Harry Edward LeMasurier OBE
Lieutnant-Colonel
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Prewar Bliss
A degree in chemistry from Central Technical School and a position as a lab technician at the prestigious University of Toronto were once hardly fathomable dreams for the son of a humble carpenter of Langstaff, Ontario. Yet Harry LeMasurier had accomplished all those things and seemed only to continue to achieve even more in the new blissful world of the 1920’s. The guns had long since fallen silent on the western front and the postwar depression had been replaced by a great boom which created seemingly unending opportunities for the young man. The hardships he lived through during those long years were now mere memories and life was full of intriguing work, leisure trips up north to the cottage, and the luxury of a vacation to Jamaica. Those carefree years even brought Harry and his wife Hilda Braid together, the two youthful Canadians marrying in 1931.
The young couple was blessed with their first son Harry Jr. in 1936 and Peter in 1938. Despite the onset of the Great Depression there was always food on the table for the content family of four. This was in large part due to Harry’s incredible ability to learn and to adapt to new roles. As a lab technician, he involved himself in everything from monitoring premature-born babies to developing a new color injection technique for museums (1). Where his expertise really showed was in his understanding of poultry, maintaining a large flock that he performed studies on for the Department of Agriculture. He was always willing to take on a new task and even accepted a commission from the University of Guelph to count and report the number of 5-stripe chipmunks he saw well up north. The assignment didn’t make a lot of sense, but it paid and that was good enough reason to do it.
Besides running his chicken business and working in labs, he also joined the Canadian Nonpermanent Active Militia, specifically the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. His grasp of logistics and understanding of the medical field made him a favorable candidate in the eyes of the Corps. This is why he was sent alongside a number of other volunteers to pursue a short officers training course, the intention being to try and revitalize the dilapidated postwar formation with these young men (2). Yet brief summers of training at Niagara-on-the-lake and courses taught by officers of questionable experience, could only do so much to shape the candidates into deployment ready leaders (2). Despite these questionable tactics, Harry was proud to receive his promotion to a Lieutenant in 1938 with an assignment to the No 7 Cavalry Field Ambulance. The unit was of course a vestige of the First World War and really it seemed quite absurd to think it would be used should there be another conflict. Perhaps this wasn’t apparent to the youthful idealist men like Harry who had been too young to see the realities of the Great War as he happily ordered a pair of custom riding breaches for himself. Even in the summer of 1939 with crisis looming in Europe, war seemed unlikely, and the young Lieutenant spent most his time learning of X-ray machines (3). Using these machines gained him recognition from the University in June of that year, though it would wind up being his understanding of basic medical supplies that proved more important (3).
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A Quartermaster's Nightmare
Despite looking somewhat prepared on paper, the state of the RCAMC was quite poor and there existed a general lack of about anything (2). Most the equipment was leftover from the last war, the result of very little money being allotted to replace it (2). There also was a deficit of personnel and a confusing structure of units that were in great need of reorganization (2). One of these was Harry’s No.7 Cavalry Field Ambulance, which had no real use outside of a summer training unit in its current state. This was proven when an order in June of 1939 was sent out that effectively removed all cavalry units, though they weren’t really replaced (2). By this point it was growing apparent to all that war was on the horizon, the call for certain officers being put out on September 3rd to try to assemble a capable body to build from (2). Harry was among those called up, having to quickly abandon his ongoing lab studies to report for duty. With the status of the No.7 Cavalry Ambulance as a unit in question, the inexperienced Lieutenant applied to another formation, the 15th Canadian General Hospital. Though only having had experience in basic summer training and some minor officers’ courses, his superior officer managed to convince him to apply as a Captain and Quartermaster for this larger outfit.
The need for manpower was great and the RCAMC readily accepted his application, being brought on with the 15th General Hospital the day war formally broke out, September 9th (2). There immediately was a recruiting rush as young men flocked in to fill the vacant ranks of the force (2). The need for professional officers had never been greater and Harry was sent to Exhibition Camp in downtown Toronto to undergo further training. There was minimal time to waste and military discipline quickly became the norm for the 32-year-old officer. It was quite a drastic change having gone from a relatively flexible job to the strict regime of the army, but he excelled. By January 1st, the middle-aged Lieutenant proved himself more than capable of his new position, passing his courses and qualifying as a Captain, though the official promotion was significantly delayed. |
His job as a Quartermaster quickly proved less than ideal as the entirety of the RCAMC struggled to procure practically anything (2). Despite the very apparent lack of materials, the Canadian government remained committed to sending off the 1st Canadian Division to the United Kingdom, which would include an attachment of medical units (2). Among those selected for this scratch force was the 15th Canadian General Hospital that was supposed to somehow run 1,500 beds without proper supply (2). The order created a nightmare for Harry and the other Quartermasters that would make its way up the chain of command to Ottawa (2). The solution became that all missing equipment would be procured from the United Kingdom, a place the newly instated Quartermaster had never been to, let alone procured medical supplies in (2). Despite missing the majority of necessary equipment, the order to prepare for deployment was still issued (2).
