Who We Are
Established in 1962, The Ontario Model Soldier Society (OMSS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the hobby of collecting toy soldiers and model figures.
It is a club. OMSS holds monthly Zoom Meetings. It also holds monthly meetings in both Toronto and Ottawa.
OMSS has approximately 150 members. Most of its members live within a one or two-hour drive of either Toronto or Ottawa, Ontario.
OMSS also has members in provinces other than Ontario.
In addition to its Canadian membership, OMSS has members from around the world including the United States. The most famous of these American OMSS members is Stuart Hessney, the Editor of Toy Soldier Collector & Historical Figures magazine.
Stuart is a long-time member of OMSS and he is a great supporter of the organization, having attended many of the OMSS annual toy soldier shows.
Each summer in Toronto the Ontario Model Soldier Society hosts Canada's largest toy soldier show On Parade. This event features vendors as well as competitions for those painting figures.
A significant number of OMSS members are long-time collectors and incredibly knowledgeable about collecting toy soldiers and model figures.
OMSS member Scott Dummitt owns one of the few remaining brick and mortar toy soldier stores in Canada, Scott J Dummitt Presents.
Scott Dummitt and fellow OMSS member Jim Qualtrough cast metal toy soldiers.
This is a photo taken inside Scott J Dummitt Presents brick and mortar store in Bailieboro, Ontario.
A significant number of OMSS members are excellent painters of model figures. Many of these members have won awards at toy soldier shows across the continent.
Virtually all OMSS members share a love for military history. Many members are students of military history and are well-read on the subject. A number of OMSS members have gone on battlefield tours in Europe as well as North America.
The Ontario Model Soldier Society has an excellent relationship with the British Model Soldier Society (BMSS). Some OMSS members will be a guest on BMSS Zoom Meetings and vice versa.
Ottawa chapter of OMSS
Ottawa, Canada's national capital, has a very active OMSS chapter.
Robert Thompson is the heart and soul of the OMSS Ottawa chapter.
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He is a very experienced toy soldier collector and a retired graphics designer.
Bob has been instrumental in the growth and development of the monthly OMSS Zoom Meetings.
The membership of the Ottawa chapter of the OMSS includes several talented individuals whose work product can be found in the public domain. These include Juan Lopez and Scott from the Scott's Soldiers YouTube channel.
Juan Lopez of Juan's One-Sixth Exclusives can only be described as a craftsmen as it relates to both dioramas as
well as WWII-era One-sixth figures. Juan has created an incredible collection of WWII One-sixth figures containing 73 models, each with a distinctive uniform.
Scott, an Ottawa chapter member, has his own YouTube channel called Scott's Soldiers.
OMSS President
Andy Traverse, a resident of Hamilton, Ontario is the Ontario Model Soldier Society (OMSS) President for the 2024 calendar year.
OMSS Honourary President
The Honourary President of the Ontario Model Soldier Society (OMSS) is retired Canadian Armed Forces Brigadier General Darrell Dean. ​
General Dean has been collecting toy soldiers from a very young age.​
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Retired Brigadier General Darrell Dean's toy soldier collection was featured in a 2024 YouTube video.
Past Presidents of the Ontario Model Soldier Society (OMSS)
1962 Charles Faulkner
1963 Steve Leggett
1964 Graeme Armstrong
1965 Frank Roberts
1966 Ron Colbeck
1967 Gord Dumbleton
1968 Allan Robinson
1969 Byran Gibbons
1970 Brian Burrell
1971 Derrick Carter
1972 Fred Kaye
1973 Fred Kaye
1974/75 Don Melhuish
1975/76 Robert Boothe
1976 /77 Russ Davis
1977/78 Peter Twist
1978/79 John English
1979/80 Allan Hynd
1980/81 Nick Darrow
1981/82 Robert Hicks
1982/83 Jim Burry
1983/84 Mary Rich
1984/85 Dave Sinnott
1985/86 Dave Ritchie
1986/87 Dave Ritchie
1987/88 John Carrington
1988/89 Jennifer Hall
1989/90 Mark Howell
1990/91 Ted Kennedy
1991/92 James Walker
1992/93 Hugh McLachlan
1993/94 Dave Browne
1994/95 Ian Alderton
1995/96 Don Ritchie
1996/97 Phillip Nutt
1997/98 Frank Mackay
1998/99 Rick Irons
2000 Don Cameron
2001 Paul Aitchison
2002 Dave Deacon
2003 Brendan Furlong
2004 Paul Aitchison
2005 Tommy Thompson
2006 Mike Chrus
2007 John Hambly
2008 Gail Stone
2009 Norm White
2010 John Murdock
2011 Jim Matresky
2012 Guy Elliot
2013 Scott Dummitt
2014 Norm White
2015 Gail Stone
2016 Tom Elliot
2017 Jim Qualtrough
2018 John Hambly
2019 Lorne Farr
2020 Keith Ritchie
2021 Keith Ritchie
2022 Keith Ritchie
2023 Scott Milburn
2024​ Andy Traverse