Article

Guy Granville Simonds

Published Online January 29, 2008

Last Edited March 4, 2015

Guy Granville Simonds, army officer (b at Bury St Edmunds, Eng 23 Apr 1903; d at Toronto 15 May 1974).
Simonds, Guy
General Guy Simonds taking the salute of the 2nd Canadian Corps at Meppen, Germany, 31 May 1945 (photo by Charles Richer, courtesy Library and Archives Canada/PA-159557).

Guy Granville Simonds, army officer (b at Bury St Edmunds, Eng 23 Apr 1903; d at Toronto 15 May 1974). Much favoured by Field Marshal Montgomery for his ruthlessness and offensive spirit, Simonds commanded the 1st Canadian Infantry Div and 5th Canadian Armoured Div in Italy before taking over the 2nd Canadian Corps in NW Europe in 1944. Credited with developing armoured personnel-carrier tactics during the Normandy Invasion, he also commanded the First Canadian Army while General Crerar was ill, leading it through the Scheldt battle (Oct-Nov 1944). Chief instructor at Britain's Imperial Defence College 1946-49 (a signal honour for a Canadian), Simonds was later commandant of Canada's National Defence College (1949-51) and chief of the general staff (1951-55). He advocated peacetime conscription and close ties with Britain, criticizing the government for seeking a closer military relationship with the US.