Charles Basil Price
Encyclopedia
Charles Basil Price (12 December 1890 – 15 February 1975) was a Canadian Army soldier. He joined the Victoria Rifles of Canada in 1905 and received an officer's commission in 1914. Soon after, he responded to the outbreak of World War I
by resigning his commission to join the Royal Montreal Regiment as a company sergeant-major. He became a commissioned officer again through a series of promotions.
and the Distinguished Conduct Medal
. He married Marjorie Trenholme (3 November 1891 - 1 September 1979) on 23 August 1915 and the couple raised six children. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and took command of the Royal Montreal Regiment until his retirement on 31 December 1929. In January 1931 he became an alderman in Westmount.
In 1939 he was President of the Brome Lake Boating Club at Knowlton, Quebec.
. As a major-general, he commanded the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
from 14 March 1941 until 7 September 1942, when he became the Overseas Commissioner of the Canadian Red Cross Society. In that post, which he held until the war ended, he strove to ensure that all Allied prisoners of war received equal benefits, including one large Red Cross parcel
per month containing the best food available (white-flour biscuits; butter instead of oleomargarine, etc.). In 1944 he joined John Bracken
's team as the Progressive Conservative
candidate in Saint-Antoine—Westmount
, and lost to the Liberal
incumbent Douglas Charles Abbott by just 60 votes in the 1945 federal election
. Later he retired and moved to Knowlton.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by resigning his commission to join the Royal Montreal Regiment as a company sergeant-major. He became a commissioned officer again through a series of promotions.
The Great War and after
As a major in the Royal Montreal Regiment, he received the Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
. He married Marjorie Trenholme (3 November 1891 - 1 September 1979) on 23 August 1915 and the couple raised six children. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and took command of the Royal Montreal Regiment until his retirement on 31 December 1929. In January 1931 he became an alderman in Westmount.
In 1939 he was President of the Brome Lake Boating Club at Knowlton, Quebec.
World War II and postwar life
He re-enlisted and was posted to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As a major-general, he commanded the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
from 14 March 1941 until 7 September 1942, when he became the Overseas Commissioner of the Canadian Red Cross Society. In that post, which he held until the war ended, he strove to ensure that all Allied prisoners of war received equal benefits, including one large Red Cross parcel
Red Cross parcel
Red Cross parcel usually refers to packages containing mostly food, tobacco and personal hygiene items sent by the International Association of the Red Cross to prisoners of war during the First and Second World Wars, as well as at other times. It can also refer to medical parcels and so-called...
per month containing the best food available (white-flour biscuits; butter instead of oleomargarine, etc.). In 1944 he joined John Bracken
John Bracken
John Bracken, PC was an agronomist, the 11th Premier of Manitoba and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ....
's team as the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
candidate in Saint-Antoine—Westmount
Saint-Antoine—Westmount
St. Antoine—Westmount and Saint-Antoine—Westmount were federal electoral districts in Quebec, Canada, that were represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1968....
, and lost to the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
incumbent Douglas Charles Abbott by just 60 votes in the 1945 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
. Later he retired and moved to Knowlton.