James Layton Ralston (September 27, 1881 – May 22, 1948) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

lawyer, soldier, and politician. A Nova Scotian and a lawyer by training, Ralston fought with distinction during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and pursued a career in the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

, before becoming a Liberal Member of Parliament. During the Second World War, he served as Minister of National Defence from 1940 to 1944, when he was forced to resign by Prime Minister

William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who was the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Liberal ...

because of his support for the introduction of

conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...

Early life and provincial politics

Ralston was born in Amherst,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

, the eldest son (he had three brothers) of Burnett William Ralston, a prominent local businessman who served a term as the town's mayor. Known as Layton within the family, Ralston was educated at Amherst Academy and the

law school A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for b ...

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...

. He then became a partner in his uncle's law firm in 1903 and practised law in Amherst. Ralston was the Liberal candidate for

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

in the 1908 federal election, hoping to succeed to his uncle, Hance James Logan; but was defeated. He subsequently entered public life when he ran as the provincial Liberal candidate for

and was elected in the 1911 provincial election. He was re-elected in 1916. In 1912, seeking greater opportunities, Ralston moved to Halifax, joining his friend Charles Burchell and A.K. Maclean, MP to form one of the city's main law firms.

Military service

In his 30s at the outbreak of the First World War and lacking military experience, Ralston agonized about joining the Army. After training with the Canadian Officers’ Training Corps, he volunteered for military service overseas in 1915, following the lead of his brother Ivan. Joining the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), he was involved in recruitment and became the battalion's

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...

in 1916. Along with the 85th, Ralston went to England in 1916 and to France in 1917, where he distinguished himself in combat. In 1917, he was wounded at Éleu-dit-Leauwette, received the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

and was

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

. In 1918, he assumed command of the 85th and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. The same year, Ralston was recommended for the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

after rescuing a subaltern under fire. The recommendation was turned down by higher authority, since as the unit's commanding officer he should not have been risking his life that way. He was wounded again in August 1918, this time by a sniper, at the Battle of Amiens, in which his brother Ivan, who was his second-in-command, was killed. In a letter to his parents, Ralston said that "The sun has gone out of life in an instant". Returning to the front, Ralston was wounded again on 1 October, at the

Battle of the Canal du Nord The Battle of Canal du Nord was part of the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War by the Allies against German positions on the Western Front. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete porti ...

. For his part in the battle, he received a

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...

to his DSO. In later October, he was wounded a fourth time. The wound having infected, he was operated on twice, and the time he spent in hospital meant that he did not take part in the

Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial Germa ...

. After the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...

, Ralston briefly served as an acting brigade commander in Belgium. That year, he was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George I ...

and was mentioned in despatches again. In 1919, he attended the

Paris Peace Conference Agreements and declarations resulting from meetings in Paris include: Listed by name Paris Accords may refer to: * Paris Accords, the agreements reached at the end of the London and Paris Conferences in 1954 concerning the post-war status of Germ ...

as a guest of General Sir Arthur Currie. After serving on some of the courts-martial convened after the Kinmel Park mutiny in April 1919, he led his unit back to Canada in June 1919. He was promoted to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

in 1924. Ralston's military service marked him deeply, and he was unrelenting in his defence of veterans' rights after the war's end. As the chairman of the Royal Commission on Pensions and Re-establishment from 1922 to 1924, he crossed the country to hear veterans' submissions. His war service may also have influenced his views during the

Conscription Crisis of 1944 The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service for men in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but not as politically damaging. ...

later in his career.

Federal politics

After the war, Ralston returned to civilian life. He lost his provincial seat in the 1920 election, then tried unsuccessfully to enter federal politics as the Liberal candidate for Halifax in the 1926 federal election. Despite his loss, Ralston was appointed to the cabinet by

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and became the Minister of National Defence on October 8. Prime Minister King created a seat for Ralston by appointing the MP for

Shelburne—Yarmouth Shelburne—Yarmouth was a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1925 to 1935. This riding was created in 1924 from Shelburne and Queen's and Yarmouth and Clare riding ...

