Stained glass windows from the hallways of Yeo Hall.
Photos by Dan Fleming
E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003) has been researching the stained glass windows at the Royal Military College
We remember
4954 Flight Officer Peter Gordon Robson (RRMC RMC 1960) was born on September 26, 1938 in Belleville, Ontario. He was the son of Milton and Vera (nee Lloyd) Robson of Belleville, Ontario. He enlisted on September 6, 1956 in Victoria, British Columbia. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in May 1960.
He was the husband of Margaret Suzanne Carolyn (nee Anderson) Robson of Victoria, British Columbia. He was a Flight Officer serving with the No. 2 Advanced Flying School. He died on active duty in Sep 19, 1960 at 21 years of age in Baldur, Manitoba, Canada. He was buried in Belleville Cemetery Plot C, Con 219, Section 8, Lot 19. He is commemorated on Page 148 of the ‘In the Service of Canada’ Book of Remembrance.
In Yeo Hall, a stained glass memorial window depicting Jesus, a male officer cadet in a scarlet uniform and the Mackenzie building was installed in loving memory of 4954 Flight Officer Peter Gordon Robson (RMC 1960).
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E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003) has been researching the stained glass windows at the Royal Military College.
In Yeo Hall, a stained glass memorial window depicting a young male Naval Officer, flight officer, and Armour officer was presented by the class entering in 1933 in memory of their gallant fallen classmates.
The J. Douglas Young Sword of Excellence was donated by the Class of 1933 in memory of their Classmate #2360 John Douglas Young (RMC 1933), who was killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944.
The Class of 1933 also refurbished the Leinster Shield, which is awarded to the ROTP/RETP squadron amassing the most points in the Commandant’s Competition.
Notable members of the Class of 1933 include:
- * 2364 Air Commodore Leonard Birchall O.B.E., D.F.C., CD, ADC (RMC 1933), was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) officer who warned of a Japanese attack on the island of Ceylon during World War II. After the war, he served as the Commandant of RMC 1963-7.
- * 2420 Air Marshall Frederick Sharpe CMM, DFC, CD (RMC 1933), RCAF; who served as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff from 1967 (as Lieutenant-General)
- * 2120 Major General James Desmond Blaise Smith, C.B.E., D.S.O., C.D. c. St. J. ADC (RMC 1933) who was GOC of the 4th and 5th armoured brigades and 1st infantry brigade during World War II. After the war, he served as Commandant of RMC from 1945-6.
- * Brigadier George James Harrison Watford (RMC 1933), who served with Lord Strathcona Horse.
- * 2357 Brigadier-General Denis W. Whitaker D.S.O. (RMC 1933), was an all-star quarterback for the Tigers before WWII; the army’s youngest brigadier-general, and a successful business executive.
Stained glass windows from the Protestant and Catholic chapels in Yeo Hall (Protestant Chapel windows, followed by the Catholic Chapel windows).
Photos by: Dan Fleming
E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003) has been researching the stained glass windows at the Royal Military College.
There is a stained glass window in the Catholic Chapel in Yeo Hall, on the third floor of the Royal Military College of Canada which was presented by H6888 Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Fraser Gelley, M.A., LL.D, who was a member of the faculty from 1919-1963.
He earned a B.A. from the University of Manitoba in 1915. He served in the 28th Battalion in France and Germany in World War I. He was an instructor in English and history at RMC in 1919. He was the co-founder, business manager, and sports editor, R.M.C. Review, 1914-42. The R.M.C. Review was a biannual college yearbook that published articles of military interest and stories about the history of RMC and its graduates.
T.F. Gelley was the coach of the college hockey team for many years. He became a member of the directing staff, for the senior officers and company commander’s courses at RMC in 1941. The lyrics to the RMC March, `Precision` by Professor T.F. Gelley were published in the R.M.C. Review in 1941. He was GS01 to organize the Canadian civil affairs staff course, 1943. He served at CMHQ in London in 1944. He was registrar and librarian, Khaki University in 1945. Khaki University was a Canadian educational institution set up and managed by the general staff of the Canadian Army in Britain 1917-19 during World War I and again 1945-46 in World War II. He was the librarian, NDC at RMC in 1946.
He became the first Registrar at RMC from 1946 until he retired in 1963. He was secretary-treasurer of the RMC Club from 1957 until his death in 68. He was instrumental in putting the proposal for a history of the RMC Club to mark the centennial anniversary of Canada’s Confederation in 1969. He read Richard Preston’s manuscript `Canada’s RMC: A History of the Royal Military College` and collected material for the illustrations and appendixes.
SPECIAL THANKS:
3572 MGen (ret’d) Frank Norman (RRMC RMC 1956), and Victoria Edwards suggested that a profile of the stained glass memorial windows in RMC Chapel would make interesting profile(s) in e-veritas.
Victoria spoke to Padre Patrick Lublink and along with Mihaela Stauceanu, Padre EA provided the inscriptions for each stained window.
Over the next few weeks we plan to run similar articles on stained glass windows located in various buildings at the college.
UPDATE…
Robert McCausland Limited: Artists and Craftsmen of Stained Galss since 1856 created a number of stained glass windows at the Royal Military College of Canada. Founded in 1856 by Joseph McCausland, an Irish immigrant, the firm has survived five generations. Andrew McCausland, has captained Robert McCausland Limited since 1977.
Saint Raphael’s Roman Catholic Chapel
1963 1 light Emblem the Lamb
1963 1 light Emblem lilies and M
1963 1 light Crest
1963 1 light Emblem Bible and Torch
Saint Martin Protestant Chapel
1963 1 light Royal Military College Crest
1963 1 light Timothy
1963 1 light Dove
1963 1 light Open book
1963 1 light Lamb of God
1963 1 light Chalice
Sir Arthur Currie Hall
1973 1 light Oak tree and crest
1970 1 light Royal Canadian Dragons
1967 1 light Antique window navy league
1969 1 light RCHA Crest
1967 1 light Coronation flag and crest
1967 1 light R.C.E. Crest
1932 1 light Emblem R.M.C. crest
1966 1 light Royal horse guards and family crest
Yeo Hall
1966 1 light R.M.C. Crest
1965 1 light Canadian Coat of Arms and 10 Provincial crests
1965 1 light Cadet at ease
1964 1 light Visionary Christ with Cadet
1964 1 light Three Services in Battledress
1964 1 light RMC crests and services crests
1964 1 light The past post
1964 1 light Cadet resting on arms reversed