Major-General Hardy Nelson Ganong

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, VD, ED (April 18, 1890 - February 24, 1963) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

sportsman and a military commander who served in both

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and II.

Early life

The son of Edward Morrison Ganong and Margaret A. Lunn, Hardy Ganong was born and educated in

St. Stephen, New Brunswick St. Stephen (2016 population: 4,415) is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River around the intersection of New Brunswick Route 170 and the southern terminus of New Brunswick Route ...

. He was a cousin to the family that founded

Ganong Bros. Ganong Bros., Limited is Canada's oldest candy company. It was founded by James and Gilbert Ganong in 1873 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, where it remains. Primarily a producer of boxed chocolates and the first to introduce heart-shaped boxes, ...

chocolate Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...

makers and after completing his schooling went to work in this business.

World War I

In 1909, Hardy Ganong joined the Canadian Militia, then following the outbreak of

enlisted in the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

. He was sent overseas as part of the

where he served on the battlefields of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

as a member of the

5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles The 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles were a mounted infantry unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during World War I. The unit was raised from volunteers of the 7th and XIth (Canadian) Hussars from the Eastern Townships of Queb ...

. He was wounded in February 1917, suffering a gunshot wound to the left shoulder during a routine period with his unit in the trenches. He was discharged from hospital and was subsequently returned to duty in November 1917. Demobilized in 1919, he returned home where, in 1920, he married schoolteacher Mildred Viola Thomas of

Calais, Maine Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 3,079, making Calais the third least-populous city in Maine (after Hallowell and Eastport). The city has three Canada–US border cro ...

with whom he had three children.

World War II

During peacetime, Ganong remained as a member of the militia, and, by the time

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

broke out, he had risen to the rank of

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

. Made commander of the

Carleton and York Regiment The Carleton and York Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). In 1954, the regiment was amalgamated with The New Brunswick Scottish and The North Shore (New Brunswick) ...

, he led the regiment as the first Canadian military unit to ship to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

for battle duty. In March 1941, Ganong took command of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade and in July 1942 was promoted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

. Sent back to Canada on the advice of Bernard Montgomery, he was appointed

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

to organize and command the

8th Canadian Infantry Division The 8th Canadian Infantry Division was a military formation of the Canadian Army that served within Pacific Command in Western Canada during World War II. The Division units were raised on 18 March 1942 and the HQ was raised on 12 May 1942 at Pri ...

of the Home Service Divisions. Stationed for a time at

Prince George, British Columbia Prince George is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, with a population of 74,004 in the metropolitan area. It is often called the province's "northern capital" or sometimes the "spruce capital" because it is the hub city for ...

, in October 1943 he was placed in command of the

6th Canadian Infantry Division The 6th Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army, formed in 1942 during the Second World War. It was attached to Pacific Command. The division had a brigade sent to the Aleutian Islands Campaign, particularly at ...

headquartered on

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

, where he was in charge of preparations for participation in the

invasion of Japan Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of the Japanese home islands near the end of World War II. The planned operation was canceled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ...

. Ganong was awarded the

Efficiency Decoration The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twe ...

for his years of voluntary military service and in January 1944 was appointed a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

. In December of that year, with Canadian participation in the invasion of Japan cancelled and a Pacific coastal defence no longer deemed necessary, he was assigned to command the Allied troops in

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

, where he remained until his retirement in 1945. His son, Russell Edward Ganong, also served during the war with his father's old

. He was killed during the Italian campaign on March 18, 1944. He was survived by his wife, Mary Mackenzie, and an infant son, Hardy MacKenzie Ganong, born September 29, 1943.http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem/Detail&casualty=2204396

Later life

Out of the army, Ganong served as honorary aide-de-camp to Governor Generals the

Earl of Athlone The title of Earl of Athlone has been created three times. History It was created first in the Peerage of Ireland in 1692 by William III of England, King William III for General Godard van Reede, 1st Earl of Athlone, Baron van Reede, Lord of ...

Vincent Massey Charles Vincent Massey (February 20, 1887December 30, 1967) was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Confederation. Massey was the first governor general of Canada who was born in Canada after ...

and

Georges Vanier Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position. Vanier was born and ...

. From 1955 to 1962 he was the full-time

civil defence Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mit ...

co-coordinator with responsibility for the organizing and training of all civil defence forces for the Province of New Brunswick.