Exhibition Camp would briefly open its gates to the public, allowing Harry a final moment with his family before his departure the following week (3). His oldest son was four years old now and he happily held him as he posed for a cameraman from The Globe and Mail (3). Saying goodbye to a wife and two sons was hardly easy but the mix of excitement and patriotism allowed him and the many others to depart the arms of their beloved families. Within a few days he arrived in the bustling port of Halifax and was loaded aboard the luxury ship the Empress of Britain, not too shabby of a vessel to depart upon. When finally the ship pulled away from port, it was christened by torrents of waves as the ocean tossed and turned, making for an unpleasant departure into the vast Atlantic on January 30th (2). |
The ‘Old Country’
The famed cliffs of southern England came into view as the Empress of Britain prepared to cruise into port following the great journey across the Atlantic. Despite the rough seas at the start, the crossing had been unexciting, and the convoy managed to escape the dreaded German U-boats that lurked just under the surface (2). Harry stepped off this cruise ship onto the soil of his grandparent’s homeland on February 2nd, 1940 (2). His instructions were to move with his unit to their new facilities that were located at Bramshott, the same region where the famed military camp that housed so many Canadians during the first war had been located (2). The quaint towns and famed English countryside made for a lovely view, though he soon found out that no appropriate facilities had been procured to house the 15th General Hospital (2). Instead, the unit was divided up and posted to other facilities, creating significant disorganization, though only temporary (2).
The early days in England were challenging for the recently promoted Captain LeMasurier as he spent time trying to help acquire supplies for the 15th General Hospital that was now being constructed, bouncing frequently in-between Bramshott and Canadian Military Headquarters in London (2). To add to the confusion, despite the new hospital being built in England, the 15th had been selected as a unit that was to follow the 1st Canadian Division over to France, a prospect that by May was looking less than appealing (2). Fortunately for Harry, the 15th would not depart English soil due to material constraints, ensuring that none of the staff were over there during the fall of the country (2). Fate had spared him, though the future looked ever bleak as the United Kingdom stood alone and his unit struggled to assemble itself.
Finally in the summer of 1940, the 15th now had the ability to house 600 patients, thanks in large part to the work in procurement by Harry. Yet the horrid conditions of the winter of that year led to the spread of serious diseases among the ranks of the Canadians. The burden of so many patients became such that the 15th had to stop admitting them as all the beds were filled (2). It was frustrating for him and all the rest of the staff who tried to continue to expand the hospitals capacity, but it took time and materials that were slow to arrive (2). This winter rush was survived due to the aid of British hospitals and the excellent management of the RCAMC officers (2). Among the noted was Harry who was pulled away from his post with the 15th in early 1941 and formally attached to the Canadian Military Headquarters in London. His skill in managing the hospital’s supply crisis had been noted by the audacious Brigadier Luton who chose him for a key role in his newly reformed structure of the RCAMC. Harry’s scope in medical supply procurement was expanded from one unit to the entirety of the Canadian Army. |
CMHQ London
Masses of bombs now consistently fell upon the city of London as the United Kingdom remained a near lone beacon of hope in the world. Air raid sirens were a common occurrence and signaled the arrival of another fleet of German bombers that were intent on crippling the British capital. Yet despite the danger of these explosives, the recently promoted Major LeMasurier no longer fled to the safety of the underground shelters. He had been in London long enough to become desensitized to the raids, remaining instead in his comfortable apartment in the city. His new position as an Assistant Medical Director had afforded him a private lodging along with a WAC driver and several supporting staff under his command. He certainly needed them as he spent countless hours trying to arrange for the distribution of critical medical supplies to formations throughout the country. Though quite challenging of a position, he proved very capable of handling it and earned a promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel in June of 1942.
