5776 CQMS William Gordon McMinn, C.E.

5776 Company Quartermaster Sergeant
WILLIAM GORDON McMINN
Canadian Engineers
(Formerly 4286 Corporal, King's Own Scottish Borderers)

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, BSAE, P.E., MinstRE
(June 1998, revised February 2025)

Figure 1. 5776 Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gordon McMinn, M.M., C.E.
(Photograph courtesy of Mrs. Dorothy Toulmin)

The photograph above is from a group picture of the members of Niagara Falls Branch 51 of the Canadian Legion. The photograph appears to have been taken during the 1930s. Company Quarter Master Sergeant McMinn, M.M. was the Flag Marshal. He is standing in the center of the photograph and is wearing all of his medals. This group photograph is presented later in this narrative. The reason for dating the photograph to the 1930s is because none of the men has any Second World War campaign medals.

This photograph was provided by Mrs. Dorothy Toulmin of Niagara Falls, who was a neighbor of CQMS McMinn. Mrs. Toulmin visited the Legion Branch on Valley Way in Niagara Falls in June of 1999 and was able to locate this photograph which she kindly presented to the author.

William Gordon McMinn was born on 2 January 1874 in Castle Douglas, a town located approximately 5.6 miles southwest of the town of Dumfries, in the present Counties of Dumfries and Galloway, in southwest Scotland. He was the son of John McMinn (1835-1902) and Anne McMinn, née Cannon (1838-?). Little is known about McMinn's family except that they were Presbyterians. Similarly, nothing is known about William Gordon McMinn's early life prior to enlistment in the British Army.[2]

McMinn enlisted in the King's Own Scottish Borderers (K.O.S.B.), probably at the age of 18 years (that is, about 1892). He was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion of the regiment and joined the unit in India as a replacement. At this time the battalion appears to have been stationed at Janbatai. In August 1895 the battalion moved from Janbatai to Rawalpindi where it remained for the next two years.[3]

Unrest developed on the North West Frontier of India in 1897. No less than four major and two minor punitive expeditions were mounted as the result of Pathan revolts during that year, when tribal attacks and British counter-measures ranged over two hundred miles of frontier, from the Swat Valley north to Peshawar, across the Mohmand country, the Khyber, Tirah, to the Tochi Valley of the Waziri tribes, and away to the southwest of Kohat.

In June 1897 the 2^nd Battalion, K.O.S.B. was stationed in the Murree Hills in reaction to the developing problems in the area. On the 15th of September 1897 the battalion was at Pindi where it was ordered to draw mobilization stores. Orders soon followed for the battalion to travel by train to the railhead on the Indus River and then by route march to Kohat where it arrived on 2 October 1897 to join the Tirah Field Force being assembled there under the command of Lieutenant General Sir W. S.A. Lockhart, K.C.B., K.C.S.I.

The Tirah expedition was caused by the rising of the Afridi tribes to the south and west of the Khyber, who included the Zakka Khel, known to the Borderers of twenty years before, and the simultaneous rising of the neighbors to the south, the Orakzai tribes. Between them the two tribes could muster 50,000 fighting men, and their mountain domains covered many hundreds of square miles on either side of the high plateau that was Tirah. The Afridis had overwhelmed the Khyber forts, and after looting arms and ammunition most had returned to their homes. The Orakzais had then followed suit and attacked outposts in the Kohat region. It was fortunate for the British that there was no coordination between the two tribal groups. Nevertheless, the British had temporarily lost control of the Khyber forts. A memorandum was issued from Army Headquarters at Simla which stated clearly the mission to be undertaken by Private McMinn and his battalion. It simply stated that:-

The general objective of this expedition is to exact reparation for the unprovoked aggression of the Afridi and Orakzai tribes on the Peshawar and Kohat borders, for the attacks on our frontier posts, and for the damage to life and property which has thus been inflicted on British subjects and on those in the British service. It is believed that this object can best be attained by the invasion of Tirah, the summer home of the Afridis and Orakzais, which has never before been entered by a British force![4]

The 2^nd K.O.S.B. was assigned to the 4^th Brigade, 2^nd Division of the Tirah Field Force. The following is the order of battle of the 2^nd Division at that time:

The first action of the battalion was to leave Kohat and march 45 miles to Shinawari. On 18 October 1897 the 2^nd K.O.S.B. took part in an attack against the Orakzais holding the Dargai Heights. Supported by mountain batteries, the 1^st/3^rd Gurkha Rifles, followed by the 2^nd K.O.S.B., moved up a sharp ridge which led from the kotal (pass) towards the heights. They kept to the reverse slope away from the cliff face. The Gurkhas then came to a saddle, about 500 yards from the crest, which led directly towards the precipices. There was no other way but to cross the saddle, along 200 yards of open ground exposed to enemy fire from all along the crest, and particularly from sangars directly above. "The Borderers and the Gurkhas had brought themselves up to this by sheer climbing power," wrote the Reuter's special correspondent who was present with the campaign. "The Gurkhas were ordered to fix bayonets and carry the position, while the Borderers, who had behaved splendidly, covered their advance by close up volleys. The Gurkhas charged across this danger zone in company rushes, then gained the dead ground and a steep mountain track which they scrambled up followed by the Borderers. They reached the top practically unopposed, because once the steel of their bayonets had crossed the open saddle the enemy lost heart and began to retire. The action of the Borderers, as probably experienced by Private McMinn, is described by Corporal Edward McKeown in a letter to his parents:-

At about 800 yards our bullets took effect, and we poured volleys into them. I was in charge of No. 3 Section and opened fire at 750 yards. The enemy's fire coming over our heads made me a little excited, but I gave the commands all right except the command "Fire" which I gave too quick for the first two volleys, the men not having enough time to aim. After these two volleys I was all right. I had sixteen men and each fired nineteen rounds, myself and [the] men were calm and collected and having the right distance we scattered the enemy. All then had to rush the position, We could not run, we didn't go up at ordinary walking pace, we were tumbling all over the place. I think nearly all of us had some scratches and scrapes. I have my right knee and wrist skinned.'[5]

Due to a lack of supplies and water, a withdrawal from the Dargai Heights was ordered after their capture. When a general forward movement of the expeditionary force into Tirah was then ordered, the heights had to be attacked all over again.

On 20 October 1897 the battalion was involved in the second attack on Dargai Heights where it acted as rearguard. On 21 October 1897

the battalion advanced to Karappa, and on the 26^th of that month it was assigned to a foraging expedition. On the 29^th the battalion took part in the attack on Sampagha Pass and on 31 October was engaged in the attack on Arhanga Pass, both of which were taken without much resistance. The battalion occupied a hill in the Maidan Valley and was the first unit into Afridi Tirah.

Figure 2. Route of the 2^nd K.O.S.B. in the Tirah Campaign of 1897
(Image from Woollcombe)

During November 1897 the battalion took part in burning villages in the valley of the Zakka Khel. In December the Tirah Field Force moved from Shinawari, down the Bara Valley, to the Peshawar Valley. On 11 December the battalion acted as rearguard for this move. On 15 December the 2^nd K.O.S.B. marched into camp at Swaikot where it remained for about four months. In April of 1898 the battalion left Swaikot and moved back into India where it was stationed at Cawnpore.[6] For his service on the North West Frontier Private McMinn was awarded the India General Service Medal 1895 with the clasps [PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98] and [TIRAH 1897-98].

On 1 April 1900 McMinn was still serving with the 2^nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers when the battalion was issued with trews of the Leslie tartan in place of normal trousers as issued to infantry regiments. Shortly after this Private McMinn was reassigned to the 1^st Battalion, K.O.S.B.

During the years 1901 and 1902 McMinn served in the South African War against the Boers with the 1st Battalion of the regiment, Because of the absence of his service papers, it is not known whether McMinn returned to the U.K. to join the 1^st Battalion, or whether he joined it after its arrival in South Africa.

