Major A.P. Ardagh
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)

Doc planned to go in for aviation, and received training at Camp Borden for two summers, but a “crack-up” cut short a very promising career in that line. Since then Doc has taken considerable interest in riding, besides various other activities, and no one was surprised to hear that he had decided to join the regular army as a cavalryman, in the Royal Canadian Dragoons. Doc will do well in the army—we expect to hear of his continued success, and we all wish him good billets and quick promotions.

(RMC Yearbook, 1931, 34)

Born on 30 March 1908 in Orillia, Ontario, Ainslie Power “Doc” Ardagh graduated from RMC in 1931 and joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He had showed an early interest in flying but a crash in 1929 put an end to a career in the air force. Following mobilization in 1940, he served overseas with the Dragoons at the rank of major and filled various staff positions with the Armoured Corps until January 1942 when recalled to Canada. Nine months later he returned to England and by January 1943 had become second-in-command of the 9th Armoured (British Columbia Dragoons) Regiment.

Three months later on the appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Murphy to general staff officer for the 5th Armoured Division, Ardagh took temporary command of the regiment. In April, Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Angle arrived as the new commanding officer and Ardagh reverted to second. In July 1943, he returned to Canada once again as general staff officer for the director of military training at the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa.

His final return overseas would prove fateful. He arrived in Italy as a reinforcement officer for the 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Hussars) near the end of August 1944. He was killed by shrapnel a few days later, on 31 August, enroute to joining his squadron. His tank had broken down and had stepped out for directions when he was fatally hit.