The importance of the job was only emphasized by the disastrous Dieppe Raid, which resulted in the RCAMC being flooded with severely wounded soldiers (2). Yet even with the mass influx of patients, medical supplies remained readily available, ensuring each man received proper treatment (2). The stockpiles of these supplies had been accumulated under Harry’s watchful eye, as he planned from CMHQ in London and made frequent inspections of various facilities. It wasn’t necessarily a glamorous or always exciting job, but it helped save young men’s lives and he pursued it with that in mind.
As the years carried on, the Canadian formations only grew in size as did the need for more medical supplies and the stress placed upon Harry. Yet his life in London wasn’t always consumed by work, his rank allowing him some opportunities to enjoy a number of finer things in the city. This included the privilege of meeting many famed characters such as Bob Hope, Edward G. Robinson, Lord Mountbatten, and the future Queen Elizabeth. He also traveled around the United Kingdom, notably going to Scotland where he developed a keen distaste for the bagpipes. Despite all the benefits of being among the top brass, he still faced the same danger of the endless German bombs which vaporized officers, soldiers, and civilians indiscriminately. |
Like everyone else he had his close calls, an incendiary bomb landing directly on the porch of his apartment. Fortunately, it didn’t incinerate the place and he simply placed a garbage can over top of it and waited for the bomb disposal crew. The neighbors across the street would not be so lucky as a bomb leveled their apartment. This was now a normal occurrence in England, and many other Canadians there had similar tales to share. One fellow Harry met recounted to him a story of when he had been put in the brig for misconduct with a comrade near the coast. Well they were stuck there an air raid began and a large bomb landed directly outside their cell window. By some miracle they survived it and decided from now on they would be better behaved. It proved quite an effective lesson in discipline.
Traveling Soldier
Stockpiling supplies for formations in the United Kingdom was difficult enough, but ensuring those items made it overseas for campaigns was an entirely different challenge. The invasion of Sicily required that Harry and his staff work overtime in order to ensure the correct provisions made it to the large Canadian contribution there. He would set foot in the combat zone himself, conducting inspections on RCAMC assets in both North Africa and Sicily. These visits were a standard practice and for his own piece of mind as they ensured the Lieutenant-Colonel was well versed on the realities of the situation on the ground. To get to these often-exotic locations, he and his entourage were transported typically by Lancaster aircraft. Flying in these steel hulks wasn’t always ideal and he developed a strong distaste for the Gibraltar airfield. The relatively short runway and the large “rock” made him rather uneasy. But flying was far superior to traveling by ship in submarine infested waters.
In February of 1944 the Lieutenant-Colonel arrived in Naples, Italy to make inspections on the forward elements of the RCAMC. The battle for Monte Cassino was in full swing and the hospitals were filled with no shortage of casualties. Well there he witnessed the famed Gurkha troops who he felt deserved much of the credit for the success of that campaign. When not checking on supplies, he spent time speaking with wounded soldiers, which ensured he never forgot why he was doing this job. Supplying Italy was difficult, but it was growing even more so as items had to be stockpiled in England at the same time for another major operation. Harry would return to London in March and no doubt began work for the eventual invasion of northern Europe, which was calling for a potential of “22,100” hospital beds (2). The monumental needs for the 'great crusade' were achieved after extensive planning and hard work that ensured the troops in the Northwest Europe Theatre remained well equipped in the medical department. It was a monumental logistical feat that wore out all who were involved but greatly paid off in the number of lives saved. The invasion was beginning of the end for the Germans, though they continued to pepper Britain with bombs that were now robot guided, which Harry found “infinitely worse” than the regular blitz (5).
