Brigadier Milton Fowler Gregg — Victoria Cross

By: Capt (ret'd) Michael M. O'Leary, CD
Originally published in the regimental journal of The Royal Canadian Regiment; Pro Patria 2024

From the Farm to the Battlefield


This 1894-pattern Guelphic crown officer's cap badge is of the type Milton Gregg would have worn while serving with The RCR during the First World War.

Potrait of Lieutenant Milton Fowler Gregg, VC, MC, c. 1919. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

On Palm Sunday, 1892, in the 45th year of Queen Victoria's reign and the 25th year of the new Canadian Dominion, the Gregg family of Mountain Dale, New Brunswick, welcomed their eighth of nine children, and seventh son. Born on the 10th of April to parents George Lord and Elizabeth Clariss Gregg, their newest child, Milton Fowler Gregg, was destined for great things.

Mountain Dale was a small community at Snider Mountain in King's County, New Brunswick. McAlpine's gazetteer and guide for the Maritime Provinces, in its 1892 edition, described the hamlet simply as "a post office in King's County" on the Canadian Express railway line with a population of 50. In 1898, by the time Milton Gregg was six year of age, his hometown was described as "a farming settlement with 1 post office, 1 store, 2 churches, and a population of 150."

With his eldest brother born 15 years earlier, the Gregg family farm had no shortage of potential inheritors. That, no doubt, provided incentive for each of the Gregg children to make their own way in the world. Demonstrating an early capacity for focus and accomplishment, Milton was noted for both academics and athletics in his teens.

Milton Gregg attended the Provincial Normal School at Fredericton, New Brunswick, during the scholastic year 1909-1910. Studying to be a teacher, he completed the 2nd class N.B. Teachers certificate. In June, 1910, at the age of eighteen, Gregg was named in the The Daily Gleaner of Fredericton, N.B. when the paper reported on the school's closing exercises. Among the prize-winners, Gregg was listed for the Governor-General's Bronze Medal for professional standing. The following day's edition of the paper provided further detail:

"Mr. Milton Gregg, the winner of the Governor General's bronze medal for professional work in class II, is also a native of King's county. He is a son of Mr. George L. Gregg, a prosperous farmer of Mountain Dale and at the graded school there he received his early training, being taught by his brother, Mr. Ralph S. Gregg, who took a class II license at the Normal School several years ago and this year returned to the institution for advance of class.

"The winner of the bronze medal is only 18 years of age and has had a successful year at the Normal School. He was a member of the school football team."

A recap of the Normal School's contributions to the First World War published in The Daily Gleaner on June 7th, 1919, noted that Gregg had been "a member of the first Cadet Corps of the Normal School." That article reflected on the achievements of the school's graduates in the First World War when it noted: "Through the training received here men have been able to obtain the rank of sergeant soon after signing up, and from this position promoted to that of officers."

After graduating from the Normal School, Gregg worked for two years as a public school teacher. One of his duties while teaching was working with his school's cadet program. To enable this, Gregg's military service began in 1911 when he enlisted in the local Militia unit, the 8th Princess Louise's New Brunswick Hussars. This cavalry unit was headquartered at Sussex, New Brunswick, and had three squadrons, located at Sussex, Springfield, and Middle Sackville in that province. Today, the modern armouries building in Sussex, opened in 1978, is named for Gregg and houses "B" Squadron of the regiment.

On the 10th of August 1912, "Mr. M.F. Gregg" completed the requisite training for an Infantry Certificate at the Royal School of Infantry at Fredericton, New Brunswick. The certificate he received after two months of training identified him as a "Public School Teacher" and confirmed that he had qualified for the rank of "Cadet Instructor."

The Royal Schools were the collective name for courses conducted by the Canadian Permanent Force to train the officers and non-commissioned officers of the Canadian Militia. After receiving instruction on weapons, drill, unit administration, and the delivery of training, those officers and NCOs were able to return to their units and conduct the training of their own soldiers. Some, like Gregg, performed those duties with the cadet corps in the schools where they were employed. Usually, the Royal Schools were conducted at Permanent Force garrison locations, in the Maritime Provinces that meant travelling to Fredericton or Halifax for training.

At Fredericton, the courses were conducted by The Royal Canadian Regiment, the only Permanent Force, or regular, infantry regiment in the Canadian Militia before the First World War. Raised in 1883 as the Infantry School Corps, the running of the Royal Schools and supporting the training of Militia units throughout the country was the regiment's original purpose. After 1901, following a few changes in the regimental name, Canadians would know the regiment as The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR). By the time of Gregg's training course in 1912, The RCR had a regimental headquarters and six companies of infantry at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and outlying companies at Fredericton, Quebec City, Toronto, and London.

In the year following his attendance at the Royal School, Gregg was back in the civil educational system as a student himself. The Acadian, a newspaper published at Wolfville, N.S., in its edition of 25 April 1913, provided the results of the Academy Declamation Contest for the Boates' Medal at Horton Academy (better known by its later and current name, Acadia University). Out of a field of six competitors, the medal was awarded to M.F. Gregg of Mountain Dale, N.B.

Gregg was still attending to his studies in 1914 when the First World War broke out. As it was for many young men of his generation, raised on stories of the wars of the Victorian Empire and of Canadians in the South African War, this new conflict appeared to be an opportunity for great adventure.

When Canada gathered and organized its troops for the Great War, the Minister of Militia and Defence, Colonel (and later Lieutenant General) Sam Hughes chose not to call up the existing Militia regiments. Instead, he formed a new organization of military units with a separate command structure, the Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F.). Hughes called for drafts of soldiers from the Militia to be sent to Camp Valcartier in Quebec, where they were organized into the units of the First Canadian Contingent, the core of which was the 1st Canadian Division.

Hughes' plan to form new units, with rare exceptions, continued as the demand for reinforcements grew. For the infantry, a total of 260 numbered battalions would be authorized in addition to the fielding of two named battalions and the raising of 13 battalions of Mounted Rifles. The two named infantry battalions were The Royal Canadian Regiment (sent to Bermuda from Sep 1914 to Aug 1915) and the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (formed of ex-British Army soldiers and in France with the British 80th Brigade by December 1914).

To facilitate the recruiting effort, throughout the war many of the numbered battalions traded on existing bonds of familiarity with older Militia regiments. They borrowed parenthetic names, cap badge designs, and other elements of dress and tradition from the Militia regiments in their recruiting areas. In many cases, these connections would help establish the local bonds which led to perpetuation of C.E.F. units after the war.

With early rumours of a short war and the rapid assembly of the First Canadian Contingent, many young men felt that delays in enlisting could mean missing their chance to fight. In the closing months of 1914, it became increasingly clear that it was not going to be a brief war. More men were needed to add to Canada's growing commitments and to replace inevitable battlefield casualties. The creation and recruiting of new Canadian units continued. In late 1914, Milton Gregg left his studies and volunteered for service in the C.E.F.

Gregg did not join one of the many infantry battalions being formed, nor did he return to his former Militia connections to enlist with the cavalry. Instead, Gregg attested for service in the C.E.F. with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (C.A.M.C.). Enrolling at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on November 5th, 1914, 22-year-old Gregg gave his occupation to the recruiters as "student." He was described on his attestation paper as 5 feet, 8 and 3/4-inches tall, weighing 156 pounds, and having good physical development. His religious denomination was Baptist.

Gregg identified his father, George L. Gregg, at Mountain Dale, King's Co., New Brunswick, as his next of kin and he recorded his prior service with the 8th Hussars. Newly enlisted as a soldier in the C.E.F., Gregg was assigned the service number 50051.

On the 8th of February, 1915, only three months after he had enlisted, 50051 Private Milton Fowler Gregg and the other men in the C.A.M.C. reinforcing draft sailed from Canada aboard the White Star liner S.S. Zeeland. Twelve days later they completed their trans-Atlantic journey and arrived in England.

