Colonel Blair Molson Clerk, MC, ED was born in Montreal on 10 February 1891, the son of Alton Fergus Clerk and Annie Tabb. He attended Montreal High School and St Andrew’s College in Toronto.

He played lacrosse, football, and hockey and rowed with the Argonaut Rowing Club.

He married Emma Madeleine Pearce on 31 Aug 1921 in York, Ontario.

Military Service:

• 6 years in The Queen’s Own Rifles, Toronto;
• 1908 Attended the Quebec Tercentenary with the regiment in 1908;
• 1911 on Canadian Coronation Contingent to England (decorated personally by His Majesty, King George V).
•  Sept 1913 discharged
• QOR waiting list for a commission was too long so joined 36th Peel Regt and was posted to ‘C’ Coy, (QOR) of 74th Bn CEF and then appointed Officer Commanding Machine Gun (MG) Section
• In England given command of the 11th Brigade MG Company and promoted to Captain.
• 4 1/4 years in World War One.
• Promoted to Major. Served through actions on the Salient, at the Somme, at Vimy Ridge, at Passchendaele, at Arras and in the Amiens show.
• Wounded several times and awarded the Military Cross (presented personally by the (then) Prince of Wales)

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an action. On September 9, 1917, the enemy put down an intense barrage causing several casualties and putting two guns out of action. Captain Clerk at once moved the guns out of the barrage and opened fire again. He had the two damaged guns repaired and brought into action and directed the fire of twelve guns during the repeated counter-attacks. His courage throughout was an inspiring example to all ranks.”

• Went as a volunteer (one of 10 Canadians) with the  British Military Mission to Siberia in 1919,  as MG Instructor, in White Russian Army
• At HQ in Novanikolvsk was decorated with the Order of St Anne
• In World War Two (although over-age) was SAAG at NDHQ
• Later saw active service in Europe as a senior Canadian staff officer on SHAEF (under General Eisenhower) in charge of the protection, repatriation and welfare of Canadian P0Ws in enemy hands.
• Discharged with the rank of Colonel.
• Awarded the Canadian Efficiency Decoration

Civilian Service:

• 1921 to 1932 organized and directed financial campaigns for community organizations from Halifax to Victoria, including Boards of Trade, CNIB, Red Cross, Salvation Army, YMCA, Chambers of Commerce, Merchants Associations, etc.
• 7 years – Campaign Director of Vancouver Welfare Federation; annual united .financial appeal for 47 social agencies
• Managing Director of the first and only United War Services Fund; with a goal of $5,000,000. Raised $7,200,000. for war auxiliary organizations, YMCA, Knights of Columbus, Canadian Legion and Salvation Army.
• Called back from France to organize and launch the Rehabilitation Branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs for British Columbia and Yukon. District Superintendent for 8 years.
• 1945 – General manager of British Empire Games in Vancouver.
• 8 years as Executive Secretary of the Canadian Red Cross
• 2 1/2 years as General Manager of Vancouver Centennial Committee
• Retired November 1967

Colonel Clerk died on 29 Jul 1976 in Vancouver, British Columbia of bronchopneumonia, at age 86.

Much of this information was collected from  a letter written by Colonel Clerk published in the Regimental Newsletter Issue 66.