Death: Brigadier-General E.A.C. (Ned) Amy, DSO, OBE, MC, CD‏

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with sadness that The Regiment announces the death of Brigadier-General (Retired) Ned Amy who passed away on the 2nd of February.  General Amy was a former wartime serving officer of the Ontario Regiment, the King's Own Calgary Regiment (in Italy where, while in command of A Squadron, he was awarded the Military Cross) and the Canadian Grenadier Guards (in Northwest Europe where, while in command of No. 1 Squadron, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order).  He is a former Director of Armour.  He was the 25th Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons (December 1953 to September 1956), and he later served as the Colonel of the Regiment from 1970 to 1975 followed by service to the Armour Corps as our Colonel Commandant from 1978 to 1980.  In his long and distinguished career, General Amy commanded the Royal Canadian Armour Corps School, the first Canadian contingent of the UN force in Cyprus, the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in Calgary, and the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Germany.  Other awards bestowed upon General Amy are the Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and the US Bronze Star for meritorious service whilst serving as the Senior Operations Officer in the Commonwealth Division in Korea.  In 2007, France awarded General Amy with their highest distinction - the prestigious Legion d'honneur - for his role in the liberation of the villages of Cintheaux and Bretteville during the breakout from Normandy and subsequent fighting in Falaise. 

Most amongst you will recognize General Amy as the namesake of Amy Tank Park located at Petersville in the CFB Gagetown Training Area – fittingly the starting off point for all of us as we set out to try to emulate the accomplishments of this great leader.  As you can see in the picture below, General Amy was in fine form when the tank park was re-dedicated on the 3rd of May 2008.

An article written by Col (Ret’d John Boileau) and contained within the August 2007 edition (02/07) of The Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia's Dispatches provides a very fitting synopsis of his wartime service and career highlights.  It can be found at the end of this email.  There is also an article in today's edition of the Halifax Chronicle which can be found at the following address: *http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1226001.html

Funeral Arrangements. The life of General Amy will be celebrated during a 'Soldiers Funeral' at the Trinity United Church on Edgewater St in Mahone Bay (tel 902-624-9287) commencing at 1400hrs on Thursday the 10th of February.  His service will be followed by a reception in the hall at the rear of the church. 

Visitation.  An afternoon and evening visitation will take place at Cruikshank's Funeral Home, located at 2666 Windsor St, Halifax (tel 902-423-7295) on Tuesday the 8th of February.  Precise timings will be contained in an obituary to be published in the Halifax Chronicle on Monday the 7th of February. 

Dress.  Dress for serving members is DEU 1A (tunic with medals).  Mourning bands for CWOs and Officers will be available at the entrance to the church.  It would be quite appropriate for retired members to wear their medals.

Condolences and Remembrance Anecdotes. Condolences and remembrance anecdotes can be forwarded to Colonel (Ret’d) John Boileau at johnboileau@eastlink.ca.  Further, should you wish to do so, and in lieu of flowers, a donation in General Amy's memory can be to organizations and associations near in dear to General Amy, the details of which will also be contained within his obituary in the Monday edition of the Halifax Chronicle.
Tasks. Tasks are simple:

Closing Remarks

If I have missed anyone, the fault is mine and mine alone.  To ensure all within the Corps have been notified, I encourage you to please pass this email as freely as you like.

In light of the limited time to effect coordination, I do not intend to forward any greater detail than what is contained herein unless it becomes absolutely necessary. Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call or email me direct at the addresses and numbers contained within my signature block below.

Many thanks to all of those that have been, or will be, assisting us in bidding a fitting adieu to one of the Corps' great leaders.
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Brigadier-General E.A.C. Amy, DSO, OBE, MC, CD   (Ned) By Col (retd) John Boileau

In 1967, as a newly minted Centurion tank-troop leader.  I was dispatched along with the rest of my squadron from Camp Gagetown, N.B., to reinforce our armoured regiment stationed  in what was then West Germany.  We were there for an annual event known as “flyover”.

At that time, large-scale exercises were conducted across the German countryside every fall – after the harvest – to minimize damage.  One day, our tank squadron was hidden away deep inside a forest – a location paradoxically know as a “harbour” – awaiting orders for our next move.

Diminutive Figure

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a three-quarter-ton truck with its canvas removed came screaming down the forest trail, dust clouds billowing out behind it.  In the back, behind the cab, stood a diminutive figure wearing goggles and hanging on to a roll bar.

“Who the hell was that?” I asked, turning to my Troop Sergeant, Leroy (Snowflake) MacAdams.  Like all good Sergeants everywhere, MacAdams always knew the answer to everything – no matter how stupid the question.
“That was Brigadier Amy,” he replied, “and at the speed he’s going, I’d say we’ll be moving soon.”  MacAdams was right.  And my future encounters with Amy were not quite as fleeting.

Now retired, Brigadier-General Ned Amy was recognized last week at a ceremony in Halifax by the country he helped to liberate during the Second World War.  France has awarded him with its prestigious Legion d’honneur – the nation’s highest distinction – which was created by Napoleon in 1802 to reward exceptional service.

Amy, a 1939 graduate of the Royal Military College, arrived in Normandy on July 26, 1944, seven weeks after D-Day.  He was fresh from the fighting in Italy, where he commanded A Squadron of the Calgary Regiment.

In Italy, Amy won an immediate Military Cross for his “determined and gallant leadership in taking and holding a vital bridgehead over the Moro River” with his Sherman tanks in December 1943.  One of several officers sent to provide battle experienced leaders for the invasion of France, Amy commanded No. 1 Squadron of the Canadian Grenadier Guards there.  Three days after arrival, he was in the thick of it, leading his men throughout the next five weeks in some of the major confrontations in Normandy.  The tanks of the Grenadier Guards fought in the crucial battles near Falaise – a tough, grinding, confusing slugfest aimed at trapping a retreating German Army.

From Aug 5 to 9, Amy led an attack against Kurt Meyer’s 12th Panzer Division – the unit that had earlier executed at least 156 captured Canadian soldiers, including several North Nova Scotia Highlanders – some with their hands tied behind their backs.

Amy’s assault resulted in the liberation of the villages of Cintheaux and Bretteville.  Later that month – from Aug. 14 to 17 – he and his tankers fought at Rouves, where his Sherman tank was destroyed.  At Falaise – in a new tank – Amy’s squadron was the spearhead for 4th Canadian Armoured Division’s assault against 3rd SS Panzer Division.
After Falaise, the Grenadier Guards went into action on the Seine and Somme rivers.  They liberated numerous towns and villages and captured several German prisoners along the way.

In the closing months of the war, Amy fought in Belgium and Germany, and was wounded.  He also received the Distinguished Service Order “in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field.”

After the war, Amy remained in the Army and went on to an illustrious career.  He was the Senior Operations Officer of 1st Commonwealth Division in Korea.  For his services there, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and received the American Bronze Star.

Other Commands
Amy later commanded The Royal Canadian Dragoons, the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School, the first Canadian contingent of the UN force in Cyprus.  1st Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in Calgary and 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Germany, before retiring in 1972.

In his remarks, Olivier Nicholas, the French Consul-General for Atlantic Canada, praised Canadians for twice fighting alongside his countrymen in the 20th century.  Before he pinned the Legion d’honneur on Amy, 89, he noted Amy had demonstrated outstanding bravery in France during the fiercest battles of World War II.”

It was a fitting tribute to a true Canadian hero – a hero in the truest sense of the word.

(originally published as “War hero receives high honour” in the Halifax Daily News.
Wednesday 18th July 2007.  Reprinted by kind permission of the author.)

Respectfully,

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