Wall of Honour—Strachan Johnston
Brigadier Ian Strachan Johnston '19 earned the highest military rank of any Old Boy in the school’s history. A Royal Military College graduate, he joined the 48th Highlanders of Canada in 1930 as 2nd Lieutenant and went overseas after war was declared in 1939.
As Lt. Colonel and later as Colonel, he was Commanding Officer of the regiment from January 1943 to June 1944, and was in command for the landing at Pachino, Sicily and the subsequent campaign in Italy. For his leadership and the textbook execution of the artillery-infantry-tank integration required for success for Morning Glory at the battle of Ortona, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
Then came the Hitler Line (a German defensive line in Italy), fortified by concrete, artillery, mortars, machine guns, anti-tank ditches, wire, Teller and box mines, and manned by 8,300 troops, that the Germans claimed was impregnable. In late May 1944, in fierce fighting and without tactical support, the 48th became the first Canadian battalion to break the Germans’ strongest position in Italy. In recognition, Johnston was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and awarded the Croix de Guerre.
He was promoted to Brigadier in 1944 and placed in command of the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Johnston and his brigade led a major attack on German forces in 1945 in Holland, and in June 1945 he was promoted to General Officer Commanding, 5th Canadian Armoured Division - a post he held until the division was dissolved that December. A newspaper of the day wrote, “The men who served under him always speak of him as one of the most popular officers in the Canadian army.”
He retired from active service as one of the most decorated Canadians of the war: Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order and Bar, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, Croix de Guerre avec Palme. In later life, he practiced as a lawyer, was a Director of Maple Leaf Gardens, a commissioner of a 1964 study which led to a major reorganization of Canada’s militia, and became a Honourary Colonel of the 48th Highlanders.
Wall of Honour Members
1994 : David Harlock '89
1995 : Neil Lumsden '71
1995 : George Harris Hees '22
1996 : Charles Dalton '24
1996 : Thomas Symons '41
1998 : Chris Beck '87
1999 : Brad Crombie '88
2000 : Rob Coleman '83
2004 : Evan Solomon '87
2005 : Trumbull Warren '24
2005 : Ian Johnston '19
2005 : Peter O'Brian '28