New provincial plaque honours Trooper Lorne Mulloy

Mulloy was blinded in battle while serving in the South African War in 1900, and went on to become a respected advocate for wounded veterans and a prominent figure in Iroquois, Ontario

IROQUOIS, ON, June 23, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Ontario Heritage Trust and the Trooper Lorne Mulloy Memorial Committee unveiled a provincial plaque to commemorate this Canadian veteran of the South African War for his significant role in veterans' rights and welfare.

"The Trust is pleased to commemorate Trooper Lorne Mulloy, a man who dedicated his life to serving his country and his community," said John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust. "His advocacy for veterans contributed to the development of government and charitable support for returning soldiers during a critical time in Canadian history when large numbers of wounded soldiers returned home with few supports available."

K. Howard Kirkby, Chair, Trooper Mulloy Memorial Committee, added, "The Trooper Mulloy Memorial Committee would like to express our thanks to the Ontario Heritage Trust and to the sponsor Fawcett family for their support. This acknowledgement of Blind Trooper Mulloy's accomplishments, in the face of adversity, and his significance in the evolution of Canada's social support institutions is well deserved and long overdue. The provincial heritage plaque will honour a great Canadian and will remind us of our duty as Canadian citizens."

The plaque unveiling took place at the Royal Canadian Legion in Iroquois, Ontario.

The plaque reads as follows:

Trooper Lorne Mulloy 1879-1932

Lorne Winfield Redmond Mulloy was born on a farm near Winchester. After high school, he became the principal at Navan Public School. Mulloy postponed plans to attend university and enlisted with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, with which he embarked in February 1900 for the South African War. That summer, Mulloy was blinded in battle. Despite the barriers presented by his blindness, Mulloy went on to earn degrees from Queen's University, the University of Oxford and Osgoode Hall Law School. During the First World War, he taught at Kingston's Royal Military College and supported enlistment campaigns. After the war, Mulloy campaigned tirelessly for veterans' rights and rehabilitation through the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment and helped to create the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada and the Royal Canadian Legion. Mulloy travelled to hospitals to share his story with veterans, vowing to assist those who were injured or disabled in service. He became a well-known public speaker who addressed the need for a social safety net, advocating for the duty and social responsibility of all Canadians to help others. Mulloy's life is a remarkable story of achievement in the face of adversity that helped to change the fabric of Canadian society. 

"Today, Trooper Lorne Mulloy takes his place in history among Canadians whose courage, personal sacrifices and tireless efforts have shaped the very foundation of the social programs we cherish today," said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. "With immense pride, we pay tribute to Trooper Mulloy and all Ontario Veterans, for their invaluable contributions through the work of the Soldiers' Aid Commission."

Quick facts

• The plaque will be permanently installed at the Iroquois United Church Cemetery
• To date, the Ontario Heritage Trust has unveiled 1,289 provincial plaques
• The Trust has 227 plaques marking significant individuals and moments from Ontario's military history

Learn more

• Read the historical backgrounder on Trooper Lorne Mulloy
• Explore the Trust's Ontario's military heritage web resource
• Read featured stories about military heritage on the Heritage Matters e-magazine
• Find out more about the Ontario Heritage Trust and the Provincial Plaque Program

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About the Ontario Heritage Trust
The Ontario Heritage Trust (the Trust) is an agency of the Government of Ontario. The Trust conserves, interprets and shares Ontario's heritage. We conserve provincially significant cultural and natural, tangible and intangible heritage, interpret Ontario's history, celebrate its diversity and educate Ontarians of its importance in our society. The Trust envisions an Ontario where we conserve, value and share the places and landscapes, histories, traditions and stories that embody our heritage, now and for future generations.

SOURCE Ontario Heritage Trust

For more information about the Ontario Heritage Trust, contact Patricia Njovu at 437-248-1439 or [email protected].; For information about the Trooper Lorne Mulloy Memorial Committee, contact Howard Kirkby at [email protected].