Search for ""

Donald Stewart Ethell, colonel, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta (b at Vancouver 23 Jul 1937). Donald Ethell, a distinguished retiree of the ARMED FORCES, became Alberta's 17th Lieutenant Governor in May 2010. Ethell was born and raised on Canada's west coast.

In 1992–93, Canada contributed military forces to UNITAF, a United Nations–backed humanitarian mission in the African nation of Somalia. In 1993, Canadian soldiers from the now-defunct Airborne Regiment tortured and killed a Somali teenager named Shidane Arone. These and other violent abuses during the mission shocked Canadians and damaged the country’s international reputation. They also led to a public inquiry that revealed serious failures of leadership at the highest levels of the Canadian Armed Forces, kick-starting reforms aimed a professionalizing the officer corps.

This article contains sensitive material that may not be suitable for all audiences.

William George (Billy) Barker, VC, fighter pilot, war hero, businessman (born 3 November 1894 in Dauphin, MB; died 12 March, 1930 in Ottawa, ON). One of Canada’s foremost First World War flying aces, Barker is, to date, the most highly decorated military serviceman in Canadian history.

William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, financier, politician, author, publisher (b at Maple, Ont 25 May 1879; d at Cherkley, Mickleham, Eng 9 June 1964). The son of a Presbyterian minister, Beaverbrook later claimed that his religion lay at the root of his worldly success.

Sir Charles Hastings Doyle, soldier, administrator, lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia (b at London, Eng 10 Apr 1804; d there 19 Mar 1883). Doyle played an important role in the politics and military affairs of Canada at the time of CONFEDERATION in 1867.

Edward Kielley (or Kielly), surgeon, naval officer (b at St John's c 1790; d there 8 Mar 1855).

Charles Vincent Massey, PC, CC, governor general 1952-59, historian, business executive, politician, diplomat, royal commissioner, patron of the arts (born 20 February 1887 in Toronto; died 30 December 1967 in London, England). Massey was the country’s first Canadian-born governor general. He helped create the Order of Canada in 1967, and as a champion of the arts in Canada laid the groundwork for the Canada Council, the National Library of Canada and the National Arts Centre.

Josué Dubois Berthelot de Beaucours, military officer, engineer, governor of Trois-Rivières and Montréal (b in France c 1662; d at Montréal 9 May 1750).

Kenneth Stuart, army officer (b at Trois-Rivières, Qué 9 Sept 1891; d at Ottawa 3 Nov 1945). Stuart graduated from RMC in 1911 and served with the Royal Canadian Engineers overseas 1915-18.

George Gleig, soldier, chronicler of the War of 1812 (b 20 Apr 1796 at Stirling, Scotland; d 9 Jul 1888).

Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, soldier, governor (b at Galt, Ont 20 July 1869; d at Bexhill, Eng 21 Apr 1930). Commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1889, he served first in Singapore, then at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, and as a surveyor in West Africa 1902-14.

William Neilson Hall, seaman (born 25 April 1829 in Horton Bluff [now Lockhartville], NS; died 25 August 1904 in Horton Bluff). William Hall was the first Black, the first Nova Scotian, and the first Canadian naval recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Ephrem A. Brisebois, soldier, mounted policeman, registrar of land titles (b at South Durham, Qué 7 Mar 1850; d at Minnedosa, Man 13 Feb 1890). He served briefly in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and from 1868-70 with the Canadian Pontifical ZOUAVES in Rome.

Acheson Gosford Irvine, soldier, police officer, prison warden (b at Québec C 7 Dec 1837; d there 9 Jan 1916). The third commissioner of the NWMP, Irvine's reputation was ruined by the North-West Rebellion.

Sir Edward Thomas Henry Hutton, soldier (b at Torquay, Eng 6 Dec 1848; d at Chertsey, Eng 4 Aug 1923). Hutton was general officer commanding the Dominion militia, 1898-1900, historically the most significant of the 8 British officers who held that appointment between 1880 and 1904.

Stuart Graham, aviator (b at Boston, Mass 2 Sept 1896; d at Port Charlotte, Fla 16 July 1976). Raised and educated in NS, he served in the Royal Naval Air Service, patrolling shipping lanes in flying boats.

Joseph-François Hertel de La Fresnière, soldier (bap at Trois-Rivières, New France 3 July 1642; buried at Boucherville, New France 22 May 1722). As a youth, he was captured and adopted by the Iroquois (1661), escaped, and took part in retaliatory raids, accompanying FRONTENAC to Lake Ontario (1673).

Charles Lawrence, military officer, governor of NS (b in England c 1709; d at Halifax 19 Oct 1760). Though he lacked the backing of any influential patron, Lawrence enjoyed a successful career.

Riall arrived in UPPER CANADA in August 1813 and was placed in command of the Right Division, a geographic entity in the NIAGARA PENINSULA.

Milton Fowler Gregg, diplomat, politician, soldier, educator (b at Snider Mountain, NB 10 Apr 1892; d at Fredericton 13 Mar 1978).