Archives: Soldiers

Lieutenant Colonel James R O (Jim) Counsell DSO (Bronze Lion of the Netherlands)

Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders of Canada 13 April to 1 October 1945 James Ronald O’Dell (“Jim”) Counsell was born in Grantham, Lincoln, Ontario, Canada on 9 Jul 1904 to William Norman Counsell and Rose Mabel Odell. He became the last Commanding Officer of the wartime 1st Battalion 48th Highlanders. He went overseas as […]

Captain Norman Alexander “Norm” Ballard DSO

Lieutenant Norm Ballard, a divinity student before the War served as Platoon Commander with 16 Platoon, “Dog” Coy of 1st Battalion 48th Highlanders. He fought 16 platoon throughout every major action in Italy.  He was wounded during the approach to the Lamone crossing and led his platoon during the breaching of the Hitler Line. For […]

Lieutenant Colonel Trumbull “Trum” Warren OBE (USA-Bronze Star)

Honorary Lieutenant Colonel – 1972-1977 Honorary Colonel – 1977-1979 LCol Warren was Personal Assistant to Field Marshal Montgomery (Commander 21st Army Group) from January 1944 to the end of the war. Personal Assistant was the senior position on Montgomery’s staff. Warren and had previously served as Aide de Camp (ADC) to Montgomery while he commanded […]

Rev H/Major Stewart Bland East, MBE, MC

Honorary Captain the Reverend Stewart East “Padre East” landed with the Highlanders at Pachino on 10 July 1943 and served with them throughout Sicily and Italy leaving in January 1945 as the unit was preparing to redeploy to Northwest Europe.  He and his stretcher bearers bandaged ministered and buried the dead,  How they felt about […]

Pipe Major James Robb Fraser

Pipe Major 48th Highlanders of Canada 1913-1952 In 1913, after 21 years service with the Gordon Highlanders in Scotland Fraser replied to a notice from Lt. Col. William Hendrie asking for a “competent” piper to be the Pipe Major of the 48th Highlanders. Fraser sailed for Canada and enlisted on 30 May 1913. Roles in […]

Captain George W Elms

Captain George W Elms 1910-1953 1910 – Private 1915 – Corporal and Sergeant 1917 – Staff Sergeant Instructor 1933 – Acting Sergeant Major Instructor 1937 – Company Sergeant Major Instructor 1940 – Company Sergeant Major (2nd Battalion) 1940/41 CSM University of Toronto COTC 1941/42 RSM University of Toronto and Toronto Rotary Highlanders (Cadet Instructor Cadre) […]

Colonel RG (Geordie) Elms MSM, CD

Colonel Geordie Elms was born in Toronto.  In 1967 he followed his grandfather and father into the ranks of the 48TH Highlanders of Canada as a piper.  As a Highlander in 1972 he was commissioned under the Reserve Officer University Training Plan (ROUTP).  In 1974 he transferred to the Regular Force, joining The Royal Canadian […]

Sgt-Mjr Alfred G Robertson

First Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM)  48th Battalion “Highlanders” 1891-1896 Colour-Sergeant Robertson came to the Regiment as the first RSM having served with the 2nd Battalion Queen’s Own Rifles. He served with E Company of that Regiment during the Northwest Rebellion 1885.