Gunner Threads
As many of you are aware, I initiated and have become quite involved in the RCAA Lest We Forget project. The aim of the project is to record the names and provide a brief history of all those that have served The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. In addition to that primary aim, the project has also branched out to record all the meritorious recognition that Gunners have earned over the years. The recognition has included Canadian awards, Commonwealth awards and foreign awards.
It seems that almost every Gunner story has threads that intertwine with other Gunner stories. As an example, I was recently googling a photo of King George V to find a match when a photo showed up of a gentleman dressed in patrols. A bit of research revealed him to be Major Agner Emil Dalgas MC. Thread number 1 turns out that Agner was born in the same city as I was, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Major Dalgas joined the Royal Danish Engineers and graduated from the Danish Royal Military Academy. He took a leave of absence and found himself in Victoria, B.C. working as a civil engineer assistant. Probably to retain his military skills he joined the 88th Victoria Fusiliers, and when the First World War prevented his returning to Denmark, he enlisted with the 7th Battalion, CEF.
It appears that his engineering skills were recognized and he was seconded to the 177th Tunneling Company, Royal Engineers. I haven’t been able to find the details, but Captain Dalgas was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished and commendable services in battle plus the Italian d'Argenco al Valeur.
Of course, you must be wondering what an engineer and infantryman has to do with my research on Gunners. It turns out that after the war he moved to Nelson, B.C. and started a career as an engineer with the BC Department of Public Works. Additionally, he kept up his military skills by joining the local 111th Battery, 24th (Kootenay) Field Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, NPAM. When the Second World started in 1939, he was the Battery Commander and led his Battery to Edmonton when it was mobilized. However, he was now 52 years old and deemed too old to go overseas and would be offered a training position. Not to be deterred, he resigned his commission, travelled to Ottawa, lied about his age and joined the 4th Battery as a Gunner.
His age appears to have prevented him from deploying with one of the Field Regiments, but his technical skills found him a spot with the Canadian School of Artillery and he was later posted to 17 Canadian Education Section. The need for training didn’t stop as the Canadians advanced through Northern Germany and Captain Dalgas followed. Just 9 nine days before the war ended, his jeep ran over a mine, and he was killed.
The final thread with Agner Dalgas was when Google found the Nelson Star article that described his life. It turns out that another former 15th Field Artillery Gunner, Major Ian Newby had also heard of Major Dalgas. I’ll let you read the story, and you can find out how Dalgas probably affected your artillery experience.
Leon Jensen OMM CD
As many of you are aware, I initiated and have become quite involved in the RCAA Lest We Forget project. The aim of the project is to record the names and provide a brief history of all those that have served The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. In addition to that primary aim, the project has also branched out to record all the meritorious recognition that Gunners have earned over the years. The recognition has included Canadian awards, Commonwealth awards and foreign awards.
It seems that almost every Gunner story has threads that intertwine with other Gunner stories. As an example, I was recently googling a photo of King George V to find a match when a photo showed up of a gentleman dressed in patrols. A bit of research revealed him to be Major Agner Emil Dalgas MC. Thread number 1 turns out that Agner was born in the same city as I was, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Major Dalgas joined the Royal Danish Engineers and graduated from the Danish Royal Military Academy. He took a leave of absence and found himself in Victoria, B.C. working as a civil engineer assistant. Probably to retain his military skills he joined the 88th Victoria Fusiliers, and when the First World War prevented his returning to Denmark, he enlisted with the 7th Battalion, CEF.
It appears that his engineering skills were recognized and he was seconded to the 177th Tunneling Company, Royal Engineers. I haven’t been able to find the details, but Captain Dalgas was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished and commendable services in battle plus the Italian d'Argenco al Valeur.
Of course, you must be wondering what an engineer and infantryman has to do with my research on Gunners. It turns out that after the war he moved to Nelson, B.C. and started a career as an engineer with the BC Department of Public Works. Additionally, he kept up his military skills by joining the local 111th Battery, 24th (Kootenay) Field Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, NPAM. When the Second World started in 1939, he was the Battery Commander and led his Battery to Edmonton when it was mobilized. However, he was now 52 years old and deemed too old to go overseas and would be offered a training position. Not to be deterred, he resigned his commission, travelled to Ottawa, lied about his age and joined the 4th Battery as a Gunner.
His age appears to have prevented him from deploying with one of the Field Regiments, but his technical skills found him a spot with the Canadian School of Artillery and he was later posted to 17 Canadian Education Section. The need for training didn’t stop as the Canadians advanced through Northern Germany and Captain Dalgas followed. Just 9 nine days before the war ended, his jeep ran over a mine, and he was killed.
The final thread with Agner Dalgas was when Google found the Nelson Star article that described his life. It turns out that another former 15th Field Artillery Gunner, Major Ian Newby had also heard of Major Dalgas. I’ll let you read the story, and you can find out how Dalgas probably affected your artillery experience.
Leon Jensen OMM CD