Hi John,
Can you remove my Dad from the distribution list.
Thanks,
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Price" <john(a)mactavishscotties.ca>
To: "DRAGNET" <RCD-ASSOCIATION-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 8:33 AM
Subject: [DragNet] Brigadier-General EAC (Ned) Amy, DSO, OBE, MC, CD
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with sadness that The Regiment announces the death of
Brigadier-General (Retired) Ned Amy who passed away on the 2nd of February.
General Amy was a former wartime serving officer of the Ontario Regiment,
the King's Own Calgary Regiment (in Italy where, while in command of A
Squadron, he was awarded the Military Cross) and the Canadian Grenadier
Guards (in Northwest Europe where, while in command of No. 1 Squadron, he
was awarded the Distinguished Service Order). He is a former Director of
Armour. He was the 25th Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons
(December 1953 to September 1956), and he later served as the Colonel of the
Regiment from 1970 to 1975 followed by service to the Armour Corps as our
Colonel Commandant from 1978 to 1980. In his long and distinguished career,
General Amy commanded the Royal Canadian Armour Corps School, the first
Canadian contingent of the UN force in Cyprus, the 1st Canadian Infantry
Brigade Group in Calgary, and the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in
Germany. Other awards bestowed upon General Amy are the Officer of the
Order of the British Empire, and the US Bronze Star for meritorious service
whilst serving as the Senior Operations Officer in the Commonwealth Division
in Korea. In 2007, France awarded General Amy with their highest
distinction - the prestigious Legion d'honneur - for his role in the
liberation of the villages of Cintheaux and Bretteville during the breakout
from Normandy and subsequent fighting in Falaise.
Most amongst you will recognize General Amy as the namesake of Amy Tank Park
located at Petersville in the CFB Gagetown Training Area - fittingly the
starting off point for all of us as we set out to try to emulate the
accomplishments of this great leader. As you can see in the picture below,
General Amy was in fine form when the tank park was re-dedicated on the 3rd
of May 2008.
An article written by Col (Ret'd John Boileau) and contained within the
August 2007 edition (02/07) of The Royal United Services Institute of Nova
Scotia's Dispatches provides a very fitting synopsis of his wartime service
and career highlights. It can be found at the end of this email. There is
also an article in today's edition of the Halifax Chronicle which can be
found at the following address:
*http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1226001.html
Funeral Arrangements. The life of General Amy will be celebrated during a
'Soldiers Funeral' at the Trinity United Church on Edgewater St in Mahone
Bay (tel 902-624-9287) commencing at 1400hrs on Thursday the 10th of
February. His service will be followed by a reception in the hall at the
rear of the church.
Visitation. An afternoon and evening visitation will take place at
Cruikshank's Funeral Home, located at 2666 Windsor St, Halifax (tel
902-423-7295) on Tuesday the 8th of February. Precise timings will be
contained in an obituary to be published in the Halifax Chronicle on Monday
the 7th of February.
Dress. Dress for serving members is DEU 1A (tunic with medals). Mourning
bands for CWOs and Officers will be available at the entrance to the church.
It would be quite appropriate for retired members to wear their medals.
Condolences and Remembrance Anecdotes. Condolences and remembrance anecdotes
can be forwarded to Colonel (Ret'd) John Boileau at johnboileau(a)eastlink.ca.
Further, should you wish to do so, and in lieu of flowers, a donation in
General Amy's memory can be to organizations and associations near in dear
to General Amy, the details of which will also be contained within his
obituary in the Monday edition of the Halifax Chronicle.
Tasks. Tasks are simple:
o RCD. Overall OPI for CF support. Provide ceremonial altar
accoutrements and photographer.
o C Sqn (RCD), of 2 RCR. Provide Quarter Guard, Bearer Party, Ushers,
and a Piper. Include participation from: Armd Sch, Halifax Rifles, 8CH, and
the PEIR. Note that there will not be a firing party as the interment will
occur later in the Spring during a private family ceremony.
o Col (Ret'd) John Boileau. Col Boileau (the singular POC to the
family) will coordinate the celebration of life, in terms of CF support, in
accordance with the family's desires.
Closing Remarks
If I have missed anyone, the fault is mine and mine alone. To ensure all
within the Corps have been notified, I encourage you to please pass this
email as freely as you like.
In light of the limited time to effect coordination, I do not intend to
forward any greater detail than what is contained herein unless it becomes
absolutely necessary. Should you have any questions or concerns please do
not hesitate to call or email me direct at the addresses and numbers
contained within my signature block below.
