Lieutenant-Colonel W.G. Wurtele
21st Armoured Regiment (The Governor General’s Foot Guards)

First of all he must make himself a psychologist with one end in view—The mutual trust and reliance between himself and his men, that he is worse than useless unless he develops. You need have no fear about your men, they will do their part if you do yours. You have the real job and you need have no illusions that you can fool your men.

 (Wurtele address, war diary, 6 Feb 1940)

Born on 27 October 1895 in Kingston, Ontario, William Godfrey Wurtele was a decorated First World War veteran and commanding officer of the Governor General’s Foot Guards since 1938. As a student at RMC, where his father was a professor, he enlisted in the 59th Battalion in February 1916. He served as a lieutenant with the Royal Canadian Regiment in France, where he was three-times wounded and twice gassed. By the end of the war, he had earned the Military Cross for “dashing leadership” in capturing an enemy battery.

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