The Great War: Vimy Ridge
George Van Wyck Laughton, M.C.

University of Toronto, C.O.T.C. Links

The story I had always been told about Grandfather Laughton was that he was disappointed in the fact that as an Officer in the 142nd Battalion he was SOS (Struck Off Strength) when they cut back from 8 Lieutenants to 4 Lieutenants during the reorganization of the CEF, and so he went off on his own to find his way to England to join an active unit. It was always believed in the family circles that he "thumbed his way" on a ship to England to find any unit that would take him. In the end, he signed up with the 32nd Infantry Battalion (Calgary) which always had me confused as the 33rd (London) was affiliated with the 142nd, his original unit. There was some thought that he just went to the wrong line at Shorncliffe on July 7, 1916. 

Using Marc Leroux's wonderful program (Canadian Great War Project) to search the Library and Archives Canada database, I went back to look at all the papers in the regimental number series of #82120 to #82160 to see if there was any link or clue as to the real story.

As it turns out, a whole group of these men were Toronto Students or had clear definition that they were C.O.T.C. students from the University of Toronto. That makes it appear that Grandfather Laughton was not just the "lost student finding his way to Shorncliffe" but rather he was part of a much larger group of COTC students that went and signed up at Shorncliffe in the 32nd Battalion, on that date in July 1916.

The records show that #82128 Gates signed up on June 16, 1916, but he was a Musician from the UK who had been with the 1st Royal Dragoons. On June 22, 1916 a second Musician #82129 Moore signed up, also British. Perhaps they were putting together the Regimental Band at the start?

Nothing else much happened until July 7, 1916 and my Grandfather "George Laughton #82130" was the first to sign up that day under Lieutenant Colonel C. D. MacPherson. Seventeen (17) others signed up with the 32nd that day as well. After that there was a break until #82149 Henry Tutte signed up on July 22, 1916, then another long break until #82160 Frederick Blockley signed up on October 6, 1916 (under Lt. Col. F. J. Clarke even though Meek says he was not there yet!). 

Of the eighteen (18) known men who signed up in the 32nd Battalion on July 7, 1916 twelve (12) show a direct affiliation with being a student in the C.O.T.C. program at the University of Toronto. My grandfather as #82130 was the first to sign up, so perhaps he did take off to find a battalion that "would have him" but then he certainly took a pack of friends with him, as any other reason for all of the UofT students is just too coincidental. The last of the pack of the COTC Students from the UofT #82148 John Charlesworth had originally attested as #490757  which was M.D. #2, #6 University Company, COTC University of Toronto.  Also #82133 John William Chester was originally with this group as #490783. Looks like my Grandfather was at the front of the line and Charlesworth was at the end, just to make sure they all signed up! 

As a side to this story, there is an interesting Attestation Paper for #82144 Walter Vacher, also a student, but he was from Mexico City. That is the first Mexican national that I have come across that signed up with the CEF. Although the name does not sound Mexican, he was born in Mexico City and his next-of-kin is listed as Mexico. Another story to follow. 

So much for the stories that are passed down through the generations. This was an obvious GROUP OF UofT STUDENTS (or other COTC Groups) that went to Shorncliffe to sign up. Why they picked the 32nd Battalion is still unknown, perhaps they were the only ones signing up on July 7, 1916. Perhaps they were selected as the route for all of these COTC students to move through the process to get to the Officer's Training School? 

It appears that it was a lucky day to sign up as not one of the men that signed up that day on July 7, 1916 at Shorncliffe is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.

These are the men that attested with the 32nd Infantry Battalion on July 7, 1916 showing their location and status on that date. The missing man #82140 may exist, but as of now the names are unknown. George Laughton was also "unknown" on the Library and Archive Canada site, but we knew his name. Five (5) of them are are listed in the "University of Toronto Roll of Service":

#82130   George Van Wyck Laughton, Toronto, Student, COTC UofT Book pages xliii and 343
#82131   James Palmer Kent, Toronto, Student, COTC
#82132   William Cuthbertson, Perth, Graduate Engineer, UofT Book 242
#82133   John William Chester (also #490783), Art Teacher, COTC UofT
#82134   Arthur King Kingsmill, Toronto, Merchant, from 9th Mississauga Horse
#82135   Kenneth Campbell MacIver, Toronto, Stock Broker, from 12th York Rangers
#82136   Eric Douglas Bruce Kippen, Toronto, Bank Clerk, COTC
#82137   Herbert Marshall, COTC Draft June 1916, UofT Book 391
#82138   Ernest Arthur Steven, Student, London, 7th Regiment Fusiliers (same as Laughton)
#82139   Stanley Reginald Wilkins, Toronto, Student, UofT Book 596
#82140   nobody listed (will check 490XXX series)
#82141   Albert Herman Parker, Civil Engineer, UofT Book 421
#82142   George Leslie McGee, Toronto, Student, COTC UofT Book 367
#82143   Duncan Darroch McCosh, Paris Ontario, Bank Clerk, COTC
#82144   Walter Sidney Vacher, Mexico City, Student, from 10th Regiment
#82145   Franklin John Noonan, Mount Forest, Bank Clerk, COTC UofT
#82146   Sigmund Elias Lyons, Toronto, Real Estate Agent, 2nd Queens' Own Rifles 
#82147   James MacLeod Hutcheson, Toronto, Student, 74th Battalion (underage)
#82148   John Lanigan Charlesworth, Guelph, Student, COTC #490757, UofT Book 223

We will be adding these men to the Canadian Great War Project database in the near future. You will then be able to search for them here:

Canadian Great War Project Soldier Search

During the search I also looked at all the men of the No. 6 University Company, Military District #2, University of Toronto, as that may be where missing man #82140 is also listed.  For any researchers that want a copy of that list it can be downloaded from here: