Brigadier Roy Sargent
Canadian Scottish Regiment
6th, 13th & 14th Infantry Brigades

With a last name like Sargent—Brig. Roy Sargent seemed destined to serve in the military, and that is exactly what he did for more than 30 of his 86 years.

(Nanaimo Daily News, 7 Nov 1981, 15)

Born on 8 October 1895 in Campbellford, Ontario David Ross Sargent had commanded the Canadian Scottish Regiment as colonel until 1938, when he retired to the reserves. He had enlisted with the 53rd Battalion as a private and took a commission with the 232nd Battalion in June 1916. He served in France with the 5th Battalion and demobilized at the rank of captain. He continued militia service with the Canadian Scottish, serving as 2nd Battalion commander in 1930 before promotion to colonel of the whole regiment in 1934.

In January 1940, Sargent reverted to take command of the 1st Battalion, Canadian Scottish, succeeding Lieutenant-Colonel E.A. Henderson, who became second-in-command. In May 1940, Sargent was promoted to brigadier of the newly-formed 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade.

In December 1941, illness forced his return home, but he was appointed commanding officer for the Vancouver Area, and later served as brigadier of 13th and then the 16th Infantry Brigades in 1942-43. He became commandant of the Combined Operations School at Courtney, British Columbia, until he replaced General G.R. Pearkes of the Pacific Command in February 1945.

Pearkes, who had clashed with Ottawa over conscription policy, announced, “I deeply regret that circumstance make it necessary for me to cease to be so intimately associated with the troops I have loved so long, but I hope opportunities will arise in which I can still render some service.” Sargent remarked of his own appointment, “I think this is all wrong.” He served as acting commander-in-chief until the end of March 1945, when to took charge of administration with Pacific Command. He retired from the army in October 1945.

He died in Richmond, British Columbia on 16 March 1997 at the age of 101.