Lieutenant Francis Alexander MacGrotty

Lieutenant Francis Alexander MacGrotty

Born: Glasgow, Scotland

Lived in Whitby, ON

Killed at the age of 22 on Dec 25, 1917

Interned at Mazingarbe Communal Extension (just to the west of Lens, France)

Francis was a Glasgow, Scotland native who emigrated to Canada with his family and signed up to Sam Sharpe’s regiment on Nov 24th, 1915. Prior to war Francis served in the 34th under Sharpe and hence answered the call when the Lt. Colonel announced he was raising a battalion. He had achieved his Sergeant’s certificate in the 34th which contributed to him being appointed a commission as a Lieutenant in the 116th. Not bad for a 22 yr old civil engineering University student.

Akin to the situation often attributed to the structure of battalions in the UK, the officers selected to lead the men in the CEF were also often from prominent families. Within civil society they could have been lawyers, bankers, teachers or doctors. Francis was no different from his officer peers. His father, Charles Francis MacGrotty (based in Whitby, ON) was Ontario’s Chief Constable. This would make him the highest-ranking police officer in Ontario.

On the ground in France and Belgium, Francis led his men through action at Vimy, Fosse Raid, Hill 70 and Passschendale…watching 126 of his battalion mates fall in battle. His war, however, would end tragically on Christmas eve 1917. While leading a platoon on a wiring mission Francis was struck by machine gun fire followed by two observed hits as a sniper as he struggled in the mud. A sad loss for a promising and successful young man.

Lest we forget.