Major Alexander Gooderham Lee VD was born 23 November 1834 in Toronto, Ontario to Joseph Lee and Maria Shanks. He was a Private in the 1st Company of Volunteer Militia from its inception in 1856 to when it became one of the six founding Companies that formed the 2nd Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada in 1860. Lee was promoted to Sergeant in the 2nd (Merchant’s) Company before being gazetted to Ensign in 5 Company in 1865. He was Ensign of 5 Company of during the Battle of Ridgeway on 2nd June 1866. In 1870 he was gazetted as Captain and Paymaster at Battalion Staff, a position he would remain in until at least 1902 when he was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration for long and meritorious service. He retired from service in 1884 with the Honorary rank of Major but seems to have continued as Paymaster until at least 1902.
On 30 September 1862 he married Margaret Hunter and they would have three daughters – Mary, Edith and Alice, and one son James C. Lee.
He died 21 August 1912 in Toronto, Ontario and was buried in St James Cemetery.
Timeline of Military Service:
- 1856, 20 March, Private in No. 1 Independent Company from its formation, Regimental Diary;
- 1860-1865, Private and Sergeant in 2 (Merchant’s) Company;
- 1865, 31 March, gazetted Ensign in No. 5 Company;
- 1866, 2 June, with No. 5 Company during Battle of Ridgeway;
- 1866, 16 December, gazetted, Lieutenant;
- 1870, 25 February, gazetted Captain as Paymaster;
- 1875, Paymaster, Battalion Staff;
- 1875, October, called out during Pilgrimage riots;
- 1876, 25 February, gazetted as Honorary Major;
- 1879, Major (Paymaster), Battalion Staff;
- 1884, 2 May, retired from service with Honorary rank of Major;
- 1900, Paymaster, Battalion Staff;
- 1902, 18 August, awarded Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration.
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive 