BX March 13, 1915

Testament and Locket – Presentation to Sergt.-Major Oxtaby by the Officials of Brant Avenue Church

The parsonage of Brant Avenue Methodist Church was the scene last night of a happy gathering, when Rev. A.E. and Mrs. Lavell were at home to the members of the official boards and their wives, numbering in all about 70 guests. During the evening, which was enjoyably spent in games and music, Miss Marjorie Jones entertained the guests in her usual capable manner with the violin, while Clifford Higgins contributed an instrumental selection, which was greatly enjoyed.

The occasion was taken by the members of the trustee and quarterly official boards to present to Sergeant-Major Oxtaby, a valued and popular member of Brant Avenue Methodist Church, a handsome gold locket, suitably engraved as follows:  “Sergeant-Major W.S. Oxtaby, from Brant Avenue Church official board, Active Service, 1915.”  The locket contains a picture of Brant Avenue Church and of Mrs. Oxtaby. A little India-paper, leather bound New Testament, was also presented. E. Sweet, the recording steward of the church, made the presentation, briefly expressing the regret which was felt at the approaching departure of the worthy sergeant-major and the cordial wishes of the members of the congregation for his safety and his early return from the front.

Rev. Mr. Lavell accepted the opportunity to express his appreciation of Mr. Oxtaby and to wish him Godspeed during his absence at the front.

The sergeant-major ion a few words gratefully accepted the gifts and assured those present of his interests in the welfare of the church, and his appreciation of so appropriate and acceptable remembrance.

BX March 15, 1915

Remembered on Eve of Departure – Purse of Gold Presented to Sergt.-Major Oxtaby by Members of the Home Guard

The members of the Brantford Home Guard, which Sergeant Major Oxtaby helped to organize and of which he has been drill instructor, met at the Collegiate on Saturday evening to say farewell to him and in a slight measure to express their gratitude for the untiring efforts he has given to their training. Major T. Harry Jones, the commanding officer very fitly expressed the sentiments of all its members when he stated that Sergt.-Major Oxtaby would leave for active service with the very best wished of the members of the Home Guard for whom he had done so much and they felt they could not let him leave without showing in some way their appreciation of his services and the high esteem in which they held him as a soldier and a man.

Sergeant Charles Tucker was then called upon to make the presentation of a purse of gold from the officers and men, and in a happy strain he told Sergt. Major Oxtaby a few things he ought to know, the substance of which was that he was admired and esteemed by the members of the Dufferin Rifles, the Home Guards, the cadets, and in fact all who knew him and his career in active service would be followed by hundreds of warm friends in this city.

Sergeant Major Oxtaby replied feelingly, stating that he had through enjoyed his work with the guards, and though he was to be separated from them on active service he would always carry with him a warm spot in his heart for the men of the guard. Short addresses were also made by Joseph Ruddy and E. Sweet.

BX March 10, 1916

Sergeant Major Oxtaby Has Returned to City – Says Life in England is Fine – 36th and 58th Now in France – To Take Commission

Looking and feeling as fit as the proverbial fiddle, Batt. Sergt.-Major William George Oxtaby, once of the 38th Regiment, and more recently Brigade Sergeant-Major at Sandling Camp, England, returned to his home here yesterday for the purpose of taking out a commission as captain in the 125th Battalion. Reporting for duty this morning the “S.M.” was warmly welcomed by all his old friends in the Brant Battalion, everyone, from Lieut.-Col. Cutcliffe down, had a smile and a hearty greeting for “Bill.”

Sergt.-Major Oxtaby, when seen by The Expositor this morning, had little to say. “The boys over there are all well and cheerful,” he said, “though the climate of England isn’t so bracing as Canada’s. Yes, I had a fine trip across.”

The “S.M.” told of life at Sandling, and of the soldier’s life there. The men of the 36th Battalion, he said, are all in France now, as well as a few of the officers. Lieut. Harris Walsh is the only local man transferred, he having been transferred to the 4th Battalion.

