Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Stillman
Edmonton Regiment

And within 20 minutes His Majesty had arrived. He chatted freely to me as he passed down the line, had me introduce every one of the officers, and spoke with a number of our men. Altogether he spent more than 15 minutes with us. And what a delightful gentleman he was! Absolutely no side at all. We felt quite at home immediately. And the King remembered me from his visit to Edmonton; what do you think of that?

(Lt-Col. Stillman in Edmonton Journal, 15 Feb 1940, 11)

Born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England on 16 July 1892, William George Stillman was a provincial civil servant, musician, and First World War veteran. He had immigrated to Canada in 1912, enlisted as a private in the 175th Battalion and served in France as a lieutenant with the 31st Battalion in 1918. He rejoined the militia in the early 1930s and had becoming command officer of the Edmonton Regiment shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War.

The regiment proceeded overseas with the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in December 1939. Despite initial orders indicating that would be destined for Norway, the 2nd Brigade remained in Aldershot for training. George Kitching, who assumed command of the battalion in 1942, stated Stillman “may not have been a great tactician but he paid a great deal of attention to detail in the spheres of military life with which he was familiar. He was also a bit of an actor which is not a bad thing in a commander, so he could use emotion to encourage the family spirit and regimental pride.”

In April 1940, the Edmonton Regiment, which perpetuated the 49th Battalion from the First World War, welcomed veterans living in the United Kingdom and serving in other units for reunion. Stillman announced:

The old 49ers went away feeling that the new 49th (the Edmonton Regiment) was well capable of maintaining the reputation they made in the last war, and many of them expressed the opinion their visit her was the best day they had spent since the day they were demobilized more than 20 years ago.

At the end of August 1940, Stillman was appointed Inspector of Accounts with Canadian Military Headquarters in London. Major E.B. Wilson took over the regiment. In 1943, thanks in part to Stillman’s lobbying efforts the King granted the Edmonton Regiment the title “Loyal.” With demobilization in October 1945, Stillman returned home aboard the same ship as his original unit, by then under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W.T. Cromb.

Stillman died on 15 July 1956 after suffering a heart-attack while driving.