Andrew Gault - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Inspired by fellow countryman Lord Strathcona, who raised Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), on the eve of the First World War Gault offered the Canadian government $100,000 to help raise and equip an infantry battalion for overseas duty. Lt.-Col. Francis Farquhar of the Coldstream Guards, military secretary to Canada's Governor-General, the Duke of Connaught, was an enthusiastic supporter of Gault's idea. Between them, they made the decision to recruit men who had already seen military action, but who were not attached to any militia units in order to hasten the regiment's departure for Europe.

The Governor-General's daughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught, had already become a much admired figure in Canada because of her appreciation of the country's vast wilderness and its people. The Gaults had entertained the Connaughts during their visits to Montreal, and they had also been frequent guest at Rideau Hall. Colonel Farquhar approached the Duke of Connaught for permission to name the Regiment after his daughter. The request was made to the Princess, who was said to be delighted. On August 10, 1914, through a charter embodied in a report of the Committee of the Privy Council of Canada, Hamilton Gault's dream was reliased and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry came into being. Princess Patricia, the Colonel-in-Chief, designed and made by hand the regimental flag.

Captain Gault was promoted to Major and appointed second-in-Command of his regiment. He was first wounded at St. Eloi on February 28, 1915. He rejoined the battalion on April 27, 1915 shortly before Lt.-Col. Buller was wounded:

The leadership of Major Gault did much to strengthen the will and determination of the men. Lieutenant Hugh Niven remarked in hindsight: "With Hamilton Gault there, nobody could think of retiring... Nobody knows why, but it gave everyone a tremendous lot of courage that nobody else in the world could give to the other regiments".

He commanded the Patricia’s during the first part of the Second Battle of Ypres. He was wounded in the morning but carried on until a second more serious injury compelled him to pass command on to Captain Adamson. When he rejoined in October 1915, he brought with him reinforcements from the University Companies. He was wounded for a third time and lost a leg at Sanctuary Wood during the Battle of Mont Sorrel, June 2, 1916.

Despite the loss of his left leg, Gault refused repatriation to Canada and returned to France where he was initially seconded as Aide-de-camp to Major-General Victor Williams, the G.O.C. 3rd Canadian Division. Later Gault commanded the 3rd Canadian Division Reinforcement Camp (CCRC) with the local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel of his own regiment on March 28, 1918, but remained seconded with CCRC. Finally, he rejoined his Regiment on November 21, 1918, and commanded the Patricia’s until demobilization. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order; the Russian Order of St. Anne (Third Class with Swords); the Belgian Ordre de Leopold and was four times Mentioned in Despatches.