Politics

A St. Stephen

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

or for two years, Ganong was the

Progressive Conservative Party of Canada The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC; french: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) was a centre-right federal political party in Canada that existed from 1942 to 2003. From Canadian Confederation in 1867 until 1942, the ...

candidate in the

1949 Canadian federal election The 1949 Canadian federal election was held June 27, 1949 to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 21st Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Canada was re-elected with its fourth consecutive government, winning 191 seats ( ...

for the riding of

New Brunswick Southwest New Brunswick Southwest (french: Nouveau-Brunswick-Sud-Ouest; formerly known as Charlotte and St. Croix—Belleisle) is a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 20 ...

. Of the 12,336 ballots cast, he lost by 58 votes to the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

incumbent,

A. Wesley Stuart Andrew Wesley Stuart (February 11, 1902 – November 29, 1984) was a Canadian commercial fisherman and politician from the Province of New Brunswick. Known by Wes, he was born at Deer Island, New Brunswick, the son of Andrew Holmes Stuart and ...

. He ran unsuccessfully against Stuart a second time in 1953.

Sporting and business interests

Ganong was also an active member of the executive committee of the New Brunswick Boy Scouts Association and served as the provincial movement's president. Among his other activities, he was vice-president of the N.B. Division, Canadian Red Cross, president, N.B. Boy Scouts Association, director, Charlotte County

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

Board member A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organi ...

, Connors Bros. Ltd., and president of the New Brunswick Fish and Game Protective Association. An avid curler, Ganong was president of the St. Stephen Curling Club for thirty-five years and president of the New Brunswick branch of the Royal Canadian Caledonia Curling Club. He was also voted president of the New Brunswick Curling Association for 1935–1936 term, and made its honorary president from 1941 to 1945. As a player, Ganong was 2nd stone on the St. Stephen team that won the 1930 Ganong Cup, a trophy donated by cousin Arthur Ganong given annually to the winner of the provincial curling championship. His team's win earned them the right to compete for the national title in the

1930 Macdonald Brier The 1930 Macdonald Brier, the Canadian men's national curling championship, was held from February 25 to 28, 1930 at the Granite Club in Toronto, Ontario. Alberta and Manitoba both finished round robin play with 7-2 records necessitating a tiebr ...

. As much as he was enthusiastic about the sport of curling, Ganong was equally as passionate about

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...

. St. Stephen had a racetrack and he wrote a column on the sport for the local ''

Saint Croix Courier The ''Saint Croix Courier'' is a weekly newspaper published Tuesdays by the St. Croix Printing & Publishing Company, Limited in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. It was founded by David Main in October 1865. On the St. Croix River, the newspap ...

'' weekly

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

. He was also a racing judge at meets throughout New Brunswick and

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

and for two seasons was a judge at Exhibition Park Raceway in

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of Ki ...

Death

Ganong and his wife died in February 1963 as a result of an auto accident during a winter snow storm on Route 1 in

Charlotte County, New Brunswick Charlotte County (2016 population 25,428) is the southwest-most List of counties of New Brunswick, county of New Brunswick, Canada. It was formed in 1784 when New Brunswick was partitioned from Nova Scotia. Once a layer of local government, th ...

while returning home from the city of Saint John. They are buried at the St. Stephen Rural Cemetery.

References

Sources

New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame - 1930 curling champions
* ''

'' obituary for Hardy Ganong, February, 1963 * ''

Telegraph-Journal The ''Telegraph-Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It serves as both a provincial daily and as a local newspaper for Saint John. The newspaper is published by Brunswick News. The ''Telegraph-Journal'' i ...

'' obituary for Hardy Ganong, February 25, 1963 * Folster, David. ''The Chocolate Ganongs of St. Stephen, New Brunswick'' (1991)

Goose Lane Editions Goose Lane Editions is a Canadian book publishing company founded in 1954 in Fredericton, New Brunswick as Fiddlehead Poetry Books by Fred Cogswell and a group of students and faculty from the University of New Brunswick associated with ''The Fid ...

* Craigs, Melodie. ''Ganong, The Candy Family'' (1984) Literacy Council of Fredericton *
Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ganong, Hardy N. 1890 births 1963 deaths Canadian generals Road incident deaths in Canada Canadian military personnel from New Brunswick Canadian Expeditionary Force officers New Brunswick candidates for Member of Parliament Curlers from New Brunswick Canadian male curlers People from St. Stephen, New Brunswick

Hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...

Accidental deaths in New Brunswick Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Canadian Army generals of World War II Canadian Militia officers Carleton and York Regiment Burials in Canada