3 



Memoranda 



Dies at His Home in 85th Year 

 — Had Distinguished 

 Career 



The University of Toronto lost one 

 of its most competent and popular 

 professors in the death early to-day oE 

 William Henry van der Smissen, M.A., 

 Ph.D., professor of German at the uni- 

 versity for almost 40 years until he 

 retired in 1913. He was also university 

 librarian for some time. Ho passed 

 away at his home, 15 Surrey place, in 

 his 85th year. 



Together with his high record of 

 schola.=itlc attainments in classics and 

 languages, deceased had a romantic 

 career as a soldier during the P eniau 

 Raids, becoming an outstanding mem- 

 ber of K Company, Queen's Own 

 Rifles, which was formed at the uni- 

 versity following the Trent affair. He 

 was at that time an undergraduate. 



He fought in Fenian Raid engage- 

 ments and was wounded at Ridgeway. 

 At a little dinner given him in 1923 he 

 was greatly surprised when ho wivi 

 presented with the bullet which had 

 wounded him more than 50 years 

 ago. It had been picked up by a 

 Presbyterian minister, whose grand- 

 daughter had given it to a friend of 

 the professor's. In 1872 he became 

 lieutenant of his company and in 1S75 

 was promoted to a captaincy, retaining 

 his interest in military matters until 

 his death. 



Dr. van der Smissen was borii in 

 Toronto on August IS, 1S14. and was 

 educated at Upper Canada College and 

 Univeraity College, where he won tlie 

 silver medal in classics. This 



