Royal Canadian Dragoons

Maj. J.P. Gauthier

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Major Jean Gauthier
Royal Canadian Dragoons

By his quick decisions, initiative and skillful handling of his Sqn he achieved results against the enemy in captured materials and prisoners of war out of all proportion to the size of his own forces. His personal bravery, determination and devotion to duty was an inspiring example to his men enabling them to secure a key objective to permit the regiment to advance with all possible speed.

(D.S.O. citation, 13 May 1945)

Born in Montreal on 21 March 1917, Jean Prosper Gautier enlisted for active service in 1940 and rose to be squadron commander in the Royal Canadian Dragoons. It served as the armoured car regiment for I Canadian Corps before a reorganization of the formation in July 1944. The RCD was attached to 1st Canadian Division as the reconnaissance regiment in the place of the Princess Louise Dragoon Guards which had converted to infantry with the 12th Brigade, 5th Division.

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Lt-Col. K.D. Landell

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Lieutenant-Colonel K.D. Landell
Royal Canadian Dragoons
Landell

These incidents are just two of many by which Lieutenant-Colonel Landell, by his inspiring and cheerful leadership, his example and his disregard for his own safety, has been largely responsible for the successful operation of his regiment. As a result the morale and performance of his troops have been of the highest standard for the whole of his ten months tenure of command.

(D.S.O. citation, 4 Apr 1945)

Born in Toronto on 2 November 1913, Keith Dalhousie Landell was a graduate of the University of Toronto and commissioned with the McGill Canadian Officer Training Corps. He mobilized with the Royal Canadian Dragoons and went overseas in 1941. By the time the unit deployed to Sicily in November 1943, had become second-in-command.

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Brig. J.D.B. Smith

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Brigadier Des Smith
Royal Canadian Dragoons
4th & 5th Armoured Brigades
DesSmith

As you all know, the majority of my soldering during this war has been spent with armour and when my appointment came through to comd 5 Cdn Armd Bde it was the happiest thing that had happened to me during this war … it has been my good fortune to be with the Bde when it went into action for the first time as a Bde. That first action, which has just been completed, is one of the finest battles that Cdn tps have fought in this war.

(J.D.B. Smith to 5th Armd Bde, 4 Jun 1944)

Born in Ottawa on 2 October 1911, James Desmond Blaise Smith, graduated from RMC in 1933 and took a commission with the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He served as a staff officer with 1st Canadian Division in 1940 and brigade major of 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade from May 1941 to February 1942, when he succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel W.E. Gillespie as commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Armoured Car Regiment (RCD).

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Lt-Col. W.E. Gillespie

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Lieutenant-Colonel W.E. Gillespie
Royal Canadian Dragoons
Gillespie

I knew the hero of my youth, Walter Gillespie, whom I had worshipped as a very young boy at Jackson’s Point, was now the second in command of the [RCD] …Thus I became an armoured car officer, because Walter Gillespie was the only senior officer I knew.

(J.A. Roberts, The Canadian Summer, 34-35)

Born in Toronto 10 Feb 1901 Toronto, Walter Edmund Gillespie was a Permanent Force officer and graduate of the Royal Military College. He became second-in-command of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, when it mobilized as 1st Canadian Armoured Car Regiment (RCD) in September 1940. He helped to secure the transfer to the unit of Lieutenant James Alan Roberts, who would go on to command 8th Infantry Brigade in Northwest Europe. Roberts predicted Gillespie would lead the RCD overseas.

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Lt-Col. E.L. Caldwell

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Lieutenant-Colonel E.L. Caldwell
Royal Canadian Dragoons
Caldwell

I’m afraid we follow a rather colorless routine here … to disseminate and inculcate sound administrative principles as laid down in official manuals and regulations, thereby ensuring uniformity of method in their application throughout the Canadian army … and for that matter throughout the Commonwealth forces.

(Victoria Daily Times, 25 Oct 1941, 9)

Born on 30 June 1886 in Massachusetts, Eugene Lloyd Caldwell was a long-time Royal Canadian Dragoon, and commanding officer of the regiment since 1936. He joined the Canadian militia in 1905, was commissioned with the Corps of Guides in 1908, joined the RCD in 1911 and embarked for France in 1915. He served throughout the First World War, earning a promotion to captain and a mention in despatches. He graduated from the staff college at Camberley in 1919.

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Brig. J.F. Bingham

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Brigadier John F. Bingham
Royal Canadian Dragoons
12th (Three Rivers) Tank Regiment
2nd Armoured Brigade
Bingham

The Regiment’s new C.O. is, very temporarily, Lt. Col. J.F. Bingham. A member of the general staff, he has come to serve out his mandatory one month in action, in order to qualify for promotion to brigadier.

(Charles Prieur, War Chronicles, 204)

Born in Winnipeg on 6 August 1911, John Francis Bingham was a fencer in youth and son of the former commanding officer of the Fort Garry Horse. Commissioned in the Lord Strathcona’s Horse in 1933, Bingham rose quickly after the outbreak of the Second World War from captain to lieutenant colonel. In June 1942, he became commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons (Armoured Car Regiment), which arrived at Sicily in November 1943 and entered the Italian theatre in January.

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Lt. Col. W.H. Bell

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Lieutenant Colonel Walker Bell, D.S.O.
3rd (Light) Tank Battalion

Bvt. Lt.-Colonel W.H. Bell is an able officer of sound judgement with decided personality and character. His knowledge of the application of tactical principles is sound as also are his views on matters connected with the training and administration of a Cavalry Regiment. In my opinion he is up to the standard of officers attending this school.

(Senior Officer School confidential report, 16 Aug 1924)

Walker Hardenbrook Bell was a Boer War veteran and Permanent Force member since 1906 when he was commissioned in the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He was born in St. John, New Brunswick on 28 December 1881. He served as second-in-command of the R.C.D. from July 1916 until January 1918, when he transferred to the British Army Tank Corps. His war service anticipated the eventual replacement of traditional cavalry with modern armour.

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Lt. Col. Newcomen

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Lieutenant Colonel T. Newcomen
Royal Canadian Dragoons

Examination of this officer to-day brings out the facts, that he cannot sleep at nights, that he has violent fits of temper, that he has very great trouble in concentrating his mind on any problems, and that he is restless and irritable. He himself fears that if these symptoms continue and increase their results may be very serious to him.

(Neurological Report on Lt. Col. Newcomen, 22 Sept 1923)

Terence Robert Gleadowe Newcomen was a professional British Army officers born in County Longford, Ireland on 18 November 1883. He had enlisted at seventeen during the Boer War and was commissioned in the 5th Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment in 1901. Posted to Canada on an exchange program to train officers since 1912, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Dragoons in September 1914.

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Col. Nelles

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Colonel Charles M. Nelles
Royal Canadian Dragoons

It will thus be seen that he had enjoyed the exceedingly unique distinction of having served his Sovereign and country on three occasions, the Canadian Rebellion, the Boer War and the world hostilities, which broke out in 1914. His military honors were many. He was mentioned in dispatches, awarded the D.S.O. and became a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.

(Brantford Expositor, 15 Feb 1936)

Born in Brantford, Canada West on 31 August 1865, Charles Mecklan Nelles was a Permanent Force soldier and veteran of the 1885 Rebellion and the Boer War. In summer 1914, his son Norman, who had just received a commission at RMC, joined a British Army regiment while his son Percy was already serving in the Royal Canadian Navy. On 29 January 1915, Second Lieutenant Norman Nelles of the Northamptonshire Regiment was killed in France. Four months later his father went to France as commander of the Canadian Dragoons, which fought dismounted as part of the 1st Canadian Division.

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The Dragoon

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Lieutenant Colonel C. T. van Straubenzee †
Royal Canadian DragoonsStraubenzee

It was the C.O.’s intention to ride with “B” Sqdn. Whilst he was walking to his horse from a point where he had been reconnoitring, he was killed by a shell.

(R.C.D. War Diary, 9 Oct 1918, 9)

Born on 17 June 1876 in Kingston, Ontario, Charles Turner Van Straubenzee was a professional soldier and veteran of the Boer War. In 1897, he joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons as a lieutenant and distinguished himself in numerous battles during the South African campaign. He was promoted to major in 1911.

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