The 1^st Battalion K.O.S.B. was stationed in Dublin where, in December 1899, it mobilized for active service in South Africa by returning to Aldershot. The battalion embarked for South Africa on 5 January 1900 with Lieutenant Colonel J.W. Godray commanding. The battalion disembarked at Cape Town on 26 January 1900 and entrained for the Orange River where it came under the 7^th Division. The battalion marched to Paardeberg in pursuit of the Boer General Cronje. After much hard marching the battalion was present when Cronje surrendered to Lord Roberts at the Modder River on 27 February 1900.

On Lord Robert's great march through South Africa, the 1^st Battalion K.O.S.B. entered Bloemfontein on 14 March 1900. At Bloemfontein there was a welcome halt. At the end of March the Borderers took part in the capture of a ridge of hills to the north and formed the most advanced outpost of the Army. Dislodging the Boers from the hills, the battalion fought its most disastrous action of the war, the action of Karee Siding, in which it had 83 casualties. Private W. Walsh wrote of the action in a letter home:-

This was a terrible day for our battalion. We were within about 100 yards of the enemy, when we got the word to fix bayonets and the Boers fled as soon as they saw the steel glittering. They are proper cowards when you get to close quarters, for they won't stand their ground but gallop away on their horses, and all we can do is to fire at them until they get out of range. They are all right behind a big rock, but they are no good as soon as you drive them out of cover.'[7]

At the end of May 1900 the battalion crossed the Vaal River and was present at the surrender of Johannesburg, and on 4 June Private McMinn and his fellow Borderers were present at the reduction of the southern forts of Pretoria. They entered Pretoria on 5 June, having traveled over 300 miles from Paardeberg Drift.

In October 1900 the battalion was split into small detachments to garrison the railway between Pretoria and Middelburg. In May 1901 the battalion joined a mobile column in the Western Transvaal. This column was commanded by Brigadier General H.G. Dixon, McMinn's former commander with the 2^nd Battalion K.O.S.B. on the North West Frontier. The column hunted the Boers in the ravines, ditches and watercourses of the Magaliesbergen and fought a sharp action against the enemy at Vlakfontein.

In September 1901 the battalion moved to blockhouse lines west of Krugersdorp and in May of 1902 a number of Boer commando leaders came into the battalion's lines on their way to discuss peace terms at Vereeniging. Men of the battalion escorted them as far as Krugersdorp.

For his services McMinn was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with two clasps and the Kings South Africa Medal with the normal two clasps [SOUTH AFRICA 1901] and [SOUTH AFRICA 1902]. Based on the medal roll for the QSA medal, McMinn was still a Private on 2 February 1902 when the roll was prepared. Based on the naming of the medals it appears that he may have been promoted to the rank of Corporal before he left the Army, although these promotions remain somewhat of a mystery since it appears that he was discharged shortly after the war ended.

Figure 3. The 1^st Battalion, K.O.S.B. in South Africa.
(Image from Woollcombe)

Corporal McMinn was discharged from the Army after the Boer War, having served a total of 10 years with the Colours. In 1910 he emigrated to Canada and took up residence with his wife Margaret at 59 Darling Avenue in Toronto, Ontario. After settling in Toronto he worked as a street car motorman. He was also a member of the Originals Club of Toronto.

Apparently McMinn still had an affinity for military service after arriving in Canada. Soon after his arrival from the U.K. he joined the 12^th Regiment of Canadian Militia (The York Rangers) in Toronto and later served for about three months with the Canadian Signal Corps immediately prior to the Great War.

On 8 August 1914 McMinn was mobilized for active service at Toronto. He was given a medical examination at Valcartier, Quebec on 21 September in order to determine his fitness for service overseas. Having been found physically fit, McMinn took the Oath of Attestation on 23 September. His attestation was certified by a Magistrate on this same day, and he was taken on the strength of the 1^st Canadian Divisional Signal Company at Valcartier with the rank of Acting Sergeant. It is likely that he was given this rank on mobilization because of his prior military service and experience. McMinn's enlistment papers described him as follows:

Distinguishing Marks: slight tattoos on both hands, scar on the groin, and a scar between the shoulder blades.

