The Worn Doorstep

Lieutenant-Colonel (ret`d) John (Jock) MacMorran Anderson MC and Bar served as the Protestant Chaplain at the Saint Martin Protestant Chapel at RMCC in Kingston from 1955-8.

He was born in Edinburgh on Feb. 8, 1913. Mr Jock Anderson, then a theology student (Presbyterian) at Knox College in Toronto, tried to enlist with the 48th Highlanders in 1939. He was advised by the recruiters to continue to studies. In 1941 he married Helen McMorran, with whom he had three children Margaret-Jean, Barbara and John. His first job was a minister at a church in Port Elgin, Ont. In 1942, he left to join the war effort. At 31 years of age, he was assigned as Protestant Chaplain to the Highland Light Infantry of Canada, 3rd Division. He landed at Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He received two Military Crosses for courage and initiative in evacuating casualties under heavy enemy fire during the Second World War. His experiences as chaplain, counsellor, stretcher-bearer are recounted by 2357 BGen Denis and Shelagh Whitaker (RMC 1933) in `Victory at Falaise` and `Tug of War`. During the battle of Buron, for example, the Highland Light Infantry lost 62 soldiers and 262 were wounded. After bringing the wounded soldiers to safety, he blessed and gave comfort to the injured, and saw that the dead received proper burial. Since casualties who were left for some time were often booby-trapped by the enemy, Jock attached an anchor to casualties` belts linked to a rope to a Jeep and pulled. He was also known for scrounging up comfort foods for the troops such as potatoes and butter. After the war, Mr. Anderson returned to Canada and was demobilized in 1947. He took over the ministry of the Presbyterian Church in Acton, Ont. He re-enlisted in the Canadian Army and was posted to the Canadian west to serve as a chaplain with the Princess Patricia‘s Canadian Light Infantry. During an exercise to learn how to jump from a plane, he severely injured his leg. The injury prevented him from serving in the Korean War. By the time he arrived in Korea, the war was over, so he spent his time building an orphanage and doing other humanitarian work. Mr. Anderson was posted in Montreal until 1955. He served as the Protestant Chaplain at the Saint Martin Protestant Chapel at RMCC in Kingston from 1955-8. During Maj. Anderson’s tour as the Protestant Padre at RMC, he influenced the Pipes and Drums. He was posted to London in 1958. He was later posted to Ortona Barracks in Oakville where he remained until his retirement in 1967. He purchased `Worn Doorstep` a historic landmark, in 1966 and renovated it extensively as a family home. After leaving the military, he worked for a few years as a probation officer and also became very involved with a local church. His wife died in 1995 after suffering from Alzheimer‘s disease. He died in January 2004 at `Worn Doorstep` in Oakville, Ont., less than three weeks shy of his 91st birthday.