Gregg spent six weeks in England before being reassigned to join the 1st Canadian Division in France. On April 1st, 1915, he landed in France and a week later was posted to serve as a stretcher-bearer with the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), known as The Black Watch. On the day he was sent to the unit, Gregg also completed the military will form in his soldier's pay book. Succinctly, he stated "In the event of my death I give the whole of my property and effects to my mother, Mrs. George L. Gregg, Mountain Dale, King's Co., N.B., Canada."

Joining the 13th Battalion in the field, Gregg's initial service in the theatre of war lasted only six weeks. He was wounded on the 21st of May, 1915. The War Diary entry for the 13th Battalion that day is brief: "The enemy attempted an attack on our position in the Orchard but was driven off by our machine gun and rifle fire."

Suffering a gun shot wound to his foot, Gregg was admitted to the Australian Hospital and evacuated to England on the hospital ship H.M.H.S. St. Patrick. In his records, the notation "G.S.W.," standing for gun shot wound, was a general term that could refer to wounding by bullet, shrapnel ball, or shell splinter.

Two days after coming out of the trenches, Gregg was admitted to the Edmonton Military Hospital, Bedford Command. His Medical Case Sheet identifies him as a Stretcher-bearer of the "13th Canadians," and his injury as "shrapnel wounds, dorsum right foot." The wound was described as both "septic" and "serious."

The hospital's case notes before Gregg's discharge provided further detail into the seriousness of his wound and also his recovery: "These wounds were septic and much inflamed when he came to this Hospital, they were very slow in healing up, now they have almost closed over. No operation was performed, we had him X-rayed many times and nothing was found and appears no bones injured, He has been up for some time and uses his foot very well."

That foot wound would keep Gregg out of action for most of a year. At the end of June, 1915, he was sent to the Canadian Convalescent Home at Monks Horton. In early August he was transferred to the 17th Canadian Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe, one of the units that administered to men in England and prepared them for a return to France when fit to do so. The following month, on September 1st, 1915, Gregg was transferred from the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot and taken on the strength of the Canadian Convalescent Hospital to become a member of the staff. At the same time, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal.

It was not until September 28th, 1915, four months after his wounding, that Gregg was finally discharged from medical care in order to return to duty. Two months afterwards, while still employed at Monks Horton, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

Throughout 1915, while Gregg was recovering from his wound and returning to duty in England, the fighting continued on the Western Front. The costly grinding of attrition warfare resulted in deep losses for the Canadians and British forces. Losses that began to outstrip the traditional methods of replacement, especially for young officers. As a result, opportunities for soldiers in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, for those with the background or experience to qualify for officer training, resulted in many Canadian soldiers transferring to become commissioned officers in the British Army.

An Officer of the Royal Canadians


Lieutenant Milton Fowler Gregg, MC, from a group photo of the officers of The RCR in late 1918. (The RCR Museum Collection)

Milton Gregg, with his Infantry Certificate from the Royal School in 1912 and his, albeit short, time at university, was exactly what the Commonwealth armies were looking for to identify and train temporary wartime officers. His previous experience in the trenches was also valuable for his transition to officer rank and responsibilities.

On the 14th of April, 1916, Gregg proceeded to No. 5 Officer Cadet Unit at Trinity College in Cambridge to take a course of instruction preparing him for a commission. Throughout his training, he was on attachment to the Cadet Unit, though he officially still belonging to the Canadian Convalescent Home at Monks Horton and, later, the Canadian Army Medical Corps Training School.

After nearly five months of training, Gregg was struck off the strength of the Canadian Army Medical Corps and the C.E.F. on appointment to a commission in the Imperial Army. He was granted a Commission in the 4th Reserve Battalion of the "King's Own" (Royal Lancaster) Regiment on September 5th, 1916.

In his records, Gregg was noted as joining the British Army from "Colonial Military Forces." Gregg's mother, Eliza C. Gregg, Mountain Dale, N.B., was identified as his next of kin. This change from his father as next of kin followed his father's death in 1915.

Gregg's qualifications and schools of instruction at the time of his transfer were listed as:

(1)    Royal School of Infantry, Fredericton, N.B., July / August 1912, and
(2)    No. 5 Officer Cadet Battalion, Cambridge, 14 April to 24 August, 1916.

His war services to that time were summarized as: "Joined Canadian Expeditionary Force on October, 18th, 1914. Went to France on April 1st, 1915. Was in the second battle of Ypres (April 22-30, '15). Was in an engagement near Festubert in May 1915. Wounded at Festubert, May 21st, 1915."

Title page of Gregg's notebook from his training as a Bombing Officer during his short period of service with the British Army. The notebook contains his notes and drawings of grenades and the organization and tactics for Bombers. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

Although trained to be an officer in the British Army and transferred from the C.E.F. for that purpose, it was not Gregg's fate to remain with them. Two months after his discharge from the Canadian Expeditionary Force, on November 1st, 1916, he returned to serve with the Canadians.

Granted the temporary (i.e., wartime) rank of Lieutenant in the C.E.F., Gregg was posted first to the 40th Canadian Battalion and ten days later transferred to the 26th Canadian Reserve Battalion at Bramshott. Both of these units remained in England, preparing troops for transfer as reinforcements to the fighting units in France. In early 1917, the troops of the 40th Battalion would be fully absorbed into the 26th Reserve Battalion.

Gregg remained in England until late April 1917 and his return to front line service did not happen until two weeks after the Canadian assault at Vimy Ridge. Before leaving England, Gregg was posted to a new unit and changed cap badges once again. This time as he crossed the Channel to France, he would wear the distinctive eight-pointed-star cap badge and beaver collar badges of The Royal Canadian Regiment, "The RCR."

First World War identification discs and locket worn by Milton Gregg.

First World War identification discs and locket worn by Milton Gregg. The locket contains a photo of his first wife, Dorothy. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

That cap badge of The RCR was the subject of a minor point of controversy within the Militia Department. As a "Royal" designated regiment, The RCR was supposed to wear the cypher and crown of the reigning sovereign on its buttons and badges. Accordingly, in 1894 when that designation was awarded, the Regiment adopted badges with Queen Victoria's cypher, "VRI," which stood for "Victoria Regina et Imperatrix," or "Victoria, Queen and Empress." Following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, a change to the cypher of King Edward VII was expected, and again in 1911 to that of King George V. But The RCR continued to wear the Victorian badge design, even as the Department of Militia produced and issued the Kings' versions of the badges to the Regiment. Officers' badges, produced at their own expense, were always the Victorian version, and soldiers in the Regiment wore the "VRI" badges whenever they could acquire them. It would not be until after the war, in 1919, that Royal permission was granted by King George V for The RCR to wear their "VRI" badges in perpetuity. On joining The RCR, Gregg would wear the officers' version of the badge, with its silver "VRI," as did all the officers of the Regiment during the Great War.

The Royal Canadian Regiment was the only regular battalion of infantry in the Canadian Militia when the First World War began. With its headquarters and six companies at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and four outlying companies in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario, the Regiment gathered its soldiers at Halifax in preparation for wartime service. The Regiment, however, did not proceed directly overseas to Europe.

On 11 Sep 1914, The RCR, as the only organized battalion in the country at that time, responded to a request from the British Government and sailed for Bermuda where they would serve for a year on garrison duty. On arriving in Bermuda, the Regiment relieved the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, which sailed immediately for England. After a year on garrison duties, on 12 Aug 1915, The RCR was relieved in turn by the arrival of the 38th Overseas Battalion from Canada and returned to Halifax. A week later, the Regiment sailed for England and disembarked at Plymouth, England, on 6 Sep 1915 to proceed to Shorncliffe for training.

As a battalion of the 7th Canadian Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division, The RCR crossed the English Channel on 1 Nov 1915 to enter the theatre of war at Boulogne, France. The 7th Brigade contained four infantry battalions; The Royal Canadian Regiment, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, the 42nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), and the 49th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Edmonton Regiment).

After final preparations for the trenches, the first months of 1916 saw The RCR and the 7th Brigade in the steady rotation of front line trenches, support trenches, and reserve positions that was the fundamental experience of the infantry in the Great War. Active throughout the Canadian Corps' operations in 1916 and early 1917, it was the requirement to make up the losses suffered during the battle for Vimy Ridge that would bring Lieutenant Milton Gregg to The RCR.

