Norman Frederick Macdonald MC

Rank:

Captain

Unit at enlistment:

2nd Divisional Cyclists

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Cemetery:

Farringdon Cemetery, Brantford, Ontario

Awards or decorations:

Military Cross

Commemorated at:

Alexandra Presbyterian Church

Birth country:

Canada

Birth county:

Wentworth

Birth city:

Hamilton, Ontario

Address at enlistment:

35 Peel Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

35 Peel Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Student

Employer:

University of Toronto

Religious denominations:

Presbyterian

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Gallantry medals:

Yes

Letters and documents

BX November 23, 1917

Norman Frederick Macdonald Accidentally Injured

Lieutenant Norman F. Macdonald, son of Mr. George Macdonald, secretary of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission met with an accident according to a letter just received. A case of munitions fell on Lieut. MacDonald while he was in the trench, knocking him down and breaking a bone in his foot. He will be confined to the hospital for some weeks.

London Gazette: 30340
Date: October 18, 1917
Honour or Award: Military Cross
Authority: R.O. 3356. Macdonell, September 9, 1917
Name: Norman Frederick Macdonald (Lieutenant)
Unit: 4th Battalion

Details: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. With his company he held a captured position for ninety-six hours against repeated and heavy hostile counter-attacks, and when enfiladed by a machine gun he crawled forward in daylight with splendid disregard of personal danger and located its exact position, after which it was destroyed by our artillery. When his platoon Sergeant was completely buried, Lt. Macdonald dug him out under most intense shell fire with the greatest coolness and courage. During the whole of this trying period he got practically no sleep, preferring instead to encourage his men and reconnoiter the ground on his front.

BX October 18, 1917

Military Cross for His Heroism – Lieutenant Norman Frederick Macdonald Recognized for Services in France

Lieutenant Norman Frederick Macdonald has been awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in the Somme and at Vimy Ridge, according to word received yesterday by his father, Mr. George Macdonald, secretary of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission. Lieut. Macdonald also won his commission on the field, so this makes the second honor that he has won. He went overseas with the Bicycle Corps, which was attached to the 19th Battalion and went to France two years ago this month. After he was promoted to his lieutenancy he was attached to the “Mad Fourth” Battalion. Lieut. Macdonald was a former employee of the Bank of Hamilton, but was a student at the University of Toronto when he enlisted. In his last letter home he mentions having recently met Lieutenant Colonel Colquhoun in France.

BX January 25, 1918

Lieutenant Norman Frederick Macdonald Was Invested

Lieutenant Norman Frederick Macdonald, son of Mr. George Macdonald, secretary of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission, was on Wednesday invested at Buckingham Palace by King George, with the Military Cross, won for bravery and distinguished services in the Somme fighting.

BX October 14, 1916

Wounded in First Action as Officer – Lieutenant Norman Frederick MacDonald Shot While Leading His Platoon – Brother Promoted

Lieutenant Norman F. Macdonald of this city granted a commission for meritorious conduct on the field, was wounded the first time when he led his platoon into battle. His brother, William Ross Macdonald, who enlisted with him, also received a promotion to a lieutenancy for bravery. Both these young men are sons of Mr. George Macdonald of 35 Peel Street.

Lieutenants N.F. and W.R. Macdonald have both been in France for a year. When they enlisted they were in attendance at the Toronto University. They enlisted as privates with the cyclist corps attached to the 19th Battalion, and on getting overseas were transferred to the 4th Battalion, in which they are now officers. They went overseas in May, 1915.

Norman Macdonald was employed in the Bank of Hamilton here for some time before attending university. The cable received yesterday by his father was to the effect that he had been wounded in the knee and was now in a hospital in England.

BX August 19, 1918

Captain Norman Frederick Macdonald Wounded in the Left Arm

Sparing his family two weeks of suspense and worry, a message that would have told Mr. George Macdonald 35 Peel Street, that his son Captain Norman Frederick Macdonald, M.C. had been wounded in the left arm, was sent to Burlington by mistake, and only today Mr. Macdonald received a cable from Captain Norman himself, from the hospital in Epsom, England, saying he was doing fine. He went over with the boys of the 90th as a private and his gallantry has won for him the military cross and his captaincy. Twice before he was wounded at Albert, and at Canada’s glory spot, Vimy Ridge. His very many Brantford friends will be glad to learn that his wound is not any more serious, but they will hope for his complete recovery soon.

