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REMEMBERING THE RCC FALLEN HEROES OF THE GREAT WAR
Men of the Rideau Aquatic club served in various capacities during the Great War. Many joined the infantry or the artillery, but others served in the medical corps and service corps, for example. The Rideaus were generally well-to-do and well-connected young men, and often already linked to the local militia. Hence many quickly obtained officer commissions.(1) Even the director of the Club, Conrad Kuhn, was also Colour-Sergeant (equivalent to a Warrant Officer) of the Ottawa Regiment. He would have taken a commission in the Expeditionary Force, were he not terminally ill at the time. To speculate on why these men joined, social expectations and patriotism would have been no small part. But we cannot discount the role of sport. These were high-performing athletes, and war was, to quote historian Brereton Greenhous, "sport writ large." (2)
In any case, With many of its top athletes enlisting to fight, the club was hit hard by the war. Twenty-five athletes signed up by summer 1915; fifty or sixty by December. By the end of the war, the number serving in Europe reached 125, of a total membership of roughly 200! Of these 125 men, seven or eight lost their lives (3). Though their names were clearly known at the time, they are now difficult to trace. I am not aware of any surviving club member lists, which would have made the search relatively simple by comparing the names to death records. Instead, I made use of newspaper clippings. If a Rideau or his family was well-connected, his death and his affiliation with the club would be recorded in a special column.
Below are the identified three Rideaus, killed and buried in France.
In any case, With many of its top athletes enlisting to fight, the club was hit hard by the war. Twenty-five athletes signed up by summer 1915; fifty or sixty by December. By the end of the war, the number serving in Europe reached 125, of a total membership of roughly 200! Of these 125 men, seven or eight lost their lives (3). Though their names were clearly known at the time, they are now difficult to trace. I am not aware of any surviving club member lists, which would have made the search relatively simple by comparing the names to death records. Instead, I made use of newspaper clippings. If a Rideau or his family was well-connected, his death and his affiliation with the club would be recorded in a special column.
Below are the identified three Rideaus, killed and buried in France.
Mansell John Morris
2nd Lieutenant: 43rd Squadron Royal Flying Corps: Killed in Action 3 May 1917)
Morris lived near Centretown on 12 Spruce Street, he studied, then worked as an optician. Believed to be a member of the Church of England. Morris was a star swimmer with the Rideaus, with whom he also paddled. He was a deft and eager athlete, a quality which carried to flying when, in October 1916 at age twenty-two, he received a commission in the 43rd Squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps. To continue from Greenhous: "from the comfortable perspective of Ottawa...war in the air must have seemed like the ultimate sport." Flying was, after all, exhilarating, but also extremely dangerous. By April 1917, Morris had been fully trained and eagerly awaited combat, which he finally got in May, 1917. Tragically, after hardly a day at the front, his plane was shot down and crashed, killing the young athlete. He is buried in Aire Communal Cemetery, in Pas de Calais, France. (4)
2nd Lieutenant: 43rd Squadron Royal Flying Corps: Killed in Action 3 May 1917)
Morris lived near Centretown on 12 Spruce Street, he studied, then worked as an optician. Believed to be a member of the Church of England. Morris was a star swimmer with the Rideaus, with whom he also paddled. He was a deft and eager athlete, a quality which carried to flying when, in October 1916 at age twenty-two, he received a commission in the 43rd Squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps. To continue from Greenhous: "from the comfortable perspective of Ottawa...war in the air must have seemed like the ultimate sport." Flying was, after all, exhilarating, but also extremely dangerous. By April 1917, Morris had been fully trained and eagerly awaited combat, which he finally got in May, 1917. Tragically, after hardly a day at the front, his plane was shot down and crashed, killing the young athlete. He is buried in Aire Communal Cemetery, in Pas de Calais, France. (4)
Thomas Campbell Low
(Gunner: 2nd Trench Mortar Battery: Killed in Action 17 August, 1918).
Low lived with his family on 23 third avenue in the Glebe, right beside the old Rideau Aquatic Club boathouse. He worked as a salesman with John M. Garland Dry Goods. He was a member of the Glebe Presbyterian Church. With the Rideaus, he was apparently "one of the best known paddlers in the city." (5) Ninteen years old and unmarried, Low enlisted in June 1917 with the 72nd Battery, which was composed primarily of students and graduates of Queen's University. He sailed for England in February 1918, and finally arrived at his new unit, the 2nd Trench Mortar Battery, in April 1918. (6) On 17 August 1918, while advancing near Caix in the Battle of Amiens, Low was caught in the blast of a German heavy shell and instantly killed. He lies in Caix British Cemetery, in the Somme department of France. (7)
(Gunner: 2nd Trench Mortar Battery: Killed in Action 17 August, 1918).