Gregg proceeded overseas to France for service with The Royal Canadian Regiment on April 24th, 1917. After spending a few days at the Canadian Base Depot, he left that camp at Havre, France, and joined the Regiment in the field on the 1st of May.

On that date, the War Diary of the RCR reports that the Regiment was in the LA FOLIE AREA. The weather was "Fine and warm" and the Regiment "moved in early afternoon to VILLERS Huts, VILLERS AU BOIS." Ostensibly out of the front lines to "rest," the unit remained busy with company training, the integration of reinforcements replacing recent battle losses, and preparations to return to the trenches.

Two officers, Captains K.M. Holloway and C.L. Wood were returning to the Regiment on that day and there were five newly joined officers: Lieutenants Milton Gregg, R.W. Churchill, R.M. Millett (one of three Millett brothers to serve with The RCR), J.T. Probert, and E.F. Davis.

The Regiment reported one soldier killed in action and two wounded in action that day before they left the forward lines to march to Villers au Bois. Besides the new officers, 94 soldiers also joined as reinforcements. This was the second draft of almost 100 men that joined the unit within a week, replacing some of the over 250 Royal Canadians killed, wounded, and missing during the Vimy Ridge assault.

Out of the front lines, the The Regiment had time for baths and pay parades, three afternoons of sports, and the conduct of training covering such topics as squad drill, bombing, trench clearing, and company attacks. Unit teams competed with other brigade units in sports. The rifle companies, reorganized with their new reinforcements, carried out their schedules of training and the new soldiers … and officers … were put through their paces on the parade square. The Regiment, after all, had standards to maintain and men who demonstrated that they had learned their basic soldier skills well were likely as well trained in the rest of their tradecraft which the training also reviewed.

Three days later, on the 4th of May, the newly joined officers were released from the parade square to join their companies. Gregg's name also appeared again in the War Diary. That afternoon, in the Brigade sports, The RCR won in football and lost in baseball. An officers' indoor baseball team, including Gregg on the roster, defeated the team fielded by the 49th Battalion.

The RCR returned to front line duties on the 7th of May with four days of working parties while based in the Grange Tunnel, a well-known starting point for many Canadians for the attack on Vimy Ridge. On the 12th of May, the Regiment relieved the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles in forward trenches where their work continued the deepening and improving of trenches in the new front lines. Another period of rest and training soon followed from 21 May to 6 June, and at midnight on the 7th of June, 1917, The RCR again relieved units of the Canadian Mounted Rifles in the front line. The following day, the Regiment would be in action, conducting a raid on German trenches.

During the years of static warfare on the Western Front, trench raids developed as a means to maintain initiative and aggressiveness, to control the spaces between friendly and enemy trenches … known as No Man's Land … and to capture prisoners and materiel for intelligence purposes. The Canadian Corps took pride in the efficiency and effectiveness of their raiding policies and techniques.

On the night of 8 June, 1917, The Royal Canadian Regiment launched a raid of over 150 officers and men against the German lines. "C" Company, in which Gregg was one of the platoon commanders, fielded three platoon-sized raiding parties to establish blocks and cut off attempts by the Germans to counter-attack or retaliate. "D" company, in two groups, was to capture designated areas of the enemy trenches before a recall was issued to bring them all back to friendly lines.

The raid, though costly, was a success and the enemy was still nervous and trying to evacuate their own dead and wounded two days later. Of the raiding party, one officer died and three were wounded, including Gregg. Among the Regiment's soldiers, nine were killed, two missing, and 54 were wounded of which three died shortly thereafter.

The day after the raid, June 9th, 1917, Gregg reported for medical attention. Evacuated from the forward trenches, he was admitted to No. 24 General Hospital at Etaples, France, the next day with a "slight" gun shot wound to his right buttock.

A month after the raid, on the 10th of July, the War Diary of The RCR recorded that "Lieut. M.F. Gregg [has been] awarded the Military Cross."

The Royal Warrant for the Military Cross, dated 1 Jan 1915, described is purpose as "… signifying Our appreciation of such services by a mark of Our Royal favour … to be awarded to Officers whose distinguished and meritorious services have been brought to Our notice." Most often awarded for gallantry in action to junior officers, … Lieutenants and Captains (although Warrant Officers were also eligible to receive it), … less than 3000 Military Crosses were presented to members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The citation for Gregg's Military Cross was published in the London Gazette on 24 Aug 1917. In describing his actions that night, it read:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading a bombing attack against a hostile machine-gun, which he outflanked, and annihilated the crew, thus permitting the advance of his party to continue unchecked. His prompt action greatly assisted the success of a much larger operation. Later, although himself wounded, he carried a seriously wounded officer out of action to a place of safety."

In leading soldiers on the field of battle, Gregg demonstrated courage, leadership, and humanity in rescuing a wounded compatriot.

For Gregg, the act of leading soldiers in a bombing attack, and the use of grenades as a principal assault weapon in close proximity to a determined enemy, would set the tone of his battlefield leadership. In the collection of The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum is the wartime notebook in which Gregg recorded the notes he took during his Bombing Course. Included are the detailed drawings he made of grenades in cross-section to understand how they function when thrown.

Gregg's drawing of a No. 5 Mills Bomb (grenade). (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

Also in the regimental museum of The Royal Canadian Regiment, located in London, Ontario, is a large silver memorial presented in memory of the Regiment's fallen in the Great War. There's a silver memorial for each of the Regiment's wars, but the one for the First World War is especially impressive. Around the base stand four silver figures, representing four elements of the infantry's fighting strength in the war. There's the young officer with pistol in hand, a rifleman with rifle and bayonet, a Lewis machine-gunner, and the fourth … is the bomber, captured in the act of throwing a Mills bomb.

By June 13th, 1917, four days after the raid in the Vimy Sector, Gregg was evacuated to England and admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital at Manchester, England. He was suffering from a slight shrapnel wound to his right buttock. On crossing the Channel, he was posted from The RCR to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot. This Depot unit was part of the regionally based reinforcement system established in early 1917, with named Depots taking in troops from battalions raised in those areas in Canada and providing reinforcement drafts to similarly designated fighting units. The RCR, having been headquartered in Halifax in the decade before the War, was associated with the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot. These Depots became the administering unit for any soldiers returned to England from their affiliated battalions in France and Flanders for training or medical care.

After his wound healed, and then recovering from bouts of tonsillitis and diphtheria, Gregg would not return to France and The RCR until 27 November 1917.

For some months in early 1918, Gregg would occupy the appointment of Assistant Adjutant, a battalion staff position where he supported the Commanding Officer and helped to prepare and issue orders and instructions to the companies and specialist platoons of the battalion. In May, he left this position and returned to "C" Company and the direct leadership of soldiers in battle.

Throughout the first seven months of 1918, the infantry battalions of the Canadian Corps followed the cycle of rotation through forward trenches, support trenches, and reserve positions. Between January and July, The RCR occupied forward trenches seven times, each rotation being about four days between relief operations. The longest break the Regiment enjoyed was during most of May and June, 1918, for another period of rest and training.

In early August, 1918, The RCR returned to the forward trenches. There would be no more long pauses until the war's end. This was the beginning of the final stage of the war, often referred to as Canada's Hundred Days. The Canadian Corps, fielding some of the strongest divisions in the Allied armies and holding their reputation as the force that took Vimy Ridge, would steadily advance in battle after battle from the battlefields of Arras, France, towards Mons, Belgium, by early November.

The RCR was in the attack at Demuin on 8 August, and again on the night of 14/15 August. The Regiment would go into action a third time that month, at Moncey le Preux, on 26 August, 1918. Here, Gregg distinguished himself once again. For his actions, he was awarded a second Military Cross, which would be denoted by a silver clasp to be placed on the ribbon of his medal and colloquially known as receiving a "bar" to add to his medal.