“All the officers there are well,” he said, “Nelles Ashton, commanding the battalion; his brother, Capt. Fraser, Lieut. Dickson, and the rest of them. Life is fine over there. Aeroplanes flying overhead, motor transports – they have war devices you couldn’t imagine. It’s not such a hard life over there. In the cities all the men you see are either in khaki or wearing armlets of some kind – unfit, munitions workers, or returned from the front. There are very few slackers to be seen, and those few are looked upon as freaks of some kind. The 58th Battalion has gone through to France, too, along with two others. I had a letter from Lieut. Breedon, formerly of this city, not long ago, saying “Goodbye; I’m off with the draft.”  A week later we heard of his father’s death, and lonely ten days later of his mother’s too.”

Sergt.-Major Oxtaby will go to Toronto in a few days to qualify for his captain’s commission, after obtaining which he will become second in command of D. Company in the 125th Battalion.

BX February 15, 1943

Lieutenant Colonel William George Oxtaby Died Suddenly Sunday – Lt.-Col. W.G. (Cap) Oxtaby, on of Brantford’s best known soldiers and a veteran of the First Great War died suddenly Sunday morning in Christie Street Hospital, Toronto, in his 70th year.

He had been confined to hospital since last fall and was apparently improving in health week by week but a long distance telephone call from Toronto Sunday morning informed friends here of his passing.

A very wide circle of friends and acquaintances in both civilian and military circles mourn his loss as he was respected and admired by all who knew him because of his friendly disposition and military bearing.

He was a member of the staff of the Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School for many years serving as physical training instructor and for 40 years he was the instructor of the B.C.I. Cadets.

Retiring from the teaching staff of the B.C.I. and V.S. in the fall of 1939, he served as assistant cadet instructor for some time.  During the past few years he devoted much of his time to gardening, but always found time to take an active e part in the many community drives that have been carried out here since the outbreak of war.

He was also a collector of war relics and has a valuable collection of rifles, revolvers, swords, bayonets and bullets.

Being beyond the age for active military service in this war, his ambition to serve was realized when he was chosen to form a guard for Waterous Limited here last April.  He was in command of the guard until his health broke down in the fall.

Veteran Soldier

Lieutenant Colonel Oxtaby was a member of the Dufferin Rifles of Canada (now the Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles of Canada) for close to 50 years and came up through the ranks to be the regiment’s commander, a post he held from 1933 to 1935.

During different times he was bugle major of the Bugle Band, drill instructor, sergeant, sergeant-major, lieutenant, captain and major.

He enlisted in the 36th Battalion for service in the First Great War with the rank of sergeant-major and returned to take a commission with the 125th, later going to France with the 75th Battalion.  On his return he became permanent adjutant of the “Duffs” with the rank of captain.  Later he was for a number of years in command of “A” Company, then advanced to second-in-command with the rank of major and to command in 1933.

He was a member of Brant Avenue United Church, of Doric Lodge, A.F. and A.M. and the A.O.F.  Born in Brantford, January 3, 1874, he was the son of Richard and Margaret Oxtaby.

His wife, the former Miss Emma Slaght, predeceased him in 1928.  He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Mary Beney, a nephew, Clark Beney and two nieces, Miss Jessie Beney and Mrs. Phyllis Holmes, all of St. Paul, Minnesota, and another nephew, Richard Oxtaby, Long Beach, California.

The deceased will rest at Thorpe Brothers Funeral Home.  He will be buried with full military honors, the service to take place Tuesday afternoon from the Funeral Home.  Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery.

BX February 16, 1943

Council Voiced its Sympathy – Passed Resolutions of Condolences at Meeting Monday Evening

Two resolutions of condolence were passed by the City Council Monday evening when attention of the Council was drawn to the deaths of Lieutenant-Colonel W.G. Oxtaby and Miss Augusta Rand.

On motion of Ald. John H. Matthews, seconded by Ald. Robert Brown, Council passed the following resolution, to be forwarded to members of Colonel Oxtaby’s family.

“That this Council, having learned with regret of the passing of Lieutenant Colonel William Oxtaby, do hereby express to the members of his family, on behalf of all the citizens of Brantford, sincere sympathy in the great bereavement they have sustained.

“Lieutenant-Colonel Oxtaby had been connected with the military activities of Canada for a period of 45 years in both active and reserve forces, and was at one time Commanding Officer of the Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles.  He was also for many years a valued employee of the Board of Education as physical instructor and commander of the Collegiate Cadet Corps, and a number of the outstanding military men in Canada today have received their initial training in military matters under his direction.”

