Lieutenant-Colonel Jim Ritchie
Royal Canadian Regiment

I do hope that this miserable Canadian conscription business will not affect your fighting strength … the fighting on all our fronts looks pretty sticky just now … I have called you Jim because I feel that your father would wish it and because I have called practically every C.O. by their Christian name since I left the Regiment.

(Col. C.H. Hill to Ritchie, 4 Dec 1944)

Born in Toronto on 8 July 1908, James Weldon Ritchie was commissioned with the RCR in 1935 and served on the Royal Military College staff. After going overseas in 1941, he attended the War Staff College at Camberley, England and joined the Staff Officers Training School. Promoted to lieutenant-colonel in August 1943, he received an opportunity for frontline command in Italy when he replaced Lieutenant-Colonel W.W. Mathers of the RCR in June 1944.

The appointment of another Permanent Force officer with no battle experience came as a frustration to Major Strome Galloway, who as a militia officer did not expect to command the RCR himself, but still once again felt passed over. Galloway related how Ritchie had made a point to not recommend officers for decorations, arguing that the RCR did the work regardless of rewards. Galloway suspected Ritchie simply desired a medal for himself before any subordinate officer:

Ritchie told me that Brigadier Calder had said that it was time someone in the RCR got a DSO, instructing him to ‘give Galloway the battalion for a couple of days and see what he can do!’ Ritchie told me he had replied to the Brigadier by saying, ‘We don’t get DSOs in the RCR, Sir. We only do our job.’ Anyway, he remained out of battle and I took over.

(Strome Galloway, The General Who Never Was, 232)

His superiors thought Ritchie showed promise but was untested. Former RCR commanding officer, now in command of 1st Infantry Brigade, Brigadier Dan Spry found that “with further battle experience he should prove to be a very useful battalion comd.” Major-General Chris Vokes stated as Ritchie’s “experience in comd has been limited to patrol activity of static warfare,” he could not yet judge his leadership.

Like his predecessor, Ritchie served six months in the field before he was replaced in December 1944. After the “ghastly failure” at Lamone River, Galloway recalled, “It was obvious that heads would roll. Ritchie, upon whose shoulders no blame could be laid, was fired in a most callous way.” Brigadier J.A. Calder of the 1st Infantry Brigade phoned and informed him “as a result of the Bde failure over the Lamone on the night of 4/5 Dec several changes were being made and that he was vacating comd of 1 C.I.B. and that Lt-Col Ritchie was to vacate comd of R.C.R.”

The confidential report report read: “By his handling of his bn in action recently Lt-Col. Ritchie demonstrated a lack of organizing ability, the absence of good leadership and a lost of control  … This office has lost the confidence of his men and of his superiors.” Galloway took over until the arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Reid, the decorated former CO of the Perth Regiment, officially assumed command of the RCR.

Ritchie continued a career in the army until retirement in 1959. He died in Victoria, British Columbia on 16 November 1969.