Canadian Military History

Volume 22 Issue 2 Article 7

2013

Successful Command Lieutenant- Robert Moncel on Wartime Leaders

J.L. Granatstein

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Recommended Citation J.L. Granatstein "Successful Command Lieutenant-General Robert Moncel on Wartime Leaders." Canadian Military History 22, 2 (2013)

This Feature is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : Successful Command Lieutenant-General Robert Moncel on Wartime Leaders Successful Command Lieutenant-General Robert Moncel on Wartime Leaders

J.L. Granatstein

obert Moncel was the youngest staff college, much more than the brigadier in Canadian history, Abstract: Lieutenant-General Robert militia but a lot ended up after four R Moncel was the youngest brigadier promoted to that rank at age 27. in Canadian history and commanded years of war as captains or majors Born in Montreal in 1917, he was a the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade and as drunks. They were like the subaltern in the Victoria Rifles in in Northwest Europe from 1944-1945 English, either very good or bloody Montreal when broke out, and he with great success. This transcript awful. Of course, the Non-Permanent proceeded overseas in 1939 with of an interview conducted by J.L. Active Militia (NPAM) wasn’t much Granatstein contains Moncel’s views the Royal Canadian Regiment. on a wide range of issues related to different with the good and the bad. After several command and staff the Canadian army of the Second He apologized for sounding a snob, appointments, he led an armoured World War, especially his candid views but those NPAM (and RMC) officers brigade with great success in 1944-45. of many senior commanders including who had gone to private schools and After the war, Moncel served Guy Simonds, had responsibility as prefects and at Army Headquarters, in the US who joined good – i.e. city – NPAM and UK, and was successively conducted for The Generals: The regiments did well. They knew Quartermaster General and Vice Canadian Army’s Senior Commanders in what responsibility was, they could Chief of the Defence Staff. He left the the Second World War, is in my papers take and give orders, and they had Canadian Forces in 1966 at the time of at the York University Archives. A good minds – Bruce Matthews, for unification. He died in 2007. copy of the full set of interviews has example. The NPAM officers from I met Moncel at a mess dinner been deposited at the Directorate rural regiments were much less good at Camp Borden in 1960. A brash of History and Heritage, National and in many cases outsiders had to be cadet, I asked him to get me Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. brought in to run them. The RCRs, he access to the files of the Directorate said, stocked large numbers of these. of History at Army Headquarters He mentioned the 12th Manitoba for the B.A. thesis I was planning to * * * * * Dragoons that he was sent to whip write at the Royal Military College into line. The commanding officer, (RMC) on Canada and Peacekeeping. General Robert Moncel J.S. McMahon, was Simonds’ Amazingly, he did so, and I have interview, Mahone Bay, NS, RMC classmate and the second-in- been grateful to him ever since. When 6 October 1991 command was Gordon Churchill I interviewed him in 1991, three [later a Diefenbaker minister]. They decades later, he was an impressive e began by talking about the had to be chopped, hadn’t a clue, no figure, intelligent, opinionated, WPermanent Force. He was no trades training, etc. The squadron precise. Those qualities, I think, show admirer, remarking on the “miserable leaders were drunk in the afternoon. in his comments below. performance” of many PFers and They had to go, and he got new This interview has been lightly Royal Military College graduates officers and an RSM from the RCRs, edited. The original transcript of in the war. They had everything created new badges and shoulder the interview, one of the many I going for them technically, including flashes, and broke the regiment into

Published© Canadian by Scholars Military Commons History @, Laurier,Volume 2013 22, Number 2, Spring 2013, pp.77-80. 77 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 22 [2013], Iss. 2, Art. 7

Brigadier R.W. Moncel (right) with J.L. Ralston, the Canadian minister of national defence, October 1944.

