Lt-Col. D.G. Worthington

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Lieutenant-Colonel Don Worthington
28th Armoured Regiment (B.C. Regiment)

Lt.-Col. Worthington was a fearless, inspiring figure as he moved around the fire-swept square on foot, encouraging the men and organizing the defense … In the afternoon, he was hit by shrapnel when he was out on the perimeter trying to point targets for Canadian artillery. But he carried on. Late in the day he was killed and his regiment’s tribute to him is—there could not be a better commanding officer.

(Ross Munro, Vancouver Province, 4 Dec 1944)

Born on 3 March 1913 in Vancouver, Donald Grant Worthington attended the University of British Columbia and worked as a pharmacist with his brother Jack in the family business. A captain in the British Columbia Regiment since 1934, he mobilized with the unit in May 1940 alongside his younger brother. He went overseas with an advance party of the now redesignated 28th Armoured Regiment and in early 1943 gained combat experience serving the in North African campaign.

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Lt-Col. C.E. Bailey

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Lieutenant-Colonel Charlie Bailey
28th Armoured Regiment (B.C. Regiment)

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on numerous occasions. He has displayed the greatest gallantry and initiative in the performance of various duties, establishing ammunition and ration dumps, leading parties across “No Man’s Land” under heavy fire, attacking and gaining objectives at critical moments, and successfully resisting hostile counterattacks.

(M.C. Bar citation, 25 Aug 1917)

Born on 19 October 1895 in Kamloops, British Columbia, Charles Edward Bailey was a construction engineer, president of the longshoremen’s union, and highly decorated First World War veteran with two Military Crosses and the Distinguished Service Order. He enlisted with the 131st Battalion and went to France as a reinforcement officer for the 47th Battalion. Twice wounded in action, he ended the war at the rank of major in the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. He mobilized in June 1940 as second-in-command of the British Columbia Regiment.

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Lt-Col. G. Carmichael

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Lieutenant-Colonel G. Carmichael
28th Armoured Regiment (B.C. Regiment)

The “search for talent” is still on. The ranks are being combed for “Officer Material.” There will be many of the Iron Dukes among the classes that graduate from Brockville with the King’s Commission in the weeks to come. Men who are young—men who are bright, are the ones that are needed.

(Cpl. T.J. Kennan, war diary, Mar 1942)

Born on 9 October 1893 in Newcastle, England, Gordon Carmichael was a banker and decorated First World War veteran. He had enlisted as a private in 1915, earned a field commission with the 7th Battalion in 1917, and then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1918. He ended the war with a Military Cross for bravery and rejoined the British Columbia Regiment in the postwar militia. He assumed command in November 1939 when Lieutenant-Colonel H.E. Molson reverted in rank to join the PPCLI.

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Lt-Col. H.E. Molson

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Lieutenant-Colonel H.E. Molson
B.C. Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own)

In making up and despatching the party for return to Canada, Major Molson was a constant source of irritation and trouble. I have spoken to this officer and in my opinion he is the type who feels he is above the observance of any laws or regulations. In my opinion this officer can never be responsibly employed in any Military Office under the Crown.

(Lt-Col. A.W. Beaumont, adverse report, 7 Jul 1940)

Born on 31 May 1893 in Montreal and raised in England, Harold Elsdale Molson was a barrister, civil servant, and big game hunter. He took a commission in the British Army after graduating from Cambridge in 1914. He served with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in France where he was wounded in July 1915. He practiced law for two years in England before moving to Vancouver in 1921. He joined the British Columbia Regiment in 1930 and became commanding officer eight years later.

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Lt-Col. J.L.R. Sutcliffe

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Lieutenant-Colonel J.L.R. Sutcliffe
Winnipeg Grenadiers

I spoke to Sutcliffe. He seemed tired, discouraged and distressed saying his men were exhausted, as indeed they and everyone else were … I told him he could have six hours rest and that his Battalion must be ready after that to take its place again in the line. It did so and put up a grand show in the final days.

(Brig. A Peffers quoted in Lindsay Oliver, The Battle for Hong Kong, 121)

Born on 29 August 1898 in Yorkshire, England, John Louis Robert Sutcliffe was a Manitoba civil servant and First World War veteran. He had enlisted with the 6th Battalion in September 1914 and went to France as a trooper with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in June 1915. He took an Imperial Army commission with Worcestershire Regiment in November 1916 and ended the war fighting in the Caucasus and the Near East. He rejoined the Canadian militia on his return home and was second-in-command of the 1st Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers on mobilization in September 1939.

