Forbes, Duncan Stuart, 1889-1965

Duncan Stuart Forbes was born in Toronto in 1889 and died in Montreal in 1965. He was the son of portrait painter J. Colin Forbes; his mother’s name is unknown. Forbes graduated from McGill with a Bachelor of Science in 1911 and a Bachelor of Architecture in 1915. After serving in World War I as an artillery officer with The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, he returned to McGill briefly as Assistant Professor of Architecture. As the youngest major in Canada, he served for a short time with the Canadian Permanent Force. At the request of Sir Arthur Currie, Forbes returned to McGill in 1924 to become Athletics Manager, a position he held until his retirement in 1947. He formed the Students’ Athletic Council at McGill, the Redbirds Ski Club for alumni, the Scarlet Key Society, and the Martlet Society. Forbes was on leave from McGill during World War II, when he served as Senior Machine Gun Officer for Canada, rose to the rank of Lt.-Colonel, and was awarded an O.B.E. He loved the outdoor life, was an enthusiastic cook, and a talented designer: he created McGill's decorations for the visit of Princess Elizabeth in 1951.

Revised on July 17, 2024, by Leah Louttit-Bunker

https://mcgillathletics.ca/honors/hall-of-fame/major-d-stuart-forbes/25