Remembrance Day 2026 Part 1: The Room of Remembrance

Arthur Albert Moorecroft

Library and Archives Canada, Soldiers of the First World War

Arthur Albert Moorecroft  was born on December 20th 1889 in Toronto [his Attestation Paper mistakenly gives his date of birth as September 20th]. He was the oldest of five sons born to Arthur Davis and Agnes Moorecroft. The four eldest boys all did their duty and served in the First World War.

 On April 5th 1916 Arthur joined the Canadian Over-Seas  Expeditionary Force following his younger brothers who had all signed up in 1915. According to his Paper he had grey eyes, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. The enlisting Officer described him as fit. He was assigned to the 204th Battalion.

Arthur shipped out on March 26th 1917. Once in France Arthur was in and out of the hospital due to various injuries sustained in action from the end of 1917 through the summer of 1918. After enjoying two weeks of leave he returned to action on September 5th 1918, joining the 3rd Canadian Battalion at the Drocourt-Quéant Line just days after the successful battle that was part of Canada's Hundred Days that moved the CEF towards Armistice Day in November.

On September 27th 1918 the next step in the campaign began: the Battle of the Canal du Nord. The Canadian Corps’ goal was to cross the canal and press on to Cambrai. The Canadians were successful crossing the Canal on the first day and winning the battle for Bourlon Wood. Fighting continued until October 11th. 

 Toronto Daily Star, March 10 1934, page 27

The Toronto Daily Star, March 5 1934, p. 21

The Toronto Daily Star, Sepember 28 1918

These clippings give an idea of what Arthur and his fellow soldiers faced that day. Described as another stunning victory for Canada the operation was costly - over 10,000 Canadians were killed, wounded or missing. On the first day of the battle alone the 3rd Battalion registered 18 dead, 135 wounded and 12 missing. 

 

Toronto Daily Star, Oct 11 1918 p. 9

Arthur was one of the casualties. He was originally listed as wounded but having sustained a gun shot wound to his head it is not surprising that he succumbed to his injuries the next day at the Casualty Clearing Station.

He is buried in the Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux about a half hour drive from the Bourlon Wood where a memorial to the Canadian soldiers stands today

 

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/overseas/bourlon-wood-canadian-memorial

Arthur is commemorated on page 473 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. The Book of Remembrance was proposed by Colonel Duguid, a Veteran of the the First World War to commemorate those who died in the conflict. It was completed and dedicated in 1942 and contains more than 66,000 names. Seven other books were later completed commemorating our fallen soldiers from other conflicts. I first saw the Books of Remembrance in their permanent home, the Memorial Chamber located in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. The Centre Block is in the midst of a major restoration project and the Books are temporarily located in the Room of Remembrance in the West Block on Parliament Hill.

https://www.ourcommons.ca/heritage/en/parliamentary-buildings/present/room-of-remembrance

We were privileged to attend the “Turning of the Page” Ceremony on October 8, the day when Arthur’s page is displayed. It was a special and solemn event and we were allowed a close look at page 473 and were even permitted to touch the page with its beautiful calligraphy. 

Here is Arthur’s page.

https://veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/574633

Before shipping out Arthur married his sweetheart Ada Fraser. Sadly, he wouldn’t live to return to Ada nor to meet his son Arthur Francis who was born on October 19th 1917. He was 28 years old when he died. Ada received a gratuity of $100 and a special bonus of $80, a sum worth around $3,300 today. A seemingly small amount to compensate for the loss of a husband and father. We remember him.