Valcartier Crowdsourcing Project
Col. Sam Hughes and Officers at Valcartier Camp, August 31 1914
This sweeping panoramic photograph captures a historic moment in Canadian military history. Stretched across the sandy plains of Valcartier Camp are upwards of a thousand officers from militia units across Canada, all of whom hoped to serve in the First Canadian Contingent. The panoramic photograph has been scanned at high-resolution in six sections:
Section 1 | Tips Page
Section 2 | Tips Page
Section 3 | Tips Page
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Identification Aids:
- Tips Page for: Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | coming soon: Section 4 | Section 5 | Section 6
- Spreadsheets documenting who was at Valcartier on August 31, 1914
- A photo gallery of Officers who may be present on August 31, 1914
Articles relating to this project:
- Crowdsource: Valcartier 1914 (January 25, 2016)
- Update: Valcartier 1914 (February 8, 2016)
- Update #2: Valcartier 1914 (February 26, 2016)
- Update #3: Valcartier 1914 (January 25, 2018)
Please help identify officers in this photograph:
If you think you recognize an officer or his unit please leave a comment below or contact me.
Officers that have been Identified (Updated: Jan. 23/2018):
| # | Sec. | Name | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | Brig-General Richard E.W. Turner VC | Commander, 3rd Brigade, Canadian Expeditionary Force | |
| 6 | 1 | Lt. Owen C.F. Hague | 4th Battery, 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 14 | 1 | Lt. Alexander T. Paterson | 5th Battery, 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 20 | 1 | Major Andrew McNaughton | 4th Battery, 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 28 | 1 | Lt. Alexis Helmer | 2nd Battery, 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 61 | 1 | Lt-Col. William O.H. Dodds | Brigade Staff, 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 69 | 1 | Lt. Lawrence V.M. Cosgrave | Brigade Staff, 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 75 | 1 | Lt-Col. Edward W.B. Morrison | Commander 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 84 | 1 | Maj. Charles H. MacLaren | 2nd Battery, 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery | |
| 137 | 2 | Lt-Col. Struan G. Robertson | 17th Battalion, CEF | Tentative |
| 209 | 2 | Capt. (Chaplain) Frederick G. Scott | 8th Regiment Royal Rifles | |
| 261 | 3 | Col. Victor A.S. Williams | Camp Commandant | |
| 263 | 3 | Col. Sam Hughes | Minister of Militia and Defence | |
| 275 | 3 | Lt-Col. Malcom S. Mercer | The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada | |
| 282 | 3 | Capt. Robert Clifford “Cliff” Darling | 15th Battalion/48th Highlanders | Tentative |
| 293 | 3 | Lt-Col. David Watson | 8th Royal Rifles | Tentative |
| 300 | 4 | Capt. John Geddes | 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada | KIA 22 April 1915 / 16th Battalion |
| 357 | 5 | Lt-Col. Bartholomew Robson | 26th Middlesex Light Infantry | |
| 397 | 6 | Lt-Col. Archibald C Macdonell | Lord Strathcona’s Horse | |
| 404 | 6 | Lt-Col. Donald M Grant | 35th Reg., The Grey & Simcoe Foresters | Tentative |
| 409 | 6 | Lt-Col. Henri A. Panet | Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Brigade | Brigade mobilized Aug. 26, 1914 |
| 412 | 6 | Major Allan A Magee | Canadian Officers’ Training Corp | Tentative: att’d 11/15 but may have been at camp |
Doing Our Bit 
You have the 13th Battalion in the 4th Brigade, when in fact they were the 3rd infantry Brigade
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your comment. Are you referring to the information in the spreadsheet located here?: https://doingourbit.wordpress.com/valcartier-camp-as-of-aug-31-1914/
I ask because it was based on the provisional formation as described in Valcartier Camp Order No. 241 and documented in Appendix 85 of “The Canadian Forces in the Great War 1914-1919” (located here: http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CFGW_VOL1Pt2_E.pdf)
You’re absolutely correct that after the 1st Canadian Contingent was reorganized the 13th (and the 14th, 15th and 16th) formed the 3rd Brigade. However my spreadsheet is intended to show the configuration on Aug. 31, 1914 (before the reorganization). Please let me know if the reference to the 4th Brigade is on a different page.
Thanks again for providing your feedback, it’s much appreciated.
Cheers,
Steve
264 LCol Rennie, CO of the 3rd Bn, with his QOR officers behind him.
Hi Adam,
That’s great! I’ll be sure to add LCol Rennie to the list of identified officers in my next Valcartier update. Thanks as well for your comments on my Valcartier page, one of which was posted just before Christmas and which I missed completely.
Cheers,
Steve
Are you still collecting data? A friend has identified Morrisson and Cosgrave
Rob
Hi Rob,
Yes I am although these two individuals have been identified as #75 and #69 respectively. They do appear in the list above but they were also featured in one of my update posts. If your friend spots any others please let me know. Thanks, Steve. The update post: https://militaryandfamilyhistory.blog/2018/01/25/update-2-valcartier-1914-2/
Steve
Just saw your reply
I will get back with the new names that include General Morrison
I should have read more carefully. So you have Morrison and Cosgrave. Cosgrave retired to where I live now in Knowlton QC. He was the Canadian signatory of the Japanese surrender. He signed in the wrong line!
Not a great moment for Cosgrave … fortunately it didn’t result in us accidentally surrendering to the Japanese!
Hi,
I believe that officer #282 (Section 3) is Capt. Robert Clifford “Cliff” Darling (15th Battalion/48th Highlanders).
His photo can be found here https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/CS.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=2R34WNL03CEJ&PN=2&IID=2R3BF1FCR0YPO
in the Upper Canada College Roll of Honour, 1914-1918 on page 21 / digital page 54.
Regards,
Neil Matheson
Hi Neil,
Thanks very much for providing this information on Capt. Darling. I’ve added it to the list above and look forward to hearing from other viewers.
Thanks again … Steve.