George Van Wyck Laughton 1897

George 1897

This Page Last Updated on Thursday March 12, 2009

GEORGE VAN WYCK LAUGHTON (1897 - 1966)

See also the story of the "Boys of Parkhill", here on the website.

The story of George Van Wyck Laughton, as it relates to his Great War exploits, is told in detail on his own web site for "The Hero". More information on his post war activities, his marriage to Mary Elizabeth MacDonell (his war time physiotherapist) will be added later.

George had quite the history:

	recovery of wounds suffered in France during WWI after invalided out
	physiotherapy from one Mary Elizabeth MacDonell
	marriage to Mary Elizabeth MacDonell
	Circulation Director and MacLean Hunter (prior service with Colonel MacLean)
	father of Charles Van Wyck Laughton and Paul MacDonell Laughton

Fortunately, a few photographs survived the 1967 fire at the home of Charles Van Wyck Laughton, I presume because they were in George's retirement home in London, Ontario and not in Grand Bend. Here are some of what we have found:

The photograph as shown had the following note glued on the back, from Louise Van Wyck Laughton (sister of George) to Mary Elizabeth Laughton "Beth", wife of George Laughton. *click any image to enlarge*
A junior George Van Wyck Laughton, no date or caption on the photograph.
The caption to this photo is "Father" (John Hughes Laughton) with George Van Wyck Laughton quite visible in the lower corner of the window. The caption on the photo says "sew that button good George". For a close up of the George in the window click here.
George Van Wyck Laughton in his military kit, at an unknown location but clearly in front of a statue of Queen Victoria. Note that this differs from the picture on his "Great War Site" as there is a pattern on the jacket cuffs and he is not wearing the Military Cross. A close examination of the face suggests that this is a younger George, perhaps prior to being shipped off to England and France.
George Van Wyck Laughton and Mary Elizabeth (Beth) had two sons, no daughters. The photo shows the elder son Charles Van Wyck (left) and the younger son Paul MacDonell (right). Uncle Paul is the originator of the family genealogy project that you are viewing on this web site.
Gorge Van Wyck Laughton and Colonel John Bayne MacLean. Most of us will know the name "MacLean" from the periodical "MacLean's Magazine" which remains one of Canada's leading weekly periodicals. Grandfather George Laughton was the Circulation Director of MacLean's all the time that I knew him prior to his retirement. I have tried to learn more about the "link" between Laughton and MacLean that started in WW1, but so far I have been unsuccessful. My queries to the magazine have been left unanswered. My company did do work for MacLean's in the 1990's and I did see the WW1 plaque in their new printing plant - I should have taken a picture, but that pre-dated my family research project.

George and Mary Elizabeth's home at 38 Glenhurst Avenue (formerly Vimy Ridge Avenue) in Toronto, Ontario in the 1920's (family moved to Glenview in 1929). Interesting that a WWI "Hero of Vimy Ridge" would end up living on Vimy Ridge Avenue, then they change the name. Perhaps I will contact the City of Toronto and find out why they changed the name to Glenhurst from Vimy Ridge. The back of the photo in my father's notes says "first block above Oakwood and St. Clair - this is where we lived (38 Glenhurst) until mowing to 254 Glenview in 1929". The label on the bottom of the photograph says "Hydro 3480 Mch 9-1926 Vimy Ridge Looking West".

A number of historical items on George Van Wyck came from his son, Paul MacDonell Laughton, who has recorded more of our family history than any single individual. Here are some of the highlights that "Uncle Paul" have passed on to me in his letters of August 22, 2003 and April 6, 2004:

August 22, 2003:

In the period, leading up to WW I, George drove Tot’s (Aunty Tot = Louise Estelle Laughton) car when he was only 12. He and other boys in Parkhill of an age read EP’s pamphlets, as they came out, founded a Boy Scout troop and persuaded the local dentist to come on board as their Scoutmaster.

