November 16, 2001 September 11 puts November 11 in Perspective

Reading John Macfie's new book, an oral history of ten soldiers from the Algonquin Regiment (see photo) puts last Sunday's Remembrance Day in perspective, now that we have a new "ism" -terrorism-to contend with. Macfie interviewed these men from various locations on different occasions, including several this year. His introduction and photographs make the book a moving tribute to the many men who served, and who were often wounded or killed in action.
 

Cover of the new John Macfie book on the Algonquin Regiment.

Macfie's introduction profiles the long sequence of events leading to the formation of the Algonquin Regiment. As far back as 1903 the federal government wanted 75, 000 citizen soldiers for possible defensive needs, and Companies were formed in various locations across Canada. The Parry Sound group was called the Northern Pioneers. When WW1 broke out they were absorbed into the Parry Sound District's 162nd Battalion.

Seven hundred men from the 162nd trained for three months in Sundridge and elsewhere under the command of Lt. Col. James Arthurs of Powassan. There is a photo in the book of the men, with Arthurs front and centre. After the war the Northern Pioneers name was picked up for the Parry Sound Militia.

When the second war came in 1939 the Algonquin Regiment of North Bay absorbed men from a larger area, including the Nipissing District. A thousand local men trained, provided garrison duty in Newfoundland, and went overseas in 1943 where they distinguished themselves. The Algonquin Regiment remained in Holland and Germany for six months after the war. The names of the 341 men who did not return may be seen on Cenotaphs throughout the district. For a full history of the Algonquin Regiment, see the book Warpath by Major G.L. Cassidy, available from the Algonquin Veteran's Association. Call Jet Smith at (705) 474-6353, or ask at your local library.

LT. COL. JAMES ARTHURS, POWASSAN
Lt. Col. Arthurs, mentioned above, is the same man who established the Commanda General Store in 1896, and which is now the Commanda Museum. He also established a large lumber operation on Commanda Lake at Restoule where his family still has cottages today. He also established a general store in Powassan and lived on King Street West in a large brick home with a tower. It is interesting that his great, great granddaughter Nancy Arthurs and her husband Norman recently bought a house on Memorial Park Drive in Powassan. They found out after they bought it that the house seen out of their back window was James Arthur's home while he lived in Powassan. Two of James Arthur's grandsons, Ken and Ralph, were killed in the Second World War, and their names appear on the Cenotaph in Memorial Park in Powassan.

Lt. Col. Arthurs, besides being a successful merchant and soldier, became the federal Member of Parliament for Parry Sound in 1908. When he returned from the war he was again elected for six terms until 1930. The Arthurs store in Powassan was an imposing two-storey building built where the Home Hardware now stands and was destroyed by fire. Powassan Doctor Fred Porter also went overseas in WW1 as the Chief Medical Officer for the 162nd Batalion.

GORDON DARLING, CALLANDER 
I also found the book personally interesting because of an interest in Gordon Darling, the son of Tom Darling who was the manager of the J.R. Booth operation at Wasi Falls near Callander. Although not mentioned in the book, I have several photographs of Gordon as a member of the 162nd Battalion while training at Sundridge and preparing to go overseas. (see photo) He was gassed and suffered from it for the rest of his life. He spent a lot of time on Darling Island in Callander Bay at the cottage that was made from the well-known houseboat the Wasa Lily. For another good profile of the 162nd's history see the Sundridge history book The Lake in the Hills.
 

Callander's Gordon Darling (right) was a member of the 162nd Battalion.

ELMER ALLARD, CHISHOLM TOWNSHIP 
As interesting as the Arthurs and Darling connections are from a heritage perspective, the most interesting part of the Macfie book is the story of Pte. Elmer Allard who lives in Chisholm Township. Elmer was born in 1920 on a farm about a kilometer from where I live, and spent a decade there before his family moved elsewhere in Chisholm. His WW2 experience in battle, as a prisoner of war, and as an escapee, etc. is a remarkably moving story of a soldier's life. When he came back from the war, Elmer became the janitor of the Chisholm Central School for 30 years, where he was much admired by staff and students. He has returned to Holland with the Algonquin Veteran's Association on three occasions, where the people there honour these men for helping liberate their country from the Germans.

MAJOR ALLISTER JOHNSTON, SOUTH RIVER
The other familiar name in Macfie's book is 93-year-old Major Allister Johnston of South River, whose story is also remarkable. He went on to represent Parry Sound as the provincial Member of Parliament for 24 years. He started an insurance business in South River, which is now run by two sons, Jack and Peter (Peter's wife Deborah Kurtzer-Johnston writes the Sundridge column in Community Voices).

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