Second World War

Lt-Col. J.M.S. Tait

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Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Tait
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Tait

His predecessor, Lieutenant-Colonel J.M.S. Tait, who reportedly liked to adorn himself with Patton-like pistol holsters, had been neither liked nor respected by the soldiers of the unit, the nickname “Hollywood” attesting to their cynicism regarding his abilities and sincerity.

(Delaney, The Soldier’s General, 43)

Born in Vancouver on 1 December 1903, John “Ian” Moore Spottiswood Tait was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel J.S. Tait who commanded the 29th Battalion in late 1916. As a child he attended school in England while his father was on the Western Front. He returned to Vancouver in the early 1920s and joined militia. He went overseas with the Seaforth Highlanders in December 1939, and took command two years later.

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Lt-Col. C.C. Ferrie

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Lieutenant-Colonel C.C. Ferrie
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Ferrie

Our sergeants, as the Vimy Dinner night approached, looked for ways and means to put on their annual dinner. Rationing was in effect, as were strict regulations against the purchase of poultry and meats. They scurried around the countryside and located a farmer who would sell a young pig, at a price. It had to be very “hush, hush” … however, and could not be slaughtered on the premises.

The pig was collected in the vehicle. Then the fun began.

(Ferrie quoted in Roy, The Seaforth Highlanders, 79)

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 18 January 1895, Colin Campbell Ferrie enlisted with the 196th (Wester Universities) Battalion in April 1916, gained a commission one year later in England and joined the 72nd (Seaforth Highlanders) Battalion in France. He was wounded at Amiens on 11 August 1918 at the start of the Hundred Days campaign.

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Lt-Cols. Leslie & Stevenson

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Lieutenant-Colonel T.S. Leslie
Leslie
&
Lieutenant-Colonel J.B. Stevenson
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Stevenson

Soldiering is not a life-long occupation for any man, and when the time comes for the Seaforths to go back to civil life, they are going to be fitter and better men for their time in the army, if anything we can do will make them so.

(Stevenson in Vancouver Sun, 10 Nov 1939, 13)

Born in Glasgow, Scotland on 16 November 1882, Thomas Soga Leslie had been commissioned with the 231st Battalion and joined the 72nd (Seaforth Highlanders) Battalion as a reinforcement officer in France in May 1917. He suffered a gunshot wound to the arm in September 1918. Twenty years later he became commanding officer of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. Too old for overseas service, he relinquished command on 1 September 1939 to another fellow First World War veteran, John Bryden Stevenson

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Maj. P.D. Crofton

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Major Pat Crofton
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Crofton

Without Patty Crofton’s common sense, steady hand and constant good humour, I doubt if the Regiment would have survived. Through some incredible blundering or plain stupidity on the part of the staff, Patty remained a major and was not given his rightful rank of lieutenant colonel. Not once did Patty ever complain, but it annoyed me then and still does.

(C. Sydney Frost, Once a Patricia, 466)                                         

Born in Salt Spring, British Columbia on 20 January 1915, Patrick Donovan Crofton joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry as a lieutenant in August 1940 from the Canadian Scottish Regiment. Five years later he was one of the old veterans of the PPCLI. Despite being three-times wounded, he served from the landing at Sicily in July 1943 through the Italian campaign until the end of the war in Northwest Europe. When Lieutenant-Colonel R.P. Clark joined the Royal Winnipeg Rifles as part of the occupation of Germany in June 1945, Crofton took over the PPCLI.

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Lt-Col. R.P. Clark

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Lieutenant-Colonel Reg Clark
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
ClarkRP

His presence, and the example of his disregard for his own safety, were a source of great confidence and inspiration to all ranks of the battalion. By his courage, sound planning and firm leadership, Lieutenant-Colonel Clark ensured the success of his battalion’s attack and inspired it to hold firm in the teeth of this enemy bastion.

(D.S.O. citation, 7 Apr 1945)

Born on 28 March 1909 in Vancouver, Reginald Percival Clark was a broker, adjutant with the BC Regiment, and son of First World War battalion commander Brigadier General Robert Percy Clark (1872–1932). His three brothers and sister also volunteered on the outbreak of the Second World War. Reg joined the PPCLI and went overseas in December 1939. He was a company commander during the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 and second-in-command by December 1943.

