James Layton Ralston (September 27, 1881 – May 22, 1948) was a Canadian lawyer, soldier, and politician. A Nova Scotian and a lawyer by training, Ralston fought with distinction during the First World War and pursued a career in the Canadian Army, 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 because of his support for the introduction of conscription.
Early life and provincial politics
Ralston was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, 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 at Dalhousie University. 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 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 Cumberland 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 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 and was mentioned in despatches. In 1918, he assumed command of the 85th and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. The same year, Ralston was recommended for the Victoria Cross 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. and was mentioned in despatches again. In 1919, he attended the Paris Peace Conference 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. 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 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, who was opposed to sending the Zombies overseas.
Ralston, Alberta and the Ralston Residence at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto was completed in October 1999, and was named after him.
He was portrayed by actor Sandy Webster in the 1986 television miniseries The King Chronicle.
Archives
There is a John Layton Ralston fonds at Library and Archives Canada.