The Great War Memorial Tablets

As a memorial to staff who gave their lives in the Great War, The Bank of Nova Scotia commissioned about 60 bronze tablets, between July 1920 and February 1921, to be placed on the wall of the branch where each known staff member was employed when they joined the military forces.  These plaques listed the names of staff who had been killed on the field, as well as those who died from their wounds after they returned home from the war.  

In memory of those who served, the Scotiabank Archives is honoured to share the eight plaques that they have in their collection.  Over the years each tablet has come to develop its own patina. These varied finishes demonstrate their caretakers’ best intentions to maintain these memorials in good order.   

National Trust Company Limited

The National Trust Company commissioned J. E. H. MacDonald in 1921 to design a plaque with the names of all the men who enlisted in the Great War. 54 staff members from the National Trust Company enlisted for military service. Of these 54, 10 made the supreme sacrifice.  

On August 14, 1997, Scotiabank purchased the National Trust Company.

The Bank of Ottawa

The Bank of Ottawa was established in 1874 and it amalgamated with The Bank of Nova Scotia on April 30th, 1919. By the time The Great War had ended, 188 staff members of The Bank of Ottawa had enlisted for military service – 21 made the supreme sacrifice; 17 were wounded; 5 were made prisoners; and 2 were reported missing. 

The Scotiabank Archives has two plaques that list the names of Bank of Ottawa staff who served in the Great War.  

Egerton Bancks Baines

Enlisted in the Canadian Army on September 15, 1915. Received appointment in the 76th Battalion in England. Shortly after his arrival he was transferred to "B" Company, 4th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Killed in action in Ypres Salient, Belgium, while serving as Lieutenant with the 4th Battalion.

Branch: General Office, Toronto, Ontario
War: World War I
Country: Canada
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia
Status: Killed in action
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Birth: August 28, 1888
Date of Death: July 27, 1916
Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario
Date of Enlistment: August 18, 1915
Military Group: 76th Battalion “B" Company,
4th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Alan Vincent Franke Trimble

Enlisted with the 48th Highlanders and went overseas with the 35th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Forces as a signaller. Wounded at Courcelette in September, 1916  and transferred to the Oakbank Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland. Joined the 41st Squadron of the Royal Air Force after recovering. Killed in action while serving as 2nd Lieutenant. 

Name: Alan Vincent Franke Trimble
Branch: The Bank of Nova Scotia Danforth & Pape Branch, Toronto, Ontario
War: World War I
Country: Canada
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia
Status: Killed in action
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant     
Signaller 
Date of Birth: August 31, 1897 
Date of Death: August 25, 1918 
Place of Birth: New Hamburg, Ontario 
Date of Enlistment: May 18, 1915 
Military Group: 48th Highlanders 
35th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Forces 
41st Squadron, Royal Air Force 
37th Battalion 

Harold Webster Robertson

Enlisted with the 145th Battalion on February 8, 1916.­ Appointed Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant of the 145th Battalion and sailed for England in September, 1916 to be placed on the firing line. ­He enlisted as a Private in the 49th Battalion and after a short period of time, he was promoted to Quarter-Master Sergeant of "A" Company. Killed at Passchendaele, Belgium. ­Regimental number 832355

Branch: The Bank of Nova Scotia Sackville Branch, New Brunswick
War: World War I
Country: Canada
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia
Status: Killed in action
Rank: Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant
Date of Birth: July 28, 1891
Date of Death: October 30, 1917
Place of Birth: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Date of Enlistment: February 14, 1916
Military Group: 145th Battalion, 49th Battalion

Duncan MacPherson

 

Branch: The Bank of Nova Scotia Main Branch, Calgary, Alberta 
(Today known as the Commercial Banking Centre & Main Branch)
War: World War I
Country: Canada
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia
Place of Birth: Acharn, Scotland 
Date of Enlistment: September 01, 1915 
Military Group: 10th Brigade,  Machine Gun Company 
Rank: Private 
Status: Killed in action at Vimy Ridge, France 
Date of Birth: January 27, 1892 
Date of Death: November 04, 1917 

Andrew Edward Hector Hugh Mackay

Enlisted in the Motor Cycle Corps on November 6, 1916. Trained in Toronto and Bramshott Camps before going to France was in the trenches of Passchendaele, Belgium for only a few weeks when he was killed.

Name: Andrew Edward Hector Hugh MacKay 
Branch: The Bank of Nova Scotia Main Branch, Calgary, Alberta (Today known as the Commercial Banking Centre & Main Branch) 
War: World War I 
Country: Canada 
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia 
Status: Killed in action 
Rank: Private 
Date of Birth: October 02, 1895
Date of Death: November 11, 1917
Place of Birth: Sanday, Orkney Isles, Scotland
Date of Enlistment: November 18, 1916
Military Group: Motor Cycle Corps, Canadian Expeditionary Force
10th Battalion, Canadian Army

John Henry Campbell

Enlisted in the 182nd O. S. Battalion on June 15, 1916.Reported killed in action at the Arras Front, France, while serving with the 116th Battalion.

Branch: The Bank of Nova Scotia Consecon Branch, Trenton, Ontario
War: World War I
Country: Canada
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia
Status: Killed in action
Rank: Private 
Date of Birth: August 08, 1898 
Date of Death: August 27, 1918 
Place of Birth: Havergal, Ontario 
Date of Enlistment: June 17, 1916 
Military Group: 182nd O. S. Battalion.
Canadian Expeditionary Forces, Otterpool Camp, England 
116th Battalion, Canadian Army

Murray McKay Winchester

Enlisted with the 220th Battalion "York Rangers" on April 03, 1916 and later transferred into the 75th Battalion. Reported missing April 10 or 24, 1917. Officially reported killed in action in February 1918. Died during the Vimy Ridge battle. His body has never been recovered, but military authorities have said that he was apparently instantly killed while leading his men out of a shell hole during the Vimy Ridge offensive. 

Branch: The Bank of Nova Scotia Bloor & Spadina Branch, Toronto, Ontario
War: World War I
Country: Canada
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia
Status: Presumed to have died
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Birth: February 03, 1898
Date of Death: Between April 1917 – February 1918
Place of Birth: Victoria, British Columbia 
Date of Enlistment: February 11, 1916
Military Group: 220th Battalion "York Rangers" 75th Battalion

Robert William Morison

Branch: Black River, Jamaica  
War: World War I 
Country: Jamaica
Organization: The Bank of Nova Scotia 
Status: Killed in action 
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Birth: May 23, 1892 
Date of Death: June 07, 1916 
Place of Birth: Sussex, New Brunswick 
Date of Enlistment: August 19, 1914 
Military Group: 26th Battalion, attached to the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade T.M. Battery