Who is this lieutenant outside Buckingham Palace?

[HarryBrook]

Lt. James Archibald Foote, 10th Bn. Canadian Railway Troops.

Award of M.C. announced London Gazette 4 March 1918 for an action at Ypres on 21 December 1917. Image of the pre-publication notice, see below.

Citation - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30845/supplement/9569

Invested with the decoration by H.M. the King at Buckingham Palace on 26 February 1919, reported in The Times of Thursday 27 February 1919.

[Moonraker]

Given that our mystery lieutenant is shown with a older gentlemen and young woman, I would favour his being British-born, as it would have been easy for relatives in Britain to travel to the Palace.

 

Moonraker

 

[Blakeley]

3 minutes ago, Moonraker said:

Given that our mystery lieutenant is shown with a older gentlemen and young woman, I would favour his being British-born, as it would have been easy for relatives in Britain to travel to the Palace.

 

Moonraker

 

 

Yes, that seems like a very sensible conclusion to me.

[HarryBrook]

James Archibald Foote was born in Perth, Ontario, 23 July 1880, so that would seem to exclude him.

http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=72968

[Blakeley]

Might the badge be Lord Strathcona’s Horse?

 

Edited 7 January , 2017 by Blakeley

[The Inspector]

Hi All

Could be, so how about this one

Lt. Alexander Hewitt Bostock, Lord Strathconas Horse. (16.1.893 educated Charterhouse)  but can't find any details of a Military Cross, died 26.7.16 Ypres.

His father Hewitt Bostock, 51 yrs, Canadian Senator arrived Quebec on 20.6.15 from Liverpool with his 23yrs old daughter Marion.

Hewitt Bostock

Regards Barry

[Dragoon]

I think the crown is too low on the picture to be LSH, I sticking with CRT's. I'd love to get to the bottom of this one though, its been most fascinating, Chris

[Blakeley]

My wife gave me the photograph which started this thread for Christmas, 2016. I’d seen it for sale a few weeks earlier and she paid attention when I mentioned it over dinner one evening. Shortly after unwrapping it I carefully removed its wooden frame, hoping to find a clue to the identity of the trio, but alas there was nothing.

 

However, I was very lucky in 2015 when I bought another framed photograph at the St Lawrence Market in Toronto. Sealed behind the brown paper backing was a handwritten note from Charles Brown Mathieson, describing the scene and naming some of the people in it. What a wonderful find. I’ve since downloaded Mathieson’s service record which has added more depth to the story.

 

 

Edited 7 January , 2017 by Blakeley

[TTracer44]

I have been studying the op sepia Photo and like dragoon I dont think the crown is as high up as that on the LSH badge, also the perferations are lower down just above midway, as on the 10th CRT badge, the other badge very similar to this is the 256th Toronto which is a Railway Construction Overseas Battalion, which is the one Lt Robert Luxton is listed as being in on the CGWP site, I also found an Obituary for a Robert(Bob) Luxton 88yrs died feb 2016 at Exeter, Ontario, there is a photo and the resemblance to  Blakeley's man is uncanny, I wonder if one of our Canadian friends could check for a family tree. I also like the Exeter bit as this is the area where Lt Robert Luxton came from in England, its got to be worth a try.

[Blakeley]

1 minute ago, TTracer44 said:

I have been studying the op sepia Photo and like dragoon I dont think the crown is as high up as that on the LSH badge, also the perferations are lower down just above midway, as on the 10th CRT badge, the other badge very similar to this is the 256th Toronto which is a Railway Construction Overseas Battalion, which is the one Lt Robert Luxton is listed as being in on the CGWP site, I also found an Obituary for a Robert(Bob) Luxton 88yrs died feb 2016 at Exeter, Ontario, there is a photo and the resemblance to  Blakeley's man is uncanny, I wonder if one of our Canadian friends could check for a family tree. I also like the Exeter bit as this is the area where Lt Robert Luxton came from in England, its got to be worth a try.

