Other

As a memorial to staff who gave their lives in the Great War, the Bank of Nova Scotia commissioned about 60 bronze tablets, between July 1920 and February 1921, to be placed on the wall of the branch where each known staff member was employed when they joined the military forces. These plaques listed the names of staff killed on the field, as well as those who died from their wounds after they returned home from the war.

This plaque honours Egerton Bancks Baines a former officer of the Bank of Nova Scotia & Spadina Branch in Toronto, Ontario, who was killed in service during the Great War.

As a memorial to staff who gave their lives in the Great War, the Bank of Nova Scotia commissioned about 60 bronze tablets, between July 1920 and February 1921, to be placed on the wall of the branch where each known staff member was employed when they joined the military forces. These plaques listed the names of staff killed on the field, as well as those who died from their wounds after they returned home from the war.

This plaque honours Egerton Bancks Baines a former officer of the Bank of Nova Scotia General Office in Toronto, Ontario, who was killed in service during the Great War.

The Shrine Peace Memorial was designed by American sculptor Charles Keck. It features a bronze figure and a white granite semi-circular bench set on a stone base. The bronze figure depicts a winged angel, the Goddess of Peace, with her arms upraised and holding two olive branches (the symbol of peace). The angel stands on a globe supported by three female sphinxes. It was unveiled on June 12, 1930, during a convention of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners). 

The sculpture commemorates over a century of peace between Canada and the United States and the location is thought to be where American troops landed during the War of 1812 for the Battle of York.

In 1931, floodlights were added to the memorial to represent the great sacrifices made by Canadians in the interest of peace. 

The garden and fountain were officially opened on August 20, 1958, and the memorial was re-dedicated to the cause of peace by Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. It was again re-dedicated on July 4, 1989, during a Shriners convention.

There is a WWII memorial plaque at Central Commerce Collegiate, Toronto. In 1892, two commercial classes taught in the basement of Harbord Collegiate Institute by R.H. Eldon. In 1902/1904 Commercial classes at Harbord, Jarvis and Parkdale Collegiates transferred to “Technical School” housed in the Toronto Athletic Club (Stewart Building). In 1911 March 16: High School of Commerce used the upper portion of King Edward School. In 1911 May 18: New school named High School of Commerce and Finance; to open Sept 1911: Principal R.H. Eldon. In 1914: School moved to Clinton Street Public School Annex. In 1916 Sept 5: (New) High School of Commerce formally opened. In 1925: Renamed Central High School of Commerce. In 1991 Sept: Name changed to Central Commerce Collegiate.

French Basilians opened St. Michael’s College School in 1852.

In 1995, the Building Fund Campaign for a major renovation of the school included funding for a full Memorial Wall listing the names of all alumni killed in the two World Wars, Korea, and peace time, in the service of Canada. The WWI; WWII; Korea; Peace Time memorial wall made of Brits Blue granite from South Africa, dedicated in June 2000. “In the image and likeness of God / (school crest between two crosses) / St. Michael’s College School / Defenders of Freedom / SMCS honours its students who gave their lives in war and peace time / World War I / (25 names) / World War II / (92 names) / Korean War / (one name) / Peace Time (one name) / Requiescant in Pace. (Ongoing research in the school archives suggests that the figures, especially for the First World War, are likely higher.)

NOTE: The school discussed whether the memorial should be inside the building or outside where it could be seen by the public. When planning for major renovations began in 1995, it was decided to place it here, on what had been the outside wall of the chapel. Above the memorial are the Stations of the Cross originally painted for the Basilian chapel on Strawberry Island, near Orillia, Ontario, by Fr Robert McKinnon, the school’s art and drama teacher in the early 1970s. Fr O’Brien died before the June 2000 dedication. Kimm Bailey, Director of Advancement, finished the project.

French Basilians opened St. Michael’s College School in 1852.

The large framed listing of all of the school’s known war dead is now in St Michael’s College School musem, Toronto. Hand-written (copper plate style). Six panels (church window shape). Panel one: (school crest) St. Michael’s / College School / Honours its students / who gave their lives / in war. Panel two: hand-drawn plain cross above “World War I.” Panels three to five: hand-drawn plain cross above “World War II.” Panel six: (Greek writing) “In place of lamentation / there is remembrance, / and pity is become praise.” 

Rock garden (“Tulip Garden”): Inscribed on small rocks: (cross) Pray / for / Our War Dead / in World War I / and / World War II. Fr O’Brien initiated creation of a special tulip garden in the school’s courtyard to commemorate the 50th anniversary (1995) of the end of World War II. This was part of a cross-Canada “Canada Remembers” project. Garden composed of a small statue of Saint Francis holding a bird in his right hand, rocks, driftwood, small evergreens and seasonal plants. Maintained by Fr Cecil Zinger, a teacher at the school. Archivist Richard McQuade continues (2013) to work on details of the military records of any former SMCS students—many of whom joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He is compiling details such as service numbers, data from government files, cross references, etc. and welcomes further information.

The Bishop Strachan School (BSS), a day and boarding school for girls, and its graduates volunteered in the Red Cross, working hard for the World War II (1939–1945) effort. Some 160 BSS Old Girls joined the women’s divisions of the three services, holding positions in such fields as intelligence, censorship, and radio operation. Some became members of the auxiliaries. Overall, BSS graduates served in Canada, the United States, England, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Algeria, and India.

1939 Sept 3: Three BSS teachers were returning from Britain aboard a civilian ship, SS Athenia. World War II was just 10 hours old when the ship became the first British casualty of a submarine attack. Dorothy Hutchings, aged 39, a popular teacher, died.

The Bishop Strachan School, a day and boarding school for girls, and its graduates were strongly involved in the World War I (1914–1918) effort, with about 40 Old Girls serving as nurses and VADs (voluntary aid detachment workers). On Sept 7 1915 Frances E. (“Frank”) Munro, the first Canadian Nursing Sister to perish in World War I, died on the island of Lemnos.

The War memorial at Bishop Strachan School, Toronto, includes a rare listing of 16 WWII services in the key below the names.

A Brass plaque at Bishop Strachan School, Toronto honours Frances E. Monro, the first Canadian nursing sister to die in the Great War.

Students and graduates volunteered in the Red Cross, working hard for the World War II (1939–1945) effort. Some 160 BSS Old Girls joined the women’s divisions of the three services, holding positions in such fields as intelligence, censorship, and radio operation. Some became members of the auxiliaries. Overall, BSS graduates served in Canada, the United States, England, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Algeria, and India.

1939 Sept 3: Three BSS teachers were returning from Britain aboard a civilian ship, SS Athenia. World War II was just 10 hours old when the ship became the first British casualty of a submarine attack. Dorothy Hutchings, aged 39, a popular teacher, died.

1939 Sept: Eighty British girls in Toronto on a cross-country tour became stranded by the outbreak of war; BSS took in 65 of them. Although many returned to England, a steady stream of other war guests arrived to replace them. The school paid for many; others were housed and supported by the school community. The war guests were allowed to wear their English uniforms. Fundraisers, such as the sale of Christmas cards designed by an Old Girl in 1941 and 1942, helped with expenses. Home after the war, the guests began a British branch of the Old Girls Association.

(WWII): Illuminated list designed by A.J. Casson. “For King and Country / Members of / The Bishop Strachan School / who have volunteered for active service / with / Canada’s fighting forces.” Four columns. Given names followed by surnames. Key: The numerals 1 to 16 note the service in which each person served. The indicating numeral is to the left of the girls’ names. Lower right hand corner: Margaret Reale scripsit—November 1993. Affixed to the bottom of the frame is a brass plaque: This roll of honour commemorates the names of BSS Old Girls who served during WWII. It was begun in 1943 and hung in the / front hall for many years. The frame is made from the wood of the original Great Hall benches “upon which they have sat on / so many occasions. After 1994 research by Jane McGILLIVRAY ‘35 & / Margaret FOULDS Coburn ‘38, the plaque was rededicated / with a more complete list of names and calligraphy done by Past Parent Margaret Reale.

All women on this memorial appear under their “school” or maiden names (which by BSS tradition are written in upper case). We have made one exception in our indexing. Kathleen Gilmour appears on the memorial as Kathleen Ritchie, her school or maiden name. She is the only Old Girl known to have served under her married name. We have therefore indexed her as Kathleen Ritchie Gilmour. Mrs. Gilmour was Lady Superintendent-in-Chief (1943-1946) for St. John Ambulance, Canada. She recruited VADs (Voluntary Aid Detachment field nurses) from across Canada, set up the brigade’s headquarters in London, England, and was active in the organization all of her adult life. Anyone researching her, or St. John Ambulance, would look under her married name, Gilmour.

