Other

needs further research

William George Barker was born in Dauphin, Manitoba on 3 November 1894. During the First World War, Barker enlisted as an infantryman, but later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (from 1 April 1918, the Royal Air Force).

A superb fighter pilot, he was responsible for the destruction of 50 enemy aircraft.

On 27 October 1918, while flying alone over the Forêt de Mormal in France on his way back to England, Major Barker engaged successive formations of German aircraft. After shooting down an enemy two-seater, he was attacked by a fighter and suffered a wound in his thigh. Barker then found himself surrounded by enemy fighters and was again severely wounded. Nevertheless, despite his wounds, he succeeded in bringing down three more German aircraft before crashing behind his own lines. For his conduct on this occasion, Major Barker was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Barker was killed in a flying accident at Rockcliffe airport, near Ottawa, on 12 March 1930. In addition to the Victoria Cross, for his wartime service Barker received the Distinguished Service Order with one bar, and the Military Cross with two bars.

The National Chapter of Canada Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire initiated War Memorial Doctoral Scholarships in 1918 to commemorate Canadians who sacrificed their lives for peace and freedom. Initially, bursaries were granted to children of men and women who lost their lives or who were permanently disabled while fighting for Canada. After the First World War ended, the National Chapter of Canada initiated a living memorial to 60,000 Canadians whose lives were sacrificed. This War Memorial, approved at the 1918 Annual Meeting in Montreal, provided bursaries for university studies in Canada.

A campaign to raise $500,000 began and by 1920 the first bursaries were awarded. Each province was assigned one award of $250 a year for four years (later increased to $300). In 1929, the War Memorial Fund of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire was enacted by special act (Bill 8) of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Both principal and interest of the Fund provided these bursaries until 1937. No awards were offered during the war years and bursaries ended in 1965. Scholarships based on academic excellence continued to be offered.

The War Memorial Post Graduate Scholarships began in 1921 for one college graduate from each province to spend one year at a British University. The value of a scholarship was $1,400 until 1930 when it was raised to $1,600. Post Graduate Scholarship used only the Fund’s income. No awards were offered during the war years and in 1946, the members established a Second War Memorial to honour the memory of forty some thousand men and women who lost their lives in defense of freedom. The Post Graduate Scholarships from the two War Memorials Funds were originally offered in specific fields of study.

Since the first scholarships were awarded in 1921, Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire War Memorial Scholars have made important contributions to Canada.

Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire was founded in 1900 by Margaret Polson Murray of Montreal who recognized a need for loyal support for Canadians departing to fight with the Empire forces in South Africa. The first chapter was formed in Fredericton, New Brunswick on January 15, 1900.

The next month in Montreal, the name Federation of the Daughters of the Empire was chosen. Primary chapters were formed across Canada, as were children’s (later called junior) chapters. In 1901, the head office moved to Toronto, the federation was incorporated as Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire and Children of the Empire Junior Branch. The name Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire was officially adopted in the ‘70’s. 

The Faculty of Forestry Second World War Plaque honours the Graduates and Undergraduates of the Faculty of Forestry who were killed in action. This plaque and framed composite photo, are part of a multi-component display in honour of the men from Forestry who died in the First and Second World Wars. Included with the display is a flag and the Faculty of Forestry First World War Plaque.

This print of Graduates and Undergraduates of the Faculty of Forestry that were killed during their service in the First World War, was given to the University of Toronto Archives by the Forestry department in 1972. The composite photo print portrays the men who are listed on the Faculty of Forestry First World War Plaque located at the University of Toronto, Department of Forestry at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design.

Ronald MacKenzie Richards was the first student of the University to fall in the war. When the war was declared he was at home in England and enlisted in the London Scottish. He took part in the first battle of Ypres and was killed a few days later. (Source: University of Toronto Roll of Service 1914-1918).

The World Wars Tablet was erected in 1963 to honour St. John's Anglican Church parishioners who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars. A long sword is in the center of the tablet.

Under the large Great War memorial hangs a raw wooden cross that originally marked the grave of Maj. Sidney Burnham in France; his family donated it to the church after a stone marker was laid on top of his final resting place in Caix British Cemetery, Somme, France. He was the son of Dr. George Herbert Burnham and Frances Sarah Burnham, of Toronto, Ontario.

A brass tablet in memory of Lance Corporal Douglas Earl Sparks, donated by his family and friends, was unveiled on April 27, 1924 on the west side of the church.

St. Paul's Anglican Church has more than 30 memorials from the First World War, including windows, chancel screens, tablets, panels and artifacts. Almost every person who was able to enlist served in the military by the time the war ended. Of the more than 500 men and dozens of female Nursing Sisters who served from St. Paul’s Church during the First World War, 76 died.

There is a memorial window for the 76 who served in the First World War and fell and for the 507 who served in the First World War and lived. The stained glass memorial windows are known as Window for the Fallen and Window for the Living. The windows were unveiled by Governor General Sir Julian Byng of Vimy on February 27, 1927 on the east wall of the nave. They were manufactured by John Hardman & Co. in Birmingham, England. The names and dates of death were printed in the order of service for the unveiling of the grand windows above the altar.

A year after unveiling the windows, Governor General Sir Julian Byng returned to St. Paul's to dedicate yet another window to the fallen. The window includes around 700 pieces of glass from 70 destroyed/damaged churches/buildings in the war zones of France, Belgium and Italy. The pieces were found among the ruins by Brig.-Gen. Charles Mitchell, who as a senior intelligence officer, was able to move around behind the lines.

In 1910, St. Paul’s became the regimental church for The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. Outside of St. Paul’s stands the Cross of Sacrifice, built after the First World War to commemorate members of Queen's Own Rifles who died in combat.

John McCrae Public School was named in honour of John McCrae B.A. M.D. Tor; M.R.C.P. & Lt Col: C.A.M.C. Pathologist, poet, physician and soldier. a man among men. In 1899 he came to McGill University as Governor's Fellow in Pathology and was lecturer in Pathology and later a Lecturer in Medicine. He served with the Artillery in the South African War and in the Great War as M. O. with the 1st B.de C.F.A. as Chief Physician to No 3 C.G.H. McGill & as Consultant in Medicine to First Army. Born at Guelph Ont. 1872. Died in service at Boulogne France 1918. He wrote In Flanders Fields in May, 1915, just after the horrendous second battle of Ypres, in which he lost a close friend.

The memorial is dedicated to two privates of Toronto's Tenth Royal Grenadiers, who died during the Northwest Rebellion. It was designed by Frank Darling and unveiled on May 16, 1887.