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.
Owen Wallace "Bill" Gardner, 1907-1991, was born in Godalming, Surrey, England. He emigrated to Canada and joined Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) as a drummer boy in 1923 at the age of 16. Rapidly promoted up the ranks, he was a Warrant Officer II and Regimental Sergeant-Major (RSM) by 1939. In 1942-1945 he served in the Instructional Cadre of the Canadian Army, and in 1945-1955 he was again an RSM of PPCLI. He saw action in North West Europe and Korea, and was the founding curator of the PPCLI Museum in 1953. In 1955 he had the rare distinction of being commissioned and appointed Captain without being required to take qualifying courses. He retired from the army in 1958. He was known as a fierce disciplinarian, but he was also a connoisseur of literature and classical music. He was married to the former Ella Bowers of Winnipeg and had one daughter, Shirley Olave McLeod. Following Ella's death in 1967 he became a close friend of the Calgary bookseller Evelyn de Mille.
F40175596 MCpl Phillip Michael Tobicoe, 1964?- , was a member of the Mississauga First Nation. He served in Cyprus with the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in 1991. In 1993-1994 he was deployed with the 2nd Battalion PPCLI Battle Group in Croatia, and experienced the intense conflict at Medak Pocket. He experienced health problems apparently as a result of exposure to hazardous substances in Croatia. He worked at the PPCLI Regimental Museum and Archives from 1997 until about 2002.
475301 Reginald Wilfred Coker Godson was born 5 November 1896 in Toronto, Ontario. A printer by trade he enlisted with the 4th University Company 20 September 1915. He joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in the field 29 May 1916 and served as a Runner, relaying messages from the front lines to officers in the rear. He was wounded 30 October 1917 and served with the Regiment until being struck off strength 28 November 1917. Due to injuries from gas, his convalescence in England was a long one. On December 14, 1918 he married Hilda Agnes Evans in Clapham Park, England. In 1921 he was working as a salesman in Hope Township, Ontario. He died in 1970 in Miami, Florida. He and Agnes had at least two children, William and Ruth (Challand).
Born 15 December 1934 at Regina, Saskatchewan, Ronald Dale Fraser joined the Royal Regina Regiment (militia) in 1949 and then enlisted with the Royal Canadian Regiment in 1951. He served with the Second Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment beginning in 1952 and was promoted to Lance Corporal in 1954 and Corporal in 1955 while on NATO duties with the Second Battalion in Germany. When he returned to Canada he received his jump training (parachute) and glider training in 1955. He rebadged to the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1957 with the rank of Corporal and was an Observer with the Canadian Delegation 1958-1960 in Vietnam. Corporal Fraser was then posted to Camp Borden, Ontario for advanced training and was promoted to the rank of Lance Sergeant and assigned administrative duties there. In 1965 he was confirmed in the rank of Sergeant and then transferred to the First Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1967. While in Edmonton, Alberta, he completed the Stewards Course and then went to Cyprus for a 6 month United Nations tour prior to moving with the First Battalion in 1968 to Currie Barracks in Calgary, Alberta. In 1971 Sergeant Fraser completed another tour in Cyprus with the First Battalion and then transferred to the Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1973. He retired from the military in 1974. Following retirement Fraser held various management positions and joined the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, eventually receiving the Long Service Medal from that organization. He was an active member of the PPCLI Association and a volunteer with the PPCLI Museum and Archives.
SP 28012 Ashworth Thomas Clifton joined the Permanent Active Militia 9 November 1935 and became a member of the Canadian Army 1 September 1939. During the Second World War he was a Master Sergeant with the First Canadian Parachute Battalion, qualifying as a Parachutist 11 September 1942 with the first Fort Benning, Georgia Class. Promoted to Sergeant Major he was a Jump Master at Fort Benning and Chief Dispatcher for 1 Can Para. He qualified as a Canadian Army Parachute Instructor 23 July 1954. He served with the First Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry as a Sergeant Major in Korea from 1951-1952 and then served with the Regiment as a Warrant Officer II until retiring 30 January 1961. Mentioned in Dispatches for service in Korea, awarded 23 March 1953. He died in Calgary on May 15, 1972.
H 16083 Sydney Laurie McKay was born 25 September 1921 at Tufts Cove, near Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He eventually migrated to Winnipeg. He worked for Canadian Northern Telephones and Canadian Marconi Co. prior to joining the the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry as a Private 9 September 1939 at Winnipeg. He sailed with the Regiment to England aboard the SS Orama 17 December 1939 and landed at Greenock, Scotland 29 December 1939. He then proceeded by train to Morval Barracks, Aldershot, England. After spending three and a half years training with the Regiment in England he was promoted to Corporal and left England for Sicily 29 June 1943. While serving in Sicily and Italy he was promoted to Acting Sergeant just prior to being wounded 17 September 1944 in the Rimini area. He was struck off strength due to his wounds and was evacuated to the 14th C.G. Hospital at Naples and then to the 19th C.G. Hospital in Birmingham, England. He returned to Canada 12 January 1945 and continued to work for Canadian Marconi Co. for the next 39 years, retiring in 1984. He was a founding member of the Winnipeg Branch of the PPCLI Association. He married Helen Rudnick. He died on August 3, 2011.
Born in Brampton, Ontario 11 December 1897, #411080 Willis Lumgair "Lum" Clark enlisted with the First University Company 17 March 1915 and trained at McGill and Niagara Camp. He joined the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 28 July 1915 and was a part of #3 Company, 12 Platoon. He acted as a runner for Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Stewart and was wounded 2 June 1916 at Sanctuary Wood during the Battle of Mount Sorrel. He was awarded the Military Medal for his actions during that action. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant 21 November 1917 and then served with #2 Company 8 Platoon. Struck Off Strength 20 March 1919, he later became Editor of the Windsor Daily Star. He died in 1975 in Windsor.