From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General
Geoffrey Walsh
,
CBE
,
DSO
,
CD
(19 August 1909 ? 3 April 1999) was a
Canadian
soldier and
Chief of the General Staff
, the head of the
Canadian Army
from 1961 ? 1964; Walsh was the last officer to hold this appointment as it was eliminated in 1964 as part of the reorganization of
Canada's military
in the lead-up to the 1968 unification of the
Canadian Forces
. The most senior army appointment after unification, the Commander of Mobile Command, had a much-reduced scope of authority.
[4]
Military career
[
edit
]
Educated at St Catherine's Collegiate School, Walsh was
commissioned
into the
Royal Canadian Engineers
in 1930.
[1]
He served in
World War II
with the Canadian Army Service Force and took part in the
Spitsbergen
Raid in 1941.
[1]
In 1942 he transferred to the
1st Canadian Division
and fought in
Sicily
and
Italy
. In 1944 he was made
Commander
Royal Engineers for
4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
.
[1]
and he later became CRE with
II Canadian Corps
, commanded by
Guy Simonds
, which took part in
Operation Overlord
.
After the war he was appointment Commander, Eastern Ontario Area, followed by Commander, 27th Brigade before his appointment as Director-General of Military Training.
[1]
In 1955 he was appointed
Quartermaster-General
of the
Canadian Army
and in 1959 he became
General Officer Commanding
, Western Command.
[1]
In 1961 he was made
Chief of the General Staff
and in 1964, became
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
.
[1]
Family
[
edit
]
In 1935, he married Gwynn Abigail Currie with whom he had one son.
[1]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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General Officers Commanding
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Chiefs of the General Staff
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Commanders, Mobile Command
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Chiefs of the Land Staff
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Commanders of the Canadian Army
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