Oscar Prior Ardagh, nickname “Plug”, joined the 48th Highlanders on 21 October 1904 at the age of 16 as a bugler. He was confirmed as a Private on 17 September 1909. His date of birth was 07 May 1888. As a Private he and his brother Corporal Richard Charles Ardagh were on the train that hit another train on 28 October 1912 while returning from manoeuvres and a sham fight at Milton, Ontario. He was permanently crippled but continued to serve with the 48th. He may have left the regiment sometime after the train accident as our records show him enrolling again on 14 June 21. (However, our regimental history calls him the longest serving NCO in 1940, so whether he was away from the regiment for a period is not clear.) On 14 December 1921 he was promoted to Master (?) Sergeant and on 11 May 1923 was made RQMS (Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant).

He received the Long Service Medal in 1924, the King George Silver Jubilee medal in 1925, the Canadian Efficiency Medal (also a Long Service medal) in 1935 and the MBE in 1946.

He was made Company Sergeant Major on 5 May 1933.

On 8 August 1940 he joined the 2nd Battalion, 48th Highlanders. This battalion was the training battalion for those going overseas. 48th Officers and NCOs conducted the training, and they were Highlanders who had served in WWI or in key positions and were not going overseas. His service number was B485003. He retired from the 48th Highlanders on 22 January 1954, a remarkable 50 years with the 48th.

He is named in the 1891-1928 history on page 15 and in Dileas (the WWII history on pages 22-60, 390 and 774.