Brigadier A.C. Spencer
1st Canadian Cavalry (1st Hussars) Regiment
2nd Army Tank Brigade

This officer has made a noteworthy contribution in the development and administration of this large camp and particularly in training of Armoured Corps personnel. His services in all regards have been outstanding and he is worthy of high recognition.

(C.M.E. citation, 10 Jun 1944)

Born in London, Ontario on 19 November 1887, Alexander Charles Spencer was a mechanical engineer who had been commissioned in the 1st Hussars in 1911. In the Frist World War, he enlisted with the 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles as a lieutenant in March 1915 and served in the field with the Canadian Light Horse as paymaster and quartermaster. After the war he became a lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Engineers and retired to the reserve list in 1937.

On 1 September 1939, Lieutenant-Colonel T. Sanderson of the 1st Hussars paraded his regiment for mobilization. The next day a medical board determined the 45-year-old colonel medically unfit for overseas service. Despite being seven years old, Spencer became the new commanding officer of the 1st Hussars. Sanderson took charge of the regimental depot in London. When the 1st Division went overseas in December 1939, the cavalry unit remained behind.

In July 1940, Spencer took command of the newly formed 1st Canadian Cavalry Regiment a mechanized composite unit that included one squadron from each the 1st Hussars, the Royal Canadian Dragoons and Lord Strathcona’s Horse. In January 1941, the cavalry regiment was dissolved with the squadrons returning their respective units. The Hussars were redesignated the 6th Armoured Regiment, and in April 1941 Spencer was promoted to brigadier of the 2nd Armoured Brigade. Command of the Hussars passed to Major R.H.F. Back.

A year later Spencer was appointed commandant of Camp Borden. He retired from the army in 1945 as adjutant-general with National Defence Headquarters at the rank of major general.

Spencer died on 12 December 1970 and is buried in Toronto.