Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario.
Digital gallery of Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
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Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Royal Military College of Canada memorial window.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Royal Military College honour roll
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Royal Military College
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Captain William Vander Smissen graduated from Royal Military College in 1914 and accepted a commission as a Lieutenant in The Queen's Own Rifles. At Valcartier he was placed in No. 2 Company. He functioned as a platoon commander in A Company of the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment)and fought at St. Julien (Second Ypres). Shortly thereafter, he was put in charge of the 3rd Battalion's Machine Gun platoon and then promoted to Captain. He was given command of D company and led them at Givenchy and Festubert. From January to March 1916, he held a staff position with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He rejoined the 3rd and was given command of C company. Victor Van Der Smissen led his men in the capture of Mt Sorrel on 13 June 1916. He was killed by artillery fire at the end of the battle in a captured German dugout.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Stone Frigate 1914 Royal Military College of Canada
924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He was killed at Mount Sorrel in Flanders 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His biography, At Duty's Call Captain William Henry Victor Van der Smissen Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades.
924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He died 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades.
924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He died 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades.
924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He died 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Stone Frigate 1914 Royal Military College of Canada
924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He was killed at Mount Sorrel in Flanders 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His biography, At Duty's Call Captain William Henry Victor Van der Smissen Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He was killed at Mount Sorrel in Flanders 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His biography, At Duty's Call Captain William Henry Victor Van der Smissen Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Source: The Globe Toronto Friday October 15 1915
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Captain William Vander Smissen graduated from Royal Military College in 1914. He is listed on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada with other ex-cadets who died in service during the Great War 1914-1919. The Victor van der Smissen-Ridout Memorial Award is awarded annually, in memory of William Henry Victor van der Smissen (RMC 1914) and 2415 W.L. Ridout (RMC 1934) to the graduating ROTP/RETP cadet deemed to stand highest morally, intellectually, and physically at the Royal Military College of Canada (based on a vote by the cadets).
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Memorial arch, Royal Military College, Kingston
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Memorial stair, Royal Military College, Kingston
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Memorial window, Royal Military College, Kingston
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Photo from the National Memorial Album of Canadian Heroes c.1919. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me.
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
Inscription on the Menin Gate … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
From the Toronto Telegram June 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
From the Toronto Telegram June 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen
From the Toronto Star Weekly c.1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Image gallery
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Royal Military College of Canada memorial window.
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Royal Military College honour roll
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Royal Military College
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Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
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Captain William Vander Smissen graduated from Royal Military College in 1914 and accepted a commission as a Lieutenant in The Queen's Own Rifles. At Valcartier he was placed in No. 2 Company. He functioned as a platoon commander in A Company of the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment)and fought at St. Julien (Second Ypres). Shortly thereafter, he was put in charge of the 3rd Battalion's Machine Gun platoon and then promoted to Captain. He was given command of D company and led them at Givenchy and Festubert. From January to March 1916, he held a staff position with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He rejoined the 3rd and was given command of C company. Victor Van Der Smissen led his men in the capture of Mt Sorrel on 13 June 1916. He was killed by artillery fire at the end of the battle in a captured German dugout.
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Stone Frigate 1914 Royal Military College of Canada 924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He was killed at Mount Sorrel in Flanders 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His biography, At Duty's Call Captain William Henry Victor Van der Smissen Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force.
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Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He died 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
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Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He died 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
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Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He died 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
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Stone Frigate 1914 Royal Military College of Canada 924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He was killed at Mount Sorrel in Flanders 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His biography, At Duty's Call Captain William Henry Victor Van der Smissen Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force.
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924 Captain William Henry Victor Vander Smissen (RMC 1914) was the son of William Henry and Elizabeth Sara Van der Smissen, of Toronto, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). He was killed at Mount Sorrel in Flanders 13 Jun 1916. His name is listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. His biography, At Duty's Call Captain William Henry Victor Van der Smissen Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force.
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Source: The Globe Toronto Friday October 15 1915
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Captain William Vander Smissen graduated from Royal Military College in 1914. He is listed on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada with other ex-cadets who died in service during the Great War 1914-1919. The Victor van der Smissen-Ridout Memorial Award is awarded annually, in memory of William Henry Victor van der Smissen (RMC 1914) and 2415 W.L. Ridout (RMC 1934) to the graduating ROTP/RETP cadet deemed to stand highest morally, intellectually, and physically at the Royal Military College of Canada (based on a vote by the cadets).
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Memorial arch, Royal Military College, Kingston
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Memorial stair, Royal Military College, Kingston
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Memorial window, Royal Military College, Kingston
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Photo from the National Memorial Album of Canadian Heroes c.1919. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me.
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Inscription on the Menin Gate … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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From the Toronto Telegram June 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
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From the Toronto Telegram June 1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
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From the Toronto Star Weekly c.1916. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 176 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
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MENIN GATE (YPRES) MEMORIAL Belgium
The Menin Gate Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and erected by the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission, it consists of a Hall of Memory", 36.6 metres long by 20.1 metres wide. In the centre are broad staircases leading to the ramparts which overlook the moat, and to pillared loggias which run the whole length of the structure. On the inner walls of the Hall, on the side of the staircases and on the walls of the loggias, panels of Portland stone bear the names of the dead, inscribed by regiment and corps. Carved in stone above the central arch are the words:
TO THE ARMIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO STOOD HERE FROM 1914 TO 1918 AND TO THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE.
Over the two staircases leading from the main Hall is the inscription:
HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL IN YPRES SALIENT BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.
The dead are remembered to this day in a simple ceremony that takes place every evening at 8:00 p.m. All traffic through the gateway in either direction is halted, and two buglers (on special occasions four) move to the centre of the Hall and sound the Last Post. Two silver trumpets for use in the ceremony are a gift to the Ypres Last Post Committee by an officer of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who served with the 10th Battery, of St. Catharines, Ontario, in Ypres in April 1915."
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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