Duncan Cenotaph

As part of our project to document the names on the Duncan Cenotaph in Charles Hoey Park, here is a page about Private John Alexander Struthers, who died 13 April 1917, aged 26, while serving with the 7th Battalion at Vimy Ridge. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

Here is the local Cowichan Leader newspaper report of the death of John Alexander Struthers:

“Pte. J.A. Struthers

Pte. J.A. Struthers died of wounds received at Vimy Ridge. He came to Duncan about six years ago and purchased a part of the F.H. Stanton estate at Sahtlam, engaging there in farming. He was about 25 years of age and unmarried. His father resided at Hamilton, Scotland and he has an uncle in Toronto. He enlisted with a Victoria battalion and went overseas about a year ago, being in one of the first drafts made from it to a famous B.C. battalion at the front. He was slightly wounded last fall.”

(Source: Cowichan Leader, 27 April 1917, in Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows John Alexander Struthers, 7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, as “Son of Alexander William and Jessie Jane McCall Struthers, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, late of Ayr, Scotland.”

Here are links to additional information about John Alexander Struthers:

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