Who am I? (By E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC ‘03)
- I was born October 5, 1894 in Toronto.
- My father and grandfather formed a firm in 1877, which was the oldest member of the Toronto Stock Exchange. The firm was acquired by the National Trust Company, which merged into the Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company (Scotiatrust).
- I attended St. Andrew’s College, a residential/day school for boys in Toronto from 1903 to 1912. I attended Royal Military College in Kingston for two years and seven months before joining the 22nd Battery, Canadian Field Artillery of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on January 15th, 1915.
- I served as a Captain in the First World War.
- I was awarded the Military Cross in the field for bravery as per Canada Gazette dated 2 June 1943 and CARO/3494 dated 2 June 1943: “For conspicuous gallantry and good work during operations. He carried out reconnaissances very ably and distinguished himself as FOO. One night he brought a section into action under very difficult conditions.”
- I was a member of the Toronto Golf and Country Club and served as President of the Golf Association of Ontario in 1933.
- I served for 35 years as a member of St. Andrew’s College’s Board of Governors (1926 to 1961) and was Vice Chairman in 1951.
- During the Second World War I served as a Major after being mobilized in October 1940. I proceeded overseas as Second in Command 14th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, being appointed Deputy Adjutant General and Quartermaster-General “C” Group in March 1942.
- I was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1943: “He is an officer with ability and tact, very much above the average. Through his energy, tactfulness and soldiering qualities he has been an example to all he has come in contact with. He has done a great deal towards the building up of the Canadian Artillery, both in his regiment and the reinforcement units. I consider him a most outstanding officer.”
a) 967 Gordon T Cassels (RMC ’12)
b) 1030 Mr John A Chestnut (RMC ’13)
c) 1029 George P Morrison (RMC ’13)
d) RNCC43 Alfred AC Wurtele (RMC ’13)
ANSWER: a) 967 Lieutenant Colonel Gordon “Gord” Thomson Cassels MBE
MC (1912-14). His father, Walter Gibson Cassels and grandfather Richard Scougall Cassels formed Cassels Son & Company in 1877.