Raymond Brutinel
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel CB
CMG
DSO
(March 6, 1872 - September 21, 1964) was a geologist, journalist, soldier, entrepreneur and a pioneer in the field of mechanized warfare who commanded the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade
during World War I
.
Raymond Brutinel was born in Alet-les-Bains
, Aude
, France
. He immigrated to Western Canada
in 1904 where he helped survey the route for the Grand Trunk Railway
. He went on to edit Le Courrier de l'Ouest in Edmonton, Alberta, the first French-language newspaper
west of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
A member of the Canadian Army
in World War I, Brutinel initiated and commanded the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade, the first fully mechanized unit of the British Army
. His brigade played a significant part in halting the major German
offensive of March 1918. From October 1916 until March 1918, Brutinel was Corps MG Officer of the Canadian Corps
and, in addition to his decorations, he was 7 times Mentioned in Dispatches
. He pioneered the virtues of mobility and concentration of firepower and developed the concept of indirect machine-gun fire
.
In 1920 Brutinel returned to Europe, where he was a Creusot
sales representative in the Balkans
, but he retained many Canadian ties. Major-General Georges Vanier
, Canadian ambassador to France and future Governor General of Canada
, recorded the "considerable help" Brutinel provided in evacuating embassy staff from Paris
in June 1940 in advance of the German occupation of France in World War II
. In 1961 he became a member of the Canadian Institute of Mines and Metallurgy
Fifty-Year Club.
Raymond Brutinel died in 1964 at Couloumé-Mondebat
, Gers
, France.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(March 6, 1872 - September 21, 1964) was a geologist, journalist, soldier, entrepreneur and a pioneer in the field of mechanized warfare who commanded the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade
Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade
The Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade, also known as Brutinel's Brigade or the Brutinel Brigade, was the first fully mechanized unit of the British Army. It was established on September 9, 1914 by Canadian Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel, who initiated the program and was the unit's ...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Raymond Brutinel was born in Alet-les-Bains
Alet-les-Bains
Alet-les-Bains is a commune in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France.-Geography:...
, Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He immigrated to Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
in 1904 where he helped survey the route for the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
. He went on to edit Le Courrier de l'Ouest in Edmonton, Alberta, the first French-language newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
west of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
A member of the Canadian Army
History of the Canadian Army
The Canadian Army as such originally only existed under that name from November 1940 to February 1968. However, the term has been traditionally applied to the ground forces of Canada's military from Confederation in 1867 to the present...
in World War I, Brutinel initiated and commanded the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade, the first fully mechanized unit of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. His brigade played a significant part in halting the major German
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
offensive of March 1918. From October 1916 until March 1918, Brutinel was Corps MG Officer of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
and, in addition to his decorations, he was 7 times Mentioned in Dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. He pioneered the virtues of mobility and concentration of firepower and developed the concept of indirect machine-gun fire
Indirect fire
Indirect fire means aiming and firing a projectile in a high trajectory without relying on a direct line of sight between the gun and its target, as in the case of direct fire...
.
In 1920 Brutinel returned to Europe, where he was a Creusot
Creusot
Creusot may refer to*Le Creusot, region of France noted for its heavy industry*Urban Community of Creusot-Montceau, region of France*155 mm Creusot Long Tom, an artillery piece*Creusot steam hammer*10233 Le Creusot, an asteroid...
sales representative in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, but he retained many Canadian ties. Major-General Georges Vanier
Georges Vanier
Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier was a Canadian soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 19th since Canadian Confederation....
, Canadian ambassador to France and future Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, recorded the "considerable help" Brutinel provided in evacuating embassy staff from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in June 1940 in advance of the German occupation of France in World War II
German occupation of France in World War II
The Military Administration in France was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II. It remained in existence from May 1940 to December 1944. As a result of the defeat of France and its Allies in the Battle of France, the French cabinet sought a cessation...
. In 1961 he became a member of the Canadian Institute of Mines and Metallurgy
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum
The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum is a technical society of professionals in the Canadian minerals, metals, materials and energy industries. It was founded in 1898. In 2006, the organization had 12,000 national members...
Fifty-Year Club.
Raymond Brutinel died in 1964 at Couloumé-Mondebat
Couloumé-Mondebat
Couloumé-Mondebat is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Gers
Gers
The Gers is a department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in the southwest of France named after the Gers River.Inhabitants are called les Gersois or Gersoises.-History:...
, France.