Hutcheson, John

Quarter-Master Captain John Hutcheson, MBE was born in Helensburgh, Scotland, 26 July, 1865, the son of John Hutcheson and Henrietta McGregor Wilson.

Hutcheson joined the Queen’s Own in 1891 as a Private working his way up the ranks to Staff-Sergeant and appointed as Musketry-Instructor by 1902, Lieutenant by 1908, and Captain and Adjutant by 1913. He was a good shot and was on the regiment’s Rifle team in 1912, and 1913, he was also a founding member of the Maple Leaf Shooting Club in 1912.

On 22 September, 1914, he volunteered for active service with the 3^rd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force at Valcartier. He was given the Honorary rank of Captain and appointed as Quartermaster. He Landed in St Nazaire, France with the Battalion on 11 February 1915. On 24 April 1916 he suffered burns to his thigh and was admitted to hospital but returned to his unit once recovered. On 26 August, 1916 he was transferred to the Canadian Army Medical Corps as Quartermaster at Epsom where he remained until the end of the war. On 3 June 1919 he was made a Member of The Military Division of The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire (MBE) and by Christmas of that year he was back in Canada and demobilized. It doesn’t appear that Hutcheon returned to the regiment, he did, however, attend Maple Leaf Club shoots up until 1924.

Staff Sergeant Hutcheson (rear rank far right) 1904
QOR Museum photo

Captain Quartermaster Hutcheson (front rank 8th from left) England 1914
QOR Museum photo

In his civilian life he listed his occupation as Accountant. He marries Beatrice Cross in 1900, Rachael Sayer in 1905 and Edith Emma Mary Fraser in 1931.

He died 15 February 1936 and is buried in Frankford, Ontario.

Timeline of Military Service:

1891, joined QOR;
1895, Private F Company, Nominal Roll;
1896, July – Private, F Company, Paylist;
1902, listed as Musketry Instructor, Paylist;
1904, listed as Staff-Sergeant, President of the Sergeants’ Mess Committee, photo of Mess Committee;
1908, 20 Jan, commissioned Lieutenant;
1912, founding member of Maple Leaf Club;
1912, member of QOR Dominion Rifle Association Team;
1913, member of QOR Dominion Rifle Association Team;
1913, promoted Captain appointed as Adjutant;
1914, 22 Sep, TOS 3^rd Bn Canadian Expeditionary Force at age 50,
1915, 11 Feb, arrived St Nazaire, France,
1916, 24 Apr, burns to thigh;
1916, 26 August, transferred to Canadian Army Medical Corps as Quartermaster at Epsom;
1919, 3 June, made MBE;
1919, 14 Dec, demobilized;
1924, last Maple Leaf Club shoot attended.