Lt-Col. F.M.W. Harvey

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel Fred Harvey
Lord Strathcona’s Horse
Harvey

At this critical moment, when the enemy showed no intention whatever of retiring, and fire was still intense, Lt. Harvey, who was in command of the leading troops, ran forward well ahead of his men and dashed at the trench, skillfully manned, jumped the wire, shot the machine-gunner and captured the gun. His most courageous act undoubtedly had a decisive effect on the success of the operation.

(V.C. citation, 8 Jun 1917)

Born in Athboy, County Meath Ireland, on 1 September 1888, Frederick Maurice Watson Harvey worked as a rancher and surveyor after immigrating to Alberta at the age of twenty. In February 1915, he enlisted with the 13th Canadian Mounted Infantry before being commissioned over a year later. Overseas he transferred to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse in France as a lieutenant in November 1916. Initially awarded Distinguished Service Order for actions on 27 March 1917, his heroism was soon determined to merit the Victoria Cross.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. S. McKinnon

/ Matthew K Barrett / 1 Comment

Lieutenant-Colonel Syl McKinnon
Cape Breton Highlanders
McKinnon

Major McKinnon caught the enemy force by surprise and completely overran their positions, thus clearing the centre line and enabling the advance to continue. Major MacKinnon’s powers of leadership have won high praise from his commanders and his personal courage has many times inspired his men to succeed in the most difficult of tasks.

(D.S.O. citation, 1944)

Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia on 22 October 1918, Sylvester McKinnon received a commission in Canada and went overseas as a reinforcement officer in 1943. He transferred to Cape Breton Highlanders, serving throughout the Italian and Northwest Europe campaigns. In June 1945, he succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel R.B. Somerville, who had becoming acting command of the 11th Infantry Brigade. After two Montreal colonels had commanded the Highlanders in battle it was fitting that a native Cape Bretoner would lead the troops home to Nova Scotia in January 1946.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. R.B. Somerville

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel Boyd Somerville
Cape Breton Highlanders
Somerville

It was a joy to work under Boyd, and it didn’t matter to him if I was “under command” or “in support.” As an old soldier you can appreciate the difference. He never, ever gave me a direct order; it was always, “Tim, what can you do for me?” when he needed help.

(Tim Ellis quoted in Alex Morrison, The Breed of Manly Men, 213)

Born in Montreal on 19 June 1910, Robert Boyd Somerville was the long-serving second-in-command of the Cape Breton Highlanders (CBH) in England and Italy. The troops nicknamed him Pete the after the unshaven cartoon character “hobo with a gentleman’s instincts.” A former stockbroker and businessman, Somerville went overseas on active service with the Royal Highlanders of Canada before being transferred to the CBH under the command of fellow Black Watch officer Lieutenant-Colonel Jim Weir.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. J.B. Weir

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel Jim Weir
Cape Breton Highlanders
Weir

“There are, however, places where a man can get fixed up,” the colonel went on, “legitimate places. And those of you who have disobeyed regs, know what I’m referring to–whorehouses, old fashioned whorehouses. Which leads to why you’ve been kept out of the towns. There’s a lot of old-fashioned VD around and the army is trying to make sure all of you don’t get dosed. I know, some of you will. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

(Quoted in Fred Cederberg, The Long Road Home, 70)

Born in Montreal on 10 April 1906, James Buchanan Weir was a stockbroker and member of the Royal Highlanders of Canada (The Black Watch) since 1926. He resigned as vice president of the Canadian Commodity Exchange in November 1939 to enlist for active service and went overseas as a major. In the United Kingdom, he was one of several Black Watch officers transferred to the Cape Breton Highlanders (CBH). Despite their shared highlander traditions, the Nova Scotia battalion did not view the Montreal replacements at all favourably.

Continue reading →

Lt-Cols. R.T. Chisholm & E.H. Small

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel R.T. Chisholm
ChisholmRT
&
Lieutenant-Colonel E.H. Small
Cape Breton Highlanders
Small

A veteran of the First World War who had been commissioned from the ranks, he was well-liked by all, but, at the same time, many of the soldiers had come to realize that they needed a CO who would provide increased discipline and rigorous training.

(Alex Morrison, A Breed of Manly Men, 77)

Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia on 29 October 1891, Roderick Theodore Chisholm was a customs officer, First World War veteran, and commanding officer of the Cape Breton Highlanders since 1937. In November 1940, just prior to mobilization for active service, he handed over command to fellow veteran Edgar Harold Small. Born in Halifax on 16 June 1893, Small had enlisted in the 17th Battalion as a private in September 1915, served with the 85th Battalion in France as a sergeant, and earned a commission in September 1917. He was invalided a year later from a gunshot wound.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. G.C.A. Macartney

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel G.C.A. Macartney
Irish Regiment of Canada
Macartney

It is rather disconcerting, in the middle of the 20th century, to sit down with a Canadian and hear about Indian raids. Yet G.C.A. Macartney, a one-time Hudson’s Bay Company trader at Yellowknife, N.W.T., who left Canada’s north because it was “too cold,” is one of the few white men who works and lives in an area where Indians still loose volleys of arrows at invaders.