Many thanks to all of those that have been, or will be, assisting us in
bidding a fitting adieu to one of the Corps' great leaders.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brigadier-General E.A.C. Amy, DSO, OBE, MC, CD (Ned)
By Col (retd) John Boileau
In 1967, as a newly minted Centurion tank-troop leader. I was dispatched
along with the rest of my squadron from Camp Gagetown, N.B., to reinforce
our armoured regiment stationed in what was then West Germany. We were
there for an annual event known as "flyover".
At that time, large-scale exercises were conducted across the German
countryside every fall - after the harvest - to minimize damage. One day,
our tank squadron was hidden away deep inside a forest - a location
paradoxically know as a "harbour" - awaiting orders for our next move.
Diminutive Figure
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a three-quarter-ton truck with its canvas removed
came screaming down the forest trail, dust clouds billowing out behind it.
In the back, behind the cab, stood a diminutive figure wearing goggles and
hanging on to a roll bar.
"Who the hell was that?" I asked, turning to my Troop Sergeant, Leroy
(Snowflake) MacAdams. Like all good Sergeants everywhere, MacAdams always
knew the answer to everything - no matter how stupid the question.
"That was Brigadier Amy," he replied, "and at the speed he's going,
I'd say
we'll be moving soon." MacAdams was right. And my future encounters with
Amy were not quite as fleeting.
Now retired, Brigadier-General Ned Amy was recognized last week at a
ceremony in Halifax by the country he helped to liberate during the Second
World War. France has awarded him with its prestigious Legion d'honneur -
the nation's highest distinction - which was created by Napoleon in 1802 to
reward exceptional service.
Amy, a 1939 graduate of the Royal Military College, arrived in Normandy on
July 26, 1944, seven weeks after D-Day. He was fresh from the fighting in
Italy, where he commanded A Squadron of the Calgary Regiment.
In Italy, Amy won an immediate Military Cross for his "determined and
gallant leadership in taking and holding a vital bridgehead over the Moro
River" with his Sherman tanks in December 1943. One of several officers
sent to provide battle experienced leaders for the invasion of France, Amy
commanded No. 1 Squadron of the Canadian Grenadier Guards there. Three days
after arrival, he was in the thick of it, leading his men throughout the
next five weeks in some of the major confrontations in Normandy. The tanks
of the Grenadier Guards fought in the crucial battles near Falaise - a
tough, grinding, confusing slugfest aimed at trapping a retreating German
Army.
From Aug 5 to 9, Amy led an attack against Kurt Meyer's 12th
Panzer
Division
- the unit that had earlier executed at least 156 captured Canadian
soldiers, including several North Nova Scotia Highlanders - some with their
hands tied behind their backs.
Amy's assault resulted in the liberation of the villages of Cintheaux and
Bretteville. Later that month - from Aug. 14 to 17 - he and his tankers
fought at Rouves, where his Sherman tank was destroyed. At Falaise - in a
new tank - Amy's squadron was the spearhead for 4th Canadian Armoured
Division's assault against 3rd SS Panzer Division.
After Falaise, the Grenadier Guards went into action on the Seine and Somme
rivers. They liberated numerous towns and villages and captured several
German prisoners along the way.
In the closing months of the war, Amy fought in Belgium and Germany, and was
wounded. He also received the Distinguished Service Order "in recognition
of gallant and distinguished services in the field."
After the war, Amy remained in the Army and went on to an illustrious
career. He was the Senior Operations Officer of 1st Commonwealth Division
in Korea. For his services there, he was made an Officer of the Order of
the British Empire and received the American Bronze Star.
Other Commands
Amy later commanded The Royal Canadian Dragoons, the Royal Canadian Armoured
Corps School, the first Canadian contingent of the UN force in Cyprus. 1st
Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in Calgary and 4th Canadian Mechanized
Brigade Group in Germany, before retiring in 1972.
In his remarks, Olivier Nicholas, the French Consul-General for Atlantic
Canada, praised Canadians for twice fighting alongside his countrymen in the
20th century. Before he pinned the Legion d'honneur on Amy, 89, he noted
Amy had demonstrated outstanding bravery in France during the fiercest
battles of World War II."
It was a fitting tribute to a true Canadian hero - a hero in the truest
sense of the word.
(originally published as "War hero receives high honour" in the Halifax
Daily News.
Wednesday 18th July 2007. Reprinted by kind permission of the author.)
Respectfully,
Dyrald Cross
Lieutenant-Colonel | lieutenant-colonel
Commanding Officer
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
National Defence | Défense nationale
PO Box 9999 Stn Main | C.P. 9999, Succ Main
Petawawa, ON, Canada K8H 2X3
dyrald.cross(a)forces.gc.ca
Telephone | Téléphone 613-687-5511 (extension | poste 5649)
CSN | RCCC 677-5649
Cellular | Téléphone cellulaire 613-635-2227
Télécopieur | Facsimile 613-588-7548
Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada
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