Robert William MONCEL

MONCEL, Lt-General Robert William
great measure due to his vigorous leadership.' He was Mentioned in Dispatches for his valour in the Battle of Falaise and the French Government made him a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour with the award of the Croix de Guerre avec Palme. Postwar, General Moncel continued his military career at Army Headquarters in Ottawa and became the first Director of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps following which he was appointed Director of Military Training. He served as the Army member of the Canadian joint staff in London as a Brigadier, and the joint secretary observed that when the Chairman wished opinion on matters of substance, the other members invariably wanted to know 'What does Bob Moncel think'? Moncel served as Deputy Chief of General Staff at Army Headquarters in Ottawa after which he was appointed Senior Canadian Military Officer to the Canadian Delegation on the International Control Commission in Indochina and the acting Canadian Commissioner of the International Commission for Supervision and Control in Vietnam (ICSC). He returned to Canada to Command 3 Canadian Infantr y Brigade in New Brunswick. Subsequently, in the rank of Major-General, he became the Quarter Master General of the Canadian Army in Ottawa and, later, the General Officer Commanding Eastern Command in Halifax. On promotion to Lieutenant-General he became the first Comptroller-General of the Canadian Armed Forces and later appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. General Moncel retired from the military in 1966, and in 1967 he was appointed Coordinator for Visiting Heads of State to Canada, specifically for Expo '67. He was awarded the Canadian Medal, and was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1968 he retired to Nova Scotia with his wife and settled in the Bell family property. He continued to contribute to the community in many ways. When asked to assist a small hospital in Lunenburg that was having difficulties, he was elected Chairman of the Board and with his characteristic skills very quickly had the organization running efficiently, solvent and happy. He served on the Board of Regents, Mount Allison University, and as a Director of the N.S. Rehabilitation Centre. General Bob Moncel was a man of wide-ranging interests, with a particular interest in the arts, both as a collector and a painter. One of his works was exhibited in the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, a member of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club, the Rideau Club, and the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club. He spent his retirement years enjoying his favourite pursuits: painting, playing organ and flute, sailing in his boats, overseeing the care of the gardens and orchards on the estate, and daily long walks with his dogs. He was a tr ue renaissance man. And yet, for all his talents, General Moncel was forever a very modest and private person. Funeral services for General Moncel will take place on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Stadacona Chapel, CFB Halifax, Gottingen Street entrance. LT.-GENERAL ROBERT WILLIAM MONCEL OC, OBE, DSO, CD, LÉGION D'HONNEUR, CROIX DE GUERRE AVEC PALME, LLD At Veterans Memorial Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, on December 10, 2007, in his 91st year, Lt.-General Moncel, OC, OBE, DSO, CD, Légion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre avec Palme, LLD, Canadian Army (retired); survived by his son-in-law, George Constantis, grandchildren Aliki and Constantine, many nieces and nephews and their families. General Moncel was predeceased by his parents René Edouard and Edith (Brady) Moncel, his wife of many years Nancy Allison Bell ('Billie'), daughter Renée, and sisters Marguerite and Renée. He was educated at Selwyn House, Montreal, Que., Bishop's College School, Lennoxville, Que., and McGill University. General Moncel joined the Militia (Victoria Rifles) in 1937, and when World War II broke out he went overseas in 1939 with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as a platoon commander in the Royal Canadian Regiment. In June 1940, he with his platoon were among a very small group of Canadians who actually landed in France before the expedition to reinforce the allies. It was aborted due to the collapse of resistance to the German onslaught. On his own initiative, he was able to get his platoon back to the UK. He attended the Staff College in the UK and subsequently held various command and staff appointments, including GSO3 and Brigade Major (BM) with the First Canadian Army Tank Brigade, GSO1 Operations with Headquarters 2 Canadian Corps. In August 1943 he was promoted Lt. Col. to command the 18th Armoured Car Regiment (Manitoba Dragoons), and in August 1944 he became Canada's youngest World War II General Officer, in the rank of Brigadier, when he assumed command of the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade in Normandy, which he continued to Command until VE Day in Germany. General Moncel was invested as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services with Headquarters 2nd Canadian Corps, the Distinguished Service Order for personal gallantry and leadership in the Hochwald fighting in Germany. His citation for the latter notes 'the gallant bearing of this officer and the complete disregard for his own personal safety, were an inspiration to all troops under his command and the successful outcome of the attack was in