Lieutenant-Colonel John Fredrick H Ussher, while a Private in the Queen’s Own, was WIA at Paardeberg 18 Feb 1900. He went on to command 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles during the First World War, and was taken prisoner when Major-General Mercer was killed in action.

Born in Toronto on 27 October 1872 to John F. C. Ussher and Margaret E. Stanton, Ussher was a stockbroker and Boer War veteran. A nine-year member of the Queen’s Own Rifles and ten-year member of the 9th Mississauga Horse, he enlisted as Major of ‘C’ Squadron in the 4th CMR.

After Lieutenant Colonel S. F. Smith transferred to the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, Ussher assumed command of the 4th CMR in March 1916. During the unit’s first action at Mont Sorrel three months later, the regiment was decimated. Only three of the twenty-two officers returned to the Canadian lines. Ussher became trapped in a collapsed tunnel during heavy German shelling, was wounded and captured. He was held in a German POW camp until March 1918 when he was interned in Switzerland. He was released in December 1918.

Ussher resumed his militia career after the war. He died in Toronto on 4 July 1956 and is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, plot 20, section 28, lot 7.

With thanks to: Matthew Barrett, World War Graphic History

Record of Service:

• 1895, Private, I Company, QOR, paylist;
• 1899, 24 October, volunteers for service in South Africa with 2 Bn Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry;
• 1900, 18 February, wounded at Paardeberg;
• 1900, October, returns from South Africa;
• 1907, Lieutenant, 9^th Mississauga Horse;
• 1914, 20 November, enlisted 4 CMR as Officer;
• 1915, promoted Major OC C Sqn;
• 1916, March, promoted LCol and appointed Commanding Officer 4 CMR;
• 1916, 02 June, Battle of Mt Sorrel;
• 1916, 07 June, reported missing;
• 1916, 10 June, unofficially reported as POW;
• 1916, 13 September, officially reported as POW;
• 1918, 11 December, reported repatriated to Prince of Wales Hospital;
• 1919, 08 February, sailed from Liverpool;
• 1920, 30 January, awarded Distinguished Service Order.