Thain Wendell MacDowell, VC, DSO (September 16, 1890 – March 28, 1960), was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

soldier. MacDowell was a recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and

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forces.

Overview

Thain Wendell MacDowell was born in

Lachute Lachute () is a town in southwest Quebec, Canada, northwest of Montreal, on the Rivière du Nord (Laurentides), Rivière du Nord, a tributary of the Ottawa River, and west of Mirabel International Airport, the Mirabel International Airport. It i ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

on 16 September 1890. His early days were spent in the

Brockville, Ontario Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Although it is the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, it is politically Independent city, independent of the county. It is included with Leeds and ...

area, where he was educated at

Brockville Collegiate Institute Brockville Collegiate Institute (BCI) is a Brockville public intermediate and high school that follows the Ontario curriculum. The French immersion and extended core French programs involve approximately 125 students in grades 9–12. Business, ma ...

and joined the 41st Regiment Brockville Rifles. He later attended the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

, where he joined the Canadian Officer Training Corps as an Officer Cadet of

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a Primary Reserve regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, based in Toronto. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only reserve regiment in Canada to currently have ...

for four months. After graduating with a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in 1914, he enlisted and was commissioned in the 38th (Ottawa) Canadian Infantry Battalion (now perpetuated as

The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment. Regimental badge The regimental badge is laid out as follows: within a wreath of thistles and maple leaves, the figure of St And ...

). During service in France in 1916, he was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

on the Somme, and the following year, promoted to Major, he was conferred the Victoria Cross for gallantry at Vimy Ridge on 9 April.

Victoria Cross

One of four soldiers to earn the Victoria Cross in the

Battle of Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...

, one of two to survive the battle and the only one to survive the war, (the others were

Ellis Wellwood Sifton Ellis Wellwood Sifton (12 October 1891 – 9 April 1917) was a Canadians, Canadian soldier. Sifton was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to B ...

William Johnstone Milne William Johnstone Milne Victoria Cross, VC (21 December 1892 – 9 April 1917) was a First World War Canadians, Canadian soldier. Milne was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in ...

and

John George Pattison John George Pattison (8 September 1875 – 3 June 1917) was a Canadian soldier. Pattison was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for valour in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Co ...

), MacDowell was 26 years old, and a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the 38th (Ottawa) Battalion,

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF; French: ''Corps expéditionnaire canadien'') was the expeditionary warfare, expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed on August 15, 1914, following United Kingdom declarat ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

when he was awarded the

. On 9 April 1917 at

Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, Captain MacDowell, with the assistance of two runners (company orderlies, Pvts. James T. Kobus and Arthur James Hay, both of whom were awarded the DCM for their part) reached the German position ahead of his company. After destroying one machine-gun nest he chased the crew from another. MacDowell then spotted one German going into a tunnel. At the base of the tunnel, MacDowell was able to bluff the Germans to think he was part of a much larger force, resulting in the surrendering of two German officers and 75 German soldiers. He sent the prisoners up out the tunnel in groups of 12 so that Kobus and Hay could take them back to the Canadian line. Seeing that he had been fooled, a German prisoner grabbed a rifle and tried to shoot one of the runners. The German was then shot and killed. Although wounded in the hand, MacDowell continued for five days to hold the position gained, in spite of heavy shellfire, until eventually relieved by his battalion. He was promoted to the rank of Major following his actions at Vimy Ridge.

Later life

He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Frontenac Regiment from Napanee, Ontario. After the war, Colonel MacDowell served as an executive of several mining and chemical companies, and from 1923 to 1928, he acted as private secretary to the Minister of National Defence. He was placed on the retired list as a Lieutenant-Colonel. In July 1929, he married Norah Jean Hodgson, of Montreal. They first lived in Toronto, but moved to Montreal in 1931. He had two sons, Thain W., who died in 2015, and Angus J., who died in 2018. His wife (Norah Jean MacDowell) died on 1 November 1983. He also had three grand children: A. Stuart, Patricia E, And Kenneth R. He died in Nassau, the Bahamas, on 28 March 1960. Colonel MacDowell is buried at Oakland Cemetery (R.R.3, Brockville, Ontario, Canada. Anglican Section 3. Lot 112), in the Richardson family plot. The grave is marked by a headstone.

Legacy

The Director of National Defence erected a memorial range at the Connaught Ranges and Primary Training Centre in

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

which was named in honour of LCol Thain Wendell MacDowell VC, DSO (1890-1960). Colonel MacDowell's Victoria Cross is on display at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. There is a plaque in his honour on corner of Highway 2 and Church Street in

Maitland, Ontario Maitland, Ontario is a small village within Augusta Township in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Canada. It is located along the St. Lawrence River approximately east of the city of Brockville. The village was briefly settled in th ...

References

* "On the Battlefields", From the archives of "Maclean's Magazine", Edited by Michael Benedict, Penguin Canada, 2002 , page 100

External links

Thain Wendell MacDowell's digitized service file

Thain Wendell MacDowell biography
on DND's Directorate of History and Heritage
Despatch written by Capt. MacDowell describing the events

MacDowell Plaque

Legion Magazine article on Thain Wendell MacDowell
* * Also see University of Toronto "Soldier's Tower": https://web.archive.org/web/20051027141348/http://www.alumni.utoronto.ca/groups/tower.htm#memorial {{DEFAULTSORT:MacDowell, Thain Wendell 1890 births 1960 deaths Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Canadian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Canadian Anglicans People from Lachute Canadian Militia officers Canadian military personnel of World War I University of Toronto alumni Anglophone Quebec people Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Queen's Own Rifles of Canada officers Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa