The following table shows the list of Ontario Regiment officers and their appointments as of 29 June 1943, at the time of sailing to Sicily. The organization didn’t stay static. Officers were regularly moved to new appointments or transferred to another regiment if their experience was needed elsewhere. Promotions, deaths and wounds always led to changes. In August 1943 the composition of a tank squadron was reduced from five troops to four, changing the slate of officers again.
| Regimental Headquarters | ||
| Commanding Officer | Lieutenant Colonel Murray P. Johnston | Oshawa, ON |
| 2nd in Command | Major Herbert R. Schell | Oshawa, ON |
| Adjutant | Captain Leighton E. Astrop | Whitby, ON |
| Intelligence Officer | Lieutenant Dunstan McNichol | Toronto, ON |
| Lieutenant (AA) | Lieutenant Jack R. Gormley | Windsor, ON |
| Headquarters Squadron | ||
| Officer Commanding | Major Joseph T.F. Orr | Toronto, ON |
| 2nd in Command | Captain Howard L. Higginbottom | Windsor, ON |
| Admin Officer | Captain A.B. Harrison | Windsor, ON |
| Technical Adjutant | Captain Donald S.M. Kerr | Brantford, ON |
| Quarter Master | Captain James M. Harold | Paris, ON |
| Recce Officer | Lieutenant Keith D. McCord | Toronto, ON |
| Inter Comm Officer | Lieutenant Edwin F. Mooers | Kingston, ON |
| Pay Officer | Captain James I. Kerr | Kitchener, ON |
| Medical Officer | Captain Archibald F. MacKay | Oshawa, ON |
| Padre | H/Captain Waldo E.L. Smith | Grafton, ON |
| A Squadron | ||
| Officer Commanding | Major Robert B. Kerr | Brantford, ON |
| 2nd in Command | Captain Harry F.F. Millen | Thamesville, ON |
| Battle Captain | Captain N.B. Bayley | Meadowvale, ON |
| 1 Troop Leader | Lieutenant D.S. Barlow | Chatham, ON |
| 2 Troop Leader | Lieutenant Arthur W. Hawkins | Brantford, ON |
| 3 Troop Leader | Lieutenant William D. Shirriff | Toronto, ON |
| 4 Troop Leader | Lieutenant John E. Slinger | Guelph, ON |
| 5 Troop Leader | Lieutenant C.D.B. Jamieson | Durham, ON |
| B Squadron | ||
| Officer Commanding | Major David H. Lander | Oshawa, ON |
| 2nd in Command | Captain Hershell A. Smith | Dauphin, MB |
| Battle Captain | Captain Leonard I. Knowles | Oshawa, ON |
| 6 Troop Leader | Lieutenant W.H. Ellis | Toronto, ON |
| 7 Troop Leader | Lieutenant John I. Nicol | Ottawa, ON |
| 8 Troop Leader | Lieutenant Clifford T. Cuthbertson | Ottawa, ON |
| 9 Troop Leader | Lieutenant J.D. Watson | Brantford, ON |
| 10 Troop Leader | Lieutenant Harry S.W. Alexander | Windsor, ON |
| C Squadron | ||
| Officer Commanding | Major Herbert E. Irwin | Whitby, ON |
| 2nd in Command | Captain Edward A.C. Amy | Newcastle, NB |
| Battle Captain | Captain Archibald B. Whitelaw | Oshawa, ON |
| 11 Troop Leader | Lieutenant Earle K. Kennedy | Charlottetown, PE |
| 12 Troop Leader | Lieutenant W.B. Coutts | Toronto, ON |
| 13 Troop Leader | Lieutenant Stuart C. Campbell | Toronto, ON |
| 14 Troop Leader | Lieutenant William G. Harrod | Toronto, ON |
| 15 Troop Leader | Lieutenant Walter S. Ecclestone | Toronto, ON |
Notes on the Officers:
- LCol Johnston was injured in a jeep accident in Oct 1943 and evacuated.
- Major Schell became Commanding Officer in Oct 1943 after the LCol Johnston was evacuated.
- Captain Higginbottom was later promoted to Major and named OC of HQ Squadron.
- Captain Donald Kerr and Major Robert Kerr were brothers.
- Captain Harold was awarded the Order of the British Empire on 15 Dec 1945.
- Captain MacKay was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel after leaving Ontario Regiment.
- Honourary Captain Waldo Smith was awarded the Military Cross on 18 March 1944. He wrote a book about his experiences in the war, titled, “What Time the Tempest”.
- Captain Millen served as Honourary Lieutenant Colonel of the Ontario Regiment (RCAC) from 1970-1976.
- Lieutenant Hawkins was killed on 21 June 1944.
- Captain Hershell Smith was awarded the Military Cross on 11 March 1944 and the Distinguished Service Order on 22 September 1945. He was OC of “C” squadron in December 1943 during the Battle of Casa Berardi. His tanks supported the Royal 22nd Regiment during the battle in which Major Paul Triquet won the Victoria Cross. Smith was nicknamed “Snuffy”.
- Captain Knowles was awarded the Military Cross on 16 December 1943. He was wounded and lost his left eye on 17 December 1943.
- Lieutenant Nicol missed the Sicilian Campaign because the ship he was traveling on had a broken crane and could not offload equipment. He was awarded Order of the British Empire on 29 April 1944 after transferring to the Three Rivers Regiment.
- Major Irwin lost his left arm in a vehicle accident on 20 August 1943. He served as Honourary Lieutenant Colonel of the Ontario Regiment (RCAC) from 1981-1986. He was nicknamed “Ward”.
- Captain Amy was awarded the Military Cross on 11 March 1944 and the Distinguished Service Order on 20 Jan 1945 as a member of the Canadian Grenadier Guards. He was nicknamed “Ned”. He retired with the rank of Brigadier General. His biography here: https://www.rmc-cmr.ca/en/college-commandants-office/edward-alfred-charles-ned-amy.
- Lieutenant Campbell was killed 17 December 1943.
- Lieutenant Harrod was awarded the Military Cross on 30 September 1944.
- Lieutenant Ecclestone was killed 24 October 1943.
Rod Henderson
Rod Henderson is the Regimental Historian of the Ontario Regiment. He served as a Sergeant in the Regiment and is the author of “Fidelis Et Paratus: The History of The Ontario Regiment RCAC”.