Hall ofRemembrance

The Hall of Remembrance has been created to memorialize and remember those U of T student-soldiers who fought and died in the World Wars. All of the information displayed on this page has been compiled using the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and from the records graciously provided to us by the Soldiers’ Tower Committee. The information is accurate to the best of our ability. We hope to continue revising and contributing to this record, which currently consists of over 1000 student-soldiers who lost their lives in the World Wars. If you have photographs, contributions, or revisions, please email us at info@uths.org

In compiling the Hall of Remembrance, we were struck by the harsh reality of war and its inherent arbitrariness. The WW1 record for U of T student-soldiers was compiled by The Varsity, U of T’s student newspaper, during the era of the Great War. Its mere existence points to the respect and sense of sacrifice granted these young men (and a few women). Each student-soldier is memorialized with a photograph, a biography of their time at U of T, and details of their service, including cause of death. We were surprised to discover that there was no comparable book created for the WW2 soldiers during or shortly after the war. In fact, a memorial book was not created for the WW2 soldiers until the 2000s, and though it is a valuable resource, it lacks photographs and biographies and is limited to the student-soldier’s college and military details. In our opinion, this is reflective of the difference in attitudes that accompanied each war; reverence and even excitement during WW1, and exhaustion during WW2. Even without examining the content of these resources, their creation – or delay in creation, in the case of the WW2 Memorial Book – reflects important historical nuances.

Furthermore, we found that even in the WW1 Roll of Honour, the repetitive nature of the descriptions of cause of death for each student-soldier are reflective of the numbness with which individuals during the era developed towards the terrible loss of life during the war. Indeed, we found it both disturbing and numbing to read of each soldier’s cause of death, ranging from “killed by machine gun” to “killed by shell” to “killed in accident.” Notably, this detail is omitted from the WW2 Memorial Book.

The Hall of Remembrance is a project primarily focused on empathy: by memorializing each student-soldier – over 1000 of them – we are working to humanize the cost of war. When one understands how great the loss of a student-soldier like Melvin Oliver is, one is better able to comprehend the overwhelming loss of thousands of Melvin Oliver’s, and thereby to better comprehend the reality of war. We hope that our online format will make the stories of these soldiers more accessible to all, and ensure that they are not forgotten.

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Adam Chalmers

In July 1916 he was appointed to the C.A.M.C., and after a short period at Camp Borden went to the St. Lucia, B.W.J., as Medical Officer to the Canadian garrison there. He died suddenly from heart fa…

Alan Maclean
Albert Cuzner

In 1916 he joined the R. Naval Air Service and served in the 8th Squadron. On April 29th, 1917, he was reported as missing when flying over the lines at Vimy Ridge, his machine being seen to fall in …

Albert Jourdan
Albert Bright

In March 1915 he enlisted in the 25th Battery, C.F.A., and reached France in January 1916. He served first on the Ploegsteert-Kemmel front and in the Salient. Having been promoted through all the ran…

Alexander Dunbar
Alexander Baird
Alexander Simpson
Alexander Macdonald
Alfred Bastedo

Bastedo enlisted with the First Contingent in Milton alongside thirty-three other men during the summer after his third year. He was appointed Captain to the 4th Battalion and went overseas in autumn…

Alfred Hyder

In January 1917, he enlisted in the University Overseas Training Company and went overseas in October. After training in ENgland with the Arists Rifles, he received his commission in the 15th Corps C…

Alfred Lawton
Alfred Henry
Alfred Taylor
Alister Mackenzie
Allen Cleghorn

In December 1915 he was appointed to the C.A.M.C. and went overseas. Shortly afterwards, when he was attached to the 44th Battalion and awaiting orders to go to France, he died from pneumonia at Bram…

Allman Froom

Son of Ambrose C. and Annie Froom. Allman joined the Royal Flying Corps in January 1918 and trained at Leaside and Beamsville. Allman was killed in an accident during a solo flight. Allman’s father w…

Ambrose Goodman
Andrew Archibald

Andrew was the son of Andrew and Margaret S. Archibald. He was a teacher in Hullett and McKillop Tps. and also taught at Zurich and Dufferin Public School in Toronto. In April 1915, he enlisted in th…

Andrew Campbell

On the outbreak of the war he left Winnipeg with a contingent of the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry and came to Ottawa to arrange for an appointment in the Engineers. A few days later he was drow…

Andrew Ross
Andrew Gordon
Andrew Horton

In November 1915, he was appointed to the 91st Battalion, and went overseas in the spring of 1916. He was in charge of Physical Training and Bayonet Fighting for the 35th and 4th Reserve Battalions i…

Angus McIntosh

He enlisted in October 1915 in the 46th, Queen s Battery, C.F.A., and went overseas in February 1916. He went to France in July, and served in the 9th Brigade at the Somme, Vimy and Lens. He was inst…

Archibald Macdonald

Son of Dr. Albert A. Macdonald; b. Toronto; ed. Upper Canada College; University College 1906-09; Alpha Delta Phi; Swimming colours; loth Regt., Lieut. In November 1914 he was appointed to the 19th…

Archibald Fergusson

Son of Dr. John Fergusson. Archibald enlisted in November 1917 and joined the 31st Battalion in July 1918. He served on the Arras-Neuville-Vitasse front in France and was killed instantly by a sniper…

Armine Norris
Arnold Thurston

At the end of 1914 he joined the Headquarters (Intelligence and Signalling) of the 4th Brigade, C.F.A., and went overseas in May 1915. Reaching France with the Second Division in September he served …

Arnold Grisdale
Arthur Youell

Youell enlisted in the 67th, University of Toronto, Battery, CFA, in September 1916. In October 1917, he went overseas and was promoted to Sergeant in England. He reverted, however, to go to France i…

Arthur Dissette
Arthur Tanner
Arthur Chesnut
Arthur Creighton
Arthur Muir
Arthur Cavill

In January 1916 he enlisted in the 139th Battalion at Cobourg, and was promoted Sergeant in Aril. He went overseas in September, and was transferred to the 36th Battalion. From it he joined the 1st B…

Arthur Knight

Not available.

Arthur Parker
Arthur Anderson
Arthur McLaughlin

University of Toronto History Society