One wonders if the scars on his groin and between his shoulder blades could have been the results of wounds received on the North West Frontier or in South Africa.

McMinn's Attestation was approved on 25 September 1914 by Major Frederick Alexander Lister, the Commanding Officer of the 1^st Canadian Divisional Signal Company. The company, consisting of 14 officers and 252 other ranks, was split up among eleven different ships with much of its transport on a twelfth ship. On 4 October 1914 Sergeant McMinn's contingent sailed from Quebec for England aboard S.S. Andania.

After its arrival in England, the entire company was re-assembled at Enford, on Salisbury Plain, on 13 October 1914.

After about 5 months in England McMinn embarked for France on 20 March 1915 on the strength of the 9^th Divisional Signal Company, Canadian Engineers. He was assigned to No. 3 Section of the company. He was subsequently transferred back to the 1^st Canadian Divisional Signal Company shortly after his arrival in France.

The 1st Canadian Divisional Signal Company took part in many campaigns and battles during the Great War. The unit was first moved into the Ypres sector on 22 April 1915 and remained there until 25 May.[8] On 23 April 1915 the company was at Gravenstafel and moved to St. Julien on 24 April 1915 where it remained until 4 May. The unit subsequently took part in the major actions at Festubert (15 to 25 May 1915), Mount Sorrel (2 to 13 June 1916) and Pozieres (23 July to 3 September 1916). On 16 August 1916, during the battle of Pozieres, Acting Sergeant McMinn received a field promotion to the substantive rank of Sergeant.

On 4 September 1916 the 1^st Canadian Divisional Signal Company moved to forward area headquarters on Tara Hill and on 15 September the company took part in the battle at Flers-Courcelette as part of the Somme Offensive. Sergeant McMinn took part in the attack on Hessian and Zollern Trenches, an action in which his gallantry would win him the Military Medal. At that time he was attached to the 2^nd Canadian Infantry Brigade.[9] Following the actions at Flers-Courcelette, McMinn took part in actions at Thiepval (26 to 28 September), Le Transloy (1 to 18 October), and Ancre Heights (until 11 November).

On 12 November 1916 Sergeant McMinn was presented the Military Medal by Brigadier General Hughes. He was further rewarded on 2 January 1917 by being appointed Acting Company Quartermaster Sergeant with the pay associated with that rank.

The London Gazette of 6 January 1917 formally announced Sergeant McMinn's award of the Military Medal. The citation for his medal read as follows:

"For gallantry and great devotion to duty on September 25, 1916, during the successful attack on Hessian and Zollern Trenches, when he laid and maintained lines to the front line trenches under heavy shell fire, and by his coolness and resource, set a high example to the men working under him. On numerous occasions during the last 18 months he has shown great courage and resource under fire, and his work on these occasions has been of the very greatest assistance to his signal section. Owing to the fact that his signal officer was killed on September 26th, Sergeant McMinn was inadvertently passed over for recommendation and award."

The day after his award was published in the London Gazette Quartermaster Sergeant McMinn was granted 10 days leave of absence. On 23 January he reverted back to his substantive rank of Sergeant and on 16 March 1917 he proceeded to the Canadian Engineers Training Depot at Shorncliffe, England for a course of instruction.

While in England his term of engagement expired and on 23 March 1917 he was given a medical examination to determine his fitness for re-engagement to continue serving with the Colours. On 20 April he was vaccinated for small pox and inoculated against typhoid fever while at Shorncliffe.