The citation for Gregg's award, published in the London Gazette in January, 1919, details his actions:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the attack on Bois de Sart on 26th August, 1918, he became detached from his company with his platoon, and being subjected to withering machine-gun fire, he led a bombing party forward and rushed two machine-gun crews, killing them. Pushing on with his platoon, he found his position isolated, so dug in, and by a personal reconnaissance connected up with the left flank, and by skilfully disposing his men enabled an enemy counter-attack to be repulsed. His courage and good leadership saved a critical situation."

Decorated again after leading a bombing party against machine-gun emplacements, Gregg received his second award of the Military Cross for gallantry. By this point in his service, Gregg had been twice wounded … and twice decorated.

The figure of the "Bomber" on the regimental silver memorial commemorating the First World War. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

After the battle that resulted in his second bravery award, Gregg enjoyed a reprieve from the front while on two weeks leave in England during which the Regiment rotated between Divisional and Brigade Reserve positions. Gregg rejoined the Regiment on September 18th, in time for a brief training period and the transfer of the unit to the Cambrai area. On the 27th of September, 1918, The RCR moved back into the front lines in preparation for the assault on the Marcoing Line.

The regimental history of The RCR sets the scene for the Canadian Corps' operations in late September, 1918:

"In the great renewal of the British offensive in late September, the task allotted to the Canadian Corps was to force the line of the Canal du Nord … and to storm the system of trenches beyond the canal, then … capturing and clearing Bourlon Wood and continuing the attack against the final objectives, … the line of bridges over the Scheldt Canal north and east of Cambrai, the high ground overlooking the canal on the right front, and the valley of the Sensee River on the left.

"To carry out this operation, described by many military historians as the most intricate manoeuvre attempted by either the Allies or the enemy in the course of the warfare on the whole Western Front, Sir Arthur Currie assigned the 1st and 4th Canadian Divisions to the actual assault upon the line of the Canal du Nord. after crossing the canal, these divisions were to carry out the attack on the German trench system beyond and capture Bourlon Wood, then swing to the north-east and close in on the centre, permitting the attached 11th British Division to extend the left and make way for the 3rd Canadian Division, which would move into position on the right. All four divisions would then push forward against the ultimate objectives. The 2nd Canadian Division would stand by meanwhile in Corps Reserve."

"[The] battalions of the 4th Division drove to within a short distance of the Marcoing Line; but on the extreme right, on the front where the 3rd Division was to enter the action, the 4th Division's attack was checked by stubborn enemy resistance in the fortified village of Fontaine-Notre Dame."

The Marcoing Line would be the first objective in this operation for The Royal Canadian Regiment as the 3rd Canadian Division continued the attack. The battlefield map showing the terrain over which The RCR would attack reveals an almost featureless expanse for 2000 yards in front of the Marcoing Line, broken only by a sunken road that crossed the terrain about the half-way point. That section of the map is so empty of detail that it was used to print map legend data in an overprinting to show the known enemy positions as of 20 August.

The location of the assault on the Marcoing Line by The RCR, for which Milton Gregg was awarded the Victoria Cross. Crest Cemetery, Fontaine-Notre Dame, is within the area traversed by The RCR (Capt FD McCrae and six other Royal Canadians who died during this operation are buried there). The operational trace as shown in the Official History is overlayed on three backgrounds as shown:

Top: Map from the Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919 (Nicholson, 1962).
Middle: Topographical map: Bourlon Wood Region, Flesquieres : Cambrai Battlefield, north, final advance 1918 (McMaster University collection).
Bottom: Google Maps image.

The War Diary of The RCR contains the list of officers who proceeded into action on 27 September, 1918. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Willetts, D.S.O., was in command. The battalion had three Captains in the organization for the attack. These were the Adjutant, the Medical Officer, and the Chaplain. All other officers with the Regiment that day were Lieutenants, commanding both companies and platoons. Lieutenant Milton F. Gregg, M.C., commanded "D" Company. His platoon officers were Lieutenants David Porter, John Stanley Millet, and Roy Duplissie. Commanding a company of infantry, Gregg was now one of the senior appointments in the battalion after less than two years of battlefield experience.

The RCR, with a strength of 23 officers and 588 other ranks, moved into their jumping off positions at Bourlon Wood during the early morning hours of September 28th, 1918. The time for the attack was set for 5:30 a.m. With three companies attacking in the first line, Gregg's "D" Company was on the left, "A" Company under Lieutenant William Poole was in the centre, and "C" Company commanded by Lieutenant William Wurtele was on the right. Following in reserve was "B" Company under Lieutenant Malcolm Isbester. Behind The RCR, in a supporting role for this stage of the attack, was the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

Not far past the edge of the wood, the tactical map of the day shows an arcing section of railway embankment. As the soldiers of The RCR crossed this feature, they would have a relatively clear view of the open and level terrain they would have to cross to get to the German trenches of the Marcoing Line. These final months of the war saw Canadians crossing fresh ground that hadn't been fought over and shelled repeatedly like the battlefields of the Somme and Ypres.

By this time in the war, the commonly envisaged lines of soldiers slowly crossing No Man's Land was no longer a standard tactic. The RCR would cross this area in platoon and section groups, using every bit of cover to protect themselves from German fire. Where necessary, groups within a company or platoon would move alternately, minimizing continuous periods of exposure to the enemy they approached.

Wurtele, who commanded "C" Company, and later rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, wrote of the attack for the regimental journal in 1979:

"By 5:30 a.m. on the 28th of September 1918 our forward companies were formed up at the forward edge of BOURLON WOOD, from right to left "D" Coy; "A" Coy and "C" Coy (which I commanded). In addition we were given 4 supporting tanks all of which seemed to fade away, presumably because of mechanical trouble, as soon as we started to move out. This was a great pity as they could have been invaluable getting through the heavy wire in front of the marching line." (Cambrai 1918, by Lieut Col W.G. Wurtele, MC)

The RCR left its jumping off trenches knowing the worst of the day's fighting was yet to come. The regimental history describes the first movements forward:

"Promptly at 5.30 a.m., the three attacking companies of the Regiment, supported by four tanks and preceded by a rolling barrage, jumped off from the edge of Bourlon Wood and headed straight for the Marcoing Line. By those who watched the attack, the panorama at this stage of the operation will long be remembered. Despite fatigue, the Regiment's battle formation was perfect and, as the companies swept down the slope beyond the wood and over a railway embankment that crossed their front, they presented, in their martial splendour, a sight which stirred the hearts and quickened the pulses of all who beheld it. Having crossed the railway embankment, the Regiment, with the four tanks chugging in its front line, quickly disposed of a number of German infantry parties, captured approximately 50 of the enemy, also two field guns, and reached a point about 200 yards from the Marcoing Line. Up to this time, enemy shells had struck the attack only at intervals and, as many German machine-gun posts had been silenced by the supporting barrage, casualties had not been severe." (Fetherstonhaugh, p. 354)

Wurtele's narrative confirms that the initial advance went well, until a rise was topped that let the men see what lay ahead:

"For the first mile or so everything went well and there was very little opposition. We appeared to be having a repetition of the AMIENS show until we reached a crest overlooking the MARCOING LINE. All hell broke loose including being faced with three fences of heavy barbed wire."

The regimental history describes the attack from this point:

"But, when the assault reached the crest of sloping ground beyond which lay the Marcoing Line, the men realized the grim nature of the task before them. Defended by great belts of wire and by many strong points, each with a garrison of trained machine-gunners and two or more guns, the German position constituted a barrier which, obviously, could be stormed only by an effort of supreme valour and determination. Almost at the moment when the companies topped the rise and saw the formidable Marcoing Line before them, the German barrage crashed along their front and the Line itself crackled with the fire of machine-guns.

