIR (1985-91) JOHN C.A. MICHIE (1944-58) GEOFFREY E. MORRISON (1992-98) HARVEY E. MORRISON (1951-65) BARRY J. SHEPHERD (1988-94) DAVID R.D. WALLIS (1979-85)

Section Representatives

Cricket – SAM KNUDSON (2004-10) Curling – COLIN R. SUTHERLAND (1947-60) Football – Golf – DALLAS G. MOIR (1969-75) Men’s Hockey – JAMES P. WILLIAMS (1986-92) Pétanque –Women’s Hockey – EMMA MAIR (1985-91) Staff – JANET C. ADAMS (1980-86)

Auditors

Messrs. BOWER & SMITH, C.A.