William Charles Gordon Armstrong, was one of the "best known pioneers" in the early history of

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

, Alberta, Canada."Calgary Old-Timer Celebrates Birthday", ''The Calgary Herald'', Tuesday, November 2, 1948 Armstrong was a successful and influential real estate magnate, municipal politician, and military officer. Bercuson, David J. "Treasuring the Tradition: The Story of the Military Museums". Published by The Military Museums Foundation, 2020. Accessed online at https://prism.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/handle/1880/111578/9781773850597_web.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y He is chiefly remembered for organizing Calgary's first military unit, the Canadian Mounted Rifles, as well as organizing and commanding Calgary's first official infantry unit, the

103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles) The 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles) was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Non-Permanent Active Militia, authorized at Calgary, Alberta, Canada, by General Order on 1 April 1910. History The 103rd Regiment was raised in Calgary as a militia ...

Early life

Armstrong apprenticed as a tea-tester before coming to Canada in 1892 due to health reasons. Armstrong settled in

and worked as a surveyor and in real estate. Armstrong had a wife, Evelyn Eddy, and a son William Frances Armstrong. Among the other real estate deals he made, he built the Armstrong Block, one of Calgary's earliest commercial buildings, which was later demolished to make way for the

Glenbow Museum The Glenbow Museum is an art and history regional museum in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The museum focuses on Western Canadian history and culture, including Indigenous perspectives. The Glenbow was established as a private non-profi ...

City Alderman

Armstrong served on city council from 1902 to 1904. As a member of city council he helped create Calgary's early street numbering system and electrical lighting grid.

Military

Armstrong joined the Canadian Mounted Rifles in 1903, in particular organizing "G" Squadron in Calgary. He later served as quartermaster of the

15th Light Horse 15 (fifteen) is the natural number following 14 and preceding 16. Mathematics 15 is: * A composite number, and the sixth semiprime; its proper divisors being , and . * A deficient number, a smooth number, a lucky number, a pernicious nu ...

and while serving with them petitioned the government for permission to create an infantry regiment. In 1910 permission was granted and Armstrong was made lieutenant-colonel in command of the

. The 103rd remained Calgary's only infantry regiment until 1920 when it was reorganized as

The Calgary Regiment The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC), (''The King's Own'' or ''The KOCR''), is a Canadian Army armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve. Headquartered at the Mewata Armoury in Calgary, Alberta, the KOCR is a ...

. The 103rd Regiment, Calgary Rifles was reorganized in 1920 as part of the Otter Commission's report, and the 103rd is today perpetuated by both

The King's Own Calgary Regiment The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC), (''The King's Own'' or ''The KOCR''), is a Canadian Army armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve. Headquartered at the Mewata Armoury in Calgary, Alberta, the KOCR is a ...

and

The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The regiment is a part-time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, itself part of 3 ...

. Armstrong and his officers of the 103rd helped organize recruits for the

10th Battalion, CEF The 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), specifically in the 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to 1919. The battalion participated in every major Canadian battle of the ...

. Armstrong also personally raised the 56th Battalion (Calgary), CEF and served as its commanding officer, taking it overseas in March 1915. The battalion was broken up for reinforcements when the CEF's reinforcement system was reorganized, and Armstrong returned home from the United Kingdom in mid 1918.

Sport shooting

Armstrong was heavily involved in Calgary's sport-shooting community and under his leadership the 103rd gained a reputation as "probably the best shooting regiment in the whole Dominion." In 1933 Armstrong was given an illuminated address in gratitude for his eleven years of "conscientious service" as honorary secretary of the Alberta Provincial Rifle Association. The address read in part "Colonel Armstrong has added long years of voluntary and devoted service to the cause of marksmanship, both as a sport and as a military exercise." At the presentation Armstrong was praised by

George Pearkes Major-general#Canada, Major-General George Randolph Pearkes, (February 28, 1888 – May 30, 1984) was a Canadian politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded ...

, VC, who declared him a "worthy example to the men who were to follow in his footsteps."

Death

Armstrong died on 6 February 1951.

Legacy

After his retirement from the military, Armstrong continued to award the 103rd Regiment Shield to the top cadet corps in Calgary."Awarded 103rd Regiment Shield for Best Corps", ''Calgary Herald'', 29 Jun 1929

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armstrong, William Charles Gordon People from Sleaford, Lincolnshire 1865 births 1951 deaths