which he was dismissed by General Andrew McNaughton, the Minister of National Defence. Postwar He died, due in large part to the illnesses which had been a constant grievance for many years, on 3 November 1945, just a few weeks after his fifty-fourth birthday. His estate was tiny and, although his military career had spanned thirty-five years, his widow received a pension of just $180 a month. Ralston, ever a close friend of Stuart's and whose career in politics had ended at the same time (and for also taking a pro-conscription stance), informed Stuart's widow, Marguerite, via telegraph, that Stuart was "a great soldier, true as steel to his country", as well as being "a rare friend." Thomas Crerar, a recently retired member of the cabinet, believed Stuart had given "fine service to his country." Perhaps unsurprisingly, neither Mrs Stuart nor her children were delighted with a telegram from Mackenzie King, in which he declared Stuart to have been "a deeply valued personal friend." At Stuart's funeral Ralston acted as an honorary pallbearer but Harry Crerar, who was also asked to be one, declined, much to the disgust of Ralston, who in his opinion "owed more to Stuart than would ever be known." Stuart opposed the removal of Japanese Canadians from the Pacific coast, telling Ottawa that "I cannot see that the Japanese Canadians constitute the slightest menace to national security." Family Stuart was married to Marguerite Dorothy Stuart, née Bauld, of Halifax; he had met her in England in 1916. They had a son, Victor, and a daughter, Marguerite Stuart Shortreed. His son Victor (1918–2007) also attended the Royal Military College of Canada and reached the rank of Group Captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force. References Bibliography External links Generals of World War II |- 1891 births 1945 deaths Canadian Companions of the Order of the Bath Canadian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Canadian recipients of the Military Cross Bishop's College School alumni Royal Military College of Canada alumni Commandants of the Royal Military College of Canada People from Trois-Rivières Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Canadian Army generals of World War II Canadian military personnel of World War I Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley Royal Canadian Engineers officers Canadian generals Royal Military College of Canada faculty Commanders of the Canadian Army Canadian military personnel from Quebec Burials at Beechwood