William Milroy (Canadian Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
William Alexander Milroy CM
DSO
CD
(25 June 1920 - 20 February 2006) was the Commander, Mobile Command
of the Canadian Forces
.
, Milroy was commissioned into Lord Strathcona’s Horse
in 1941.
He served in World War II
and in 1943 was deployed to Italy
taking part in the Melfa River, Torrice Crossroads encounter and Gothic Line actions. In 1944 he was wounded and evacuated to Naples
. Rejoining his Squadron he took part in the Porter Force and Lamone River actions. In 1945 he took part in the Liberation of Arnhem
and the advance to IJsselmeer
in the Netherlands
. He then joined the Canadian Army Occupation Force.
In 1946 he became first Canadian Liaison Officer at the Headquarters Army Field Forces
in the United States
and in 1954 he joined the Directing Staff at the Staff College, Camberley
in England
. He was appointed Director of Public Relations for the Army in 1957, Commandant
of the Armoured Corps School in Camp Borden in 1960 and Director of Military Training for the Army at National Defence Headquarters in 1962.
In 1963 he was appointed Commander 3 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group at CFB Gagetown
. In 1965 he was appointed Commandant
of the Canadian Army Staff College and 1968 he became the Canadian member of the International Team of Observers in Nigeria
.
He assumed command of the Canadian Defence Education Establishments in 1969 and took over Training Command at Winnipeg
in 1971. In 1972 he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and made Commander, Mobile Command
.
He died on 20 February 2006.
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....
William Alexander Milroy CM
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
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...
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...
(25 June 1920 - 20 February 2006) was the Commander, Mobile Command
Commander, Mobile Command
The Commander, Mobile Command was the head of the Canadian Forces Mobile Command, the former name for Canadian Forces Land Force Command. The appointment was entitled Chief of the General Staff until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's...
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 the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, Milroy was commissioned into Lord Strathcona’s Horse
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Lord Strathcona's Horse is a regular armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. Currently based in Edmonton, Alberta, the regiment is part of Land Force Western Area's 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group...
in 1941.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in 1943 was deployed to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
taking part in the Melfa River, Torrice Crossroads encounter and Gothic Line actions. In 1944 he was wounded and evacuated to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. Rejoining his Squadron he took part in the Porter Force and Lamone River actions. In 1945 he took part in the Liberation of Arnhem
Liberation of Arnhem
Operation Anger , was a military operation to seize the city of Arnhem in April 1945, during the closing stages of the Second World War. It is occasionally referred to as the Second Battle of Arnhem or the Liberation of Arnhem...
and the advance to IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer is a shallow artificial lake of 1100 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. The IJsselmeer is the largest lake in Western Europe....
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He then joined the Canadian Army Occupation Force.
In 1946 he became first Canadian Liaison Officer at the Headquarters Army Field Forces
Army Ground Forces
The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the largest training organization ever established in the United...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and in 1954 he joined the Directing Staff at the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was appointed Director of Public Relations for the Army in 1957, Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Armoured Corps School in Camp Borden in 1960 and Director of Military Training for the Army at National Defence Headquarters in 1962.
In 1963 he was appointed Commander 3 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group at CFB Gagetown
CFB Gagetown
Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, referred to as CFB Gagetown is a large Canadian Forces Base located in southwestern New Brunswick.- Construction of the base :...
. In 1965 he was appointed Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Canadian Army Staff College and 1968 he became the Canadian member of the International Team of Observers in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
He assumed command of the Canadian Defence Education Establishments in 1969 and took over Training Command at Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
in 1971. In 1972 he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and made Commander, Mobile Command
Commander, Mobile Command
The Commander, Mobile Command was the head of the Canadian Forces Mobile Command, the former name for Canadian Forces Land Force Command. The appointment was entitled Chief of the General Staff until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's...
.
He died on 20 February 2006.