"When this barrage struck on the front line and simultaneously on the areas to the rear, the character of the attack was instantly altered. Communications were promptly cut, the advance of the companies in formation was ended, and the battle developed into a struggle in which platoons and sections of the Regiment, and even smaller groups, fought for hours with the utmost determination, knowing meanwhile little of what was happening at any point on the front other than that in which they were immediately engaged. In these circumstances, no picture of the engagement can be drawn with events in their ordered sequence, nevertheless there emerges from the smoke before the Marcoing Line and the roar of battle along the front a tale which, however inadequately told, must forever add lustre to The Royal Canadian Regiment's name and reputation." (Fetherstonhaugh, p. 354-355)

Wurtele noted Gregg's actions in the battle as the Regiment closed on the German trenches:

"D" Coy under the truly masterful leadership and personal courage of Lieutenant Milton Gregg got through the wire and established a gap in the enemy line for which he richly earned the Victoria Cross. I also found a fold of the ground and led No 12 platoon through the wire, but for some unexplained reason the remaining three platoons did not follow.

"With only about 20 unwounded men available I realized that it would be foolhardy to make a frontal attack and so I decided we would endeavour to render assistance to Lieutenant Gregg by putting in a flanking attack."

German resistance to the advance of the Royal Canadians was light, until they were close enough for a final assault on the German lines. By this time the true nature of the formidable obstacles of barbed wire and the trench systems they faced became increasingly clear. It would take immense determination and courage to establish a foothold, let alone capture and clear the German positions.

Milton Gregg became the key to unlocking that challenge.

The regimental history continues:

"Faced with the great belts of enemy wire and under the pounding of the German barrage, "D" Coy., on the Regiment's right flank, was halted by Lieut. Gregg, who crawled forward alone to find how an entry into the Marcoing Line could be effected. The task appeared hopeless, but on the company's left flank, after a prolonged and dangerous search, Lieut. Gregg found a narrow gap in the wire, through which one man at a time might pass into the German position. Each man's passage, however, would depend upon his good fortune in surviving close range machine-gun fire from enemy strong points to the right and left.

"Crawling back for some distance, then dashing and dropping at intervals, Lieut. Gregg rejoined his company in front of the wire and, leaving orders for as many men as possible to follow him, set off to attempt the passage into the German position. Reaching the gap in the wire, he advanced by a series of short sprints and quick tumbles and finally dropped into the Marcoing Line, where, despite a number of losses suffered in the attempt, he was soon joined by a small group of his company.

"Leaving one man to guard his left flank, at the ungarrisoned point where his party had entered the Line, Lieut. Gregg led the remainder in a deadly attack with bombs on the first German strong point to the right. Though out-numbered, the Canadian party overcame the enemy machine-gun crews and, under the leadership of Lieut. Gregg, who set a magnificent example of valour, forced the occupants of a deep dugout beneath the strong point to surrender. The Canadians, on seeing the dugout, had realized that it probably sheltered a number of the strong point's garrison, but, to their amazement, it yielded no less than 3 officers and 45 men, whom Lieut. Gregg ordered to make their way out through the gap in the wire, beyond which they would be picked up by the main body of "D" Coy. Sullenly, the Germans started to obey, believing that the Canadians held the trench in strength, but when they climbed over the parapet and found none of the attacking troops in sight, they decided to make a dash for the next German strong point to the right. Stern measures, however, checked this move and convinced the surviving Germans that a repetition of the attempt was inadvisable, whereupon they gave themselves up to the troops who were still in front of the wire." (Fetherstonhaugh, p. 355-356)

With a foothold secured by Gregg and his men, they were reinforced by one of his platoon commanders, Lieutenant Roy Duplissie, and more men of "D" Company. Working steadily, the two young officers and their men captured one German strongpoint after another until they held half the enemy trenches across the company's frontage.

The Germans were not yet ready to give up the fight for this section of their defences. Counter-attacks by infantry and machine-gunners pressed hard on the right flank of the sector held by Gregg and his men. The arrival of one of the supporting tanks at this point offered hope that its firepower would help to ensure the Canadians would not be driven back. The tank, however, was already out of action because of wounded crewmen and it only passed through on its rearward journey.

The enemy counter-attack pressed hard, closing to grenade throwing ranges. A Lewis gun from "D" Company and a German machine gun repositioned by Lieutenant Duplessie held back the advancing Germans briefly. That act cost Duplissie his life.

The fight closed ranges until it became a war of bombs and grenades. It was the timely return to the position by Gregg, with a resupply of that essential close range weapon, that ensured the German attacks were blunted and defeated.

The regimental history describes this critical juncture:

"Meanwhile the remainder of "D" Company's storming party pushed to the right and met the German advance with a barrage of bombs. The party used up its own bombs, used all the enemy bombs it could find, and finally crushed the German attack with a supply provided in the nick of time by Lieut. Gregg. This officer, though painfully wounded, had realized that a shortage of bombs would involve the annihilation of his party, and to obtain a supply had crawled back through the gap in the wire to where the main body of "D" Coy. was stationed. He might well have ordered a subordinate to attempt this perilous mission, but characteristically, he had undertaken and accomplished the duty himself.

"Having beaten off the German attacks, the Canadian party completed the capture of the Marcoing Line on "D" Company's front and, by 12.30 p.m., had established a strong block on the right flank. Three enemy attacks were launched against this flank that afternoon, but in each instance the block held firm and the Germans were flung back with sharp losses. In offset to the casualties inflicted upon the enemy, "D" Company's storming party suffered losses which reduced it to a strength pitifully inadequate for the duties it must perform." (Fetherstonhaugh, p. 357)

The success of "D" Company on the left flank, partial though it may have been in comparison to the plan, exceeded the progress made by the other leading companies of The RCR at the belts of German wire in front of the Marcoing Line trench system. In the centre, "A" Company failed to penetrate the wire obstacles and suffered heavily under German fire.

On the right flank, "C" Company under Wurtele was held up by the wire and mauled by effective enemy fire from machine guns and artillery which thinned their ranks the whole way forward from the crest. Wurtele managed to find a way through the wire using the protection of a small fold in the ground that was not swept by their machine guns, and led a small platoon of about 20 men in a charge to the German trenches. Wurtele and his small band executed the damage their numbers and firepower allowed, and eventually linked up with Gregg's "C" Company in the Marcoing Line. Wurtele received the Military Cross for his actions commanding his company, in the Marcoing Line operation, his sergeant-major, Sergeant Neil Shaw, received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Following in reserve, the fourth company of Royal Canadians, "B" Company, joined the battle. Two of that company's platoons moved forward to support Gregg's company and the other platoon supported Wurtele. As this was happening, Lieutenant-Colonel Willets was moving his advanced headquarters forward into the sunken road about 500 metres before the German lines. From here, he would be able to monitor the progress of the battle.

The move of the advanced headquarters almost spelled disaster for The RCR. While providing cover from machine gun bullets crossing the battlefield, the sunken road did not provide complete protection from artillery fire. That road, and the protection it might possibly provide, would have been known to the Germans, and was likely targeted by their artillery for sporadic harassing fire during the assault. It was here that a German artillery shell hit the small headquarters group. The resulting explosion severely wounded Lieutenant Colonel Willets and killed the Adjutant, Captain Francis McCrae. As this happened, Major Charles Beresford Topp, an officer of the 42nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), was approaching the headquarters dugout. His intent was to seek permission to examine the ground over which his own battalion would advance after the Royal Canadians consolidated their gains.

With the Commanding Officer evacuated for medical attention and the Adjutant dead, the next most senior officers with The RCR were the battalion's doctor and chaplain, neither of whom could take command. The company commanders, all Lieutenants, were all engaged in the ongoing battle. After conferring with the Brigade Headquarters, Major Topp was instructed to take temporary command of The RCR until a replacement could be sent forward. Topp would play a pivotal role in Gregg's story on this fateful day.

Supported by Captain Claude Wood, who came up from the Regiment's transport lines, Topp commanded The Royal Canadian Regiment and maintained essential communications with higher headquarters.

Despite problems coordinating with the tanks, artillery, and machine guns during the battle, the Regiment's attack was a success. But it was a costly success over the four days the Regiment was in action. Of the 23 officers who advanced to the jumping off positions on September 27th, three were killed in action, one died of wounds, and sixteen more were wounded. The 588 soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the regiment suffered 31 killed in action, one died of wounds, 185 wounded in action, 53 missing in action, and three others wounded but remaining at duty. The total of 293 casualties was just over half of the battalion's fighting strength as it took the lead of the 3rd Division's assault.

