Obituaries
Major Alexander St Clair MacPherson, CD
On 11 Nov 1999, the 15th Field Regiment, RCA Officers' Mess lost one of its early members with the passing of Major Alexander St Clair MacPherson, CD.
Clair joined the 15th Fd Artillery Brigade NPAM in 1934 aged 15. At age 18 he became a Sergeant Major with 58 Battery. In 1940 he was posted to 108 Anti-Tank Battery, CASF in Lethbridge. In 1941 he reverted to Gunner to get overseas. By 1943 he was Captain in a field regiment with 1st Div in Italy. ln l944, he returned as a major to England to become an Air OP pilot, RCA.
On his return to Vancouver he joined the 43 HAA Regt at Bessborough as a BC until he moved to Kitimat. Some years later he returned to Vancouver to found Kerrisdale Travel and rejoined the Bessborough Mess as an associate member until 1990 when he moved to Langley. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, the Lions Club and the Masonic Order. It is fitting that he passed away at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
On 11 Nov 1999, the 15th Field Regiment, RCA Officers' Mess lost one of its early members with the passing of Major Alexander St Clair MacPherson, CD.
Clair joined the 15th Fd Artillery Brigade NPAM in 1934 aged 15. At age 18 he became a Sergeant Major with 58 Battery. In 1940 he was posted to 108 Anti-Tank Battery, CASF in Lethbridge. In 1941 he reverted to Gunner to get overseas. By 1943 he was Captain in a field regiment with 1st Div in Italy. ln l944, he returned as a major to England to become an Air OP pilot, RCA.
On his return to Vancouver he joined the 43 HAA Regt at Bessborough as a BC until he moved to Kitimat. Some years later he returned to Vancouver to found Kerrisdale Travel and rejoined the Bessborough Mess as an associate member until 1990 when he moved to Langley. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, the Lions Club and the Masonic Order. It is fitting that he passed away at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Colonel Graham F Blyth CD
ln 1929, at age 16, Graham Blyth enlisted in the 15th Field Artillery Brigade as a gunner. At that time, the unit was horse mounted and one of his duties after parade was to return the string of horses to the stables on the west side of Camosun St at about West 37th Ave. (on the Endowment Lands). He would then walk over to Dunbar and catch a street car home, the ticket having been provided by the Orderly Room.
He later transferred to the 15th Coast Artillery where he became a sergeant. Following the outbreak of WWII he proceeded to the Gordon Head Officer Training Centre to qualify as a 2nd Lt. Soon after he went to England and there was posted to the newly formed Cdn Intelligence Corps where he became Chief Instructor and later 2 i/c of the unit.
Shortly after D Day he led five counter-intelligence detachments to Normandy, thence through France to Antwerp,
Belgium where he was injured by a V-l flying bomb. After recovery he served with counter-intelligence at
Canadian Army HQ in Holland.
Following his return to Canada he joined the 43d HAA Regt in 1941, once again at Bessborough Armoury. He
was made Adjutant and later a BC. From 1954 to 1958 he commanded the unit as LCol. Following this he was
further promoted to Colonel as Commander 24th Militia Group( made up of all militia units in lower mainland
BC).
ln 1972 he was made Honourary LCol and later Honourary Colonel of his old Regiment (now part of the I5th Field
Regt), again at Bessborough. He retired in 1982 and from then until his death on 7 June 1999, he was an honoured and active member of the 15th Fd Regt RCA Officers' Mess Association.
ln 1929, at age 16, Graham Blyth enlisted in the 15th Field Artillery Brigade as a gunner. At that time, the unit was horse mounted and one of his duties after parade was to return the string of horses to the stables on the west side of Camosun St at about West 37th Ave. (on the Endowment Lands). He would then walk over to Dunbar and catch a street car home, the ticket having been provided by the Orderly Room.
He later transferred to the 15th Coast Artillery where he became a sergeant. Following the outbreak of WWII he proceeded to the Gordon Head Officer Training Centre to qualify as a 2nd Lt. Soon after he went to England and there was posted to the newly formed Cdn Intelligence Corps where he became Chief Instructor and later 2 i/c of the unit.
Shortly after D Day he led five counter-intelligence detachments to Normandy, thence through France to Antwerp,
Belgium where he was injured by a V-l flying bomb. After recovery he served with counter-intelligence at
Canadian Army HQ in Holland.
Following his return to Canada he joined the 43d HAA Regt in 1941, once again at Bessborough Armoury. He
was made Adjutant and later a BC. From 1954 to 1958 he commanded the unit as LCol. Following this he was
further promoted to Colonel as Commander 24th Militia Group( made up of all militia units in lower mainland
BC).
ln 1972 he was made Honourary LCol and later Honourary Colonel of his old Regiment (now part of the I5th Field
Regt), again at Bessborough. He retired in 1982 and from then until his death on 7 June 1999, he was an honoured and active member of the 15th Fd Regt RCA Officers' Mess Association.