The second resolution, moved by Ald. Matthews and seconded by Ald. G. Frank Sterne, extended to Miss Ella Rand, Assistant City Clerk, sincere sympathy in the bereavement which she had sustained in the passing of her sister.

BX February 18, 1943

Impressive Final Tribute to Colonel Oxtaby – Military Men and Civilians Unite in Honoring Memory of Fine Soldier

Military men and civilians of all ranks in Brantford and from many outside points united Tuesday afternoon in paying an impressive final tribute to Lt.-Col. William G. Oxtaby, one of this City’s finest and best beloved soldiers, when they attended his funeral service held in Thorpe Brothers’ Funeral Home.

For almost half a century, Col. Oxtaby who died Sunday morning in Christie Street Hospital, Toronto, had been associated with Canada’s Armed Forces in war and in peace.  As Physical Instructor of the Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocation School for many years, he had also helped in the moulding of the character and building of the physique of hundreds of Brantford and district youths who today are serving the Empire in the greatest war the world has ever known.

Colonel Oxtaby, a veteran of the First Great War, was buried with full military honors.  Among the many who attended the memorial service and the committal at the graveside in Greenwood Cemetery, were officers and men in the reserve and active Canadian Army today; others who had served with him in the Army in both war and peace and still others, who represented all phases of community life.

Major Archdeacon A.L.G. Clarke, Chaplain of the 2nd Battalion, Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles of Canada and Rector of Grace Anglican Church, officiated at the service, in the absence, because of illness, of Rev. C.M. Currie, Minister of Brant Avenue Untied Church, of which the deceased was a member.

High Tribute

Major Clarke paid high tribute to the deceased as soldier and civilian.

“He was the kind of man that made democracy work,” the Chaplain said.  “That demands an unlimited measure of service to community and to state and he gave it.

“In peace and in war he served his community, Canada and the Empire.

“While his military service extended though many years and he had the rare distinction of serving from private to commanding officer of one regiment, it was his avocation and not his vocation.

“In his vocation he helped to mould the character of and to train physically, many of the youths who are today serving in the Armed Forces of the Empire.

“Possessed by those qualities of mind that drew and help friends, he was loved by many.  Today we mourn, but we give thanks for his life.”

At the conclusion of the simple and dignified service, the casket, draped with the Union Jack, bearing the deceased’s khaki cap and regimental flowers, was carried shoulder high by khaki-clad bearers to the gun carriage.  Then the cortege moved off.  The order of the procession was the Firing Party, the Pipe and Drum Band of No. 20 C.A.B.T.C. the gun carriage, bearing the casket with the pallbearers and bearers on each side.  Captain Howard Wallace, insignia bearer, carrying on a cushion the military decorations of the deceased, followed by the military mourners, chief of which was Lieutenant Colonel H.W. Brooks, ED., C.O., of the 2nd Battalion, Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles, with which Colonel Oxtaby had so long been associations.

The procession moved off to the “Flowers of the Forest,” (Scottish Lament) played by the Band; the marches in funeral step.

At the entrance to Greenwood cemetery, the cortege was met by Major Clarke. There the band and the firing party formed two lines, while the casket was brought to the graveside.  Ten followed the committal service, the firing of three volleys and the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille.

Pallbearers

The pallbearers were Colonel M.A. Colquhoun, C.M.G., D.S.O., V.D.; Lieutenant Colonel S.R. Wallace, V.D., Woodstock; Lieutenant Colonel W. Joyce, V.D.; Lieutenant Colonel A.P. VanSomeren, V.D.; Lieutenant Colonel C.J. Whebell, M.S.M., C.D.E.G. and Lieutenant Colonel E.W. Brookfield, C.O. 2/10th Dragoons, C.A. 

The bearers were R.S.M. George Webster, D.C.M.; C.S.M. A. Maich, C.S.M. G. Allison, C.Q.M.S. J.G. Thompson, Bugle Major E. Stevenson and Sgt. G. Lyons.

The flower-bearers were Alex Thorburn, E.H. Barton, D.M. Waterous, Arthur VanEvera, R.M. Lee and J.A.D. Slemin, K.C.