Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders

Lt-Col. R.L. Rutherford

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Lieutenant-Colonel Dick Rutherford
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
RutherfordRL

Dickie Rutherford, commanding “A” Company came back and he was wounded and he was laughing … He said he and the sergeant-major had had a little bet as to who was going to be back in England in a hospital first. And here he was walking back with his fingers shot off!

(Norman Ross interview, 16 Aug 1979)

Born in Shrewsberry, England in March 1916, Richard Lewis Rutherford a graduate of the University of Manitoba and commissioned with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders since 1936. He served as aide-to-camp for Major-General Victor Odlum of 2nd Canadian Division in 1940 before returning to Canada for staff officer work with the Pacific Command. He rejoined the Camerons and served as a company commander during the Normandy campaign.

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Lt-Col. E.P. Thompson

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Lieutenant-Colonel Tommy Thompson
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
ThompsonEP

A quick learner, quick at grasping new ideas. Very industrious and preserving; a hard quiet worker. Polite, conscientious in fulfilling obligations, helpful and considerate of other general liked. Has a well balanced and equable temperament. Has a very good knowledge of all arms and gets well in the tactical picture and makes sound appreciations and decisions.

(Final Report on Capt. Thompson, 19 Dec 1942)

Born in Winnipeg on 8 January 1921, Ernest Payson (Tommy) Thompson was a medical student at the University of Manitoba when he enlisted with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, having been a cadet of the unit as a teenager. Although regarded as too young to go overseas, the young lieutenant nevertheless joined the battalion before it embarked and arrived in England before to his twentieth birthday.

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Lt-Col. A.S. Gregory

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Lieutenant-Colonel Allan Gregory
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Regina Rifle Regiment

Lt-Col Gregory was what is known as a “cool turkey”, his coolness under fire was remarkable to watch. His loss will be keenly felt by both his unit and ourselves. We understand his wound is not serious and he may be back before long.

(Iron Brigade News, 30 Aug 1944)

Born on 23 December 1915 in Battleford, Saskatchewan, Allan Stuart Gregory was a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, lawyer, and the son of Liberal MP John Gregory. He enlisted with the Regina Rifles in 1940 and went overseas as a lieutenant in August 1941. After a series of promotions, he was battalion second-in-command during the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944. He served with the Regina Rifles through the Normandy campaign until appointed commanding officer of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders on 12 August 1944.

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Maj. C.W. Ferguson

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Major Bill Ferguson
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Ferguson

Hugh Young, the brigadier, had assured me that I’d have Ferguson for three months, at least three months in action, guaranteed … This guy, Hugh Young, had salted away as brigade major my 2 i/c. Three months in action? To hell with it, two days in action!

(Ross interview, 20 July 1979)

Born on 19 April 1916 in Mortlach, Saskatchewan, Clarence William Ferguson was an insurance agent in Winnipeg, commissioned as a lieutenant with mobilization in September 1939. He went overseas in March 1940 to attend the war staff college at Camberley, England. Now a captain, he returned to Canada for further staff training at the Royal Military College in summer 1942. While back home he married the daughter of former Cameron commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Mackenzie. Ferguson reverted from the rank of major to go back overseas in December 1943.

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Lt-Col. J. Runcie

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Lieutenant-Colonel Jock Runcie
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Runcie

The officers discussed whether to fight to the last man and the last round, or to surrender in order to prevent further loss of life; and as it seemed clear that no further damage could be done to the enemy it was unanimously decided to surrender … “we chucked our weapons down and called it a day.”

(C.P. Stacey interview Runcie, 11 Dec 1942)

Born on 28 September 1907 in Cullen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, John “Jock Runcie worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Winnipeg. As captain in the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, he served as “D” Company commander during the Dieppe Raid of 19 August 1942. He landed alongside Lieutenant-Colonel Alf Gostling, who was immediately killed on stepping ashore. Left behind on the beach after the evacuation, Runcie made a final stand with Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Merritt of the South Saskatchewan Regiment before being forced to surrender. “All around, it was quite a show,” Runcie said.