 

Can you provide a link to the photo so we can see the resemblance? Thanks!

[The Inspector]

Here is the photo from the obituary!

Regards Barry

[TTracer44]

Thanks Barry, was struggling with a slow connection.

Den

[Moonraker]

49 minutes ago, TTracer44 said:

... there is a photo and the resemblance to  Blakeley's man is uncanny ...

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I don't see a resemblance. The young lieutenant's ears are smaller and pointed.

 

 

Moonraker

[The Inspector]

Hi

Moonraker, your'e not a wet blanket. Lt. Robert Luxton born 12.3.1882 died 11.12.1933, Coronary Thrombosis  @ 529 Danforth Ave, Toronto. No connection with the obituary or the photos. Lt.Robert Luxton was born in Taunton, Somerset.

Regards Barry

 

 

Edited 7 January , 2017 by The Inspector

[helpjpl]

Lieutenant Robert Luxton MC born 12 March 1882 in Somerset, England, died 11 December 1933 in Toronto, Canada. 

Officer's Declaration Paper - Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force  - dated 04/01/1917

256th (0.8) Railway Construction BN

Name:  Robert Luxton

Born:  Taunton, Somerset

DOB:  12 March 1882

NOK:  Maria Emma Luxton (wife)

Profession or occupation:  Contractor

 

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=139014920

 

JP

 

 

[The Inspector]

Hi

Lt.Luxton had 3yrs previous service with the 3rd V.B.Welch Regt, Glamorganshire. 1897 was working for Great Western Railways, Cardiff, Wales.

Regards Barry

[helpjpl]

There should be photos of Robert Luxton in the Toronto newspapers. His death certificate gives his occupation as : Ex Alderman, Harbor Board.

 

JP

 

[The Inspector]

Hi again

Orangemen who served on Toronto City Council

Luxton was born in Somerset, England, March 12, 1882. He enlisted in the 204th Battalion, C.E.F. and spent two years in France and was awarded the Military Cross. He was a successful building contractor and was elected as an alderman for Ward 1, 1922 – 1926, and 1928. He was chairman of the Toronto Works Committee in 1924 and was a director of the C.N.E. in 1923 and 1925. Luxton was a member of Queen City L.O.L. No. 857.

Regards Barry

C N E ..Canadian National Exhibition.

 

Edited 7 January , 2017 by The Inspector

[The Inspector]

11 hours ago, The Inspector said:

Hi All

Could be, so how about this one

Lt. Alexander Hewitt Bostock, Lord Strathconas Horse. (16.1.893 educated Charterhouse)  but can't find any details of a Military Cross, died 26.7.16 Ypres.

His father Hewitt Bostock, 51 yrs, Canadian Senator arrived Quebec on 20.6.15 from Liverpool with his 23yrs old daughter Marion.

Senator Hewitt Bostock , photo 1928/9.                                                                                 

 

This is his son Lt.Alexander Hewitt Bostock........

 

Second thoughts...looks too young anyway compared to OP, and his dad was even thinner in 1914,,,,,back to the search!!!

Regards Barry

 

Edited 7 January , 2017 by The Inspector

[Guest]

Hello all,

I've been writing a movie about Fred Banting's discovery of insulin for the past 3 years (now in development with a UK film company as "Unspeakably Wonderful"), and I've just stumbled across this thread.

I fear it is probably not Banting, although some of the facial similarities are sorely tempting. I have never seen a photo of Banting, though, that is not instantly recognisable as "him", and your unknown officer fails the test.

And as already observed, the cap badge appears to be wrong. 

For comparison, attached is a photo of Banting (on the left) in 2015, with the correct CAMC badge on his cap. To his right is his girlfriend of the time, Edith Roach. Tantalisingly, there is ALSO a resemblance between Edith and the lady in your photo, but no evidence I can find that she might have travelled to Britain for his MC. The "father" looks nothing like Banting's father, unfortunately.