Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Newspaper clipping – From the Hamilton Spectator 1915. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Hamilton Spectator 1915. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Photo of Goldwin McCausland Pirie – Goldwin McCausland Pirie, c. 1914. He was born in Dundas, Ontario and attended Trinity College School in Port Hope. He was working at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in 1914 when he volunteered to join the 1st Contingent of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F.). As a member of the 1st battalion, he was in reserve with the 4th battalion when the Canadians faced the chlorine gas attack on April 22, 1915 near Ypres. The 1st and 4th battalions made a heroic counterattack at 5:25 am on the following morning towards Mauser Ridge. Casualties were high. Goldwin Pirie was wounded in the charge and was eventually evacuated for care to Netley Hospital in England. He died of his wounds on July 1, 1915. He was popular and talented - a star rugby player at Trinity College School, and also played tennis. He wrote many letters back to Canada while he was at Salisbury Plain training camp in England and some of these were published in local papers.

Memorial plaque – Goldwin Pirie's Bronze Memorial Medal. Issued to next-of-kin.

Photo of Goldwin Pirie – Goldwin Pirie at around 12 years. Photo taken in Dundas, Ontario.

Letter from King – Letter from King George expressing his condolences.

Goldwin Pirie as a child – Goldwin Pirie as a child. Left to right: Jean Booth Pirie, Russell Fraser Pirie, Elsie Gowan Pirie and Goldwin McCausland Pirie. Dundas, Ontario, circa 1896.

Royal Victoria Hospital – Netley (Royal Victoria Hospital) in Southampton, England. Goldie Pirie died here on July 1st, 1915. He was admitted on May 12th.

S.S. Laurentic – This ship took Goldie Pirie to England for his training at Salisbury Plain. The ship left Quebec City on October 3rd to sail to England as a part of the historic First Contingent.

Photo of Goldwin McCausland Pirie in uniform – This card received in Dundas Ontario during the first Christmas of the war bears the only photo of Goldwin Pirie in uniform.

Newspaper photo – Photograph of Pte. Goldwin M. Pirie published in The Dundas Star newspaper on July 8th, 1915.

Newspaper clipping – Article published in The Dundas Star newspaper on July 8th, 1915.

War Memorial – World War One memorial tablet, St. Paul's (Anglican), Bloor St. East, Toronto, Ontario. One of two memorial tablets set within a spectacular carved alabaster chancel screen. Erected in memory of the men of St. Paul's who died during the first World War and unveiled in March 1926. Each alabaster tablet incorporates mosaic work depicting kneeling angels holding a laurel wreath and a torch. Seventy-six names in total were listed by date of death. Inscribed: 'DYING AND BEHOLD WE LIVE', and 'So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.' (John Bunyan).

Inscription – World War One memorial tablet set in the chancel screen at St. Paul's (Anglican), Toronto, Ontario. The screen is in three sections, with the two outside sections displaying the tablets. The chancel screen includes statues of twelve historic figures including Admiral Earl Beatty, King George V, Earl Kitchener, Marshal Foch, Earl Haig, and Lord Byng of Vimy. The screen was the work of Messrs. J. Wippell & Co., of Exeter, England. The great chancel war memorial windows are located above. These are inscribed: 'To the Greater Glory of God and in Everlasting Remembrance of the Men of St. Paul's Parish who gave their lives in Defence of Justice, Liberty and Truth, A.D. 1914-1919.' They were unveiled in 1921 by the Governor-General of Canada, Baron Byng of Vimy. Another World War One memorial window in honour of the men named on the tablets is located on the east wall of the Nave. The panels include fragments of glass from 70 buildings in the war zones. It was unveiled by Baron Byng of Vimy in 1922. Both windows were manufactured by Robert McCausland Ltd. of Toronto.

Photo of Goldwin McCausland Pirie – In memory of the employees from the Canadian Bank Of Commerce (CIBC) who went to war and did not return. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

Photo of GOLDWIN MCCAUSLAND PIRIE – From Volume 1 of Letters From The Front produced by the Canadian Bank of Commerce.