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Lt-Col. D.H. Rosser

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Lieutenant-Colonel David Rosser
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Rosser

News that LCol David Rosser was now commanding officer came as a surprise. Assuredly he was qualified from a staff point of view to take command, but he had had little battle experience … He had never commanded a Patricia company in action, which to me and all other experienced officers was the litmus test for a prospective Commanding Officer.

(C. Sydney Frost, Once a Patricia, 272)

Born on 6 Dec 1905 Swansea, Wales, David Hillard Rosser was a Royal Welch Guards officer who immigrated to Quebec in the 1930s. With the outbreak of the Second World War, he volunteered with the PPCLI just before sailing for England in December 1939. Two years later he returned to Canada for a junior war staff college course at RMC. Following staff postings overseas, and promotions to captain then major, Rosser rejoined the PPCLI in Italy in March 1944, becoming second-in-command two months later.

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Lt-Col. C.B. Ware

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Lieutenant-Colonel Cammie Ware
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Ware

When you are a commanding officer, you are responsible for everything that happens in that Battalion and every man and so on … they are never out of your mind … You never get a night’s sleep … command entails everything … You’re responsible for every man in the Regiment … You’re responsible for every operation.

(Ware interview, quoted in Strickland, “Leading from the Front”)

Born 9 August 1913 in London, Ontario, Cameron Bethel Ware was son of a Canadian Army colonel and joined the PPCLI after graduation from RMC in 1935. Having been attached to the British Army for training just prior to the Second World War, he left England until Canada declared war only to return to England in October 1939. After completing infantry courses, Ware transferred back to the regiment in 1940 as a company commander. He became second-in-command of the PPCLI in February 1942.

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Maj-Gen. C. Vokes

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Major-General Chris Vokes
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
2nd Infantry Brigade
1st Canadian Division
VokesC

My idea of command was everybody should know what I looked like, to start with. I thought then, and came to conclude I was I was absolutely right, it is essential for soldiers to know the face and the appearance of their commanding officer. So that they would know what I looked like, I ordered a parade of all hands … By that time, the soldiers would have seen what I looked like, and heard me, and they would be able thereafter not only to identify me but to identify with me.

(Vokes, My Story, 68)

In his public persona and performance, Christopher Vokes encouraged a notorious reputation as a forceful, profane, womanizing, hard-drinking ruthless soldier. Born in Armagh, Ireland on 13 April 1904, Vokes graduated RMC in 1925 before being commissioned with the Royal Canadian Engineers. He attended McGill University and the staff college at Camberley, England. Following mobilization in 1939, he became general staff officer with 1st Canadian Infantry Division and later assumed temporary command of the PPCLI in October 1941.

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Lt-Col. R.A. Lindsay

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Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Lindsay
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Lindsay

I felt they had missed an opportunity to deal the enemy a telling blow. There was no point in blaming the soldiers of the PPCLI. There were none better in the 2nd Brigade. I blamed Lindsay and the two company commanders for the cancellation of the operation without my permission and I made up my mind really to houseclean the regiment’s officers when the battle cooled. And I did.

(Vokes, My Story, 120)

Born on 12 September 1902 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Robert Alexander Lindsay was a former lacrosse player, schoolteacher and principal. A militia officer in the South Alberta Regiment since 1927, he reverted from second-in-command to enlist with the PPCLI as a captain shortly before going overseas. He succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel Rod Keller on his promotion to brigadier in July 1941.

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Maj-Gen. R.F.L. Keller

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Major-General Rod Keller
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
1st Infantry Brigade
3rd Canadian Division

You don’t know who’s going to be killed next or who’s going to be promoted. Everybody’s got to be ready to move up at least two places. Every private has got to be ready to become a corporal on five minutes’ notice, every corporal a sergeant-major, every sergeant-major a captain, every lieutenant a major.

(Keller in Winnipeg Tribune, 24 June 1943, 7)

Born in Gloucestershire, England on 2 October 1900, Rodney Frederick Leopold Keller, immigrated to Kelowna, British Columbia as a child. He graduated from RMC in 1920 and took a commission with the PPCLI. As a prewar captain with the Permanent Force, he went overseas as a brigade major with the general staff. In June 1941, he was appointed to replace Lieutenant-Colonel J.N. Edgar in command of the regiment. The next month he was promoted again to brigadier of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade.

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