6th Leinsters

Lt-Col. Colquhoun

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Colquhoun
6th Bn., Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Colquhoun

“Once a Leinster always a Leinster.”

(Whitton, The History of the Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment, vol. 2, 96)

Born in Perthshire, Scotland on 31 December 1870, Julian Campbell Colquhoun was the second son of Colonel William Campbell Colquhoun of Clathick Estate. After finishing school, he joined the 2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment, was promoted to captain in 1898, and served in the Boer War. He retired to the reserve of officers in 1907 but immediately reported for duty in August 1914. He was posted to the new 6th {Service) Battalion under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Craske.

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Lt-Col. Craske

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Lieutenant-Colonel J. Craske
6th Bn., Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Craske

“When I am sniped, I always sit down,” and did so—still in the open, while the remainder wasted little time in taking advantage of some convenient rocks. More sniping—then a volley of oaths from Craske whose staccato imprecation “Mygod, mygod. Damnfellowsgotme. Damnitall. Damnitall,” was characteristic. Fortunately the wound was a slight one in the left arm.

 (Whwhiitton, The History of the Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment, vol. 2, 334)

Born in Somerset, England on 7 November 1869, John Craske was commissioned with the Leinster Regiment in 1890 and fought in the Boer War, for which he received the Distinguished Service Order. Unlike many officers of the “Royal Canadians,” he had a personal connection to the Dominion. In 1899, he married Grace Oliver of Halifax, Nova Scotia, daughter of William Silver Oliver, former Canadian deputy surgeon general.

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