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The following information was obtained from
the Elgin County Museum by John Sargeant.
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Attended the St Thomas Collegiate Institute
and was a member of the No 7 Cadet Corp for 3 years
While in France he earned the MC for his
service at Arras. It was in the London Gazette 18-1-18 and the citation was gazetted 2
months later “…for conspicuous gallantry in consolidating his line after a major
barrage by the enemy…”
Upon his return to Canada he completed his
education and shortly after joined the law practice of his father Wm K Cameron, in St
Thomas “Cameron and Grant” to create Cameron, Grant and Cameron. Col Cameron’s father had practiced law in the
city originally with the firm McLean, McLean and Cameron until he united with Andrew
Grant.
In June of 1933 Major Cameron 2IC of the
Elgin Regiment, was promoted to Lt Col and placed in Command of the Regt. He was CO until
1936. He was appointed as King’s Counsel
in 1933 and shortly after was appointed to the position of Aide de Camp to the
Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario.
Lt Col Cameron took command of the 2nd
Res Bn of the Elgin Regt until early in 1943 when he went on active service again.
Col Cameron is a Q.C.
The following is from the service file
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Dec
28, 1893
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Born in St. Thomas,
Ontario to William Kenneth and Frances Jean (nee McLean) Cameron
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Aug
31, 1915
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Commissioned with the rank
of Lieutenant in the 25th Regiment
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Nov
13, 1915
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Shown on the payroll of
the 91st Battalion CEF in St. Thomas with the rank of Lieutenant
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Nov 30, 1915
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Qualified
Musketry Instructor in the 1st Division London
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Dec
14, 1915
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Admitted to the Amasa Wood
Hospital (now known as the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital) in St. Thomas with a
diagnosis that reads Varicocele
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Dec
23, 1915
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Discharged to duty from
hospital
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Jan
16, 1916
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Sworn into the 91st
Battalion CEF in St. Thomas, Ontario
Ø Rank Lieutenant
Ø Next of kin given as William Kenneth Cameron, father, 32 St. George
St., St. Thomas, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Law Student at Osgoode Hall
Ø Previous military experience given as 25th Elgin Regiment,
Canadian Militia and 3 years as a Cadet
Ø Religion given as Presbyterian
Ø Assigned to “B” Company
The
Medical Officer made note of the 2nd toe of his right foot had been
amputated
The
battalion trained in the St. Thomas area
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Apr
17, 1916
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Assigned for duty in London, Ontario as
a Musketry Instructor
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Apr
30, 1916
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Rejoined the 91st Battalion
in St. Thomas
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Jun
29, 1916
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Embarked the SS Olympic in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Jul
5, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and
proceeded to West Sandling
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Jul
15, 1916
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Transferred to the 39th
Reserve Battalion in West Sandling
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Sep
1, 1916
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Qualified at the BF & PT (Battle
Fitness and Physical Training) Course
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Oct
7, 1916
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Married to Eileen Helen Farmer
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Jan
4, 1917
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Transferred to the newly formed 6th
Reserve Battalion in West Sandling. Shortly
after the formation of the reserve battalion, it moved to Seaford
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Jan
5, 1917
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Proceeded to the base depot in France
in charge of a reinforcement draft
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Jan
9, 1917
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Returned from France
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Apr
21, 1917
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Proceeded to the base depot in France
in charge of a reinforcement draft
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Apr
30, 1917
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Returned from France
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Jul
28, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Jul
30, 1917
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Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian
Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 15 reinforcements from
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Aug
2, 1917
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After leaving the base depot, he joined
the 2nd Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin, France
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Aug
3, 1917
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After leaving the entrenching
battalion, he joined the 21st Battalion in Division Reserve at Fosse 10, France
and assigned to “A” Company. He
later served as OC of “D” Company
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Dec
4, 1917
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Granted 14 days leave
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Dec
20, 1917
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Rejoined the battalion from leave
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Jan
18, 1918
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Awarded the Military Cross per London
Gazette #30482
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This action took place at Passchendaele the
previous November
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Feb
2, 1918
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Proceeded on course
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Mar
18, 1918
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Rejoined the battalion from course
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Jul
22, 1918
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Granted 14 days leave
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Aug
7, 1918
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Rejoined the battalion from leave
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Aug
27, 1918
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While in command of “A”
Company during the advance on the Sensee River near Vis-en-Artois, Lieutenant Cameron
received a shrapnel wound that passed completely through his left shoulder. After receiving first aid, he was evacuated to the
No. 12 Stationary Hospital in St. Pol
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Aug
31, 1918
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Invalided
to England aboard the Hospital Ship Newhaven
On
arrival in England he was admitted to the Royal Free Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road,
London
Posted
to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Sep
19, 1918
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Transferred
to the Officer’s Convalescent Hospital, Matlock, Bath to continue his recuperation
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Sep
25, 1918
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Discharged
from hospital and posted to the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford
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Nov
20, 1918
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Posted
to the EORD at Witley pending return to Canada
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Nov
23, 1918
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Embarked
the SS Aquitania in Southampton
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Nov
28, 1918
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Disembarked
in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to London, Ontario
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Dec
16, 1918
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Discharged
from the CEF
Ø Rank on discharge Lieutenant
Following
his discharge the British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 32 St. Grange
St., St. Thomas, Ontario
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Mar
29, 1920
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Eileen
Helen Cameron died in the Amasa Wood Hospital of Eclampsia (a complication of pregnancy)
during the birth of a stillborn son
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Oct
1, 1923
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Married
to Margaret Brady in St. Thomas, Ontario. He
stated that he was a widower and employed as a Lawyer.
Margaret stated that she was divorced
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Jan
3, 1977
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Hugh
Cameron MC, died in St. Thomas, Ontario and was buried in the Elmdale Memorial Park
Cemetery there
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