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Lt-Col. N.H. Ross

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Lieutenant-Colonel Norman Ross
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
RossNH

Its all very well when you’re sitting down at your leisure reading it page by page and getting somebody else’s opinion two weeks later and comparing this and comparing that. But in the confusion of battle and everything that’s going on and trying to put it together … Bang, bang, bang … Much more difficult.

(Ross interview, 20 Jul 1979)

Born on 5 June 1915 in West Kildonan, Manitoba, Norman Hugh Ross attended the University of Manitoba and worked for an insurance company in Winnipeg. Having belonged to the Cadet Officer Training Corps at university, he took a commission with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders before the war. He led the advance party of the regiment to England in June 1940 and became company commander overseas after the removal of many overage senior officers. “By this time the glamour of their ribbons and their World War I experience had worn off,” Ross said. “And they had out served their usefulness really.”

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Lt-Col. A.T. Law

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Lieutenant-Colonel Andy Law
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Law

Every man worked as a member of a team. They showed such coolness and determination as I have ever seen … However, we had to leave a lot of casualties behind as we were caught by machine-gun fire. It was remarkable so many got away and we lost a good many friends.

(Law to wife, quoted in Winnipeg Tribune, 9 Sep 1942, 13)

Born in Kirkoswald, Scotland on 19 September 1903, Andrew Thomson Law was an electrical engineer who moved Canada as a young man. He married in Winnipeg in 1931 and was commissioned with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders the next year. He served as major and second-in-command before the Dieppe Raid of 19 August 1942. On the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Alf Gostling, Law led the battalion forward across the beach under withering enemy fire. “It was a great show,” he wrote home. “And it was a great honor for me to command them in the first Cameron engagement. The boys did honor to the name Cameron and it was a heartbreak to see so many gallant lads fall.”

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Brig. D.G. Cunningham

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Brigadier Ben Cunningham
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
9th Infantry Brigade
Cunningham

I was always damned proud of my men. Never once did I hear of an officer or any man wanting to call it quits.

(Quoted in Kingston Whig-Standard, 6 Jun 1980, 7)

Born on 22 March 1908 in Kingston, Ontario, Douglas Gordon (Ben) Cunningham graduated from RMC in 1929 and studied law at Osgoode Hall. In addition to being lawyer and city alderman in Kingston, he was adjutant with the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment, but he vacated all these roles to go overseas in 1940. He was appointed aide-de-camp to Major General Victor Odlum of the 2nd Division before serving as brigade major of the 4th Infantry Brigade during the Dieppe Raid of 19 August 1942.

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Lt-Col. A.C. Gostling

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Lieutenant-Colonel Alf Gosling
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
GostlingAC

He expresses himself quite well in his own particular style. He has plenty of common sense and is practical. He has not got a very active brain and is not able to grasp essentials easily. He would react well to severe physical and metal pressure and would not get easily rattled. His good humour and solidness would be an asset in a crisis.

(Report on Maj. Gostling, 11 Apr 1940)

Born on 18 August 1903 in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, England, Alfred Capel Gostling was a radiotrician and captain in the Winnipeg Grenadiers, having been commissioned in the militia since 1925. He went overseas as major in the 2nd Infantry Brigade in December 1939 and served as assistant adjutant and quartermaster for the 1st Canadian Division. In February 1942, he transferred to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, succeeding Lieutenant-Colonel Gil Dudley.

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Lt-Col. G.F. Dudley

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Lieutenant-Colonel Gil Dudley
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Dudley

It was a much different enemy the Canadians were facing in this war, he said. The Germans had studied the weaknesses which made them lose the last war, and were a much more efficient fighting force. However, the Canadian troops overseas had proven apt pupils, and now could teach the Germans a thing or two.

(quoted in Winnipeg Tribune, 6 Oct 1942, 18)

Born on 23 April 1885 in Dumfries, Scotland, Guildford Francis Dudley served with the 1st Royal Scots in the Boer War and moved to a ranch in Alberta in 1904. Having enlisted in the Fort Garry Horse in September 1914, he reverted from sergeant to the rank to join the 8th Battalion in France in August 1915. He earned the military medal and was subsequently commissioned in December 1916. He received the Military Cross in July 1917 and ended the war at the rank of captain. He served as commanding officer of the Winnipeg Rifles from 1927 to 1934.

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