Low lived with his family on 23 third avenue in the Glebe, right beside the old Rideau Aquatic Club boathouse. He worked as a salesman with John M. Garland Dry Goods. He was a member of the Glebe Presbyterian Church. With the Rideaus, he was apparently "one of the best known paddlers in the city." (5) Ninteen years old and unmarried, Low enlisted in June 1917 with the 72nd Battery, which was composed primarily of students and graduates of Queen's University. He sailed for England in February 1918, and finally arrived at his new unit, the 2nd Trench Mortar Battery, in April 1918. (6) On 17 August 1918, while advancing near Caix in the Battle of Amiens, Low was caught in the blast of a German heavy shell and instantly killed. He lies in Caix British Cemetery, in the Somme department of France. (7)
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John Robert Crawford MacPherson
(Private: 21st Battalion Canadian Infantry: Killed in Action 11 October 1918) MacPherson lived with his parents on 96 Waverly Street in the Golden Triangle. He was well connected socially and a well-known canoeist with the Rideau Aquatic Club.(8) Thirty years old and single, MacPherson worked as a clerk. He was in the employ of the Militia Department in October 1917, when he was conscripted under the Military Service Act. Macpherson arrived in France with the 21st Battalion in August 1918, where he fought for two months in Canada's "Hundred Days" Offensive.(9) On 11 October 1918, MacPherson's battalion assaulted high ground near Avesnes-le-Sec, north-east of Cambrai. This was to be the Battalion's last major action of the war, which ended a month later. Unfortunately, Macpherson did not make it to the end. Soon after going over the top, the 21st faced withering German fire and a strong counterattack, which caused heavy casualties. After the battle, MacPherson was counted among the dead. (10) He now lies in Niagara Cemetery, in the Nord department of France. |
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This information was researched, compiled, and authored by Alexander Kuttner for the Rideau Canoe Club, in response to a 2020 social media post (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/J3CZrMZKum643reA/).
Additional Resources:
1. "Rideau Canoe Club's Loyalty," Ottawa Citizen, 11 December 1915, p. 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/455656060/
2. Brereton Greenhous, A Rattle of Pebbles: The First World War Diaries of Two Canadian Airmen (Ottawa: Directorate of History, 1987), xvi, https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/themes/defence/caf/militaryhistory/dhh/general/book-ww1-diaries-airmen-en.pdf.
3. "125 Club Members Left for Overseas," Ottawa Journal, 3 September 1918, p.15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41521095/;"Unusual Activities Around the Rideau Aquatic Club This Season," Ottawa Journal, 21 May 1919, p.15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/43777755.
4. "Lieut M. J. Morris Killed in Action," Ottawa Citizen, 9 May 1917, p. 5, https://www.newspapers.com/image/455712503/.
5. "GR T.C. Low Killed," Ottawa Journal, 2 September 1918, p.10, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41521070/.
6. Library Archives Canada (LAC), Personnel File for Thomas Campbell Low, RG150, Vol. 5764, file 31, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=540571&q=Thomas%20Campbell%20low&ecopy=469439a
7. LAC, Circumstances of Death Register for Thomas Campbell Low, RG150, Vol. 208, image 181, https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=img&app=microform&id=31829_B016751-00180.
8. "Pte. R.C. MacPherson is Killed in Action," Ottawa Journal, 23 October, p. 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41517236/.
9. LAC, Personnel File for John Robert Crawford MacPherson, RG 150, Vol. 7184, file 48, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=134954&q=4021085&ecopy=543165a.
10. LAC, Circumstances of Death Register for John Robert Crawford MacPherson, RG150, Vol. 223, image 73, https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=img&app=microform&id=31829_B016758-00072.
Additional Resources:
1. "Rideau Canoe Club's Loyalty," Ottawa Citizen, 11 December 1915, p. 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/455656060/
2. Brereton Greenhous, A Rattle of Pebbles: The First World War Diaries of Two Canadian Airmen (Ottawa: Directorate of History, 1987), xvi, https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/themes/defence/caf/militaryhistory/dhh/general/book-ww1-diaries-airmen-en.pdf.
3. "125 Club Members Left for Overseas," Ottawa Journal, 3 September 1918, p.15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41521095/;"Unusual Activities Around the Rideau Aquatic Club This Season," Ottawa Journal, 21 May 1919, p.15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/43777755.
4. "Lieut M. J. Morris Killed in Action," Ottawa Citizen, 9 May 1917, p. 5, https://www.newspapers.com/image/455712503/.
5. "GR T.C. Low Killed," Ottawa Journal, 2 September 1918, p.10, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41521070/.
6. Library Archives Canada (LAC), Personnel File for Thomas Campbell Low, RG150, Vol. 5764, file 31, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=540571&q=Thomas%20Campbell%20low&ecopy=469439a
7. LAC, Circumstances of Death Register for Thomas Campbell Low, RG150, Vol. 208, image 181, https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=img&app=microform&id=31829_B016751-00180.
8. "Pte. R.C. MacPherson is Killed in Action," Ottawa Journal, 23 October, p. 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41517236/.
9. LAC, Personnel File for John Robert Crawford MacPherson, RG 150, Vol. 7184, file 48, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=134954&q=4021085&ecopy=543165a.
10. LAC, Circumstances of Death Register for John Robert Crawford MacPherson, RG150, Vol. 223, image 73, https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=img&app=microform&id=31829_B016758-00072.