On 27 August 1917 Sergeant McMinn was tried by District Court Martial “for conduct to prejudice the good order and military discipline" of his unit while stationed at the Canadian Engineer Training Depot at Shorncliffe, England.[10] Following his court martial he apparently did not return to his unit in France. On 26 January 1918 he was transferred from the Canadian Engineers Training Center to the Depot Company, Canadian Engineers Regimental Depot at Seaford, England pending furlough home to Canada. He left the Depot Company on 29 January 1918 and was transferred to Buxton pending furlough to Canada. He finally departed England on 8 March 1918 and sailed for Canada. Upon arriving home he was retained in the Army as a "low category" soldier.

On 20 April 1918, while on leave and furlough, McMinn was assigned to the Depot of Military District No. 2 in Toronto. McMinn was stationed at Ravina Barracks in Toronto, where on 30 April 1918, he was medically evaluated for discharge based on physical unfitness for continued military service. The medical evaluation board recommended that he be discharged. The Medical Board's recommendation was approved by the Assistant Director of Medical Services on 6 May 1918. Sergeant McMinn's furlough expired on 30 May and on 22 June the Director General of Medical Services approved the recommendation of the Medical Board. On 4 July 1918 McMinn was transferred to the Casualty Company for discharge. He was discharged as "physically unfit" on 5 July 1918, but his discharge was immediately cancelled. He was not finally discharged as "physically unfit" until 18 July 1918. His rank on discharge from the Army was listed as Sergeant and his character was noted to be "Good." His medical records indicate that his total service in the Canadian Army was 3 years and 262 days, however, his Proceedings on Discharge indicate that he served a total of 3 years and 321 days. Sergeant McMinn listed his leave address and address on discharge as 135 Munro Street, Toronto. His description on discharge was as follows:

Disabilities or diseases originated in France. Causes for (1) and (3); long marches, exposure and trench conditions. Cause for (2); exposure.

Sergeant Mc Mimi received his last pay certificate on 21 August 1918. This was issued to him at the Military District No. 2 Depot and provided him with pay and allowances from 5 to 18 July.

Figure 6. McMinn’s Home at 135 Munro Street in Toronto.
(The address is the blue door on the right)
(Image by the author)

In 1923 McMinn moved to Niagara Falls, Ontario where he was again employed as a street car motorman. He resided on Clifton Avenue in Niagara Falls. He was a member of the Canadian Legion, Branch 51, in Niagara Falls and was the Colour Leader of the Legion's Colour Party.

Figure 7. Canadian Legion, Branch 51, Niagara Falls, c. 1930.
(Image courtesy of Mrs. Dorothy Toulmin and Branch 51 of the Royal Canadian Legion)

Except for the Military Medal, ex-Sergeant McMinn did not receive his Great War medals until 18 years after the end of the war. On 8 February 1936 he received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. During the Second World War McMinn worked as a guard for the Norton Company in Chippawa.[11] He retired from work in 1946.

McMinn applied for replacement of his Great War medals, having apparently lost the originals in the intervening years after their issue. The medals were replaced on 28 October 1953. At this time McMinn was residing at 1790 Highland Avenue in Niagara Falls.

William Gordon McMinn died on 18 March 1954 at the Greater Niagara General Hospital, 5546 Portage, in Niagara Falls. He was survived by his wife, Margaret (Peggy) McMinn, née McLeod (1881-1970),[12] his sons Harry and Gordon, and his daughter Nancy. All of his children were living in Toronto at the time of his death. McMinn was laid to rest at Morse & Son Chapel at 5917 Main Street in Niagara Falls. A service was held for him at 2:00 p.m. on 22 March 1954, and he was buried at Lundy's Lane Cemetery in Niagara Falls. McMinn’s death notice in the newspaper indicates he died in his 75^th year; that is, he was born in 1879. This is at odds with his military service records giving his birth year as 1874. He was actually 80 years old when he died.

The medal group of William Gordon McMinn consists of the following medals (from left to right in Figure 9 below):

· Military Medal (GVR), named to 5776 Sergeant W. McMinn, 1st Canadian Divisional Signal Company.

· India General Service Medal 1895 with clasp [PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98] [TIRAH 1897-98], named to 4286 Corporal W. McMinn, 2^nd K.O.S.B.

· Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps [TRANSVAAL] and [SOUTH AFRICA 1902], named to 4286 Corporal W. McMinn, 1st K.O.S.B.

· King’s South Africa Medal with clasps [SOUTH AFRICA 1901] and [SOUTH AFRICA 1902], named to 4286 Corporal W. McMinn, 1^st K.O.S.B.

· British War Medal named to 5776 Company Quartermaster Sergeant W. McMinn, Canadian Engineers.

· Victory Medal named to 5776 Company Quartermaster Sergeant W. McMinn, Canadian Engineers.

A close study of the naming on the medals indicates that the Military Medal and the Great War trio are correctly named with impressed letters and are therefore considered to be McMinn's original, or in the case of the trio, officially replaced medals. On the other hand, the IGS 1895, QSA and KSA appear to be re-named medals. All three of these medals have been engraved by a person who can be described as "a gifted amateur." According to Purves (1978) the naming on the IGS 1985 medal is usually in rather heavy running script. The naming on McMinn's medal is in upright block upper case letters. His rank is also incorrect on the medal, as will be explained later. Naming on the QSA and KSA medals is found both impressed and engraved, with one of the styles being upright block upper case letters as on McMinn's medals.[13] However, the engraving on these two medals is identical to the style of engraving found on the IGS 1895 medal and the engraving work was most certainly done by the same person. Additionally, the medal roll for the QSA shows that McMinn was a Private at the time the medal was authorized. Furthermore, the roll shows that the clasps he was authorized on this medal were [PAARDEBERG] and [CAPE COLONY] rather than [TRANSVAAL] and [SOUTH AFRICA 1902]. If McMinn was a Private in 1902 when he was authorized the QSA medal, it is also probable that he was a Private when he was awarded the IGS 1895. It is possible, of course, that he may have risen to the rank of Corporal by the time he received the IGS 1895 medal and that he was reduced to the rank of Private for a disciplinary problem between his service in India and South Africa. Since his service papers are not available in the Public Record Office (now The National Archives), this scenario cannot be verified. A safer assumption would be that he was a Private when he received both medals.

Since the naming on the IGS 1895, QSA and KSA medals can so easily be recognized as unofficial, it can be reasonably assumed that the re-naming was done by someone without any intention to deceive some unwary collector. In all probability McMinn lost his three original medals. This may have occurred when he emigrated to Canada from the United Kingdom. It appears that he purchased replacement medals to wear, possibly when undertaking his Colour Party duties with the Canadian Legion. He then erased the names of the original recipients of these medals and engraved, or had engraved, his name on the medals. In each case he used the highest rank he presumably attained during his service in the British Army on each of the medals, that is, Corporal. Although this may have provided some measure of self-gratification for him, it most certainly was erroneous for both the IGS 1895 and QSA medals.

The 2^nd Battalion of the King's Own Scottish Borderers was authorized the IGS 1895 medal with the clasps [PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98] and [TIRAH 1897-98]; therefore, this medal is correct in the group. The QSA clasps are not correct on the medal in the group, as has been discussed above. At the time he attempted to replace his lost QSA, McMinn probably had difficulty in finding the correct combination of clasps. It appears he simply purchased any two bar medal and renamed it for his own use, without regard for authenticity. Little can be said about the KSA since his service papers are not available in the PRO (TNA), nor could an entry be found for him on the medal roll of the 1^st Battalion, K.O.S.B. Apparently McMinn thought that he was entitled to the medal since he had one named to himself, and indeed may have been entitled to the KSA.

While it must be recognized that the three renamed medals were not McMinns original medals, it must also be assumed that these medals were his and that he probably wore them. The renaming is too amateurish to believe that the medals were added to his Great War medals in an effort to enhance the value of the group by fraud. Those three medals are simply not worth that much to attempt to perpetrate a fraud. The peculiarities of the group represent the efforts of a proud, but careless soldier, to re-assemble the medals which he earned as a result of service in three wars, in the armies of two different nations.