The following day, Topp's own battalion was ordered to continue the attack. He handed over command of The RCR to Captain Wood. Then, as the only officer of his unit with knowledge of the terrain over which they would be attacking, he went off to perform the duty for which he had come forward to prepare. We know some of the details of Topp's role because of a letter he wrote in 1936 while corresponding with the Director of Historical Section for the Department of National Defence. A copy of the letter was filed with the War Diary of The Royal Canadian Regiment. After going forward with the 42nd Battalion, Topp was himself wounded and evacuated to hospital. While under treatment for wounds to his face and hand, Major Topp wrote the recommendation for the award of a Victoria Cross for Lieutenant Milton F. Gregg of The RCR.

The citation for Gregg's Victoria Cross was published in the London Gazette on 6 January, 1919.

"Lieutenant Milton Fowler Gregg, M.C., Royal Canadian Regiment:

"For most conspicuous bravery and initiative during operations near Cambrai, 27th September to 1st October, 1918.

"On 28th September, when the advance of the brigade was held up by fire from both flanks and by thick, uncut wire, he crawled forward alone and explored the wire until he found a small gap, through which he subsequently led his men, and forced an entry into the enemy trench. The enemy counter-attacked in force, and, through lack of bombs, the situation became critical. Although wounded, Lt. Gregg returned alone under terrific fire and collected a further supply. Then rejoining his party, which by this time was much reduced in numbers, and, in spite of a second wound, he reorganised his men and led them with the greatest determination against the enemy trenches, which he finally cleared. He personally killed or wounded 11 of the enemy and took 25 prisoners, in addition to 12 machine guns captured in this trench. Remaining with his company in spite of wounds, he again on the 30th September led his men in attack until severely wounded. The outstanding valour of this officer saved many casualties and enabled the advance to continue."

On 28 Sep 1918, once more in the face of stiff enemy resistance, Gregg had influenced the flow of the battle during the Regiment's attack. Ensuring the supply of grenades, leading from the front with determination, and personally capturing enemy soldiers and machine-guns, he earned his third valour award, this time it was the Empire's highest honour – the Victoria Cross. Two days later, The RCR was back in action near Tilloy, and Gregg was again wounded by enemy action.

Gregg was admitted to No. 33 Casualty Clearing Station on 30 Sep 1918 with a back wound. Evacuated from the front lines to No. 3 General Hospital at Le Treport, his wound was treated and he returned to regimental duty on 11 Oct 1918. By this time, he had been appointed to the Adjutant's position, replacing Capt McCrae who was killed in action in the shelling of the Regiment's forward headquarters on 28 September.

Wounded and evacuated for medical care, Gregg was one of the lucky survivors. Within the area that The RCR advanced over on 28 September is Crest Cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. There are 85 identified casualties of the Great War in Crest cemetery. These include three officers and four soldiers of The Royal Canadian Regiment. Both Captain McCrea and Lieutenant Duplissie are buried there.

The Marcoing Line battle was the last major action for The RCR. After a minor action in late October, the Regiment moved to the Mons sector by the 9th of November for the final advance towards Mons, Belgium. On November 11th, 1918, the Regiment's "A" Company was attached to the 42nd Canadian Battalion and Royal Canadians, led by Lieutenant William King, were the first allied troops in the city. The War Diary notes:

"Our men were in MONS. One platoon of "A" Company under Lieut. W.M. KING had been the first to reach the square in the morning and the platoon commander had inscribed his name in the "Golden Book of MONS". In the afternoon the Corps Commander made his official entry in to MONS, part of "A" Company contributed to the Guard of Honour. Battalion Headquarters moved to MONS in the evening."

Although the war was over, it would be months before The RCR began its homeward journey to Canada. In January 1919, the award of Gregg's Victoria Cross was officially published, and the following month the bar for his Military Cross was similarly recognized.

On the 19th of February, 1919, Milton Gregg and The RCR proceeded to England, the first stage of their return to Canada. At the end of that month, Gregg was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace. The following day, The London Advertiser, of London, Ontario, reported on the investiture of battlefield awards made by the King:

"Victoria Crosses Conferred by King on Canadian Men
"Dominion Investiture is Held at Buckingham Palace.

"London, Feb, 27. The King held a Dominion investiture at Buckingham Palace yesterday and conferred over 250 decorations on officers and men of the overseas forces. These included Victoria Crosses, Companionships of the Bath and of St. Michael, bars to existing decorations, Distinguished Service Orders, Royal Red Cross and Military Cross. There were many cases of multiple decorations. A military band played during the ceremony, which took place in the ballroom, where a court official read the records of the deeds for which the orders were conferred.

"Those who received the Victoria Cross included … Lieut. Milton Gregg, Royal Canadian Regiment …[who] … also received the bar to the Military Cross…"

The RCR sailed from Liverpool on the 1st of March, 1919, for Halifax, Nova Scotia. It would be another month before Gregg was discharged from the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 5 April, 1919. Demobilized, but not completely severing his connections to the military, he was transferred to the Reserve of Officers.

At right of image, Lieut. M.F. Gregg, VC, MC, Adjutant, at Liverpool docks on the Regiment's return journey from the First World War, 1 Mar 1919. The Colours, which had been at Wellington Barracks, Halifax, at the time of the Halifax Explosion (6 Dec 1917) were at some later date taken overseas. The Colours are first mentioned in the Ware Diary on 20 Jan 1919 and paraded at Bramshott on 28 Feb 1919. The third cased "Colour" in the photo would be the Banner presented to the Regiment for its role in the South African War, which was at times paraded with the Regimental and King's Colour. (The RCR Museum Collection)

A Continuing Life of Service

As a recipient of the Victoria Cross, Milton Gregg would have been hailed a hero if he had decided to return to Mountain Dale and settle into a quiet life of farming. But that was not how the story of his life played out.

Like so many young men after the Great War, Gregg also sought to return to the path of his civilian life and make up for the time he was away from friends and family. On the 25th of August, 1919, he married his first wife, Amy Dorothy Alward, at Fredericton, New Brunswick. The couple had one daughter, Eleanore.

In May of 1921, The Acadian, a newspaper of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, reported on the Eighty-Third Convocation held at Acadia University. Among the largest graduating class in the history of the college was "Milton F. Gregg, V.C., of Montreal," receiving a Master of Arts. Gregg was also the speaker for the dedication of a new Memorial Gymnasium at the university.

Unlike many wartime soldiers who returned to civilian life and never looked back at their time in uniform, Gregg returned to service with the Canadian Militia after the Great War. Re-enlisting in 1919, he was appointed to a lieutenancy with the Governor General Foot Guards, an Ottawa infantry regiment. By 1921, he had moved and was serving with No. 4 Signal Company in Montreal, Quebec, as a Provisional Captain. Between 1924 and 1928 Gregg was held on the Reserve of Officers, still on the Militia's rolls but not active with any unit.

In February, 1928, Gregg returned to service in the Militia as a captain in the New Brunswick Rangers. It was with this regiment that he was promoted to Major in 1930 after completing a certificate for Proficiency in Riding and in the same year attended the Militia Staff Course conducted by the Royal Canadian School of Infantry at Halifax, N.S. In 1931, he completed the practical portion of the course at Lennoxville, Quebec, and qualified for the substantive rank of Major.

The regiments and corps in which Milton Gregg served throughout his military career.

In the years after the Great War, Milton Gregg worked for the federal Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment Board and the Soldiers' Settlement Board before embarking on a number of business ventures. He established a distributorship of British films in Canada, promoted a mining operation, and he managed Gregg Motors, an automobile dealership in Halifax. By the early 1930s, he was working as an advertising executive for the Halifax Herald.

In February, 1933, Gregg was appointed Brigade Major of the 16th Infantry Brigade, a reserve formation headquartered at Sussex, New Brunswick. One year later, in February 1934, he was appointed the fifth Sergeant-at-Arms of the Canadian House of Commons. Moving to Ottawa for his new duties at the House of Commons, Gregg transferred his regimental affiliation in the Militia from the New Brunswick Rangers to the Governor General's Foot Guards in April, 1934. Gregg would hold the appointment of Sergeant-at-Arms until 1945, with an acting replacement filling the position when he returned to active service for the Second World War.

