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Hairy Hill World War I Hero Chester McGowan’s Legacy Preserved
Hairy Hill World War I Hero Chester McGowan’s Legacy Preserved
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
Chester McGowan secured his place in military history more than 100 years ago, but it wasn’t until recently that his uniform, medals, photos and detailed information of his service were given a permanent home with the regiment he served.
Granddaughter Karen Campbell explained that, “Chester served overseas in WWI and returned home to farm near Hairy Hill, later moving to Vegreville. His WWI uniform was donated to the Vegreville Legion and four years ago the family re-donated it to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment museum.”
On March 5, seventeen of Chester’s grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren were on hand at the Loyal Edmonton Regiment as they unveiled the display case with the uniform in the main Griesbach gallery at the museum.
The display included the following information:
Sergeant Chester O. McGowan MM
49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment) C.E.F.
“A veteran of the Somme and Vimy Ridge, Chester O. McGowan earned the Military Medal for his leadership and bravery at the Battle of Amiens in August 1918. Weeks later, he was shot in the head by a German machine gunner during a major attack. While wounded, he witnessed a German soldier bayoneting other wounded men. Bleeding heavily from his scalp, McGowan was mistaken for dead and spared.
He survived the war and returned to farm in Hairy Hill, Alberta.”
As Karen pointed out, “The amazing thing is if that German soldier would have bayonetted him after being shot in the head and left for dead in the field, none of us would be here now.”
Karen said Chester and his wife Pearl were postmasters at Hairy Hill and that she and her family got to spend lots of time there with them as well. “They moved to Vegreville and spent their remaining days in a small house across from Chico’s drive in.”
Chester returned home from France in 1919. Chester and Pearl were married in 1921 and went on to have 5 children; Thelma Westrom (husband Lawton owned Lawton’s Electric, Vegreville); Carey McGowan, Marion Hart (McGowan), Norman McGowan and Myrtle Campbell (McGowan).
Loyal Edmonton Regiment historian Joe MacDonald provided the family a presentation and tour of the museum following the officially unveiling ceremony.
Karen said that hearing about where her grandfather fought in France, which battles and the incredible odds of making it back safely to Canada as well as the action he took to be awarded the military medal was very impactful.
“The unveiling of his WWI uniform and this presentation made us all feel a little closer to him or uncovered who he was for those attending who did not know him. Pride in our rural roots in Alberta and pride for our family’s part in Alberta’s military history.”
MacDonald shared a small reflection of his perspective of McGowan’s impact. He stated that, “Chester O. McGowan MM's story, legacy and bravery continues to inspire countless people not only in Edmonton, but across Alberta.
A member of the 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment) in the Great War, he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in battle. An honour few soldiers received. Perhaps most remarkable is his harrowing experience during the final major engagement of the war at Cambrai, in Northern France. Wounded in action, McGowan was left behind as German forces temporarily regained control of the battlefield.
According to his granddaughter, Karen Campbell, McGowan witnessed a German soldier systematically executing wounded Allied troops with a bayonet. As the enemy soldier approached, McGowan’s injuries appeared so grave that he was mistaken for dead—his life inadvertently spared. That moment of mistaken mercy not only preserved McGowan’s life, but also made possible the lives of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—many of whom have since carried forward the torch of remembrance with dedication and distinction.
In 2023, members of the McGowan family took part in the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association’s battlefield tour of North-West Europe, walking in the footsteps of their ancestor. Their presence, along with the powerful anecdotes of McGowan’s service, brought a deeply human dimension to the tour, helping participants connect more intimately with the lived experience of the soldiers.
Images and reflections from the journey, alongside McGowan’s story, have since been featured in the official Fortyniner magazine, where they now inspire an even broader audience within the Loyal Edmonton Regiment family. Moreover, his legacy is now permanently enshrined in the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum, where his story will be preserved and passed on to future generations of soldiers and citizens alike.”
