The Ottawa Silver Seven with the Stanley Cup: Frank McGee, back row, far right.

Frank McGee
In 1967 the family Ferguson returned to Canada and for three years lived at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. There was much to learn and amongst the first rediscovered interests were hockey, the National Hockey League, radio broadcasting and Foster Hewitt, and black and white televised games. I recall tuning in the gentle tube radio with its soft voice that seemed to capture reception from across North America. There was the great voice of Mr. Hewitt, and the names of the original six team players I heard were memorized and filled my imagination with endless winning goals playing road hockey, though in reality it was a lot of sidewalk jostling.

Cast in stone from the outset the original six N.H.L. teams live in fond memory even today. I enjoy books on the subject and recall my first hockey history book authored by Brain MacFarlane. In that book, of which the title has escaped my memory, I learned there were even earlier teams than the original six with dashing names like the Montreal Maroons, the Vancouver Millionaires and the Ottawa Silver Seven. It was amongst these seven from Ottawa that I learned of the legendary star and Hall of Famer Francis Clarence “Frank” McGee, a one eyed hockey player who scored 14 goals in one Stanley Cup game. I was astonished and more so – the picture of the team with Frank McGee may be the earliest archival image I can recall.

It may make one wonder what Frank McGee a professional hockey player from 1902 – 1906 has to do with military history and the Somme in particular?

It is that same Frank McGee, with one eye, who served during the Great War as a Lieutenant with the 21st Battalion C.E.F. Despite his injuries, received in an amateur hockey game, McGee managed to cleverly avoid failing the eye examination and entered into service. On December 17, 1915 McGee was wounded at Dickebusch, Belgium when the armoured car he was in was blown up by a high explosive shell. Sent to England for recovery he chose to return to his battalion in August 1916, rather than taking a posting at Le Havre. A month later, September 16, 1916 Frank McGee was killed in action on the Somme during the fighting for the Sugar Factory (Refinery), Courcelette, France. He was 38 years old.

Canadians fighting near the Sugar Factory (Refinery), September 1916.

Frank McGee’s parents, John Joseph and Elizabeth McGee, of Ottawa, Ontario also lost a second son to the Great War. Major Charles Edward McGee served with the 5th Battalion C.E.F. and was a veteran of the Boer War 1899-1902. Charles was killed in action 26 May 1915 aged 39 years. Both brothers are commemorated on the Vimy Memorial.

Did you know?
The 21st Battalion C.E.F. had a regimental pipe band comprising 14 pipers and 5 drummers. The unit’s March Past was “Scotland the Brave”, but the 21st was not considered a Scottish regiment within the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The unit’s Pipe Major Ian Ross McKenzie, who was commissioned, was killed at Cambrai October 11, 1918. Three of the unit’s Pipers, Hugh McKenize, John Robert Coghill and William Currie were awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field. Currie was later commissioned and was also awarded the Military Cross. All four were Scottish born.

Tags: 1916, 21st Battalion C.E.F., Charles McGee, Coghill, Courcelette, Currie, Frank McGee, McGee Family, McKenzie, National Hockey League, Ottawa Silver Seven, Pipe Bands, Somme, Stanley Cup, Sugar Factory, Sugar Refinery

This entry was posted by pferguson on Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at 12:52 pm and is filed under Our Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.