Figure 9. The Medals Awarded to CQMS William Gordon McMinn.
(Image from the author’s collection)

On 3 June 1999 the author visited Niagara Falls, Ontario to photograph some of the locations that were prominent in the life of William Gordon McMinn. The first place visited was his residence at 1790 Highland Avenue. Upon arriving at Highland Avenue, it was noted that the house numbers were all in the 5000 series and not in the 1000 series as was expected. The author stopped to talk to a resident of Highland Avenue who identified herself as Mrs. Dorothy Toulmin of 5689 Highland Avenue, Niagara Falls, Canada L2G 4X2. Mrs. Toulmin was 77 years old and had lived on Highland Avenue for 44 years.[14] She was born in England and served in Bomber Command at Marston Moor as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF).

Mrs. Toulmin indicated that the houses on Highland Avenue were, at one time, numbered in the 1000 series, and that the numbering system had been changed some years ago. When the author indicated that he was looking for the home of William Gordon McMinn, Mrs. Toulmin verified that he had lived at 1790 Highland Avenue (now 5790 Highland Avenue), a house in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Highland Avenue and High Street. She also indicated that she knew McMinn personally. Mrs. Toulmin related that McMinn had been a crossing guard for Lundy’s Lane School[15] at the corner of Lundy’s Lane and Leonard Avenue and that she often talked to him on that corner.

Figure 10. 1790 Highland Avenue (now 5790 Highland Avenue), Niagara Falls.
(The one-time home of the McMinn family)
(Image by the author)

Figure 11. Mrs. Toulmin and Her Dog “Boomer” (1999).
(Photograph by the author)

On 5 June 1999 the author visited Toronto to locate two addresses at which William Gordon McMinn lived early in the 20^th century. The first address, 135 Munro Street, still appears on modern-day maps of Toronto. The second address, 59 Darling Avenue, could not be located on modern-day maps. After questioning many members of the Canadian Society of Military Medals and Insignia (CSMMI) at the 1999 annual show in Toronto, the author found an individual[16] who had made deliveries to houses on Darling Street as a young man back in the 1950’s. He located Darling Street on a street map of Toronto for the author. He indicated that Darling Street was a very short street running north-south between Sherbourne Street and Bleeker Street, just north of Wellesley Street. One had to make a left turn onto Darling Street from Bleeker at a point just north of Wellesley.

The houses on Darling Street were described by the CSMMI member as being old English style row homes. The author noted from street signs on the approach to the Darling Street location that McMinn’s residence was located in an area of Toronto known as “Old Cabbagetown.” Upon arriving at the intersection of Wellesley Street and Bleeker Street, it was noted that Darling Street no longer existed. Instead, the area was occupied by a complex of high-rise apartment buildings that appeared to have been constructed circa 1960.

The Munro Street address was visited next, this time with more luck. McMinn’s old house at 135 Munro Street was still standing. The house was an old English style, two-story, row house. The house is located on the east side of Munro Street, near the corner of Dundas Street in East Toronto. The residents of Munro Street appear to be primarily Oriental. This area of Toronto may be the “Chinatown” section of East Toronto. There is an excellent view of downtown Toronto from the front of the house.

Mrs. Dorothy Toulmin telephoned the author at 1440 hours on 18 June 1999. She indicated that W.G. McMinn actually owned the house at 1790 Highland Avenue. He and his wife rented the upper floor of the house to a Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lindsay. Mrs. Lindsay was deceased, but Mr. Lindsay was still alive and well, and remembered McMinn. He, too, indicated that McMinn was very active in the Royal Canadian Legion and that “he led all their parades.” As the Standard Bearer for Branch 51 of the RCL, McMinn would have been in the forefront of all the parades in which his branch participated.

Mrs. Toulmin said that she and Mr. Lindsay are the only people who still remember the Mc Minns. She said that no one else on Highland Avenue remembers them, as the older residents have either moved away or are deceased. She indicated that she would continue making inquiries, especially at the Royal Canadian Legion, where she thought she might be able to get a picture of W.G. McMinn, which she ultimately did.