, Paul Lacombe Hatfield, to the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, thus opening the riding for a

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

. Ralston won by acclamation on November 2, 1926, entering the 16th Parliament. Ralston served as Minister of National Defence until the defeat of King's government in the 1930 federal election but was re-elected and remained the MP for Shelburne-Yarmouth through the 17th Parliament, serving in His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. In 1930, he moved to

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

to join a law firm there, Mitchell, Ralston, Kearney and Duquet. The riding of Shelburne-Yarmouth was consolidated into the new riding of Shelburne—Yarmouth—Clare in 1935 and Ralston opted to not run again, returning to the legal profession full-time, despite the Liberal party regaining power and Mackenzie King's entreaties, going so far as to refuse a seat in the Senate in 1937. Ralston was appointed the Canadian delegate to the London Naval Conference 1935 that December, and he later sat on several Royal Commissions.

Second World War

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and Canada's entry into

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

was seen as inevitable. The ensuing international crisis saw Prime Minister King court Ralston's military and cabinet experience. Having promised Mackenzie King in August 1939 that he would return to government service if war broke out, Ralston re-entered public service and he was subsequently appointed as

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

on September 6, 1939, replacing

Charles Dunning Charles Avery Dunning (July 31, 1885 – October 1, 1958) was the third premier of Saskatchewan. Born in England, he emigrated to Canada at the age of 16. By the age of 36, he was premier. He had a successful career as a farmer, business ...

who resigned because of ill-health. Canada declared war on

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

on September 10 and Ralston participated in the King government's revamping of Canada's two-decade-long neglected military. The death of

Alfred Edgar MacLean Alfred Edgar MacLean (May 8, 1868 – October 28, 1939) was a Canadian farmer, fox rancher, trader and political figure in Prince Edward Island. He represented 3rd Prince in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1915 to 1921 a ...

, MP for

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

on October 28 opened up the opportunity for Prime Minister King to call a by-election in a Liberal-friendly riding that Ralston could run in. Ralston was subsequently elected by acclamation on January 2, 1940 and entered the 18th Parliament. He was re-elected several months later on March 26 and continued into the 19th Parliament. In the political tradition of the era, as a federal minister, Ralston brought government patronage to the impoverished rural riding in

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

, largely through military spending. Ralston House of Commons

On June 10, 1940 the Minister of National Defence, Norman Rogers, was killed when his airplane crashed in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. King subsequently shuffled the cabinet and gave Ralston the National Defence portfolio on July 5. Despite not being from Prince Edward Island, Ralston continued his support to that province as political minister by authorizing the establishment of RCAF Station Mount Pleasant,

RCAF Station Summerside Canadian Forces Base Summerside (CFB Summerside) was an air force base located in St. Eleanors, Prince Edward Island, Canada, now part of the city of Summerside. RCAF Station Summerside World War II The airfield was constructed by the Royal Ca ...

(both in his riding) and RCAF Station Charlottetown, as well as a radar station in

Tignish Tignish is a Canadian town located in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is located approximately northwest of the city of Summerside, and northwest of the city of Charlottetown. It has a population of 719. The name "Tignish" is derived ...

(also in his riding).

Conscription Crisis

Ralston supported

for overseas service during the Second World War, just as he did during the First World War. In 1942 offered to resign when

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

's government refused to send "Zombies", men mobilized under the ''

National Resources Mobilization Act The ''National Resources Mobilization Act, 1940'' (, 4 George VI, Chap. 13) was a statute of the Parliament of Canada passed to provide for better planning of a much greater Canadian war effort, both overseas and in military production at home. ...

'', to the front.Campbell, John Robinson (1984).
James Layton Ralston and manpower for the Canadian army
' (M.A. thesis)

Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University (commonly referred to as WLU or simply Laurier) is a Public university, public university in Ontario, Canada, with campuses in Waterloo, Ontario, Waterloo, Brantford, Ontario, Brantford and Milton, Ontario, Milton. The ...

