Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. ...

Milton Fowler Gregg, (10 April 1892 – 13 March 1978) was a Canadian military officer and a

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces. In later life, he was a Member of the Canadian Parliament,

cabinet minister A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘ prime minister� ...

, academic, soldier and diplomat.

Early life

Gregg was born in 1892 in Mountain Dale,

Kings County, New Brunswick Kings County (2016 population 68,941) is located in southern New Brunswick, Canada. Its historical shire town is Hampton. Both the Saint John and Kennebecasis rivers pass through the county. Approximately half of the Kings County populatio ...

, the son of Elizabeth Celia (Myles) and George Lord Gregg. During the early stages of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

he enlisted in the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...

with

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada , colors = , march = Quick: " Hielan' Laddie"Slow: "The Red Hackle" , mascot = , battles = Second Boer WarFirst World WarSecond World War War in Afg ...

in September 1914 while still studying at

Acadia University Acadia University is a public, predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level. The enabling legislation consists of the Acadi ...

. He graduated with a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

in 1916.

Victoria Cross

At the age of eighteen Gregg joined the 8th New Brunswick Hussars militia regiment. Gregg served during the First World War as a sergeant in the medical corps and later as an officer of

The Royal Canadian Regiment , colors = , identification_symbol_2 = Maple Leaf (2nd Bn pipes and drums) , identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan , identification_symbol_4 = The RCR , identification_symbol_4_label = Abbreviation , mar ...

. During combat on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers * Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a maj ...

in 1917, his actions earned him the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

and in 1918 further valour added a bar to the Cross. Near

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the ...

Nord Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to: Acronyms * National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization * New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Film and televisi ...

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 ...

on 28 September 1918 his actions during the

Battle of the Canal du Nord The Battle of Canal du Nord was part of the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War by the Allies against German positions on the Western Front. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete portion ...

earned him the

. The citation for Gregg's Victoria Cross reads:

Victoria Cross stolen

On the evening of 24 December 1978, Gregg's medal set was stolen from the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum in

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximat ...

. The medal set which had been placed on permanent loan to the museum by his widow Erica Deichmann Gregg included the Victoria Cross, the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...

in the grade of Officer and the

with one

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar ( ...

Later career

From 1934 until 1939, Gregg was the

Sergeant at Arms Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other un ...

of the House of Commons. Following the outbreak of the

Second World War 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 opposi ...

in September 1939, Gregg served overseas for two years with the

West Nova Scotia Regiment The West Nova Scotia Regiment is a line infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, part of the Primary Reserve, and is part of the 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment recruits volunteers from the South-Western part of th ...

and then commanded officer training centres at various military facilities in Canada and retired with the rank of

brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. ...

in 1943. In 1944, Gregg was appointed the commanding officers of CANLOAN officers at

Sussex Military Camp The Sussex Military Camp, frequently shortened to Camp Sussex, was a training facility for the Permanent Active Militia and Non-Permanent Active Militia, later known as the Canadian Army. It was located on the southeastern edge of the town of S ...

prior to their deployment to the British Army. He was later named the first honorary president of the CANLOAN Army Officers' Association, a veterans association of CANLOAN officers. In 1944, Gregg was appointed President of the

University of New Brunswick The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is a public university with two primary campuses in Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick. It is the oldest English-language university in Canada, and among the oldest public universities in North Amer ...

, serving in that position until 1947 when he was elected to

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

as Liberal member for the York-Sunbury riding. Gregg served in the cabinets of

Prime Ministers A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is no ...

William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A L ...

and Louis St. Laurent for almost 10 years as the Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and

Minister of Labour Minister of Labour (in British English) or Labor (in American English) is typically a cabinet-level position with portfolio responsibility for setting national labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, traini ...

. Defeated in the 1957 election, Gregg went on to become the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...

representative in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, the

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to c ...

administrator in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

, and the Canadian High Commissioner in Georgetown,

British Guiana British Guiana was a British colony, part of the mainland British West Indies, which resides on the northern coast of South America. Since 1966 it has been known as the independent nation of Guyana. The first European to encounter Guiana was ...

. He retired in 1968. He died on 13 March 1978 and is buried at Snider Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery in Snider Mountain, New Brunswick.

Honours

{{center,

Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon

UK King George V Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

UK King George VI Coronation Medal ribbon

UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

Commissionaire Long Service Medal Ribbon

{, class="wikitable" , - style="background: DarkGreen ;color:White" align="center" , Ribbon , , Description , , Notes , - , UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar

, ,

(VC) , , * 6 January 1919 , - , CAN Order of Canada Officer ribbon

, ,

(OC) , , * Officer * 22 December 1967 * Invested 26 April 1968 * * , - , Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon

, ,

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 ...

(CBE) , , * Commander * Military Division , - , Military cross w bar BAR

, ,

(MC) , , * With 1 Bar , - , Ribbon - 1914 Star

, ,

1914–15 Star The 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The me ...

, , , - , British War Medal BAR

, ,

British War Medal The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in ...

, , , - , Interallied Victory Medal ribbon

, ,

WWI Victory Medal The World War I Victory Medal (known prior to establishment of the World War II Victory Medal in 1945 simply as the Victory Medal) was a United States service medal designed by James Earle Fraser of New York City under the direction of the Com ...

, , , - , Defence Medal BAR

, , Defence Medal , , , - ,

, ,

Canadian Volunteer Service Medal The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal is granted to persons of any rank in the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Canada who voluntarily served on Active Service from September 3, 1939, to March 1, 1947. The medal was established on October 22, 1943 ...

, , * With Overseas Clasp , - , Ribbon - War Medal

, ,

War Medal A war medal is a military decoration awarded in time of war, as opposed to a service medal. It may refer to, for example: *War Medal (Norway) *Campaign medal * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal *British War Medal, British Empire medal for servi ...

, , , - , UK King George V Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

, ,

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver J ...

, , * 6 May 1935 , - , UK King George VI Coronation Medal ribbon

, ,

King George VI Coronation Medal The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir of King George VI's coronation. It was awarded to th ...

, , * 12 May 1937 , - , UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon

, ,

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du couronnement de la Reine Élizabeth II) is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded ...

, , * 2 June 1953 , - , CAN Canadian Centennial Medal ribbon

, ,

Canadian Centennial Medal The Canadian Centennial Medal (french: Médaille du centenaire du Canada) is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were ...

, , * 1 July 1967 , - , UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

, ,

Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du jubilé d'argent de la reine Elizabeth II) is a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The medal is p ...

, , * 6 February 1977 * Both British and Canadian Versions , - , Ribbon - Volunteer Long Service Medal

, ,

Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks and some officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1896, the grant of the medal was extended to other ranks and officers who had ser ...

, , , - , Efficiency Decoration (NZ) ribbon

, ,

Canadian Efficiency Decoration The Canadian Efficiency Decoration (ED) was a Canadian military award given to officers of the Non-Permanent Active Militia, RCAF Auxiliary and Reserve who completed twenty years of meritorious military service. Similar Efficiency Decorations wer ...

(ED) , , , - , CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon

, ,

Canadian Forces Decoration The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to t ...

(CD) , , , - , Commissionaire Long Service Medal Ribbon

, ,

Commissionaires Long Service Medal The Commissionaires Long Service Medal is a Canadian service medal for members of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires. The medal honours 12 years of exemplary service by members of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires. A Clasp is awarded ...

, , * Gregg was sworn into the

King's Privy Council for Canada The 's Privy Council for Canada (french: Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada),) during the reign of a queen. sometimes called Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council (PC), is the full group of personal consultants to the ...

on 2 September 1947 by the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm ...

FM Rt Hon Lord Alexander of Tunis on the advice of

Canadian Prime Minister The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as such ...

Rt Hon William Lyon Mackenzie King. This gave him the Honorific Title "

The Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' ( American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certa ...

" and the

Post Nominal Letters Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...

"PC" for Life.

Scholastic

;Honorary degrees {, class="wikitable" style="width:100%;" ! style="width:20%;", Location ! style="width:20%;", Date ! style="width:40%;", School ! style="width:20%;", Degree ! style="width:20%;", Gave Commencement Address , - , {{Flagu, Nova Scotia , , 1921 , ,

, , , , , - , {{Flagu, British Columbia , , 26 October 1951 , ,

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thr ...

, ,

Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...

(LL.D) , , Yes , - , {{Flagu, Ontario , , 20 May 1977 , ,

Royal Military College of Canada '') , established = 1876 , type = Military academy , chancellor = Anita Anand ('' la, ex officio, label=none'' as Defence Minister) , principal = Harry Kowal , head_label ...