The following is a detailed chronology of the movements of the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, taken from the diary of William Thomas Fessey.[17] Fessey was a ranker in the battalion at the same time as McMinn during the Boer War. Fessey’s movements and descriptions of the battalion’s movements probably coincide in great measure with those of McMinn during his time in South Africa.

4 Jan 1900 The battalion traveled by train from Aldershot to Southampton and embarked on S.S. Braemar Castle bound for South Africa. The unit’s strength consisted of 28 officers, 1,067 other ranks, 3 horses and 1 Maxim gun.

It was at this point that the battalion was split into small detachments to garrison the railway lines between Pretoria and Middelburg. During 1901 and 1902 the battalion was used to man blockhouse lines west of Krugersdorp.

NOTE: The action at Karee Siding was a difficult one for the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Fessey describes in his diary how their brigade was to attack the enemy who were holding Karee Siding, a small station between Glen and Brandfort. The battalion paraded at 6.30 am and then sat down in the sun until 10 am, when it received orders to advance. The battalion was in sight of the enemy by noon and the Boers opened a terrific fire on them as soon as they got onto the open veldt.

The battalion fought on until dark without food or water. It was the severest fighting the Borderers had experienced since arriving in South Africa. The brigade had only brought along 9 pounder field pieces thinking that the Boers only existed in a small party. They were to find out differently.

Fessey was with the battalion’s Maxim gun which served as a good target for the Boers, since the gun was on the open veldt and the enemy was on the surrounding hills. The Maxim gun was hit 13 times as it was advancing to get under cover and into action. Fessey’s sergeant got hit in the hand and several other men were hit as well. Fessey concludes the entry in his diary for that day with the following:

We had 86 killed in action that day. I shall not forget it in a hurry. My Regiment suffered the most that day, but as long as we drove them out of it and beat them it was alright, but poor chaps, we left 86 at Karee Siding - 29 March 1900.

Fessey was mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions on that day.

1. BARTHORP, M. and ANDERSON, D.N. The Frontier Ablaze: The North-West Frontier Rising, 1897-98. Windrow & Greene, London, 1996.

2. GORDON, L.L. British Battles and Medals. 4th Edition, Revised. Spink & Son, Ltd., London, 1971.

3. KERRY, A.J. and Mc DILL, W.A. The History of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, 1749-1939. Volume I. The Military Engineers Association of Canada, Ottawa, 1962.

5. WILSON, H. Blue Bonnets, Boers and Biscuits. The Diary of Private William Fessey, D.C.M., Serving in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers During the Boer War, 1900-1902. Heather Wilson, London, 1988.

6. WOOLLCOMBE, R. All the Blue Bonnets: The History of the King's Own Scottish Borderers. Arms and Armour Press, London, 1980.

1. Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers Journal. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.

1. Canadian Army Personnel Records for 5776 William McMinn. Canadian National Personnel Records Centre.

[1] Unless otherwise noted, the information contained in this research narrative was found in McMinn’s service papers.

[2] A search of the Public Record Office in England could uncover no papers for McMinn relating to his service in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. His family tree was found on Ancestry.com in 2025, but this tree started with information for his after the age of 31 years.

[8] Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers.

[9] Cited in the details of the award of the Military Medal.

[10] Unfortunately the specifics of his infraction are not included in his service papers.

[11] The Norton Company has been in Chippawa since 1910. It is a manufacturer of ceramic materials.

[12] William and Margaret had been married in Toronto on 2 November 1923. He was 48 years old at the time.

[14] As a matter of interest, Mrs. Toulmin had a grandson, Sergeant John Neil Devine, who was serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Special Forces Group (A) at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

[15] Lundy’s Lane School no longer exists. It has been replaced by fast food restaurants.

[16] A friend of the late Les Eslary, a long-time member of the CSMMI.

[17] Wilson, H. Blue Bonnets, Boers and Biscuits. The Diary of Private William Fessey, D.C.M.