As we approach 1st July, we remember those heroes who fought and died in WWI. Of course, that is right and proper and long may we continue to honour them and their total sacrifice. But, many answered the call to arms and, at the end of that loathsome war, returned home to family and friends. It certainly couldn't have been easy to readjust but most managed to settle back into the life of their communities. Those who fought and returned are also heroes, deserving of honour and remembrance.
One such returned soldier was Dr Cluny Macpherson. Dr Macpherson had no direct link with St Patrick's but I am pretty sure that he was the family doctor for many of our families. I know that he was ours and, although I can't personally remember him, some of my older siblings could recollect Dr Macpherson making house calls.
About eighteen months ago we spent the day at the Imperial War Museum, London and John took loads of pictures. Newfoundland's contribution was evident amidst the two floors of WWI displays and memorabilia, and Cluny Macpherson's was prominent.
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| John's photo of the Imperial War Museum, London |
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| WWI Trench markers, displayed at the Imperial War Museum, London. (Another of John's photos.) |
Cluny Macpherson was born in St John's on 18th March 1879. He earned his medical degree from McGill University, Montreal, and eventually made his way back to St John's where he set up practice as a physician. At the outbreak of WWI, Cluny enlisted and was commissioned as a Captain and Principal Medical Officer of the newly formed 1st Newfoundland Regiment. Previously, he had started the first St John Ambulance Brigade in Newfoundland and now members of the Brigade enlisted in the Newfoundland Regiment. Captain Cluny Macpherson organised them into an Ambulance Unit which continued throughout the War. Capt Macpherson saw active service in Belgium, France, Salonika, Gallipoli and Egypt. He was mentioned twice in dispatches.
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| Capt Cluny Macpherson in Egypt (Internet photo!!) |
The Germans first used poison gas against the Allied troops in April 1915. To combat the gas, two not very successful devices were hurriedly issued to troops. Captain Macpherson came up with an improvement on these two and invented an early version of the gas mask. His invention, the British Smoke Hood, was a canvas hood treated with chlorine-absorbing chemicals, fitted with a see through mica eyepiece. This was adopted by the British Army and introduced in June 1915.
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| Forerunners of the Gas mask. (John took this picture through the glass case.) |
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| Captain Cluny Macpherson's invention. (A cropped version of John's photo.) |
Captain Macpherson was injured in Egypt and returned to Newfoundland in October 1916. He resumed his medical practice in St John's, served as Director of Medical Services for the Militia, and held various posts for the Newfoundland Medical Society. Dr Cluny Macpherson retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and lived and worked in his home town until his death on 16th November 1966.
Dr. Macpherson was our family Doctor, and he born me. I remember going to his office on Rennies Mill Road in the basement of his home, as a very young child. He did indeed make house calls.
ReplyDeleteHi Joan. Thanks for confirming what older siblings have told me. Dr Macpherson seemed to be the most popular doctor in St John's back in the 40s and 50s. I don't remember him myself but I do know that he was our family doctor for years because my mother often talked about him. He certainly was a clever man and did a lot of good work in his time.
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