The Newman Club University of Toronto Second World War Service Roll hangs in St. John Henry Newman Catholic Church (formerly St. Thomas Aquinas Church) or Newman Chapel. Newman Centres were established in many countries to provide pastoral care to Roman Catholic students attending secular universities. 

Designed by A.J. Casson, the illuminated list has no key and is not dated. The calligrapher did not indicate which people died, but we know after the fact that at least nine of these people died in the Second World War (six in Canadian Forces and three in American Forces). The order of the names can not be discerned. 

Oakwood Collegiate Institute (OCI)’s dead of the two World Wars are honoured in one large memorial.

World War One Memorial Plaque (1914-1918):

Of the 142 students and former students who enlisted in the Great War, 108 returned. Isabel Sutherland, one of five teachers who served, was stationed with an American hospital unit in France, which was bombed with poison gas. Miss Sutherland died shortly after returning to Toronto. (Captain) A. W. Dunkley, fought at Vimy Ridge, and was wounded at Passchendaele. The Dunkley Scholarship is still awarded annually.

The three bronze memorials to those who died in both World Wars are on the ground floor. The single WWI plaque is inset in the centre of the display. The two WWII plaques are on either side of the WWI plaque.

“In Flanders Fields;” left side: Vimy Ridge memorial—photo and description; right side: Juno Beach Centre—photo and description.

On the second floor, two A. J. Casson list the names of all former Oakwood staff and students who served in World War II.

Other materials, such as the photo displays of WWII students who died, are in the school’s library/archives.

(WWI): Printed list: Honour Roll of OCI / students who died in / the war. Display case: 3” x 5” card in school museum. Rank followed by given names and surname.

(WWI): Bronze plaque: Oakwood crest with dates 1914—1918. In honour of the brave sons of / Oakwood Collegiate Institute who fell in the Great War. Three columns. Given names followed by surname.

(WWII): Bronze plaque: In grateful remembrance / of / Oakwood’s sons / who gave / their lives in World War II / 1939—1945. Two columns; one name at the bottom is displayed in the middle of the two columns. Given names followed by surname: Agnew to Jenkinson At the bottom: Freedom endures through sacrifice.

(WWII): Bronze plaque: In grateful remembrance / of / Oakwood’s sons / who gave / their lives in World War II / 1939—1945. Two columns. Given names followed by surname: Kee to Winter. At the bottom: Freedom endures through sacrifice.

(WWII): Illuminated list designed by A.J. Casson. “For King and Country / Members of / Oakwood Collegiate Institute / who have volunteered for active service / with / Canada’s fighting forces” Eights columns. Surnames followed by given names or initials. Below the main body of the memorial are five columns with six names each. Column i is headed “Girls.” (Armbrust, Edith to Walters, D.) A list headed “Boys” starts below the girls’ names. Includes notations re: medals, etc. Key: red cross indicates: died on active service; red circle indicates: prisoner of war; red asterisk indicates: missing. List does not specify which war, but the presence of women’s names, and the use of an A.J. Casson document, indicate World War II.

(WWII): Illuminated list designed by A.J. Casson. “For King and Country / Members of / Oakwood Collegiate Institute / who have volunteered for active service / with / Canada’s fighting forces” Eights columns. Surnames followed by given names or initials. Column i is headed “Staff.” A list headed “Students” starts below the staff names. Includes notations re: medals, etc. Key: red cross indicates: died on active service; red circle indicates: prisoner of war; red asterisk indicates: missing. List does not specify which war, but the presence of women’s names, and the use of an A.J. Casson document, indicate World War II.

(WWII): framed collection of 52 individual black and white photos. Five rows. First names followed by surname (Ross Agnew to Bruce N. Jenkins). No heading. No key. War not named, but uniforms indicate World War II.

(WWII): framed collection of 53 individual black and white photos. Five rows. First names followed by surname (David Jenkinson to William Willison). No heading. No key. War not named, but uniforms indicate World War II.