The stress of the campaigns and constant explosions were enough to drive one mad especially after four years. This is perhaps why Harry was granted brief leave to Canada in the fall of 1944, hitching a ride aboard the back of a Lancaster that was hauling mail. There was no heating in the plane, which made for a cold trip over Iceland and Greenland, but it ensured he got there in a timely manner. He arrived home in Langstaff to find that his sons had both grown and much had changed because of the war. Two of Hilda’s brothers were now in uniform and married, though both were posted to Canada only. The chicken business he had left in the care of his father had rapidly expanded and the proceeds along with what Hilda had saved of Harry’s military pay were going to be used to open up a small factory. It was a different world from that of bombed out England, one which he deeply desired to remain in, though his sense of duty drove him to return to his post. |
The actions in France and the Netherlands continually drained the stocks of medical supplies Harry had worked so hard to build up. By all metrics the war should have been over, but the Germans were determined to fight to the bitter end, causing Canadian casualties to continue to rise. In March of 1945, he departed London for Northwest Europe to inspect RCAMC units operating in both France and the Netherlands. The tidings were still grim but in a few months that would change as the final resistance began to collapse. Victory in Europe occurred soon after, finally giving respite to the many exhausted Canadians. The last casualties of the war were tended to and Harry stayed around late into 1945 to ensure supply distribution remained effective. Eventually he was given orders to return home, gladly boarding a ship to once again cross the Atlantic. His 65 months of dedicated service overseas earned him a final recognition as he was decorated with the Order of the British Empire. Returning to Canada with a medal on his chest and an official title to add behind his name. |
After the War
Harry’s part in the war would not end until January of 1946 when he went through the formal interview process to be discharged. The interviewer he spoke with described him as “heavily-built” and having a “pleasant manner.” He was now 38 years old and had aged significantly compared to when he had set out in 1939. That had been six years ago and seemed a world away. The military had become his life and when the interviewer posed to him the question, “what are your plans now?” he did not have a precise answer. He could return to his lab work at the University of Toronto where he had spent near 20 years prior to the army. There also existed the opportunity to work at the Langstaff Card Company Ltd. that his family had started in 1944. Further, he could use a government grant to acquire property and settle down on a farm. These were the options he considered as he was officially discharged. Fortunately, a unique opportunity presented itself that bought him some time. He was brought on as part of a team helping to establish the Sunnybrook veteran's hospital. His expertise in this area were clear and he was proud to be among those who stood behind Prime Minister Mackenzie King at its opening in 1948.
As it would turn out, he chose to go into the family business full time. Eventually, buying property in a rural area so that his family could have a small farm. He tried to push the war out of his memory, rarely speaking of it as if it had been a tiny portion of his life. But still vestiges of it remained in his household including the many items he had brought home. His sons took great delight in the plentiful amount of souvenirs he had acquired throughout his time overseas including a German luger and thompson submachine gun. The latter was understandably confiscated by the RCMP when they found his two sons playing in the yard with it. The prominence of the role he had played also never faded. When a new road was to take a portion of his lawn, a call to someone in Ottawa changed that so it took more land from the field across the street instead. Yet aside from the odd interaction like that, he remained uninvolved in his old military circle.
His love for animals never ceased and he use to bring the beloved pony Midnight to a hospital every year to visit the sick children there for Christmas. Yet despite the many heartfelt moments like this, stories of him and photos point to changes in his demeanor from before and after the war. His hatred of sirens, sometimes rude behavior, and silence on the war years often brings into question what experiences he took to the grave with him. In one instance well under the influence, he mentioned a story about witnessing a briefcase full of photos of the Holocaust, but never said anything more of it. Like all other servicemen, aspects of the war like that surely haunted him, though he tried not to speak of them. At the end of it all, the only things left to remember any of his war experiences were the few stories he told and the items he left behind. |
Harry LeMasurier's Wartime Belongings
Sources:
(1) “University of Toronto Report of the Board of Governors for the Year Ending June 1939.” T. E. Bowman, June 1936. https://archive.org/stream/uoftreportgov1936univ/uoftreportgov1936univ_djvu.txt
(2)Feasby, W. R. Official History of the Canadian Medical Services. Vol. 1, Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery, 1956. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/official-histories/book-1956-medical-services-1.html
(3) “University of Toronto Report of the Board of Governors for the Year Ending June 1939.” T. E. Bowman, 1940. https://archive.org/details/uoftreportgov1939univ/page/n1/mode/2up
(4) The Globe and Mail, 24 Jan. 1940.
(5) “Langstaff Man Has Important War Post.” Richmond Hill Liberal, 21 Sept. 1944.
(1) “University of Toronto Report of the Board of Governors for the Year Ending June 1939.” T. E. Bowman, June 1936. https://archive.org/stream/uoftreportgov1936univ/uoftreportgov1936univ_djvu.txt
(2)Feasby, W. R. Official History of the Canadian Medical Services. Vol. 1, Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery, 1956. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/official-histories/book-1956-medical-services-1.html
(3) “University of Toronto Report of the Board of Governors for the Year Ending June 1939.” T. E. Bowman, 1940. https://archive.org/details/uoftreportgov1939univ/page/n1/mode/2up
(4) The Globe and Mail, 24 Jan. 1940.
(5) “Langstaff Man Has Important War Post.” Richmond Hill Liberal, 21 Sept. 1944.