Last week, for the first time in decades, citizens gathered to lay flowers on the National Volunteer Memorial which was created to remember those militiamen who served and died in the service of their country at and following the the Battle of Ridgeway (or Limeridge) on June 2, 1860.
Nine of those were members of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada – 7 killed in action and 2 more died shortly thereafter of wounds. Several others were wounded – two requiring amputations.
|
KILLED |
|
| Rifleman William D. Smith | No. 2 Company |
| Lance-Corporal Mark B. Defries | No. 3 Company |
| Ensign Malcolm McEachern | No. 5 Company |
| Rifleman Christopher Alderson | No. 7 Company |
| Rifleman William Fairbanks Tempest | No. 9 Company |
| Rifleman Malcolm McKenzie | No. 9 Company |
| Rifleman John Harriman Mewburn | No. 9 Company |
|
WOUNDED |
||
| No. 1 Company | Ensign William Fahey | knee |
| No. 1 Company | Rifleman Oulster | leg (calf) |
| No. 2 Company | Sergeant Hugh Matheson | thigh (died June 11) |
| No. 2 Company | Corporal Francis Lakey | mouth (died June 11) |
| No. 2 Company | Rifleman William Thompson | neck |
| No. 3 Company | Captain J. B. Boustead | contused |
| No. 3 Company | Lieutenant J. H. Beaven | thigh |
| No. 3 Company | Rifleman Chas. Winter | thigh |
| No. 4 Company | Chas. Lugsdin | lung and arm |
| No. 5 Company | Chas. Bell | knee |
| No. 5 Company | Rifleman Capp | wrist |
| No. 6 Company | Lieutenant W. C. Campbell | shoulder |
| No. 6 Company | Corporal Paul Robins | knee (since amputated) |
| No. 6 Company | Rifleman Rutherford | foot |
| No. 7 Company | Sergeant W. Foster | side |
| No. 9 Company | Rifleman E. T. Paul | knee |
| No. 9 Company | Rifleman R. E. Kingsford | leg |
| No. 9 Company | Rifleman E. G. Paterson | arm |
| No. 9 Company | Rifleman W. H. Vandersmissen | groin |
| No. 10 Company | Colour-Sergeant F. McHardy | arm |
| No. 10 Company | Rifleman White | arm (since amputated) |
You can read more about the battle here.
Thanks to journalist, author and educator, Peter Vronsky for organizing the ceremony. Participants included QOR Skirmishers, bugler and padre; and period soldiers from the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry who fought at Ridgeway as the 13th Battalion.
Photos below are courtesy of retired Captain Larry Hicks, CD.
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive 
John, thank you, for the update….it is encouraging to see these fallen members recognized.
I’m not sure if I mentioned to you in the past, however, my wife’s great-grandfather, James Bedley was QOR at the Battle of Ridgeway. Does the records at the Museum have any info on him….or can you suggest where I can check. If it meant coming to the Museum to look through records myself that would be fine.
Please advise.
Thanks, Harry McCabe
On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 8:42 PM, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Regimental
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Thanks Harry – we don’t have a lot of records from that period but we do have a nominal roll book which we’ve scanned and uploaded to this website: https://qormuseum.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/queens-own-rifles-of-canada-nominal-rolls-1866-to-1882.pdf
The earliest roll is Mar 15, 1866 and J. Bedley is listed in No. 5 Company but under the heading “on Detachment” – not sure to where though.
There was no roll for June 2 – I suspect they were probably too preoccupied with everything else to record one…
The next roll is Jun 7, 1866 taken in Stratford where the were sent immediately after Ridgeway. I can’t find any listing for him there however the writing is very faint so you might want to double check.
By August they were in Thorold and in that roll he is shown with No. 3 Coy and is in the same Coy in the roll taken in Toronto on January 1867. I haven’t checked any further rolls after that.
I’m afraid that’s the best we’re probably able to help with. If you have any personal details about him and his service with the QOR, I’d be very happy to create a “rifleman” profile page for him.
Cheers,
John
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