Bertram Hoffmeister

Bertram (Bert) Meryl Hoffmeister, soldier, businessman (born 15 May 1907 in Vancouver, BC; died 4 December 1999 in Vancouver).

Hoffmeister commanded the Seaforth Highlanders in Sicily, the 2nd Infantry Brigade at Ortona (1943) and the 5th Canadian Armoured Division, which distinguished itself under his courageous leadership. One of a very few nonregular officers to command a division, he was appointed to take the 6th Division to the Pacific theatre (1945). When the Japanese war ended, Hoffmeister resumed his career in the BC forest industry and was president and chairman of MacMillan Bloedel Ltd, BC's agent general in London and president of the Council of Forest Industries of BC. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1982.