Reference

People

Friends, fellow soldiers, officers, and family who recur across the diary and letters.

Family & home

Relatives, and the people of Robertson’s life outside the army.

Ada (Ada Jane Allen)

First cousin, London

Alexander Ross Robertson

First cousin (20th Battalion, C.E.F.)

Charley / Charlie (Charley Allen)

First cousin, London

Doris Robertson

Cousin / letter recipient

1916–1918 (letters only)

Second cousin (2nd Canadian Battalion)

Girlfriend, back home in Canada

Squibb / Squib (likely Hazel)

Working identification: Hazel, Robertson's girlfriend, under a private pet name

1915, 1916, 1917

Uncle & Auntie (Walter & Jane Allen)

Maternal uncle and aunt, Streatham, London

Uncle Jim's Murray

Cousin (Royal Field Artillery)

1916–1918 (letters; likely one diary mention, Jan 8, 1917)

McGill & friends from home

The McGill Science undergraduates who enlisted with him in February 1915 and their training-camp circle, and McGill men he kept meeting across the C.E.F.

Fellow soldier / friend

Fellow soldier / friend

Fellow McGill soldier

Friend from home (enlisted separately)

Bull / Smeed Bull (W.E. Bull)

Fellow officer / friend

1915 (referenced), 1916, 1917, 1918

Cassels (W. Cassels)

Cur (Curzon Morrow)

Ed Penny / Penny

Ernie (Ernest D. McIntosh)

Fellow soldier / friend from home

1915, 1916, 1917

Fether (E.P. Fetherstonhaugh)

Fred Fisher (Frederick Fisher)

Fellow McGill man

Garrow (E. Garrow)

George Gilchrist

Fellow McGill soldier

H.L. Fetherstonhaugh (Harold Lea Fetherstonhaugh)

Brother of Fether (E.P. Fetherstonhaugh)

not confirmed in diary

Ham (Hammond Johnson)

Fellow soldier / close friend

Harry Beatty (Beatly)

Fellow McGill soldier

Fellow McGill soldier

1916, 1917, 1918

Fellow McGill soldier

Fellow McGill soldier

Fellow soldier / roommate

1915, 1916 (unconfirmed if same person both years)

Mathewson (Sam Mathewson)

Fellow soldier(s): possibly two brothers

Mk.III Pope (Maurice Pope)

Monty (S.C. Montgomery)

Fellow soldier / close friend

Fellow soldier / close friend

Pringle / Pring (Pringle Seath)

Fellow soldier / friend

Fellow soldier / friend

Fellow soldier / close friend

Fellow McGill soldier

Comrades in the field

Officers and men he served, messed, and went on leave with in France, grouped by the year they first appear.

1915

Fellow soldier / acquaintance

Charlie Lindsay

Officer (rank/unit unclear)

Hemming / Hemmings

Acquaintance / contact

Fellow Canadian soldier

Fellow Canadian soldier / officer

Fellow Canadian soldier

1916

Alexander / Alex

Acquaintance, Heavy Artillery

Fellow officer, later a working colleague

1916, 1917, 1918

Boswell (Capt. Hugh Brabazon Boswell)

Fellow officer / friend

Fellow officer (13th Battalion)

Capt. Robertson (probably Capt. Ross Robertson)

Fellow officer: not our Robertson, shared surname only

Casement / Casey

Fellow officer / close friend

Fellow officer / friend

Hertzy (Halfdan Hertzberg)

1916, 1917, 1918

1916, 1917, 1918

Mackenzie / McKenzie / Mack

Maj. J.M. Rolston

Fellow officer, later a staff officer

Fellow Canadian Engineer officer; friend

1916, 1917, 1918

Fellow officer / friend

Tommy Williams (Tom Williams)

Fellow soldier / acquaintance

Fellow officer / close friend

1917

Bogart (Major J. L. H. Bogart)

Fellow officer, labour/coolie management

Frequent companion

Capt. O.B. McCuaig

Staff officer, Corps

Fellow officer / roommate

Acquaintance, medical/sanitary services

Officer, referenced re: Medical Board

Fellow officer, engineers

Fellow officer, C.R.E.'s office

Fellow soldier / friend

Ormie Stitt (Ormond M. Stitt)

Fellow officer / friend

Officer, French Mission

Acquaintance, 15th Battalion

Officer under Robertson's command

Fellow officer / frequent companion

Officer, C.R.E. 5th Division (probable)

Sutherland ("Waddy" Sutherland)

Fellow officer / friend

1917 (possibly also 1915, see note)

Williams (2nd Entrenching Battalion)

Fellow officer / billet-mate

Officer, Gouy yard

1918

Fellow officer, 14th

Officer, French Mission

Fellow officer, 16 Sqdn

Charley Fellowes

Fellow officer, R.O.O.

Fellow officer, 11th Co'y

Fox (Lieut. C.J. Fox)

Fellow officer (R.T.O.)

Fellow officer, 12th Co'y

Fellow officer, V Squadron

Fellow officer, travel companion

Adjutant, C.R.E. 52nd Division

Woods (Lieut. H.G.J. Woods)

Subordinate, bridging unit

Commanders & senior officers

Officers with direct command authority over a unit Robertson served in.

Chief Engineer, Canadian Corps

Commanding officer (3rd Brigade)

Col. McCuaig (G. Eric McCuaig)

Commanding officer, 13th Battalion

Commanding officer

Pepler / Pep (Lieut.-Col. E. Pepler)

Commanding officer

Other ranks

Non-commissioned men named in the diary.

N.C.O. (probable)

Sergeant, bridging unit

Enlisted mess cook/orderly

Batman (officer's servant)

Referenced, not personally known

People Robertson mentions or who cross the narrative, rather than people he served alongside.

Lt.-Col. Griesbach

Nearby infantry commander

Major General Babington

Inspecting officer

Multiple distinct people: do not merge

Sub. Lieut. G.M. Masse

Contact, Royal Naval Air Service