George tried to enlist in the Territorials but was caught as underage and turfed out. He began studying law at U of Toronto with Mary, but joined the COTC in his first year (1913) at University of Toronto. It was taking too long for the Canadian contingent to train for overseas, so he said he deserted, wangled a berth on a transport to England, took a commission through a short course held at Magdalen College, Oxford {invited to play “rugby”, misconstrued the nature of the game, tackled someone and broke his collarbone], was posted to the 5th of the line, the 26th Northumberland Fusiliers, based in Newcastle. To his dismay he discovered that the troops spoke incomprehensible Geordie. Fortunately the sergeant also spoke English. British officers wore distinctive uniforms with Sam Brown belts, sidearm & peak caps even on the battlefield, so were sitting ducks for German snipers. As a result of this lottery, George
was several times acting Lieutenant Colonel commanding the battalion, although his substantive rank never changed beyond lieutenant throughout the war.

He rarely talked about his experiences; the only story I recall was about German heavy machine guns1 which were set to sweep back and forth just over the Allied trench parapets. On one occasion he was standing beside another chap viewing no-man’s land when the sweep came up, turned around at the other chap & cut him in two.

George was awarded the Military Cross at 19 for single handily capturing a German machine nest that was holding up his battalion’s advance at Vimy. He went through much of the trench warfare, such as the Somme & Vimy, was sitting on a log by a ruined house at Passchendaele with his old friend, the sergeant, when the latter was hit by a shell and GVL buried in the crater for several days. George was sent back to Blighty [England] to be put back together, sent back to Canada to die, helped train recruits for a campaign with the White Russians near Vladivostok against the Bolsheviks (including Ken Brown’s father), was invalided out with a warning to take it easy and he might live a couple of years.

George and Elizabeth
circa 1919

George and Elizabeth
circa 1934

He met (his future wife) Beth (Mary Elizabeth MacDonell) as an occupational physiotherapist and later induced Dave Wilson to reintroduce them in Parkhill. Fred and Harry (his brothers) recommended Osgood (Law School), but he hired on as the second staffer for the Department of Soldiers Civilian Reestablishment [later the Department of Veterans Affairs] for a couple of years until the convalescent hospitals were running across the country [mostly TB], then to MacLean's, later MacLean-Hunter.

In Oct 1919 he gave two temperance sermons, at College St. Presbyterian Church and at a Baptist church. In 1925 he was a Presbyterian Commissioner at Jarvis St. when the Methodist, Congregational, Four-Square and two-thirds of the Presbyterian’s joined to form the United Church. He became a mainstay of St. George’s United Church while at 254 Glenview (Toronto address), but finally burned out and dropped all church administrative duties.

Mary Elizabeth Laughton (Beth, Nana)
Huntsville Cottage 1934

Mary Elizabeth Laughton died in the hospital in London on January 7, 1970 after suffering a stroke at our home in Grand Bend shortly after Christmas.

Mary Elizabeth Laughton (nee MacDonell) was difficult to trace in the Canada Census. We knew that she was from the Hensall area (Huron County, Ontario) and that she was born on February 23, 1897. To the best of my knowledge, she had two sisters (Dorothy and Mildred) and one brother (Allen).

In July 2008 I did locate what might be the correct census record (see here) which was obtained by searching all of the names for Hensall in 1911. This listing has the name spelt "McDonell" not "MacDonell" and the son's name is spelt "Allan" and not "Allen". Mary Elizabeth is listed as "Iza" and the birth date is a match. It is unlikely there would be a similar family in Hensall with the same sons and daughters. The records are made by the person recording the census, not the residents. Note that Mildred is not listed, as it may be she was not born until 1914 (Mildred is alive at this time - July 2008, and is estimated at 94 years of age).

In WW II he applied to enlist and faced at his medical review board the chair of the earlier board who had told him he had 2 years to live 1 The man remembered him and exclaimed, “What are you doing here, Laughton? You’ve been dead for 25 years!” He was accepted as a captain in the U of T COTC. I didn’t know about this and shortly after, while marching along Bloor St. by myself in my COTC private’s uniform, saw this tough-looking captain coming toward me, saluted (smartly, of course), and nearly fell off the sidewalk when I realized I had just saluted my own father. (When Paul tried to go on active service in 3rd yr Honours Chemistry George pulled a lot of strings to get around the requirement that scientific students complete their degrees & go into defence research, including General Pearkes who had been put up by George and Beth for a while when he fell on hard times after WW I.)

