Área de título y declaración de responsabilidad
Título apropiado
Ruthven McNairn fonds
Tipo general de material
Título paralelo
Otra información de título
Título declaración de responsabilidad
Título notas
Nivel de descripción
Fondo
Código de referencia
RC0929
Área de edición
Declaración de edición
Declaración de responsabilidad de edición
Área de detalles específicos de la clase de material
Mención de la escala (cartográfica)
Mención de proyección (cartográfica)
Mención de coordenadas (cartográfica)
Mención de la escala (arquitectónica)
Jurisdicción de emisión y denominación (filatélico)
Área de fechas de creación
Fecha(s)
-
1933-1945 (Creación)
- Creador
- McNairn, Ruthven
Área de descripción física
Descripción física
6 cm of textual records
Área de series editoriales
Título apropiado de las series del editor
Títulos paralelos de serie editorial
Otra información de título de las series editoriales
Declaración de responsabilidad relativa a las series editoriales
Numeración dentro de la serie editorial
Nota en las series editoriales
Área de descripción del archivo
Nombre del productor
Historia biográfica
Ruthven Colquhoun McNairn served in the Second World War with the Algonquin Regiment. Born in Toronto on 24 August 1914, to William Harvey McNairn, a professor at McMaster University and Hester (Wilson) McNairn. He was the third of four brothers, with Robert and Norman proceeding him, and Ian following. The family relocated to Hamilton in 1930 when the University did.
In February 1933, after finishing high school, McNairn hitchhiked to travel to California and travelling around before being jailed on a charge of vagrancy. His father bailed him out and McNairn made his way home by June.
He began his studies at McMaster University, beginning in Mathematics and Physics, and then transferring to General Arts. He enjoyed being part of the Dramatic Society and appeared in a number of plays. He also was part of the literary society. He graduated in 1938, and did some more travelling before returning to Hamilton.
On 1 November 1940, he began military training with McMaster’s COTC and part time militia with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He completed his training in 1941 and hoped to join the Navy, which his younger brother also hoped to join. With no offers forthcoming, he formally enlisted 11 May 1942, and was sent for training at Gordon Head, BC. He would join the Algonquin Regiment in 1943 and shipped to Europe in early summer.
He was part of the operation to attempt to closed the ‘Falaise Gap’ and would then carry on towards Belgium, the Netherlands, and finally into Germany. Throughout this time he kept his own diary, as well as helping to write the regiment’s war diary when the official diarists were busy. He would carry on this work and though he died before the official history was published, he is credited with doing much of the work on Warpath.
Returning home, McNairn had aspirations of writing, either as a journalist or in longer form. Unfortunately, in June 1946, he was diagnosed with an especially virulent form of TB, tuberculous empyema. Likely contracted while still in Europe, he was transferred to Hamilton’s Mountain Sanatorium for care, but would never recover. McNairn died 5 September 1946 and was buried in Grove Cemetery, in Dundas.
Historial de custodia
Alcance y contenido
The archive consists of correspondence, diaries, and clippings, mostly related to McNairn's wartime experience, but including some travels prior to the war.
Área de notas
Condiciones físicas
Origen del ingreso
The archive (2019-029) was donated by Steve Welch in 2019.
Arreglo
The archive is divided into correspondence, diaries, and additional documents.
Idioma del material
Escritura del material
Ubicación de los originales
Disponibilidad de otros formatos
Restricciones de acceso
There are no access restrictions.
Condiciones de uso, reproducción, y publicación
Instrumentos de descripción
Materiales asociados
Acumulaciones
No further accruals are expected.
Identificador/es alternativo(os)
Área de número estándar
Número estándar
Puntos de acceso
Puntos de acceso por materia
Puntos de acceso por lugar
Puntos de acceso por autoridad
Tipo de puntos de acceso
Área de control
Identificador de registro de descripción
Identificador de la institución
Reglas o convenciones
Estado de elaboración
Nivel de detalle
Fechas de creación, revisión o eliminación
B. Whittle, 2022.