BX February 24, 1947

Norman Frederick Macdonald, City Solicitor, Passes

Norman F. Macdonald, MC. E.D., K.C., City Solicitor and veteran of the First and Second World Wars, died here Saturday. Mr. Macdonald, who was widely known, had made a distinct contribution to this community, Canada and the Empire. W. Ross Macdonald, K.C., M.P., for Brantford and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons is a brother.

Mr. Macdonald, who was in his 54th year, was born in Hamilton. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Macdonald, and came to Brantford with his parents in 1908. After attending the Collegiate Institute, where he was keenly interested in athletics and the Cadets, he went to the University of Toronto. While there he enlisted in 1914, for service in the First Great War.

In the war of 1914-1918 he had a distinguished record. Enlisting as a private he went to France in 1915 with the famous “Mad Fourth” Battalion serving for three years in France and being wounded four times. He was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and was commissioned in the field and promoted to the rank of captain. He returned to Canada an acting major.

After graduating from Osgoode Hall in 1920, Mr. Macdonald entered the practice of law with his brother, W. Ross Macdonald, under the firm name of Macdonald and Macdonald. He re-entered military life here, serving as a major in the 10th Brant Dragoons.

Civic Service

He early took an interest in community affairs and was elected as alderman from Ward 4 in 1927, serving until the end of 1929. He was candidate for the mayoralty in 1930. He was appointed City Solicitor of Brantford in 1935, succeeding W.T. Henderson, who had been elevated to the Bench of the Supreme Court of Ontario. During his leave of absence to serve in the Second World War, his brother, W. Ross Macdonald, was acting City Solicitor.

Major Macdonald offered his services at the outbreak of the Second World War while an officer in the 2/10th Dragoons here, and in November 1939 was called to serve in the Department of the Judge Advocate-General of the Canadian Active Service Force, serving overseas and in Canada throughout the war. He was in London during the great blitz in the summer and fall of 1941 and escaped uninjured when the place where he was staying was blasted.

A prominent member of the Brant Law Association and highly esteemed as a solicitor and barrister, Norman Macdonald was one of the few Canadians called to the bar in Britain. He was enrolled in the Inner Temple, London, in 1942, while serving overseas.

Mr. Macdonald was very well known and highly esteemed in fraternal and war veterans’ circles. He was a member of Doric Lodge A.F. and A.M., Mount Horeb Chapter, R.A.M., and Odo de St. Amand Preceptory, K.T., and Mocha Temple Shrine, London; Knights of Pythia; Brantford Branch, Canadian Legion; Past President of the Brantford Branch, 4th Battalion Association and a member of the Dominion Executive of that Association. He was also a member of the Brantford Club, Brantford Shriners Club, Brantford Golf and Country Club and the 56th L.A.A. (Dufferin and Haldimand) Officers’ Mess.

Mayor Matthews

“I was shocked at Mr. Macdonald’s sudden passing,” said Mayor John H. Matthews today. “I had known him well for a great many years and had served as a fellow-alderman with him for three years. During the last year I had been more closely associated with him, in my capacity as Mayor. He was a good citizen and a good soldier.”

Law Association

Norman E. Lickers, President of the Brant County Law Association, said:

“The death of Norman F. Macdonald came as a very great shock to all members of the Bar. He was one of the best liked members of our association and although one of the senior members of the Brant County Bar, he was always ready to advise and assist the junior members. His friendliness and good nature will be missed by all of us in our daily practice.

“During the last war, by his war effort with the Judge Advocate’s Branch, he brought singular honor to our association. He was the only member who belonged to the Inner Temple in London.

“In the passing of ‘Scotty’ as Norman F. Macdonald was known to us, the Brant Law Association and the legal profession have lost one of their most valued and revered members.”

Surviving are two brothers, W. Ross and Alex, both of this City, and a sister, Mrs. Gordon V. Pearce, Vancouver, B.C.

Mr. Macdonald is resting at Reid and Brown Funeral Chapel until Tuesday afternoon when the funeral service will be conducted in Alexandra Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in Farringdon Burial Ground.

BX February 24, 1947 - Editorial

The sudden death of Norman F. Macdonald, MC, K.C., Brantford’s City Solicitor brings sorrow to the community in which had had lived most of his life and to which he had given such excellent service in so many capacities.

Resident here for nearly forty years, a graduate of the Brantford Collegiate, University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall, he always took a keen and active interest in public affairs, official, military, fraternal, sporting and cultural. For some years he gave of his time and talents to the City as an alderman and so became the logical choice for the position of City Solicitor when Mr. Justice Henderson was elevated to the bench.

His record as a soldier in both the First and Second World Wars was notable. Enlisting as a private early in the first conflict, he served in France for three years with the famous “Mad Fourth” Battalion, won his commission on the field, was wounded four times and was awarded the Military Cross. Prominent in militia circles in the period between the wars, he again served with distinction in the struggle lately ended.

A man of great personal charm and affability, he was highly regarded by his fellow citizens who, having looked forward to a successful continuance of his career for many years to come, will the more deeply lament his untimely passing.

BX February 26, 1947

Last Tribute was Paid to N. Macdonald

Citizens of Brantford and from points outside joined Tuesday afternoon in paying an impressive final tribute to Norman F. Macdonald, MC., E.D., K.C. who died here Saturday. The funeral service in Alexandra Presbyterian Church was attended by hundreds, representative of civil and military life here. The large attendance, the many and beautiful floral tributes and messages from near and far, not only attested to the great esteem in which the deceased was held, but were sincere manifestation of sympathy for sorrowing relatives.

Included in the large assembly were parliamentary, legislative and municipal council representatives, veterans of the First and Second World Was, members of Bench and Bar of Brantford, Brant and Ontario, and religious and fraternal organizations.

The service at the church was impressive in its solemn simplicity. It was in charge of Rev. J.R. Esler, Minister of Alexandra, who read appropriate passages of Scripture. He was assisted by Rev. F.W. Schaffter of St. Jude’s Anglican Church and padre of the former 2/10th Dragoons of which deceased had been a member, and who offered an eloquent prayer, and by Rev. E.C. McCullagh, Dunnville, formerly Minister of Alexandra, and also a veteran of the two wars.

In his address, Rev. Mr. McCullagh spoke of the great loss the community had suffered by the death of Mr. Macdonald. He mentioned his close association with Mr. Macdonald during the years he had been minister at Alexandra Church, the decease’s faithfulness in church attendance and his work as a member of the Board of Managers for seven years.

Warm in Friendship

“Norman Macdonald was a man in whom the warmth of friendship, kindliness and humility dwelt. He served his community and his country with ability and courage. He gave much in war for righteousness, justice and freedom; war in which there were many casualties, but not all on the battlefields.”

Probably one of the warmest tributes paid to the deceased was that of the members of the former United Officers Mess here. In pairs they stood by the flag draped casket for the whole of the time it rested in the Reid and Brown Funeral Chapel.

Among the representatives in attendance at the funeral service were L.O. Breithaupt, M.P., for North Waterloo, representing the Dominion Government, Hon H.C. Nixon, M.P.P. for Brant; H.C. Nixon, M.P.P., for Brant; William S. Thompson, Potentate of Mocha Temple, Shrine, London; Mayor J.H. Matthews and members of the City Council; Col. Roy Harrison and Major R.S. Watson, Fourth Battalion Association, and R.H. Mann representing the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Ottawa.

Members of the Brantford Branch of the Canadian Legion formed a guard of honor at the funeral home where a private service was held and at Alexandra Church, and paid final tribute at Farringdon Burial Ground, where interment took place.

Pallbearers

The honorary pallbearers were Lt.-Col. H.G. Watson, V.D.; Major T.B. Carlyle, MC, Toronto; Major H.M. Morrow, MC., Toronto; Lt.-Col. E.P. Randle, E.D.; Donald M. Waterous, Lt.-Col. Martin H. Toy, Lt.-Col. F.E.D. Wallace, O.B.E.; Lt.-Col. D.A. Morrison, MC.; Major R.S. Watson, MC., Hamilton; Cyril D. Henderson, Col. D.D. Williamson; Judge A.D. Hardy, Judge D.J. Cowan, E.A. Danby, Col. W.H. Jolliffe, Toronto; Col. M.A. Colquhoun, C.MG., D.S.O., V.D.; Dr. Wilfred Hart, Dr. M.L. Carey, Lt.-Col. J.M. Ferguson, E.D.; Arnold G. Hitchon, D.O. Johnson, Col. Roy Harrison, MC., Toronto; F. C. Richardson. The active pallbearers, war veterans and representatives of the three branches of the Canadian Armed Forces in the Second World War were Police Constables Harry Cordrey, Lester Butcher and Matthew Bell and Firemen Frank Gould, William Spencer and William Widdis.

The flower-bearers were members of the Canadian Legion and the Fourth Battalion Association. Bugler K. MacGregor sounded the “Last Post” at the graveside.