Canadian Virtual War Memorial
John Donald McPherson
In memory of:
Private John Donald McPherson
October 26, 1917
Military Service
911412
20
Army
Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment)
46th Bn.
Additional Information
June 23, 1897
Son of John and Mabel E. McPherson, of Hammond, British Columbia.
Commemorated on Page 288 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
MENIN GATE (YPRES) MEMORIAL
Belgium
Panel 18 - 26 - 28
The Menin Gate Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and erected by the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission, it consists of a Hall of Memory", 36.6 metres long by 20.1 metres wide. In the centre are broad staircases leading to the ramparts which overlook the moat, and to pillared loggias which run the whole length of the structure. On the inner walls of the Hall, on the side of the staircases and on the walls of the loggias, panels of Portland stone bear the names of the dead, inscribed by regiment and corps. Carved in stone above the central arch are the words:
TO THE ARMIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO STOOD HERE FROM 1914 TO 1918 AND TO THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE.
Over the two staircases leading from the main Hall is the inscription:
HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL IN YPRES SALIENT BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.
The dead are remembered to this day in a simple ceremony that takes place every evening at 8:00 p.m. All traffic through the gateway in either direction is halted, and two buglers (on special occasions four) move to the centre of the Hall and sound the Last Post. Two silver trumpets for use in the ceremony are a gift to the Ypres Last Post Committee by an officer of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who served with the 10th Battery, of St. Catharines, Ontario, in Ypres in April 1915."
Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Digital Collection
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Memorial – Inscription on the Menin Gate … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
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Photo of JOHN DONALD MCPHERSON – Photo from Heather Horgan. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
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Newspaper clipping – From the Edmonton Morning Bulletin c.1917. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
![Photo of John Donald McPherson– This obituary for Private McPherson was written by Dean Howes of the University of Alberta and was printed in the November 25, 1917 issue of The Gateway.
It was with very deep regret that I learned of the death of Pte. John D. McPherson, killed in action, Oct. 26th. Private McPherson was born on the farm at spruce Grove, was the son of J.A. McPherson, now Sheriff of Red Deer, who was for eight years MLA for Stony Plain. He received his early education at Spruce Grove and was a member of our first agricultural class at the School of Agriculture at Vermilion in 1913, receiving his associate diploma in Agriculture in the spring of 1915. When the College of Agriculture was established in the University of Alberta he became a member of our first little class of 12 [students]. In the spring of 1916 he enlisted with the Alberta [Company] of the 196th [battalion], went overseas and when the 196th was broken up went with a special draft to France. I shall always remember John as a lad of quiet manner and kindly disposition. As he was a member of my first class at Vermilion and my first class in the University the news of his death caused a particular feeling of loss, even in these days when so many are taken away. His classmates have already written to his father at Red Deer, expressing their sorrow. We all join in sincere sympathy toward him in the loss of such a son.](https://cvwm.images.cloud.veterans.gc.ca/1594374_1.jpg)
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Photo of John Donald McPherson – This obituary for Private McPherson was written by Dean Howes of the University of Alberta and was printed in the November 25, 1917 issue of The Gateway. It was with very deep regret that I learned of the death of Pte. John D. McPherson, killed in action, Oct. 26th. Private McPherson was born on the farm at spruce Grove, was the son of J.A. McPherson, now Sheriff of Red Deer, who was for eight years MLA for Stony Plain. He received his early education at Spruce Grove and was a member of our first agricultural class at the School of Agriculture at Vermilion in 1913, receiving his associate diploma in Agriculture in the spring of 1915. When the College of Agriculture was established in the University of Alberta he became a member of our first little class of 12 [students]. In the spring of 1916 he enlisted with the Alberta [Company] of the 196th [battalion], went overseas and when the 196th was broken up went with a special draft to France. I shall always remember John as a lad of quiet manner and kindly disposition. As he was a member of my first class at Vermilion and my first class in the University the news of his death caused a particular feeling of loss, even in these days when so many are taken away. His classmates have already written to his father at Red Deer, expressing their sorrow. We all join in sincere sympathy toward him in the loss of such a son.
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