(Montreal Star, 22 Feb 1955, 12)

Born in India on 21 August 1919, George Charles Antony Macartney came to Canada from England in 1938. Two years later he enlisted in the Irish Regiment in Toronto as a private and gained a commission before going overseas. He earned the Distinguished Service Order at the Gothic Line and rose to second-in-command when the unit redeployed to Northwest Europe. In June 1945, he succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel Leige Payne, who had volunteered for the Pacific theatre, and led the regiment home to Toronto by the end of the year.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. L.C.H. Payne

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel Leige Payne
Irish Regiment of Canada
Payne

Apparently “Lest We Forget” only pertains to one day of the year, Nov 11. I refer to the shabby treatment afforded the late Lt-Col. Lee Payne by Sunnybrook. Lee Payne was a soldier Canada should be proud of. He rose from the ranks of the Irish Regiment to become its commander, an achievement few can lay claim to. I had the privilege of serving with him and knowing him … Who cares whether or not he was entitled to treatment?

(Ernie Newman, Toronto Star, 6 Jan 1958, 6)

Born in Winnipeg on 3 September 1914, Leige Clifford Harry Payne worked in the yarn business and enlisted as a private in the Irish Regiment of Canada in 1940. He earned a commission before the unit went overseas in October 1942 and became second-in-command by the end of the Italian campaign. He succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel R.C. Clark in February 1945 as I Canadian Corps prepared for redeployment to Northwest Europe.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. R.C. Clark

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Clark
Irish Regiment of Canada
ClarkR

During the day, the enemy subjected the Regiment to heavy shelling, which at times became intensive. It was expected that the Regiment would remain there for a few days. The first troops to enter the town had painted “Bobby Clarkeville” on a wall, in honour of the CO, with the additional note “In bounds to all Canadian Troops.”

(Irish Regiment War Diary, 2 Sept 1944)

Born in South Africa 15 September 1903, Robert Charles Clark was son of First World War battalion commander Brigadier General Robert Percy Clark (1872–1932), an RMC graduate, and Permanent Force officer in the Royal Canadian Regiment. Nicknamed “Knobby,” he went overseas with the RCR as a captain and adjutant. Once in England, he served as brigade major for the 2nd Infantry Brigade before returning to Canada in April 1942.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. Duthie & Maj. Cockeram

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel H.B. Duthie
Duthie
&
Major Alan Cockeram
Irish Regiment of Canada
Cockeram

I could give [the defence minister] names of officers who served in the militia in peace time, who are here doing senior staff jobs and who never saw active service. That condition is definitely wrong. I think everyone will agree that those of us who wore the uniform in peace time should fight in the front line.

(Cockeram, House of Commons Debates, 12 Jun 1941, 3926)

Born in Toronto on 28 June 1889, Harold Bruce Duthie was a contractor and First World War veteran. Commissioned on enlisting in 1917, he served with the Canadian Engineers in France during the final Hundred Days of the war. In 1938, he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada, succeeding fellow veteran Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Cockeram. Born in Devon, England on 6 December 1894, Cockeram had earned the D.S.O. in 1917 and was member of parliament for York South. On the mobilization during the Second World War, Cockeram reverted from command of the 2nd Battalion (Reserve), Irish Regiment to go active with the 1st Battalion as second-in-command.

Continue reading →

Lt-Col. M.W. Andrew

/ Matthew K Barrett / Leave a comment

Lieutenant-Colonel M.W. Andrew
Perth Regiment
Andrew

This trial is unique in the history of British law. Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer, Commander of the 12th SS Panzer Division, and at one time Commander of the 25th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, appears before you on five charges under the War Crimes Regulations, Canada, upon any one of which, if convicted, he may suffer death or such less punishment as set out in the Regulations, as this Court may deem proper to pass upon him.

(Andrew defence summation, Trial of Kurt Meter, Dec 1945)

Born in Kitchener, Ontario 28 December 1904, Maurice William Andrew was a University of Toronto graduate and Stratford lawyer, having been called to the Bar in 1931. As a prewar captain in the Perth Regiment, he assumed recruiting duties on mobilization in September 1939. Overseas, he served as second-in-command under four different commanding officers before taking over the regiment during the Italian campaign. He would be most notable as the defence counsel assigned to Kurt Meyer during his war crime trial for his role in the murder of Canadian prisoners-of-war in the Ardenne Abbey massacre.

Continue reading →