George was Circulation Manager for MacLean's, then Circulation Director for the company. George also was a founder of the Canadian Circulation Audit Board & long time member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation, president still at his death even after retirement in 1964. He was instrumental in establishing a much needed industry code of ethics for door-to-door salesmen. He was a long-time member of the Military Club, resigning when a Jewish officer friend was blackballed for membership. George did not take kindly to being crossed. Van had sense enough not to argue with him more than very briefly; Paul did not, stuck to his guns and was subjected to a number of red-faced yelling matches over the years.

At our cottage on Snake Island in Lake Simcoe he had a convulsion and went unconscious and clammy one weekend. I had to row to the mainland for help, but he was conscious when I returned. The problem was not properly diagnosed at the time, but much later a arterial aneurysm was detected in his brain, probably an aftermath of the WW I injury. He and Beth were living in London by then, and Van and I were summoned to vote on the risky operation. Since no operation meant a limited life and sudden death without warning, we voted “Yes.” He had the operation, it was a success, but he died instantly on June 11th 1966 of a blood clot that probably formed in his leg lying in the hospital bed. He is buried with Beth in the soldier’s plot at Exeter.

April 6, 2004:

GVL joined the territorials [militia] when he was 14, but his mother ratted on him and he was tossed out as under age* GVL moved to Toronto with Tot after his mother died & his father "remarried too soon" in Tot's very strong opinion, stayed with the HVL's (Harry Van Wyck Laughton) to finish HS [Harbord, I think], began to article with Mary as he began his law studies at U of T before going from the equivalent of the COTC into Active Service in WW I in his freshman year. I have a dim recollection that GVL met Both at the military hospital in Saskatoon when he was the second person hired for the DSCR [Department of Soldiers' Civilian Reestablishment = DVA] with the job of setting up TB hospitals for the returning troops. TB killed more allies than the Germans. When he was mustered out after a medical board, he was told by the Colonel chairman of the board he might live a couple of years if he took it easy - easy was getting married & the DSCR! The same colonel chaired his board on his reenlistment in WW II and exclaimed, "Laughton, what are you doing here, you've been dead for 25 years!" He joined MacLean's, later MacLean-Hunter, after his stint with DSCR & as Circulation Manager, later Director, he became the leading Canadian figure in that field. He founded the Canadian wing of the Periodical Press Association, which set ethical standards for the business, & was its President for life, even after his retirement.

There is a detailed summary of the life and times of George Van Wyck Laughton in the historical summary prepared by his son Paul Laughton 1923. You can find that in the "Laughton/Milley Family History" here on this web site. It is an excellent document to read as it covers much of the Laughton 1801 to 1971 period. There are 4 appendices to that document as well, all of which is summarized on the History Page.

As with the other brothers of this era, we searched the Toronto Star historical data base for articles that mentioned the family clan. As a result of George's exploits at Vimy Ridge in WW1 there were a number of articles posted. These are noted as follows (see also the Great War web site for further details):

	Toronto Star - May 5, 1917: Brother Harry Van Wyck Laughton reports on the wounding of George during the Battle of Arras with the "Fighting Fifth" (26th Northumberland Fusiliers, Tyneside Irish).
	Toronto Star - May 19, 1917: In another letter, probably to Harry (not L. V. his sister as noted) George is reported in hospital after he and his team of 30 men deceived the German army at Vimy Ridge. As noted on our Great War website there is some confusion (at least at my level) as to what lead George to be awarded the Military Cross and other medals at Vimy Ridge. British and Canadian records do not agree.
	Toronto Star - June 14, 1917: The Toronto Star reports on the gallantry of George Van Wyck Laughton and the award of the Military Cross for these efforts at Vimy Ridge. This article, unlike others I have seen refers to action in the Village of Gravelle. Sooner or later we will get to the bottom of the issues surrounding the escapades of Grandfather Laughton.

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