William Dillon Otter
Encyclopedia
General Sir William Dillon Otter KCB
, CVO
, VD
(December 3, 1843 – May 6, 1929) was a professional Canadian
soldier who became the first Canadian-born Chief of the General Staff
, the head of the Canadian Army
.
in Toronto
in 1864. Captain William Otter was Adjutant of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
in 1866. He first saw combat with them at the Battle of Ridgeway
during the Fenian Raids
.
He joined the Permanent Force as an infantry
officer when Canada established its own professional infantry unit in 1883. On May 2, 1885, he led a Canadian force of more than 300 in the Battle of Cut Knife
against Poundmaker's
Cree
Indians. Otter's tactics were ineffective against the defending warriors, forcing him to retreat.
In 1890, Otter founded the Royal Canadian Military Institute
as a body for "the promotion and fostering of military art, science and literature in Canada." The Gen Sir William Otter Papers are selected from those presented at events organized by the Defence Studies Committee of the Royal Canadian Military Institute.
He was appointed as the first Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry
in 1893.
Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Otter commanded the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry, at the time of the Second Boer War
. Otter commanded the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry in South Africa, where they were considered by many British officers to be the best infantry battalion
in the country. He became the first Canadian-born officer to command Canada's military in 1908, and he retired in 1910. Otter had the reputation of being something of a martinet - due mainly to his desire that the young Canadian Army should not show up badly when compared to British troops.
He wrote `The Guide: A Manual for the Canadian Militia (Infantry) Embracing the Interior Economy, Duties, Discipline, Drills and Parades, Dress, Books, and Correspondence of a Battalion with Regulations for Marches, Transport & Encampment, Also Forms & Bugle Calls` in 1914, which includes sections on discipline, courts martial, offences, complaints, and defaulters.
During the First World War he came out of retirement to command operations for the internment
of enemy nationals resident in Canada.
Most famously though perhaps least well known of his accomplishments, Otter headed the Otter Commission. The Otter Commission was tasked to establish links of perpetuation from the units of Canadian Expeditionary Force
back to the institutionally separate units of the Canadian Militia
in the years following the First World War. This establishment of perpetuation, based primarily on geographical connections through original recruiting areas of the CEF battalions, provided a basis by which the achievements and battle honours of the CEF units transferred back to the units of the standing Militia. Without this work of the Otter Commission the CEF and its achievements would have had no continuance with existing units of the Canadian Army today.
in Kingston, Ontario
was named in his honour.
...
.
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...
, CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, VD
Volunteer Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was created by Royal Warrant under command of Queen Victoria on 25 July 1892 to reward 'efficient and capable' officers of the Volunteer Force who had served for twenty years...
(December 3, 1843 – May 6, 1929) was a professional Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
soldier who became the first Canadian-born Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (Canada)
The Chief of the General Staff was the most senior member of the Canadian Army from 1904 until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's military forces. The position was renamed Chief of the Land Staff in 1993....
, the head of the Canadian Army
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...
.
Military career
Born near the Corners (Clinton), Upper Canada, Otter began his military career in the Non-Permanent Active MilitiaNon-Permanent Active Militia
The Non-Permanent Active Militia was the name of Canada's part-time volunteer military force from the time of Confederation to 1940. The NPAM was composed of several dozen infantry battalions and cavalry regiments...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1864. Captain William Otter was Adjutant of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only Primary Reserve regiment in Canada to have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve...
in 1866. He first saw combat with them at the Battle of Ridgeway
Battle of Ridgeway
The Battle of Ridgeway was fought in the vicinity of the town of Fort Erie across the Niagara River from Buffalo, NY near the village of Ridgeway, Canada West, currently Ontario, Canada on June 2, 1866, between Canadian troops and an irregular army of Irish-American invaders, the Fenians...
during the Fenian Raids
Fenian raids
Between 1866 and 1871, the Fenian raids of the Fenian Brotherhood who were based in the United States; on British army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada, were fought to bring pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland. They divided many Catholic Irish-Canadians, many of whom were...
.
He joined the Permanent Force as an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
officer when Canada established its own professional infantry unit in 1883. On May 2, 1885, he led a Canadian force of more than 300 in the Battle of Cut Knife
Battle of Cut Knife
The Battle of Cut Knife, fought on May 2, 1885, occurred when a small force of Cree and Assiniboine warriors were attacked by a flying column of mounted police, militia, and Canadian army regulars...
against Poundmaker's
Pitikwahanapiwiyin
Pitikwahanapiwiyin , commonly known as Poundmaker, was a Plains Cree chief known as a peacemaker and defender of his people.-Name:...
Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
Indians. Otter's tactics were ineffective against the defending warriors, forcing him to retreat.
In 1890, Otter founded the Royal Canadian Military Institute
Royal Canadian Military Institute
The Royal Canadian Military Institute , located in Toronto, Ontario, is Canada's premier independent institute for the study of military strategy, arts, military science and literature....
as a body for "the promotion and fostering of military art, science and literature in Canada." The Gen Sir William Otter Papers are selected from those presented at events organized by the Defence Studies Committee of the Royal Canadian Military Institute.
He was appointed as the first Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry
The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Primary Reserve...
in 1893.
Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Otter commanded the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry, at the time of the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Otter commanded the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry in South Africa, where they were considered by many British officers to be the best infantry battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
in the country. He became the first Canadian-born officer to command Canada's military in 1908, and he retired in 1910. Otter had the reputation of being something of a martinet - due mainly to his desire that the young Canadian Army should not show up badly when compared to British troops.
During the First World War he came out of retirement to command operations for the internment
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
of enemy nationals resident in Canada.
Most famously though perhaps least well known of his accomplishments, Otter headed the Otter Commission. The Otter Commission was tasked to establish links of perpetuation from the units of Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
back to the institutionally separate units of the Canadian Militia
Canadian Militia
The Canadian Militia was the traditional title for the land forces of Canada from before Confederation in 1867 to 1940 when it was renamed the Canadian Army.The Militia consisted of:* Permanent Active Militia* Non-Permanent Active Militia...
in the years following the First World War. This establishment of perpetuation, based primarily on geographical connections through original recruiting areas of the CEF battalions, provided a basis by which the achievements and battle honours of the CEF units transferred back to the units of the standing Militia. Without this work of the Otter Commission the CEF and its achievements would have had no continuance with existing units of the Canadian Army today.
Career
William Otter was initiated in Ionic Lodge in Toronto in February 1869. He became Wor. Master in 1873.Legacy
The Otter Squadron at the Royal Military College of CanadaRoyal 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 Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
was named in his honour.
...
Family connections
Otter was the grandfather of Canadian Military historian Desmond MortonDesmond Morton (historian)
Desmond Dillon Paul Morton, OC, FRSC, CD is a Canadian historian who specializes in the history of the Canadian military, as well as the history of Canadian political and industrial relations....
.