National Trust Company

National Trust Company

The Great War (World War I), 1914-1918

During The Great War (World War I), 54 staff members from the National Trust Company enlisted for military service. Of these 54, 10 made the supreme sacrifice.

To pay tribute to those who served in The Great War, the National Trust Company commissioned J. E. H. MacDonald in 1921 to design a plaque with the names of all the men who enlisted.

Click to enlarge

The names on the plaque of the men who survived the war:

  • Almon, Ellis Skaife
  • Bayley, William Arthur
  • Beattie, Robert Galbraith
  • Benson, Kenneth George
  • Boissonnault, Paul
  • Bolton, Norman Clifford
  • Bourne, Charles Edward
  • Brown, Thomas George
  • Campbell, James Kenneth
  • Cowan, Frederick Eugene
  • Craig, Daniel
  • Crawley, Sidney Johnstone
  • Dilke, Robert George
  • Duncan, Donald Chalmers
  • Fisher, Eric Roswell
  • Fleming, William James
  • Gay, Alexander Russell
  • Gianelli, Victor Francis
  • Groff, Wilfrid Bain
  • Gunn, Jeremiah Donald
  • Haldenby, Robert Eliis
  • Hall, Patterson Lindsay
  • Hotrum, Frederick
  • Kuhn, Percy Stanford
  • McRae, Thomas Lloyd
  • McTaggart, Earl Wallace
  • Macdonnell, James Mackerras
  • Mead, Frank Clarence Castlehow
  • Molson, Francis Stuart
  • Simpson, William Norman
  • Otton, Charles Edward
  • Smith, Charles Victor
  • Paterson, Alexander Blair
  • Styles, George Patrick
  • Perrigo, John
  • Stafford, Edward John
  • Pinkerton, George McGill
  • Toms, George Robert
  • Revell, William Olney
  • Toy, Martin Hodgson
  • Roden, Richard Regnal
  • Woodhouse, Cuthbert
  • Smedley, Frank Coltman
  • Walker, Herbert Fraser

The names on the plaque of the men who did not survive the war are:

  • Buik, James Rodger
  • Crummey, Francis Cyprian
  • Flynn, Michael
  • Irving, Gordon Budd
  • Molson, Percival
  • Robertson, William Dickson
  • Symonds, Herbert Boyd
  • Tait, Wilfrid Burton
  • Wilson, James
  • Winnifrith, Gordon Stevenson

World War II, 1939-1945

According to the 1945 National Trust Annual Report, a large proportion of men and women returned to the Company after their active service. Ten decorations were won by their men, but with deep regret, eight were killed, namely:

  • Private A. Adamson
  • Pilot Officer F. H. Beemer
  • Wireless Air Gunner D. G. Chattell
  • Lieutenant R. J. Hooper
  • Sergeant Ralph Labelle
  • Sergeant C. C. Maw
  • Lieutenant Alan R. W. Robinson
  • Sergeant Frank Warr.

By the end of World War II, the total number of National Trust Company staff who enlisted is unknown, but a total of 9 employees made the supreme sacrifice.

History of the National Trust Company

The National Trust Company was incorporated on August 12, 1898 under the name of The National Trust Company of Ontario Limited. With the opening of an office in Montreal during 1899, the name is changed to The National Trust Company, Limited. By 1984, when National Trust amalgamated with The Victoria & Grey Trust Company, the company once again changed its name, this time to The National Victoria & Grey Trust Company. However, because the name was deemed too cumbersome, it is subsequently changed to the National Trust Company on June 03, 1985. On August 14, 1997 Scotiabank purchased the National Trust Company.

Archives Email: archives@scotiabank.com | Copyright 2010