Gord Reay
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Gordon Reay CMM
MBE
CD
(30 May 1943 – 21 December 2000) was the Chief of the Land Staff
of the Canadian Forces
.
, Reay graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada
in 1965. He was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
. He served in both Edmonton
and Germany
.
In 1969 he joined the staff at Mobile Command Headquarters
at Saint-Hubert, Quebec
and in 1971 he attended the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College
. He then went on an operational tour with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
. In 1975 he joined 1st British Corps in Bielefeld
and in 1977 he became a senior staff officer with 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
.
He was appointed Commanding Officer
of 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1979. He went on to become Director of Military Manpower Distribution at National Defence Headquarters
in 1981 and, as a Brigadier
, he became Special Policy Assistant to the Assistant Deputy Minister (Personnel) there in 1983. In 1987 he was made Commander
of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
and in 1989 he was promoted to Major-General and appointed Chief of Land Doctrine and Operations. In 1991 he was appointed Deputy Commander of Land Force Command and in 1993 he became Chief of the Land Staff
.
He was killed in a road accident in December 2000 while on a humanitarian mission in Croatia
.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Gordon Reay CMM
Order of Military Merit (Canada)
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(30 May 1943 – 21 December 2000) was the Chief of the Land Staff
Chief of the Land Staff
The Chief of the Land Staff is the commander and institutional head of the Canadian Army. The Chief of the Land is based at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario.-History of the post:...
of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
.
Military career
Educated at High School in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Reay graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
in 1965. He was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
. He served in both Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
In 1969 he joined the staff at Mobile Command Headquarters
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
at Saint-Hubert, Quebec
Saint-Hubert, Quebec
Saint-Hubert is a borough in the city of Longueuil, located in the Montérégie region of Quebec, Canada. It had been a separate city prior to January 1, 2002, when it along with several other neighbouring south shore municipalities were merged into Longueuil. According to the Quebec Statistics...
and in 1971 he attended the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College
Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College
The Canadian Army Command and Staff College , formerly the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, is a school for officers of the Canadian Forces, specializing in staff and army operations courses...
. He then went on an operational tour with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions...
. In 1975 he joined 1st British Corps in Bielefeld
Bielefeld
Bielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
and in 1977 he became a senior staff officer with 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of Land Forces Western Area of the Canadian army...
.
He was appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1979. He went on to become Director of Military Manpower Distribution at National Defence Headquarters
National Defence Headquarters (Canada)
The National Defence Headquarters is the headquarters for Canada's Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces. NDHQ actually comprises a collection of offices spread in buildings across the National Capital Region, however it is most commonly identified with the Major-General George R...
in 1981 and, as a Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
, he became Special Policy Assistant to the Assistant Deputy Minister (Personnel) there in 1983. In 1987 he was made Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of Land Forces Western Area of the Canadian army...
and in 1989 he was promoted to Major-General and appointed Chief of Land Doctrine and Operations. In 1991 he was appointed Deputy Commander of Land Force Command and in 1993 he became Chief of the Land Staff
Chief of the Land Staff
The Chief of the Land Staff is the commander and institutional head of the Canadian Army. The Chief of the Land is based at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario.-History of the post:...
.
He was killed in a road accident in December 2000 while on a humanitarian mission in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.