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James Harold Elmsley
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James Harold Elmsley
Major-General James Harold Elmsley, CB, CMG, DSO (October 13, 1878 – January 3, 1954) was a Canadian military officer who served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Later in the war, he would command the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, as well as the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War.
Elmsley was born in Toronto in 1878, and was the great-grandson of John Elmsley, who had been in turn Chief Justice of Upper Canada during 1796–1802 and then Chief Justice of Lower Canada in 1802–1805. He received his education first in Toronto, followed by time spent at Cardinal Newman’s College in Birmingham, England, and The Oratory School at Edgbaston. He showed an interest in horses from an early age, and, upon returning to Toronto, he won prizes in the saddle class at the Toronto Exhibition in 1899.
Elmsley joined the Canadian Militia as a boy, and was commissioned as a provisional 2nd lieutenant in the Governor General's Body Guard, transferring shortly thereafter to the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He fought in the Second Boer War with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, and was aide-de-camp to MGen Sir Edward Hutton of the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade.
He became a 1st lieutenant in 1898, and fought in several campaigns. He was wounded in the heart during the Battle of Leliefontein, where a friend took him promptly to the first aid station at which he subsequently survived. He was invalided home to Canada in 1900, but returned to South Africa for a second tour of duty in 1902, returning to Canada later that year. In his service there, he was awarded the following decorations:
After returning home, Elmsley was named as aide-de-camp to then Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Sir Oliver Mowat, and soon became a member of the Toronto Hunt and Polo Club (gaining a reputation as an avid polo player) and the Toronto Club. He married Athol Boulton in 1908.
Elmsley remained with the Dragoons, being promoted to captain in 1905 and major in 1907. He also served with the British Army in India in 1906, and attended the Staff College, Camberley in 1913.
By 1914, Elmsley was the second-in-command of the Dragoons, which departed for the United Kingdom in October of that year as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. They embarked for France in May 1917. He was transferred to the staff of the 1st Canadian Division in 1915, later becoming brigade major of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He then became the commanding officer of Canadian Corps Cavalry Regiment in 1916, and shortly thereafter returned to 8th CIB as its CO, for which he was promoted to temporary brigadier general in June 1916. Arthur Currie, who considered Elmsley to be "one of the most valuable officers I have in the Corps," relieved him of his command in April 1918, because he was physically worn out at that time, and a Medical Board granted extended leave for him to rest in England. This was more than likely due to the stress from serving under J. E. B. Seely who was replaced the following month, but the Board also noted that his medical history concerning nervous symptoms actually extended back to his South Africa service in 1900.
In addition to being mentioned in dispatches five times, he earned the following decorations:
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James Harold Elmsley
Major-General James Harold Elmsley, CB, CMG, DSO (October 13, 1878 – January 3, 1954) was a Canadian military officer who served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Later in the war, he would command the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, as well as the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War.
Elmsley was born in Toronto in 1878, and was the great-grandson of John Elmsley, who had been in turn Chief Justice of Upper Canada during 1796–1802 and then Chief Justice of Lower Canada in 1802–1805. He received his education first in Toronto, followed by time spent at Cardinal Newman’s College in Birmingham, England, and The Oratory School at Edgbaston. He showed an interest in horses from an early age, and, upon returning to Toronto, he won prizes in the saddle class at the Toronto Exhibition in 1899.
Elmsley joined the Canadian Militia as a boy, and was commissioned as a provisional 2nd lieutenant in the Governor General's Body Guard, transferring shortly thereafter to the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He fought in the Second Boer War with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, and was aide-de-camp to MGen Sir Edward Hutton of the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade.
He became a 1st lieutenant in 1898, and fought in several campaigns. He was wounded in the heart during the Battle of Leliefontein, where a friend took him promptly to the first aid station at which he subsequently survived. He was invalided home to Canada in 1900, but returned to South Africa for a second tour of duty in 1902, returning to Canada later that year. In his service there, he was awarded the following decorations:
After returning home, Elmsley was named as aide-de-camp to then Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Sir Oliver Mowat, and soon became a member of the Toronto Hunt and Polo Club (gaining a reputation as an avid polo player) and the Toronto Club. He married Athol Boulton in 1908.
Elmsley remained with the Dragoons, being promoted to captain in 1905 and major in 1907. He also served with the British Army in India in 1906, and attended the Staff College, Camberley in 1913.
By 1914, Elmsley was the second-in-command of the Dragoons, which departed for the United Kingdom in October of that year as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. They embarked for France in May 1917. He was transferred to the staff of the 1st Canadian Division in 1915, later becoming brigade major of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He then became the commanding officer of Canadian Corps Cavalry Regiment in 1916, and shortly thereafter returned to 8th CIB as its CO, for which he was promoted to temporary brigadier general in June 1916. Arthur Currie, who considered Elmsley to be "one of the most valuable officers I have in the Corps," relieved him of his command in April 1918, because he was physically worn out at that time, and a Medical Board granted extended leave for him to rest in England. This was more than likely due to the stress from serving under J. E. B. Seely who was replaced the following month, but the Board also noted that his medical history concerning nervous symptoms actually extended back to his South Africa service in 1900.
In addition to being mentioned in dispatches five times, he earned the following decorations:
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