Lt. Col John Edwards Leckie, Strathcona Horse Rgmt.

The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The regiment is subordinate to 39 Canadian Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division. Based at the Seaforth Armoury on Burrard Street in Vancouver, the regiment serves in both times of war and civil emergency, such as disaster relief after earthquakes or floods. It also contributes individual volunteers or "augmentees" to Canadian Forces operations around the world.

The regiment was formed in 1910 and served overseas in both World War I and World War II. Members of the Seaforth Highlanders have deployed on many missions since World War II including Korea, Egypt, Cyprus, Croatia and most recently in Afghanistan.

Place of Enlistment: Valcartier, Quebec Date of Enlistment: September 23, 1914 Age at enlistment: 42 Height: 5 Feet 10 Inches

"LECKIE, JOHN EDWARDS, Lieutenant, was born in Canada 19 February 1872, son of Major R G Leckie, Sudbury, Ontario. He was educated at Lennoxville; graduated from the Royal Military College after four years' course; postgraduate course at King's College (BSc); served in the South African War as Lieutenant (16 March 1901), Lord Strathcona's Horse, and Captain, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles. He was mentioned in Despatches; received the Queen's Medal with five clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April, 1901]: "John Edwards Leckie, Lieutenant, Lord Strathcona's Corps. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa".

The Insignia, etc, were sent to the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, and presented by Major General Stephenson at Friedrichstad 4 April 1904. He became Captain, 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, and was promoted Major in the same regiment 30 September 1913. He served throughout the European War from 1914, and commanded the 16th Battalion Canadian Scottish from 1915. He became Colonel, and was created a CMG in 1917. Colonel Leckie was a mining engineer, and was a member of the Canadian Mining Institute and American Institute of Mining Engineers."

[1] Wiki

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From the Canadian Encyclopaedia: He (Jack Leckie) was best known for engineering and research work around Hudson Bay. Leckie was educated at Bishop's, Royal Military College, and King's College. He saw service in the South African War and in France in WWI, and was "Malamute Force" commander in the Archangel-Murmansk theatre during the RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR. He developed mines in northern BC and in the Zeballos fields of Vancouver Island, explored (and became involved in revolutions in) Mexico and Venezuela and led a major, though unsuccessful, search for Spanish gold on Cocos Island. He was a press censor in WORLD WAR II. Made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1928, he received the DSO and the French Croix de Guerre, among other decorations.

From City of Vancouver archives: John Edwards Leckie was born in Quebec in 1872. He was educated at Bishops' College School, Lennoxville, and graduated from the Royal Military College at Kingston in 1893. Leckie served in the Boer War as a Lieutenant, commanding the West Kootenay Troop, Lord Strathcona's Horse (1899-1900), and as a Captain in Canadian Mounted Rifles (1900-1902). During World War I he served in France as a Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding the 16th Battalion. In 1919, as a Colonel, Leckie commanded the 2nd Reserve Brigade on the Murmansk Front. During World War II he was a cable censor. As a civilian, Leckie practiced engineering in Nova Scotia and New Jersey before coming to Rossland, B.C., in 1897. He worked in the Kootenays in the mining business, in partnership with his brother, R.G.E. Leckie (later General Leckie). In 1910 he moved to Vancouver. He was engaged in exploration and speculation in Mexico, Venezuela, and in Africa, and in 1928 he helped to organize the mineral exploration survey into Hudson's Bay Territory. In 1932-1933 he organized an expedition to Cocos Island to hunt for buried treasure. On his return to Vancouver he acted as a mining consultant. J.E. Leckie died in 1950 in Port Hope, Ontario.

From "Nauticapedia": n 1933 (William) Nettleship met Jack Leckie in Vancouver. A well known and highly decorated army officer Leckie was a promoter and adventurer who had made and lost a great deal of money in mining and other schemes. In fact it turned out that Leckie had already made an unsuccessful voyage to Cocos with the Cocoas Island Treasure Company of Vancouver, sailing in the Vigilant. Exotic in all respects this expedition even carried a seaplane on board. Plagued by mechanical problems the ship was not useful. His project was abandoned and the vessel sold in Panama. Leckie could not be enticed by Nettleship into making yet another expedition. Nothing doing!" he said, and Nettleship resigned himself to never reaching the fabled island.