In 1936, Gregg returned to Europe as a member of of the organizing staff for the Vimy Pilgrimage. As the second-in-command of the Pilgrimage "A" Staff, he was responsible for movement and billeting of the pilgrims in France. By early July, Gregg and the other organizers were in France where they received the 6000 Vimy Pilgrims who sailed from Canada, plus over a thousand more that joined the Pilgrimage abroad. On the 26th of July, 1936, the Vimy Pilgrims and other spectators watched as King Edward VIII unveiled the Vimy Memorial, Canada's most impressive tribute to her fallen of the Great War.

Three years later, soon after the outbreak of the Second World War, Major Milton Gregg, VC, MC, was back in uniform and on active service. In enlisting with the Active Force, he also returned to The Royal Canadian Regiment. Joining the Regiment as it assembled at Camp Valcartier, Gregg was appointed second-in-command. He replaced Major William Home, MC, who had been performing the duties of second-in-command but had not yet been formally appointed to the position. Home was transferred to administrative duties and was afterwards promoted and appointed to command the Royal Rifles of Canada, an ill-fated unit that sailed for Hong Kong in 1941.

The RCR embarked for England at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 18th of December, 1939. Gregg was not the only First World War officer of the Regiment returning to Europe. Commanding the unit was Lieutenant-Colonel Vernon Hodson. A pre-Great War and long-serving officer of The RCR, Hodson was wounded in 1916 while in the field with the Regiment. He remained with the Regiment between the wars and was appointed to command in November, 1939.

After a few months in England, Gregg was posted to other duties on the 5th of February, 1940. Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, he took command of the West Nova Scotia Regiment (WNSR). In May, 1941, he left the "West Novies" to become the Acting Commandant of the Canadian Officer Cadet Training Unit at Bordon, England.

The regimental War Diary of the WNSR noted Gregg's farewells to the unit at Woldingham, Surrey, on 8 and 9 May 1941:

8 May 1941: "A Farewell Dinner was put on at Seldon Park Hotel tonight for Lt.-Col. M.F. Gregg, V.C., M.C. who is leaving us to take over command of O.C.T.U. Col. Gregg took over command of the W.N.S.R. in Feb. 1940. Besides being a very capable Commanding Officer, he was a father to each and every man in the Regiment. During the last year Col. Gregg's health hasn't been very good and we all hope that he gets a chance for a rest on his new appointment and that he doesn't work so hard. Every Officer, N.C.O., and man in the Regiment wish Col. Gregg every success in his new appointment, plus some well earned promotion. Major A.A. Ernst succeeds Col. Gregg as Commanding Officer of the W.N.S.R. We all wish Major Ernst every success in his new appointment and feel confident he will carry on in the footsteps of Col. Gregg as one of the best. The dinner was attended by all the Officers of the Unit and a presentation of a Silver Cigarette Box with the W.N.S.R. crest engraved was made to Col. Gregg by Major K.P. Harris, the Mess President, on behalf of the Officers of the Unit."

9 May 1941: "Lt.-Col. M.F. Gregg, V.C., M.C.. visited each Company in turn to-day to bid them fare well. A gathering of the W.O.'s and N.C.O.'s was held at Bn. H.Q. where Col. Gregg was presented with a farewell letter. Each and every man as one expressed their regret at seeing Col. Gregg Leave the unit."

Gregg was promoted to the rank of Colonel in March 1942 and returned to Canada to be the Commandant of the Officers' Training Centre at Brockville, Ontario. His final promotion to Brigadier came in February 1943, and in September of that year, he took command of the Canadian School of Infantry established at Vernon, British Columbia. Despite being on the road often for military duties, Gregg's appointment with the Vernon camp lasted until August 1944, when he was transferred to Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Milton Gregg training officers at Brockville, 1942. (The RCR Museum Collection)

On the 1st of September, 1944, at his own request, Gregg was struck off the strength of the Active Force of the Canadian Army and returned to Reserve status at the age of 52. The reason for his choice to leave the military at this time was his acceptance of the President's chair at the University of New Brunswick. The record of an interview at the time of his discharge described Gregg as:

"A quiet, modest man with personal charm and a broad outlook on life itself, Wide experience in administration, born scholar, his intellectual attainments are many. Good knowledge of the classics with an excellent working knowledge of the sciences. Considered a talented speaker.

"Lean, straight and athletic with a bearing which bespeaks the soldier; one of this country's national figures, an important man in peace and war. His wide experience, coupled with his sterling qualities as a man, indicate that he is well qualified for the appointment to the Presidency of the University."

Soon after leaving active service, Gregg was approached to accept his first Honorary military appointment. Honoraries, as they are today, were selected from deserving Canadians of high profile who could represent the interests of a unit or corps without being constrained by the military's chain of command. Effective the 1st of October 1944, Brigadier Gregg became the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the University of New Brunswick Contingent, Canadian Officer Training Corps. He would hold this appointment for 15 years.

In the latter mouths of the Second World War, The RCR crossed paths with Gregg's earlier regimental service in the Great War. His service in France was noted in the Regiment's War Diary:

"15 MARCH 1945
"Place: Staging Area MR N8487 Sheet 53 1/200,000

"At 0730 hrs the bn was again on the move and the last staging area in France, north-east of Cambrai, MR N8487, Sheet 53, 1/200,000, was reached by 1630 hrs. Orders received by Lt-Col REID previously showed Cambrai to be the final halt. However on arrival it was disclosed that one more day was to be spent by the bn on the road. The bn bedded down for the night in tents.

"This day was of particular interest to those members of the battalion acquainted with Regimental history. From Noyon through Ham to St. Quentin the convoy passed along the very axis of the famous Retreat from Mons, which the "Contemptible Little Army" of 1914 trudged along, with the Kaiser's hordes surging on behind it. Upon entering the Cambrai area in which the Regiment staged over-night, familiar names were seen on the various sign posts. One directional arrow pointed to Marcoing 3 km. Here it was, near Bourlon Wood, during the breaking of the Marcoing line, that Lieut M.F. GREGG, MC, of R.C.R., won the coveted Victoria Cross in Sept 1918. The staging area, just north-east of Cambrai, was in gently rolling farmland, and it was hard to realize that during the first Great War this very land was the No-Man's-Land over which the tide of battle swayed back and forth for four grim years. No scars remain, only the occasional Boche concrete pillbox, overgrown by nature, and the occasional monument or Imperial War Graves Commission cemetery reminded one that great battles had taken place here. There was absolutely no evidence that the Allied Armies of this war had swept through only a few brief months before.

"With the battalion on this trip through such historic country was Capt J.M. GREGG, nephew of the Marcoing Line V.C. winner.

"Weather,- Bright and mild."

In early January, 1946, Gregg was appointed to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the grade of Commander, receiving the decoration known colloquially by its post-nominal initials, "C.B.E." A congratulatory letter sent by the Adjutant General, Major-General E.G. Weeks, to Dorothy Gregg noted that the award was "in recognition of extremely valuable services whilst serving with the Canadian Army."

Gregg's officer's service dress jacket. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

Later that year, in November 1946, Gregg came out of his self-imposed military retirement. He transferred from the Supplementary Reserve to command the 14th Infantry Brigade.

Milton Gregg held the appointment of President of the University of New Brunswick until he was elected a Member of Parliament on the 20th of October, 1947. He won his riding in a by-election following the death of Francis Bridges. Elected as a Liberal party member representing the York-Sunbury riding of New Brunswick, Gregg won his riding in two subsequent federal elections in 1949 and 1953. He was defeated by a Conservative opponent in 1957 after nearly a decade in Parliament.

During his ten years in parliament, Gregg held three Cabinet appointments. He was briefly the Minister of Fisheries from September 1947 until January 1948. Following this he was appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs from January 1948 to August 1950. Gregg's third Cabinet position was as Minister of Labour from August 1950 until he left Parliament in June 1957.