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Lt-Col. W.J. Home

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Lieutenant-Colonel W.J. Home
Royal Rifles of Canada

[Home] and his men were bearing the brunt of the fighting and knew from first hand knowledge the strength and armament of the forces against them. The Higher Command had consistently shown an inability to grasp the realities of the situation and to pursue tactics which might have prolonged the struggle but could not have altered the final result.

(Brig. J.H. Price to G.W.L. Nicholson, 27 Jan 1948)

Born on 6 April 1897 in Quebec City, William James Home was a Permanent Force officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment and decorated First World War veteran. He mobilized with the 8th Royal Rifles in August 1915, took a commission with the RCR in February 1915 and was promoted to captain overseas. He earned the Military Cross for gallantry during the Battle of the Scarpe in August 1918: “When almost, surrounded by an enemy counter-attack he dashed forward at the head of a party, shooting four enemy himself, causing considerable casualties and checking, their attack. His courage and initiative saved an awkward situation.”

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Lt-Col. C.A. Greenleaf

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Lieutenant-Colonel Curt Greenleaf
22nd Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards)

The more Mr. Colonel drank, the redder, the braver and the more insolent he became. After 30 or 40 minutes Greenleaf was raining “machine gun fire” on the neighbouring tables. “Ta-ta-ta-ta—I hate you—Ta-ta-ta-ta—We’ll shoot you all, we’ll destroy you,” Mr. Colonel howled across the hall, squeezing the imaginary trigger.

(Izvestia quoted in “Current Digest of the Soviet Press,” 1965, 21)

Born in Montreal in 1916, Curtis Alden Greenleaf gave up a new job as a banker when he joined the Canadian Grenadier Guards in September 1939. He secured a commission when the unit mobilized for active service in June 1940. He went overseas with an advance party in May 1942 and became adjutant a year later. He was the only original officer to serve throughout the Northwest Europe campaign and earned the Military Cross for “personal courage and unshakable determination.” When Major E.A.C. Amy took over from the wounded Lieutenant-Colonel H.A. Smith in February 1945, Greenleaf rose to second-in-command.  

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Lt-Col. E.A.C. Amy

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Lieutenant-Colonel Ned Amy
22nd Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards)

Ned and I were still writing frequent letters and in one memorable letter he proposed marriage. Since he wrote the letter while lying under his tank, I assumed that he may have been feeling depressed and might later regret his proposal; so I decided to ignore the offer. Ned was very amazed, as he was deadly serious.

(Jean Amy quoted in John Gardam, Canadians in War and Peacekeeping, 92)

Born on 28 March 1918 in Newcastle, New Brunswick, Edward Alfred Charles Amy joined the Canadian Armoured Crops following graduation from RMC in 1939, even through he was initially told he was too short for the army. He served in Sicily and Italy as a squadron commander with the 14th Armoured Regiment and earned the Military Cross at Moro River. In early 1944, Brigadier R.A. Wyman of 1st Armoured Brigade and other veteran officers from the Italian campaign including Amy and Major H.A. Smith of 11th Armoured Regiment returned to England in preparation for the invasion of France.

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Lt-Col. H.A. Smith

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Lieutenant-Colonel Snuffy Smith
22nd Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards)

I guess we were told the order of battle and where the enemy were and so on but when you get into these things they get so hit and miss and the confusion reigns supreme. You can tell people where to go and so on [but] then when somebody starts to shoot and then they forget about something and do something else. Looking back it always seemed it was more chance than good fortune that things happened.

(Smith interview, 1981)

Born on 21 January 1920 in Dauphin, Manitoba, Hershell Allister Smith joined the Armoured Corps following graduation from RMC in December 1939. Six months later he transferred to the 11th Armoured (Ontario) Regiment. Following training in England, he served a combat tour in North Africa with the 17th/21st Lancers for two months in early 1943. He took command of “C” Squadron in the Ontario Tanks at the end of the Sicily campaign and earned the Military Cross at Ortona in December 1943.

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Lt-Col. W.W. Halpenny

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Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Halpenny
22nd Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards)

We as manufacturers should not look at them (trade unionists) as the gestapo. We should become leaders. The labor man needs a little leadership. He needs a square deal … We’re better to have our laws and contracts lenient toward them. It’s when you stary to curb them we’ll find the type of though that isn’t Canadian.

(Windsor Star, 29 May 1947, 6)

Born in Winnipeg on 14 November 1909, William Walton Halpenny first joined the Fort Garry Horse as a cadet officer in 1927. With the outbreak of the Second World War, he was selected for a tank training course in England. He rejoined the Fort Garries, soon to be converted to the 10th Armoured Regiment, and went back overseas in 1942. In November, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the Canadian Armoured Corps reinforcement unit and by September 1943 had been appointed new commanding officer of the 22nd Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards).

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