, , Doctor of Military Science (D.Sc.Mil){{Cite web, url=https://www.rmcc-cmrc.ca/en/royal-military-college-canada-honorary-degree-recipients, title=Royal Military College of Canada Honorary Degree Recipients, date=19 July 2016 , , Yes {{Expand list, date=September 2021

Legacy

After his death, the Milton Fowler Gregg VC Memorial Trust Fund Bursary was created in his name. It is offered annually to students entering the

Division of Graduate Studies and Research. The Mons Box Trophy was created by then Brigadier, The Honourable Milton F. Gregg, VC, CBE, OC, MC, ED, CD. It is awarded to the platoon commander who has exhibited the highest qualities of leadership and who is therefore, the junior officer most fit to command the men who have been placed in his charge. The Mons Box, a ceremonial cigar box, was presented to then Lieutenant Gregg by the Burgomaster of Mons, Belgium in November 1918. In addition, all members of the Canadian Corps who had reached the Mons area by Armistice Day were presented with a souvenir medallion of the City of Mons. Duplicates of this medallion are affixed to the box. Brigadier Gregg presented the Mons Box to 2 RCR on 1 June 1973. It has been presented annually since then to the winning platoon commander on the first appropriate battalion function after 1 June. The winner of the Mons Box is determined by a selection committee consisting of the Commanding Officer, the Adjutant, Company Commanders and any previous winners of the Mons Box serving in 2 RCR. These previous winners are no longer eligible to compete. All Subalterns, who have spent at least eight consecutive months of the previous year as a platoon commander, are eligible for the award. The Mons Box is displayed in the silver cabinet of the Saint Andrew's Barracks Officers' Mess in

CFB Gagetown 5th Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown, formerly known as and commonly referred to as CFB Gagetown, is a large Canadian Forces Base covering an area over , located in southwestern New Brunswick. Construction of the base At the ...

. It is placed in front of the current winner during all Mess Dinners and it contains the after dinner cigars. Each winner of the Mons Box receives a souvenir trophy. The Brigadier Milton F. Gregg, VC, Centre for the Study of War and Society was created at the

in 2006 to further Canadians' knowledge about conflict, and is devoted to excellence in the study of war as a complex social phenomenon.

Marc Milner Joseph Marc Milner, (born 12 April 1954) is a Canadian military and naval historian, author of several books including one novel. He is Director of the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick. Early life an ...

is the first Director. The centre incorporates the UNB History and UNB Military and Strategic Studies Programs.

Electoral history

{{Canadian federal election, 1957/Fredericton {{Canadian federal election, 1953/Fredericton {{Canadian federal election, 1949/Fredericton {{CanElec4-by, 1947, On the death of Francis Bridges {{CANelec, CA, Liberal, Milton Fowler Gregg, 12,237, 51.27, +3.05 {{CANelec, CA, PC, Ernest William Sansom, 8,119, 34.01, -10.31 {{CANelec, CA, CCF, Murray Young, 3,514, 14.72, +7.27 {{Canadian election result/total, Total valid votes, 23,870, 100.00 {{end

References

{{Reflist

External links

Canadian Encyclopedia – Milton Fowler

Milton Fowler Gregg's digitized service file

– ttp://regimentalrogue.com/rcr_great_war_officers/rcr_offr_gregg_mf.html Lieut. Milton Fowler Gregg, V.C., M.C.
Trust Fund Bursary
* {{OCC, 2012 * {{Canadian Parliament links, ID=1629
Legion Magazine Article of Milton Gregg

The Brigadier Milton F. Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society

The Royal Canadian Regiment

Milton Fowler Gregg biography
on DND's Directorate of History and Heritage

{{Presidents of the University of New Brunswick {{CA-Ministers of Fisheries {{CA-Ministers of Veterans Affairs {{CA-Ministers of Labour {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Gregg, Milton Fowler 1892 births 1978 deaths Acadia University alumni Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian Baptists Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Members of the House of Commons of Canada from New Brunswick Liberal Party of Canada MPs Officers of the Order of Canada People from Kings County, New Brunswick Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Canadian university and college chancellors Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Canadian recipients of the Military Cross High Commissioners of Canada to Guyana UNICEF people Canadian military personnel from New Brunswick Canadian officials of the United Nations Sergeants-at-Arms of the Canadian House of Commons 20th-century Baptists Canadian Army personnel of World War II The Royal Canadian Regiment officers