Ernest William Sansom
Ernest William Sansom | |
|---|---|
 Lieutenant-General E.W. Sansom, General Officer Commanding II Canadian Corps, April 12, 1943 | |
| Born | December 18, 1890 Stanley,New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | October 18, 1982(aged 91) Fredericton,New Brunswick, Canada |
| Years of service | 1906–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-general |
| Commands | 3rd Canadian Infantry Division 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division II Canadian Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Order of the Bath[1] Distinguished Service Order[2] |
Lieutenant GeneralErnest William Sansom,CBDSO(December 18, 1890 – October 18, 1982) was a Canadianlieutenant-generalwho was the 3rd ranking commander of Canadian troops in Europe in 1944 during World War II.
World War I military career
[edit]Born inStanley, New Brunswick,he joined the 71st York Regiment of theCanadian Militiain 1906 and was appointed a lieutenant in 1907. During World War I, he fought in the 12th Infantry Battalion and with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps of theCanadian Expeditionary Force.He would command the 1st Battalion of theCanadian Machine Gun Corps.He was awarded theDistinguished Service Orderin 1919.
After the war, in 1920, he joined the Permanent Force and went to the Army Staff College in England from 1924 to 1925. He would hold various staff positions in Canada and eventually was promoted to the rank of colonel.
World War II military career
[edit]At the start of World War II, in 1939, he was the director of military training. From 1939 to 1940, he was assistant adjutant and quartermaster general for the1st Canadian Infantry Divisionin England. After being promoted tomajor-generalin 1940, he commanded the3rd Canadian Infantry Division.In 1941, he commanded the 5th Armoured Division. He was promoted to lieutenant-general and was appointed the first commander-in-chief ofII Canadian Corpseffective on January 15, 1943. In 1944, he returned to Canada for medical reasons. In 1945, he was appointed inspector general, Canadian Army Overseas. He was made a Companion ofOrder of the Bathin 1945. He retired in 1945.
Post war
[edit]After the war, he worked for various fund-raising organizations, including the CanadianMarch of Dimesand the Combined Appeal for the Handicapped.
In the1945 election,he ran unsuccessfully as theProgressive Conservativecandidate for theHouse of Commons of Canadain the New Brunswick riding ofYork—Sunbury.He lost again in a 1947 by-election.[3]
He died inFredericton, New Brunswick,in 1982.
References
[edit]- ^"No. 36034".The London Gazette(Supplement). May 28, 1943. p. 2477.
- ^"No. 31936".The London Gazette(Supplement). June 8, 1920. p. 6436.
- ^YORK—SUNBURY, New Brunswick (1914–1987)
Sources
[edit]- "Ernest William Sansom fonds".Library and Archives Canada.Archived fromthe originalon September 30, 2007.
- "Ernest William Sansom".Globe and Mail.Canada. October 19, 1982.
- "Attestation paper".Library and Archives Canada.[dead link]
- Generals of World War II
- Granatstein, Jack(1993).The Generals: The Canadian Army's Senior Commanders in the Second World War.Stoddart Publishing.ISBN978-0773727397.
- 1890 births
- 1982 deaths
- Canadian Expeditionary Force officers
- Canadian Militia officers
- Canadian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Canadian Companions of the Order of the Bath
- People from York County, New Brunswick
- Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons
- Candidates in the 1945 Canadian federal election
- Canadian Army generals of World War II
- Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley
- Canadian generals
- Canadian Machine Gun Corps officers
- Canadian military personnel from New Brunswick