Canadian Fusiliers (City of London)

Lt-Col. C.M. MacMillan

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel C.M. MacMillan
Canadian Fusiliers (City of London)

A smart clean-cut off[ice]r, who doe not look his age of 40 years, alert, of good personality, fairly aggressive, is intelligent, capable, responsible and conscientious.

Reports are scanty in this officer’s file but those available show his work to be satisfactory; a good CO, has commanded his bn successfully under difficult circumstances.

(Officer Survey and Classification Board, 15 Dec 1944)

Born in Scotland on 9 May 1904, Charles Malcolm MacMillan was a militia officer with the Canadian Fusiliers since 1927. He was promoted to major in 1940 and became second-in-command in February 1942. Before the battalion landed on the island of Kiska, believed to be occupied by Japanese forces, MacMillan remarked, “Some of the boys were pretty tense and we all figured we were in for a full-scale scrap. But every man from the commanding officer down to the privates was ready to go.”

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Brig. R.H. Beattie

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Brigadier R.H. Beattie
Canadian Fusiliers (City of London)
13th & 14th Infantry Brigades

Whilst leading his company he was held up by an enemy machine-gun post. He, with a section, outflanked the post and then personally with great courage rushed it, shooting one of the enemy, taking prisoner another, and capturing a gun.

(M.C. citation, 3 Oct 1918)

Born on 30 September 1895 in London, Ontario, Russell Hilton Beattie was a decorated First World War veteran and militia officer. He went overseas as a lieutenant in the 135th Battalion and transferred to the 20th Battalion in France in February 1918. He was wounded in action during the Hundred Days’ Offensive but earned the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry. After mobilization in September 1939, he served as chief recruiting officer for No. 1 Military District Southwestern Ontario) and barracks commandant in Windsor before taking a senior officers’ course at RMC.

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Lt-Col. R.E. Bricker

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Lieutenant-Colonel R.E. Bricker
Canadian Fusiliers (City of London)
Midland Regiment (Northumberland and Durham)

Of medium height and build, neat clean-cut appearance and smart mil bearing. This offr is a forceful, aggressive, conscientious and vigorous type with a good fighting heart. Appears somewhat intolerant and rather abrupt.

(Officer Survey and Classification Board, 26 Feb 1945)

Born on 27 August 1901 in Glen Allen, Ontario, Rance Ephriam Bricker was a militia officer with Scots Fusiliers of Canada since 1924. In 1940, he transferred to the Highland Light Infantry and served in England as second-in-command. During his inspection tour of the battalion in February 1942, General Bernard Montgomery found Bricker lacked the necessary character and drive. He was soon replaced and sent back to Canada as a prisoner-of-war escort.

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