Royal Canadians on the Menin Gate

[Michael OLeary]

In the summer of 2006, WO Rodney Hollahan, The RCR, visited the Menin Gate and took photographs of the names of regimental soldier commemorated there. He identified that some names on the gate did not match the Roll of Honour in the regimental history and forwarded his photos and comments to me at the time.  In my job as the Regimental Adjutant, I included his note and photos on Pro Patria 2006, along with a table comparing the names in question as found in a various reference sources.

I have now gathered some updated photos of the gate and the panel listing Royal Canadians.  (My notes on the names in question follow in the next post.)




Photos by Fred, a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group



Photo by Judy Rieck; a member of the Great War Forum.

[Michael OLeary]

The names that WO Hollahan identified as being in question for their accuracy, and my notes follow. Remarks reflect the information found in the regimental history, the Canadian Virtual War memorial, the Books of Remembrance and the soldiers' attestation paper for the First World War.

[Michael OLeary]

Following successful exchanges with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission over the information of gravestones for 715921 Pte Percy Larter and 1033023 Pte. John McMillan, I forwarded my notes on the Menin Gate names to the CWGC,

My most recent update from them follows:

Dear Captain O'Leary:

I have now had the opportunity to review the service files of the seven (7) casualties mentioned in your e-mail of 8 February 2010.

- 478966 Lance Sergeant Fred SALMON - Correct rank is Lance Sergeant. An amendment is being forwarded to my Head Office in the United Kingdom

- 477244 Private Leo Zachrie D'ENTREMONT - Correct rank is Private. An amendment is being forwarded to my Head office in the United Kingdom

- 444235 Corporal Charles Carmichael GIBSON - Correct rank is Corporal. An amendment is being forwarded to my Head Office in the United Kingdom

- 478739 Private Frank Scott CLEVELAND - Correct spelling is Cleveland. An amendment  is being forwarded to my Head Office in the United Kingdom

- 478566 Private John Alexander McDONALD - Due to the various misspellings of his name in his service file, our records will remain as is. Such discrepancies are frequently seen, often by the same members of the family and even the individual himself which appears to be so in this case

Please note that you will be receiving a reply directly from my Head Office with regards to the commemoration of 261331 Pte John Bramhall and 446420 Pte Daniel McDonald.

Yours sincerely,

Johanne Neville
Records Manager & Administrator/Gestionnaire des Archives et
Administratrice
Canadian Agency / Agence canadienne
Commonwealth War Graves Commmission
66 Slater, Suite 1707, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0P4