Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Photo of Claud Trotter

Grave Marker – Claud Handly Totter was killed in a night time flying accident in Essex on 13th October 1918, while doing his duties of defending London, he was only 23. Claud was born in Co. Galway on 20th February 1895 and went to school at Galway Grammer School and The Royal School, Armagh. Claud enlisted in Valcartier, Quebec, Canada on September 23, 1914. He joined the Alberta Dragoons. Claud was soon promoted to Lieutenant. He was twice wounded, once with the Canadian Force while rallying his men in a bombing raid on German trenches, and again as an observer in the RFC. When his plane crashed and his pilot was killed. On this occasion he was recommended for the Albert medal for endeavoring to save his pilot’s life, but just missed the award on technical grounds. His C.O. writes:"He was always the cheeriest of any party to which he belonged; his only fault was that he was disregardful of danger. Fear to him seemed an absolutely unknown thing. He is merely a case of the best always being the first to go." His C.O. in the Canadians, on a former occasion, had also written of him: "Allow me to congratulate you on the work done by your son Claud while he was in France. By application, courage, and hard work he soon developed into a most efficient officer, popular among his brother officers and respected by the men. I was connected with him in two trench raids, and on both occasions he displayed courage and resource much above the average, and by his own gallantry and example greatly aided the success of both enterprises."