British Columbia Dragoons

Lt-Col. F.A. Vokes

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Lieutenant-Colonel Fred Vokes
8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Hussars)
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)
VokesF

I think in his last fight he must have been a little overzealous. But he always was a touraloo! type. He always had to be in the lead, where things were happening … As well he had a great belief in his own personal luck and tended to ignore the enemy’s shot and shell.

(Chris Vokes, My Story, 165)

Born in Ceylon on 29 September 1906, Frederick Alexander Vokes was the son of a British Army officer, an RMC graduate, and Permanent Force officer with the Lord Strathcona’s Horse. On the formation of the 2nd Canadian Division, in June 1940, Vokes became liaison officer for Major-General Victor Odlum before being given command of the 4th Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron in August. He was the young brother of Major-General Christopher Vokes.

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Lt-Col. H.H. Angle

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Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Angle
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)
Angle

During these operations the regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Angle destroyed: one Panther tank, was instrumental in destroying another, three self-propelled guns, four mountain field guns, seven anti-tank guns, four mortars, three trailers with mortars equipment, captured or killed one hundred and seventy-give Germans, and captured sixty horses and equipment with a lost of only two of his own tanks and six personnel wounded.

(D.S.O. citation, 2 Feb 1945)

Born on 31 March 1906 in Heytgsbury, England, Harold Herbert Angle moved in 1923 to Kelowna, British Columbia where he worked as a fruit farmer. A prewar militia officer with the BC Dragoons, he was among the first to volunteer in September 1939 and went overseas as second-in-command of the redesignated 9th Armoured Regiment in November 1941. Following duties as brigade major he returned to the regiment in April 1943 to replace Major A.P. Ardagh in succession of Lieutenant-Colonel W.C. Murphy.

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Maj. A.P. Ardagh

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Major A.P. Ardagh
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)

Doc planned to go in for aviation, and received training at Camp Borden for two summers, but a “crack-up” cut short a very promising career in that line. Since then Doc has taken considerable interest in riding, besides various other activities, and no one was surprised to hear that he had decided to join the regular army as a cavalryman, in the Royal Canadian Dragoons. Doc will do well in the army—we expect to hear of his continued success, and we all wish him good billets and quick promotions.

(RMC Yearbook, 1931, 34)

Born on 30 March 1908 in Orillia, Ontario, Ainslie Power “Doc” Ardagh graduated from RMC in 1931 and joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He had showed an early interest in flying but a crash in 1929 put an end to a career in the air force. Following mobilization in 1940, he served overseas with the Dragoons at the rank of major and filled various staff positions with the Armoured Corps until January 1942 when recalled to Canada. Nine months later he returned to England and by January 1943 had become second-in-command of the 9th Armoured (British Columbia Dragoons) Regiment.

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Brig. W.C. Murphy

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Brigadier Bill Murphy
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)
1st Armoured Brigade
Murphy

While his Brigade was serving in a British Corps, in an Army largely American this officer displayed outstanding powers of command and leadership, maintaining morale at a very high peak and dealing effectively with all matters of purely Canadian nature with which he confronted.

(O.B.E. citation, 16 Apr 1945)

Born on 27 April 1905 in Ashcroft, British Columbia, William Cameron Murphy was son of a BC Supreme Court justice, a lawyer and long-time militia officer. He had first joined an artillery battery at fifteen in 1920 and was commissioned with the British Columbia Regiment in 1927. On mobilization in September 1939, he transferred to the PPCLI to go overseas as a company commander. Following a posting back in Vancouver for home defence, Murphy was attached to 5th Armoured Division as a staff officer.

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Lt-Col. J.H. Larocque

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Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Larocque
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)
Larocque

He is conscientious and hard working but seems to lack zest in life and thinks slowly. He does not express himself … His views are usually sound when he has time to think them over and his written work is fair. He is easy to get on with and could fill a grade 2 appointment at Corps or higher level.

(Junior War Staff College report, 29 Nov 1944)

Born on 4 May 1909 in Montreal, John Howard Larocque graduated from RMC in 1931 and immediately joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons as a lieutenant. In 1936, he was one of the first officers attached to the Canadian Tank School and subsequently took courses with the Royal Tank Corps in the United Kingdom. In 1938, now a captain, he became gunnery instructor at the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicles School. He transferred to National Defence headquarters for special employment and general staff officer duties before returning to the RCD as a major in June 1941.

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Lt-Col. G.C. Oswell

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Lieutenant-Colonel G.C. Oswell
9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons)

Determined to show him that the cavalrymen of today are as bold and thorough as the cavalrymen of old, and that the cavalry is still an essential part of the forces being trained here in this Vernon camp for the defence of British Columbia … I met the C.O.—tall (six foot six) Lt.-Col. G.C. Oswell of the whipcord muscles and hawk-nose–beau ideal of the cavalryman.

(Vancouver Sun, 28 June 1940, 4)

Born on 10 August 1894 in Barton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England Gordon Cecil Oswell had been one of the earliest volunteers with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in August 1914. He transferred from the British Columbia Horse to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse in September and went to France in May 1915. In early 1916, the six-foot-four, former rancher was selected for officer training.

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