(The Honour Roll on right from 2024 with the additional eight names stemming from a project led by Gloria Tubman. The original Honour Roll that hung in the Church for many years is seen on the right. The Honour Rolls name all of the community members who served during WWI and WWII. Photos: Gloria Tubman and Phil Sweetnam)
Alfred Joseph Casson of The Group of Seven worked for the Toronto design firm of Sampson-Matthews from the 1920s-50s. Following the Second World War, he designed an Honour Roll on which were lettered the names of the servicemen from a particular church, parish, school and other organizations. Casson designed the original scroll and these were printed in large numbers. For the most part, the individual calligraphy was not done by Casson but by one of many commercial artists at Sampson-Matthews who were employed to do lettering. If there was a particular school, church, etc. with special importance or of a personal connection to Casson, he may have done the calligraphy himself. His scroll is beautifully designed, with Casson’s name or initials found near the bottom of each scroll.
For many years, an A.J. Casson Honour Roll has hung on the wall at Stittsville United Church (SUC) honouring the many Stittsville community members who served during the Second World War. The church members wanted to honour the Stittsville community members who had served in the First World War by adding their names to the Honour Roll.
It was a significant project undertaken by Gloria Tubman that entailed more than seven months of research to uncover and recognize the names of eight people to be honoured for their service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War.
We were in touch with Gloria to learn more of her research and why she got involved. “I am glad that this is getting some attention as maybe some of the other churches, schools, and service organizations will take a closer look at the Honour Rolls in their buildings to see that all who served are remembered,” said Gloria.
“I come from Shawville, Quebec and in the early 2000s, the villages in Pontiac County updated their memorial stones that only had names of those who never made it home to now include all from the area who served in the Canadian military conflicts to present time.
“I want to acknowledge Bonnie Lamb, of Stittsville, who was responsible for adding the names to the bottom of the Honour Roll with her beautiful calligraphy. Also, Rev. Dr. Shaun Yaskiw, the guest Minister at SUC, for his helpful advice as I worked on this project,” shared a thankful Gloria.
Gloria’s inspiration for the project was brought about because of the Remembrance Day service that SUC holds each year for the congregation. “Last October for Remembrance Day, I wanted to do something for the Remembrance service at SUC so I started looking at the Honour Roll. Imagine my surprise when I could only find four military files at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) from those listed on the Roll. The four were those who were Killed In Action in the Second World War. I then checked tombstones and newspapers for the other names – finding out they had all served in WWII. So I did the stories for the four who never made it home including finding photos for each one.
“Although the Honour Roll at SUC had a plaque below it indicating that it represented those who had served in the First World War and the Second World War, it was incorrect as those names on the Roll were only Second World War enlistees as only the four names with stars beside could be found in military records, as they were KIA in Second World War. That was why I started the research to uncover those who had served in the First World War.
“Then I started asking attendees of SUC, who had been members since children if they ever remembered another Honour Roll for WWI. No-one ever remembered any but the one on the wall. I then contacted United Church Archives, LAC, The War Museum, History & Heritage of DND to see if anywhere there was a list of Honour Rolls for WWI or a blank one. No-one had any list of these Honour Rolls. From start to finish this took about seven months of work,” Gloria shared.
Once the initial legwork was completed, it was time to start the actual research of First World War records. “Then started the actual research of First World War Military files for people who enlisted and had mentioned Stittsville or Goulbourn as their residence, place of birth, or location of next-of-kin. Then it was a process of elimination of those who would not be associated with SUC. Then by reading each military file and finding their death notices, I was able to arrive at the eight names. All eight servicemen survived their service in the CEF,” Gloria told us.
“Interesting research of those who are listed on the Honour Roll was the Spearman family,” added Gloria.
Military service was part of the Spearman family history as Harold Spearman’s great grandfather John Spearman was a Sergeant Major in the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment at Foot during the war of 1812-1814. Harold Spearman served in WWI and lost his son Charles Wilson Spearman in WWII from a motor accident in Hounslow, England buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, England. Harold lost a nephew Gordon Douglas Spearman in WWII in a Lancaster aircraft that failed to return to base after a bombing raid over Nantes France Area, his name is Panel 253 at the Memorial at Runnymede, England. No less than 10 members of the Spearman family served in both World Wars. Recognized for their service during the First World War include Orin A. Spearman and Harold Spearman who was a veterinarian for war horses. On Harold’s return from the war he went on to be a veterinarian in Goulbourn Township and was a Reeve for several terms.
Names that existed on the original Honour Roll had all in served in the Second World War. Those names honoured are:
- John Potter
- Donald Stronach
- Gerald Argue
- John Argue
- Harris Bradley
- Leonard Black
- Herwald Foster
- Elmer Foster
- Russell Graham
- Bert Hodgins
- Howard Hodgins
- Harry Healey
- Reynolds James
- Gordon Spearman
- Charles Spearman
- Allen Spearman
- Kenneth Spearman
- Sheldon Spearman
- Marie Spearman
- Leonard Spearman
- Gilmour Graham
- Gordon Hodgins
- Reginald Kingsley
- Donald Smith
- Joan Spearman
The eight Stittsville community members with ties to Stittsville United/Methodist Church added to the Honour Roll to recognize their service serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War are:
- Robert F. Argue
- S. Herbert Cathcart
- Charles Mills Cherry
- Frank T. Faulkner
- Orville Robert Gorman
- Delmar S. James
- Harold Spearman
- Orin A. Spearman
Gloria shares the importance of remembering those who gave their life so we can enjoy ours. “In 2013, I laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on Remembrance Day. It was my privilege to meet many veterans who served Canada during the Second World War. I saw how affected they were by the ceremony and remembering their friends who served with them but never made it home and those were no longer with us. All I can say is Thank You to all those who served that I enjoy the life I do today.”
With this project completed, the Honour Roll at the Stittsville United Church was recently unveiled and now includes community members who served in both World Wars.
Wow – love this! ❤️
I would love to connect with Gloria!
THANK YOU GLORIA FOR YOUR RESEARCH AND RESULTS – A JOB WELL DONE AND APPRECIATED!
Thank you Gloria for your hard work. My Father was Reynolds James and Grandfather was Delmar James ! It is very important that we remember!
William – Was your Dad, Reynolds, a Minister? Lillian Hobbs would be your Aunt and Gerald your Uncle? Know of these family members through my grandparents – Orville & Ermel Parks. I knew Lillian through the Historical Society and her son, Keith. – Lesley