Gregg remained connected to the regiments he served with throughout his later life. In December, 1949, he was appointed the Honorary Colonel of the West Nova Scotia Regiment. With extensions, he held this post for a full decade.

The Canadian Armed Forces webpage introducing the role of honorary appointments quotes Sir Robert Borden who described them as:

"… of greatest advantage to the Militia to be able to enlist the interest and sympathy of gentleman of position and wealth by connecting them to Regiments."

In its support of the role of Honoraries, the webpage continues:

"The Honorary is seen to be the guardian of Regimental traditions and history, promoting the regiment's identity and ethos and being an advisor to the Commanding Officer on virtually all issues excluding operations."

Brig The Hon Milton Gregg, VC, MC, accompanied by LCol Peter Bingham, reviews the troops of the 1st Battalion, The RCR, at Parliament Hill on the unit's return from Korea. (The RCR Museum Collection)

In January 1952, Gregg was also appointed Honorary Colonel of The Royal Canadian Regiment, and filled that role until January 1958. With the appointment of his successor, General Charles Foulkes, the appointment in The Royal Canadian Regiment was re-titled "Colonel of the Regiment."

Milton Gregg's service to Canada did not end with his defeat in the 1957 federal election. Moving into diplomatic roles, he was the Resident Representative of the United Nations in Iraq from 1958 until 1960. He did not complete the full term of this appointment in Iraq and he and his wife were in London, Ontario, by the fall of 1959.

That year saw the opening of a new men's residence at the University of Western Ontario, now named Western University. Milton Gregg joined the University as an Honorary Residence Fellow and was appointed the first Warden of the men's residence, Medway Hall.

It is possible that the reason behind the Greggs' return to Canada was to access medical care for Dorothy Gregg. Sadly, she died of a lingering illness on December 2nd, 1959. She is buried in Woodland Cemetery in London, in a plot across a path from the Veterans' graves in the cemetery. Originally planned for Milton to lay next to her after his own death, foot stones on the double plot show both of their names although only Dorothy is buried there.

In 1960, Gregg handed over his responsibilities for Medway Hall and returned to overseas service with the United Nations as the Representative of UNICEF in Indonesia. He held this post from 1960 until 1963.

Back in Canada after his UN service in Indonesia, Gregg remarried on July 22nd, 1964. His new bride, a widow herself, was Erica Louise (nee Matthiesen) Deichmann. The couple were wed in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Erica was the widow of Kjeld Deichmann with whom she had operated the New Brunswick pottery studio, Dykelands, from 1935 until Kjeld's death in 1963. The Diechmanns were pioneers in the evolution of Canadian ceramics as works of artistic expression available to everyone.

In 1964, Gregg returned to overseas service as the Representative of Canada in British Guiana. With that nation's independence in 1966, his appointment changed to the Canadian High Commissioner in independent Guyana, a post he held until 1968.

After returning from Guyana, Gregg became the first president of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation. Established in 1968 and now known as "Cooperation Canada," the organization's website describes its purpose as "to end global poverty and to promote social justice and human dignity for all."

In December, 1967, while still serving abroad, Milton Gregg was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Canada as a nation. He received the honour on 26 April 1968. The citation succinctly states: "For his services to Canada as a soldier, and public servant."

Gregg and an unidentified compatriot of the Great War at a memorial service, 1968 or later. (The RCR Museum Collection)

"Brig. Gregg and Mr. Cote, Deputy Minister of Veteran's Affairs return to M. Deher the Burgomaster of Ypres a register of the parochial archives of St. Peter's Church. Brig Gregg, VC and JE Kelly, MM (Not shown), who won their awards during the same action represented the Regiment at the 50th Anniversary Ceremonies of WWI Armistice in Europe. (Evans Photo)" — Photo reproduced from original in The RCR Museum Collection, original caption from a clipped (source unattributed) published version. (The RCR Museum Collection)

In early 1978, The RCR commissioned Nova Scotian portrait sculptor Allison McNeil to create a bust of Brigadier Gregg. The bust was unveiled at the Regiment's 95th anniversary ceremony on Dominion Day (renamed Canada Day in 1982) during a regimental reunion at Wolseley Barracks. In a letter to Pro Patria (Issue 37, Aug 1978) after the event, Staff Sergeant Gil Fairchild noted:

"One of the most impressive ceremonies during the Reunion was the Regimental Hour held on Sat AM in the Royal School Building when Col Hayter introduced the four battalion Commanding Officers who presented the State of The Regiment. Also when during this hour Mrs. Milton Gregg unveiled the cabinet containing the bust of General (sic) Gregg."

Sadly, Milton Fowler Gregg did not see the presentation of his bust to the Regiment, he died at Fredericton, N.B., on 13 Mar 1978. He is buried at Snider Mountain, King's Co., New Brunswick.

Bronze bust of Milton Gregg by sculptor Allison McNeil (1978). (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

For many years, the bronze bust resided in the care of the 2nd Battalion at St. Andrew's Barracks Officer's Mess at CFB Gagetown. It is now on display in London at The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum.

After Gregg's death, Erica Gregg made arrangements for the donation of his medals to The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum, London, Ontario. Not long after their arrival at the Museum, in the days before Christmas of 1979, Gregg's Victoria Cross medal group and accompanying orders were stolen from the Museum. No other items were taken. The medals have never been recovered.

Gregg's reconstituted medal group. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

In 1987, Erica was also named to the Order of Canada for her ceramics work and her volunteer work with historical and conservation agencies. Erica Gregg died in 2007 in Hampton, New Brunswick.

Milton Gregg's Legacy

Gregg's legacy has been maintained in The Royal Canadian Regiment by the institution of awards that commemorate his service and contributions.

The Brigadier Milton F. Gregg, VC, Award is presented to select members of The RCR regimental family to "acknowledge and record the Regiment's appreciation for substantial and continuous contributions by individuals that have enhanced the reputation or well-being of The Royal Canadian Regiment." It was been awarded nine times.

The Mons Box is an award presented in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. Presented to the battalion by Gregg in 1973, it is annually awarded to the platoon commander who has "demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership and therefore most fit to command soldiers." The Mons Box has been presented to a Lieutenant or Captain in the battalion each year since 1973.

Gregg's legacy continues in both military and academic worlds. The buildings housing the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment are named for him – Gregg Barracks, at the 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown in New Brunswick. Also, there is the Milton F. Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick.

A True Canadian Hero

For many soldiers, the actions that result in the award of a significant valour medal are a singular day in the course of what might be an otherwise ordinary life. For a select few, like Gregg, it can be one highlight of many in a long life of service to country and fellow Canadians. From teacher and Cadet Instructor, to soldier and officer on the battlefield, to rising in rank and training new officers to follow in his footsteps, to serving the nation as a Member of Parliament and in a variety of diplomatic appointments, Milton Gregg set an example throughout his life for all Canadians. It is easy to focus an examination of Gregg's life on his courage and leadership in battle as a young officer of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, but this is only one area of his life worthy of study and recognition.

After Gregg's death, a tribute by the Minister of National Defence, Barney Danson, began with the line:

"The most unlikely hero one could imagine."

Danson closed that tribute with the following words:

"Milton Gregg was a contemporary man regardless of his age or the times. His mind and heart were uncluttered by prejudice, pettiness or convention. His immense dignity evoked dignity in the conduct of others. His gentleness evoked sensitivity. His courage instilled determination. Here was a man who personified the appellation — "a true Canadian gentleman." His life enriched the high and the mighty, the disadvantaged and the humble. He was amongst the great but never lost his humility.

"Milton Gregg was a great Canadian. A great human being. The greatest I have ever known. He made us bigger men and women than we would have been without him."

Milton Fowler Gregg. Victoria Cross recipient and a "Royal Canadian." A true Canadian hero.

The replica Victoria Cross which is part of Gregg's reconstituted medal group on display at The RCR Museum. (The RCR Museum Collection, photo by M. O'Leary)

Pro Patria

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