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Authority record
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regimental Museum and Archives

Gault, Andrew Hamilton

  • ppcli
  • Person
  • 1882-1958

Andrew Hamilton “Hammie” Gault, 1882-1958, was descended from an Anglo-Irish merchant family which settled in Montreal in 1842 and became dominant players in Canadian textile manufacturing, insurance, finance, and politics. After attending Bishop's College School in Lennoxville and one year at McGill University, Gault joined the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles and served with distinction as a subaltern until the end of the South African War in 1901. He continued to serve with the Canadian militia, eventually becoming a captain with the 5th Royal Highlanders (Black Watch of Canada). Following the death of his father in 1903, he assumed control of Gault Brothers and Company, the family cotton manufacturing firm. He married Marguerite Stephens in 1904. Gault was appointed honorary Consul General for Sweden in 1909-1911, and was a member of the council for the Montreal Board of Trade, 1911-1913. Upon the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, he offered to finance the raising of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). He was appointed Senior Major and Second-in-Command of the Regiment. He was wounded three times, losing his left leg, which effectively ended his active service in the field. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and Commanding Officer of PPCLI in November 1918. For his service in the Great War, Gault was awarded the Order of the British Empire, the Russian Order of St. Anne with Crossed Swords and the Belgian Order of the Crown. He was Mentioned in Dispatches four times and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry. Following the war, Gault was married in 1922 for a second time, to Dorothy Blanche “D.B.” Shuckburgh. Between the two world wars they lived at Hatch Court, near Taunton, Somerset, England, an estate that Hamilton purchased from Dorothy's aunt. They enjoyed aviation as a hobby. Gault served as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1924 to 1935. In 1939 he was recalled for active duty with the Canadian Army in England and was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1940 and to Brigadier General in 1942. He returned to his Canadian home at Mont St. Hilaire in Quebec in 1944. In 1947 Gault founded the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Association and served as the first National President. He was appointed honorary Colonel of the Regiment shortly before his death on 28 November 1958. Following his death, Dorothy Gault returned to Hatch Court, where she died in 1972. Hatch Court became the home of Dorothy’s niece Anne and her husband, Cdr. Barry Nation, who operated a small museum there dedicated to the history of Gault and the PPCLI. For further information see: First in the field : Gault of the Patricias / by Jeffery Williams. – St. Catharines, Ont. : Vanwell Pub., 1995.

Chatry, Harry

  • ppcli
  • Person
  • 1926-2018

Harry Stephen Chatry was born 2 April 1926 in Delisle, Saskatchewan. He joined the Canadian Army 12 April 1945 and was posted to Vernon, British Columbia to become part of the Pacific force. The Second World War ended before he was posted overseas and he elected to remain in the Permanent Force. He was badged to the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Shilo, Manitoba in January 1946 and was promoted to Corporal in 1947. He was posted to Currie Barracks in Calgary in 1947 and made Company Orderly Sergeant. When the Regiment went Airborne in 1948, Corporal Chatry was chosen for Glider pilot training and was sent to the Royal Canadian Air Force School of Aviation Medicine in Toronto and then to Rivers, Manitoba for flight training. He graduated from the #1 Glider Pilot's Course in 1949 and returned to Rivers to join Glider Flight and instruct other pilots. Promoted to Sergeant in the early 50s, he closed Glider Flight in 1955 and returned to Calgary where he was appointed Acting Company Quartermaster of A Company, Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Promoted to Staff Sergeant in 1956 Chatry was posted to Camp Borden as Small Arms Instructor. Posted back to the Second Battalion in 1964 he joined Reconnaissance Platoon and after a jump injury was attached to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment for almost a year. Returning to the Regiment in 1965 Warrant Officer Chatry was posted to the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Germany as Brigade Sergeant Major. Later that same year he was transferred to the First Battalion and posted to Hemer, Germany where he was in charge of C Company and then Headquarters Company. When the First Battalion rotated back to Canada, Warrant Officer Chatry stayed in Germany with the Second Battalion, later returning to the First Battalion now stationed at Currie Barracks, Calgary, Alberta in 1968. After working at Regimental Headquarters for a year, Harry Chatry retired from the military in 1969 and settled in Sardis, BC. He was married to Hope Chatry, and they operated several businesses in the Chilliwack/Sardis area. They had three children, Gordon, Leslie, and Sharron. Harry Chatry died 23 April, 2018.

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Association. Vancouver Island Branch

  • ppcli
  • Corporate body
  • 1947-

A group of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) veterans living in Victoria, BC was represented at the inaugural meeting of the PPCLI Association in October 1947. The Victoria Branch was one of the components of the Association when it was legally incorporated in 1953. It was renamed Vancouver Island Branch in 2004.

LaChance, Jack E.

  • ppcli
  • Person
  • 1931-2018

John Edward "Jack" Croucher was born and educated in Winsdor, Ontario. He adopted the surname of his stepfather, Alex LaChance. He was a Private with the Second and First Battalions of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Korea from June 1951 to June 1952. In early 1951 he trained at Currie Barracks, Calgary; Wainwright, Alberta; Nippon Berra, Japan; and Hara Mura, Japan. After his discharge from the Armed Forces he lived at Sarnia, Ontario where he was a well-known businessman. He was an accomplished writer and poet. His poem "The Korean Veterans Wall" is engraved in granite at the Korea Veterans National Wall of Remembrance in Brampton, Ontario. He married Frances Deschamps in 1955, and they had five children, Wendy, Patti, Jack II, Thomas, and James.

Hayward, James G.

  • ppcli
  • Person
  • [ca. 1937]-

SH206083 James G. "Jim" Hayward completed his basic training with the Flers-Courcelette Platoon at Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) Depot in March 1956. He was taken on strength by the 2nd Battalion of PPCLI. He retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in April 1980 as a Warrant Officer stationed with the Regular Support Staff in Regina, Saskatchewan. With his wife Mona, he became active in the Saskatchewan Branch of the PPCLI Association. In 2017 he was still living in Regina.

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