training squadrons and worked them got them loaded on a ship as ballast he never saw McNaughton) which he hard for 5 months. No one told him after ordering his platoon sergeant hated and from which he was rescued how to do this. to shoot the officer if necessary. They by F.F. Worthington and made first He agreed the NPAM generals finally landed in Southampton to a GSO 3 and then brigade at the onset of war were terrible, but hear a band playing – for a tea dance. and finally GSO 1 of his division. there was no one else. Mind you, the He was told to turn over his carriers Worthington was the kindest, nicest PF had its problems too in 1939. He to the general pool, refused, and was man, the most enthusiastic, and joined the RCRs where companies rescued by Boy Browning [General the most divorced from reality. He had a strength of 40 and had one Sir Frederick Browning] whom he’d regularly proclaimed his brigade light machine gun. The officers were met on a course. When he got back and eventually his division ready drunks – he poured his company to the RCR mess, two weeks after for action when it was nothing like commander into bed every night. everyone else, the CO chased him out it – no gunnery, no tradesmen. That The RCR CO (Hodson) hated staff for looking scruffy. was his weakness, an inability to see (staff college was “a forcing ground How then did the PF produce a reality. Even though he understood for shits”), and believed decorations Simonds? He was just a baby in 1939, armoured tactics and was the only or praise shouldn’t be offered. But a captain, but he loved the business. one who believed in the tank, Moncel they were soon weeded out. He said He was Moncel’s idol, mentor and doubts he could have commanded he had the RCR carrier platoon and the only one of the whole bunch in action: he’d have been at the front a UK officer told him his men should with talent, brains, guts. After the with his sword waving. He wanted be drawing trades pay. So he went to war, the government, frightened to see blood on the tracks. see Dan Spry, a lifelong friend, who of him, treated him badly; indeed, He remembered an exercise was adjutant and asked to see the war the government was mean to all the Worthington’s brigade had to put establishment (WE). This shocked generals postwar. on for Montgomery. Worthington Spry and the CO because the WE was He met Simonds when he got wouldn’t make a plan or let Moncel secret, they said. But eventually these sent to the first war staff course do up one. When the day arrived, regulars agreed that trades pay was Simonds ran and he stood first in the he told Moncel to simply say “how permitted. Astonishing they’d not course. Simonds was a lieutenant- would you proceed, Brigadier?” known this. colonel, dapper, smartly turned out, and turn it over to him. He blew it, He took the carrier platoon to and knew what he was doing. He made Monty restless and angry, and France in June 1940 and after the didn’t see him again for some time. Worthington left in a huff. To Moncel, retreat was told by a Brit officer to Moncel’s posting after staff this was typical of the PF. He said destroy them. He flatly refused and college was as GSO 3 at Corps (where Worthington and McNaughton got https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol22/iss2/778 2 : Successful Command Lieutenant-General Robert Moncel on Wartime Leaders

on well because both liked gadgetry. distribution. Moncel changed a few just behind division HQ waiting McNaughton was fascinated by things and sent it out. When Simonds for the scheduled attack to go in at Worthington’s workshop. saw this he called him and reamed 0600 hours. Simonds had risen at He remembered E.W. Sansom him out: “Don’t you ever do that 0500 hours. The barrage was late who was incompetent, and he again.” He had the palest blue eyes (0620 hours) and Simonds said “I’m recalled that Ernie read a book and looked like a hawk. He gave going over to relieve the Division describing a desert corps commander direction; he knew what he wanted, commander.” Moncel urged delay, who travelled with a truck full of and the UK generals respected him it wouldn’t help the battle. Simonds cable so he could unroll the line and which they didn’t other Canadians. looked at him with his hawklike glare stay in contact wherever he was. Simonds had come from Italy and agreed: “you owe me one.” The Sansom decided to try this in the UK, to take the Corps and Moncel was battle was a disaster, like everything got Fin Clark, his chief signals officer, the junior member in A Mess. Each Foulkes touched. Foulkes’ rise was, to put the Corps’ whole cable reserve morning at breakfast another staff to Moncel, inexplicable. His staff was on a truck and it was a disaster. In officer was gone until finally only poor – he attracted poor officers. He the UK the line got cut everywhere. Moncel was left. Simonds smiled and said once Foulkes was cut off and The problem with him, as corps said “you’re staying.” He brought in one of Moncel’s officers (when he commander, was that he gave no his own people from Italy and he was had 4th Armoured Brigade) rescued direction. He told Moncel to produce right to can the Corps staff he did. His him. Moncel couldn’t forgive the a plan for a big exercise, and he did people performed well. officer for that. so; Sansom flipped through it and He was great to work for. He Moncel talked about courage in said it looked great. That was all. But knew what he wanted and he had battle. He said when he took over he was fun in the mess and it was a confidence in his people to leave his brigade he visited his artillery party every night. Moncel said that he them alone to do their job. He knew regiment, commanded by an RMC was asked to get Sansom drunk so he they’d break their neck to carry out grad. The second-in-command was could be fired on those grounds. He his wishes. Many were frightened of at the gun lines and the CO was back refused. But Sansom was ultimately him, but not Moncel. He travelled with the transport. This happened sacked anyhow. He and McNaughton with him at the front, saw him in again and finally the second-in- lived in another world. all kinds of circumstances and they command said the CO wouldn’t come When Simonds took over the became good friends. forward. Moncel went to see him, Corps things changed. Moncel was Simonds didn’t like Charles pleaded, failed, and had to can him. GSO l and Simonds gave him a plan Foulkes. When his 2nd Division The CO had run a good regiment in he’d written out in long hand for was to stage an attack, Simonds was the UK, but he couldn’t stand up to

Brigadier R.W. Moncel, commander of 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade, Tillburg, Netherlands, 19 March 1945.

