James Blair

Police Constable 168, Toronto Police Force | Private, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

James Blair was born in the spring of 1888 in the parish of Rossory, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland. As a young man Blair enlisted in the British Army’s 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Blair served for seven years, including service with the British garrison in the treaty port city of Tientsin, China. With his regular term of service completed, Blair was transferred to the British Army Reserve in his unit’s 2nd Battalion. Like many of his colleagues he would resettle in Toronto, Canada. On April 7th, 1913, Blair was sworn in as Police Constable No. 168 of the Toronto Police Force. PC Blair walked the beat out of No. 8 Police Station (in the Pape Ave and Queen St E area). He lived at 28 Kintyre Avenue with his pregnant wife Rebecca.

When the British Empire went to war in August 1914, Blair was still an active reservist in the British Army. Recalled to Londonderry, Ireland. Blair rejoined his unit,  The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and quickly proceeded to France and onto Belgium as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

On Halloween, October 31st 1914, Blair was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel, and sent back to the United Kingdom to recover, while in December 1914, his son Albert was born in Toronto. After his recovery, Blair was employed training recruits at Londonderry until he returned to the trenches in December 1915. In the summer 1916, British forces began the enormous Somme offensive. On Saturday, November 18th 1916, during the campaign’s Battle of the Ancre, Blair was killed instantly in an artillery strike.

His remains never found, Constable James Blair is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.  

Note: James Blair’s brother John also emigrated to Toronto, and became a member of the Toronto Fire Department, at the Richmond Street Station. John Blair’s grandson is former Toronto Police Chief The Honourable William “Bill” Blair MP, making James the former Chief’s Great Uncle.

Research Sources:

  • H. Grasett – Annual Report of the Chief Constable of the City of Toronto for the Year 1914, Page 59. Toronto: The Carswell Co Ltd City Printers, 1915. (Photo 2)
  • National Archives (United Kingdom).  Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects 1901-1929 for No. 8525 James Blair.
  • The Naval Military Press Ltd. British and Irish Military Databases.
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Casualty Details for No. 8525 James Blair. (Photo 5)
  • The Globe (1914, August 3rd), Page 6. “Toronto Policemen May Go to Front”.
  • The Globe (1914, November 23rd), Page 11. “Toronto Policeman Killed on the Aisne. Two Other Reservists … Wounded”.
  • The Toronto Daily Star (1914, November 24th), Page 8. “James Blair.” (Photo 1)
  • The Toronto Daily Star (1916, December 15th). “Sergt. J. Blair Killed”. (Photo 4)
  • The Toronto Telegram (1916, December). “Former Policeman Killed.” (Photo 3)
  • Toronto Police Military Veterans Association – MVA22 Tour of Remembrance Photos. (Photo 6)