Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Joseph McCausland

1. Lieutenant-Colonel (Army).
2. Lieutenant-Colonel, 75th Battalion, Infantry (Army).

Previous Military Experience

Lt.-Col. A. J. McCausland was connected with the 36th Regiment, the 74th (Commanding Officer), and 75th Battalions.

A war diary entry for the 75th Battalion C.E.F. for April 6th, 1917 stated that Lt.-Col McCausland ceased to be attached to the 4th Division school and took over duties as Town Major, Divion.

Another war diary entry from the 75th dated Sept. 10, 1917 at Petit Servins, stated that "Lieut. Col. McCausland, A. J., who had formerly commanded the battalion, for a short time, re-joined to-day as an attached officer."

On his return from the front (according to some reports he was gassed) he commanded 2nd Depot Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment (Toronto Star - Dec. 26, 1917). This was a new depot battalion for the draftees (conscripted men) of the Toronto Military District. The article below explains that McCausland would be the Commanding Officer and that conscripted men from Brantford who were due to arrive in Toronto for training in January 1918.

Article: Toronto World / 04 January 1918 / Brantford Draftees

Post-war, McCausland was connected with the Army & Navy Veterans' Association. It was reported in July 1919 that he would serve as first vice-president (Toronto Star - July 26, 1919).

During the Second World War he was acting second-in-command at No. 20 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre at Brantford, Ontario (Toronto Star - Jan. 30, 1942).

After the war he ran McCausland Stained Glass in Toronto which had been established in 1856 by his grandfather Joseph McCausland. The company was profiled in Maclean's magazine in the 1940s. McCausland was interviewed regarding commissions for war memorial stained glass windows. He was not in favour of using military uniforms in war memorial windows as he felt they would become dated, however, there are examples of windows commissions by the McCausland company with men in uniform such as those at the City Hall in Kingston, Ontario.

Information about the history of McCausland Stained Glass in Canada.

McCausland married twice:

He is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.

Sources:

William Perkins Bull, From Brock to Currie, 1935. Online edition. This book includes photos of McCausland and a history of the 36th Regiment, and the war era battalions for Peel region (Ontario).

Compiled & researched by M. I. Pirie whose grandfather, Gnr. Russell Fraser Pirie, was a cousin to Lt.-Col. A. J. McCausland.

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