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action. Why? No way of predicting storm Parliament Hill, you will be they were being shelled and Vokes who does well and who doesn’t. glad to have two loyal battalions.” jumped into a trench with his tinhat You were often wrong. Who’d have He talked about how a on, while Moncel’s officers walked expected Fred Tilston or David commander can’t believe a CO who around. One kept saluting Vokes Currie to get VCs? says the men are tired. Too often it every time he passed his trench. He said that when George was the commander who was tired. (Moncel had laid down that staff Kitching was canned it was because He recalled Simonds being told officers wore caps, not tin hats. He he’d been let down by his brigadiers. troops were “pinned to the ground” remembered being in a doorway with Brigadier E.L. Booth was brave and and on going forward found the Harry Foster at Caen under fire when experienced but he put his HQ in men lying in the sun. He fired all the two privates jumped in for shelter. three tanks during Operation Totalize commanders. They ought to have “You’re a general?” “Yes.” “You can and when he was killed there was no been going forward to see things do what you want?” “Yes.” “Well, communication to 4th Division HQ. themselves. A brigadier should go if I was a general I’d get the hell out Kitching couldn’t find out what was down to company level to see what of here.”) Vokes ran his occupation up, and the attack ground to a halt. was up. Moreover, good brigadiers force like a warlord. The key was, as Simonds said, to had gone to staff college and had a He saw little of Harry Crerar. He have HQ in a safe place with good sense of inter-arm cooperation and was a gent with a lovely wife, who communications; then the CO could of the resources available. He recalled liked to have RMC boys around (he go forward while his HQ stayed in sitting in on a brigadier’s Orders mentioned Bill Anderson especially, touch. It took five days before Moncel Group when, on being offered extra saying it was terrible that he wasn’t learned he was to take over Booth’s artillery and armour support, the allowed to command a unit in action brigade. brigadier refused. The attack was a but was kept at Army HQ.) He said he’d once before been disaster and 200 died. Officers got George Pearkes, he said, was told he was to be promoted. Just tired and stopped caring. They ought like Worthington who’d have had before D-Day, Brigadier R.A. Wyman to have been relieved – with honour. his sword in hand in the attack. He blabbed the plans and Monty was The problem wasn’t the men – actually travelled with a trumpeter furious and wanted him canned. they were superb. It was the officers. and once introduced Mrs. Churchill Moncel was tapped for the job, but Still by the end of the war the First as Mrs. Attlee. His brains had been Simonds changed his mind, saying Canadian Army was superb. It could blown out in . it was wrong to change commanders move instantly, it was magnificent, Dan Spry, he said, recovered then. Wyman took the brigade in and it had taken five years to build from being canned and did well. Rod and got wounded before he could it. His brigade was superb, tough Keller left him cold – like Vokes too be relieved. and efficient. A bad brigadier could much blood and guts. Totalize was Simonds’ plan. lose in a day what Moncel’s brigade To him Ottawa wasn’t the enemy; Moncel didn’t think he had asked lost in all of Northwest Europe – 350 Canadian Military HQ was, though too much of green regiments. It killed. The Germans, he added, were this ceased once they got into action. would have worked as the troops a ragtag lot, though their good units He also said that he had no sense (Ned Amy, he mentioned) got on were superb. And the Canadians that reinforcements were short. Not their objectives but then no orders had such equipment in such quantity in armoured regiments and not in his came through. The brigadiers were it was extravagant to the point of motorized infantry. inexperienced. Possibly Simonds immorality. ought to have taken that into account. He wasn’t a great admirer of Simonds had charisma and the Chris Vokes who ended the war as troops saw it. Perhaps he aped Monty his division commander (though J.L. Granatstein has received the Order too much with his black , and they had riotous times postwar and of Canada and the Pierre Berton Award, among other distinctions. He is the former that helped make some hate him. The were friends). He knew nil about director and CEO of the Canadian War Brits put up with idiosyncrasy better armour and wasn’t a happy camper Museum. than Canadians. Still he was charming in Northwest Europe. He only rarely and great fun, a challenge at all times. came to see Moncel’s brigade (2-3 He recalled after the war at a Cabinet times) and left him on his own. This Defence Committee, Simonds was was because the orders came from trying to get the Canadian Guards Corps and the division commanders authorized and one minister queried had little to do. He did recall one this. Simonds said, “when the mobs day Vokes came to his HQ when https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol22/iss2/780 4