King refused Ralston's resignation, and the resignation issue was dropped. In 1944, the issue of conscription returned again to the public debate. Ralston decided to personally investigate the issue by visiting Northwest Europe and Italy. He reported to Cabinet that the situation was far worse than he had been led to believe; front-line infantry regiments were so short of manpower that wounded men were being pulled out of hospitals and sent back to the front lines. In order to continue combat operations, the overseas Canadian Army needed 15,000 new infantrymen immediately, and that the only way to get these replacements was to draw from the 60,000 Zombies assigned to defend the coasts. King was convinced that there was a plot to "get me out" and that Ralston had provoked the crisis to make himself Prime Minister. When the Cabinet met on the morning of 1 November 1944, King, who had only informed his Quebec lieutenant

Louis St. Laurent Louis Stephen St. Laurent (; February 1, 1882 – July 25, 1973) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 12th prime minister of Canada from 1948 to 1957. Born and raised in southeastern Quebec, St. Laurent was a leading la ...

in advance, suddenly announced that he now accepted Ralston's resignation, which had been submitted back in April 1942, effective firing him. To King's relief, Ralston walked out of the cabinet room and no one followed him. Ralston's ally, Navy Minister Angus Macdonald, ripped pieces of paper in frustration, but remained seated with the rest of the cabinet. He was replaced by Lieutenant-General

Andrew McNaughton General (Canada), General Andrew George Latta McNaughton (25 February 1887 – 11 July 1966) was a Canadian Electrical engineering, electrical engineer, scientist, army officer, Minister (government), cabinet minister, and diplomat. Before th ...

, who was opposed to sending the Zombies overseas. One of McNaughton's first actions was to dismiss Lieutenant-General Kenneth Stuart, the

Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff. List * Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia) * Chief of General Staff (Afghanistan) * Chief of the General Staff (Albania) * C ...

and Ralston's ally in pressing for conscription. Historians Jack Granatstein and Desmond Morton noted that "news of Ralston's sacking put the conscription crisis on the front pages in screaming headlines. To King's horror and to McNaughton's distress, the publicity created a firestorm of reaction against the once-popular general. Audiences booed and jeered when he tried to rally the country behind the no-conscription policy". Ralston left politics the following year and died in

in 1948.

Family

In 1907, Ralston married Nettie McLeod, also from Amherst, whom he had known since childhood. They had one son, Stuart, born in 1908. Stuart Ralston later became a puisne judge of the

Superior Court of Quebec The Superior Court of Quebec () is a superior trial court in the Province of Quebec, in Canada. It consists of 157 judges who are appointed by the federal government. Appeals from this court are taken to the Quebec Court of Appeal. Jurisdicti ...

Legacy

Ralston was named a

National Historic Person Persons of National Historic Significance (National Historic People) () are people designated by the Canadian government as being nationally significant in the history of the country. Designations are made by the Minister of the Environment on the ...

in 1973. The Colonel James L. Ralston Armoury in Amherst, Nova Scotia is named in his honour and is the historic home of the Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment. A large tern schooner was named in his honour in 1919 at

Eatonville, Nova Scotia Eatonville is a former lumber and shipbuilding village in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. It includes a large tidal harbour at the mouth of the Eatonville Brook beside several dramatic sea stacks known as the "Three Sisters". It was founded in 18 ...

. Ralston, Alberta and the Ralston Residence at the

Canadian Forces College The Canadian Forces College (CFC) is a military staff college for senior and general officers of the Canadian Armed Forces. It provides graduate-level military education courses designed to develop leadership abilities within the Canadian Forces ...

in Toronto was completed in October 1999, and was named after him. He was portrayed by actor

Sandy Webster Alexander (Sandy) Webster (January 30, 1923 - March 22, 2017) was a Canadian actor, best known for his regular supporting role as forensic investigator Dr. Chisholm in the drama television series '' The Great Detective''. Background Born and raised ...

in the 1986 television miniseries ''

The King Chronicle ''The King Chronicle'' is a Canadian docudrama television miniseries, directed by Donald Brittain and broadcast by CBC Television in 1988. Blending both documentary and dramatic elements, the six-hour series was a portrait of former Canadian Prim ...

''.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ralston, James 1881 births 1948 deaths Canadian military personnel from Nova Scotia Canadian Baptists Ministers of finance of Canada Canadian people of Scottish descent Liberal Party of Canada MPs Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Nova Scotia Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Prince Edward Island Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada People from Amherst, Nova Scotia Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada) Canadian people of World War II 20th-century Baptists Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Canadian Militia officers Canadian colonels Canadian King's Counsel Canadian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Canadian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Lawyers in Nova Scotia Lawyers in Quebec 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada