Buried at Ottawa, Ontario Name James MacBrien Service/branch Canadian Army | Allegiance Canada Place of burial Ottawa, Canada Rank Major general | |
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Born 30 June 1878
near Myrtle, Ontario ( 1878-06-30 ) Commands held Chief of the General Staff Battles/wars Second Boer War
World War I Died March 5, 1938, Toronto, Canada Awards Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order, Order of Saint John Battles and wars Second Boer War, World War I | ||
Major General Sir James Howden MacBrien KCB, CMG, DSO, CStJ (30 June 1878 – 5 March 1938) was a Canadian soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Militia (renamed the Canadian Army in 1940) from 1920 until 1927.
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Military career
Educated in Port Perry, MacBrien initially joined the Militia but then transferred to the North-West Mounted Police and, during the Second Boer War, to the South African Constabulary. Returning to Canada he was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
He also served in World War I as a General Staff Officer and then, from 1916, as commanding officer of 12th Infantry Brigade.
After the war he was appointed Chief of the General Staff.
He also served as the eighth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from August 1, 1931 to March 5, 1938. MacBrien died in Toronto.
Family
In 1907 he married Nellie Louise Ross and in 1928 he married Emily Emely Hartridge.