Elgin's Finest
Municipality/Province: St. Thomas, ON
Memorial number: 35018-040
Type: Mural
Address: 7 White Street
GPS coordinates: Lat: 42.778726 Long: -81.1932851
Photo credit: Tim Laye, Ontario War Memorials
Elgin's Finest was painted by artist Rikk Johnston and honours the many men from Elgin County's 91st Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, and the railways which were used to transport soldiers, weapons, and food during the First World War.
The mural depicts a crowd of 20,000 gathered at the Michigan Central Station seeing off 940 men of the 91st Battalion; Union Jack flag; 91st Battalion Regimental Colour; Military Medal, British War Medal, and Victory Medal; a field of poppies; Canadian Red Ensign; and four men of the Collins family that served in the war, two did not return. The artist used a family photo of the men in uniform when he hand painted them. Depicted left to right: Private Roy Robinson (stepson), Provost Corporal W.T. Collins (father), Private Frank Robinson (stepson), and Private Clarence Earl Collins (son).
The Canadian Red Ensign, Canada's flag until 1965, depicted at the far left of the mural is from after 1957. A Canadian National logo is located on the train's engine even though Canadian National Railway wasn't formed until 1919. The tracks were actually owned by the Michigan Central Railway, but the Grand Trunk Railway had access to the station and they likely took the 91st Battalion to Halifax. When painting the crowd gathered at the train station, the artist used a photo of the second troop train that left the station on 25 June 1916.
The colonel who raised the regiment, Colonel W.J. Green, had a lumber mill located in St. Thomas.
Inscription found on memorial
ELGIN'S FINEST
On Sunday, June 25 1916, a crowd of 20,000 gathered
at the Michigan Central Station to see off the 940 men of
the Elgin Regiment's 91st Battalion.
Travelling by train from St. Thomas to Halifax, they
crossed the Atlantic aboard the Olympic and landed at
Liverpool on July 5th.
The 91st saw action in some of the bloodiest battles of
World War I, and one in six died fighting for freedom.
Of the family pictured here a father, a son and two
stepsons, only two came back home.
For more info, visit the Elgin Military Museum at 30
Talbot St. Mural sponsored by the Elgin Regiment and
the Royal Canadian Legion; branch 41. Paint supplied
by Pratt & Lambert. Wall prep by Heritage Quality Painting.
A very special thanks to On Track and everybody at
White Street Decorating Centre. I personally dedicate
this mural to my late grandfather Con Luneman.
Street view
Note
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