Irish-Canadian Army officer in the Second World War
Major General
Christopher Vokes
CB, CBE, DSO, CD
Brigadier Robert Moncel (left) and Major General Christopher Vokes, 10 April 1945
Nickname(s)
"Butcher"[1] "Chris"
Born
(1904-04-13)13 April 1904 Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Died
27 March 1985(1985-03-27) (aged 80) Oakville, Ontario
Allegiance
Canada
Service/branch
Canadian Army
Rank
Major General
Unit
Royal Canadian Engineers
Commands held
2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade
1st Canadian Infantry Division
4th Canadian Armoured Division
Battles/wars
World War II
Invasion of Sicily
Battle of Ortona
Battle of the Hochwald
Awards
Companion of the Order of the Bath[2]
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order[3]
Canadian Forces' Decoration
Other work
General Officer Commanding the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Europe
Major General Christopher VokesCB, CBE, DSO, CD (13 April 1904 – 27 March 1985) was a senior Canadian Army officer who fought in World War II. He commanded the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade during the Allied invasion of Sicily. Promoted to major-general, he led the 1st Canadian Infantry Division through several battles in the Italian campaign. This included fierce house-to-house fighting in the Battle of Ortona and the advance north to the Hitler Line. In 1944, he took over command of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division and fought in the Battle of the Hochwald. During the latter stages of this battle he ordered his division to raze the German town of Friesoythe. The division subsequently destroyed around 85–90% of the town and used the rubble to make good the cratered local roads.
After the war, Vokes commanded the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Europe, before returning to Canada to undertake further command assignments. He retired in 1959 and died in 1985 at the age of 80.
^Beevor, Antony (2013). The Second World War (in Norwegian) (1st ed.). Cappelen Damm. pp. 576–577. ISBN 978-82-02-42146-5.
^"No. 37161". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 1945. p. 3490.
^"No. 36180". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 September 1943. p. 4220.
April 1904, Vokes was the son of a British officer, Major Frederick Patrick Vokes, and Elizabeth Vokes. They came to Canada in 1910 and Vokes's father served...
Under this mistaken belief, the division's commander, Major-General ChristopherVokes, ordered that the town be razed in retaliation and it was substantially...
Vokes is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: ChristopherVokes (1904-1985), Canadian Army officer Ed Vokes (1908-1967), Canadian ice hockey...
was the commander of Canadian forces in Europe: ChristopherVokes, who had dismissed Meyer's appeal. Vokes had second thoughts and began a series of meetings...
troops from the 1st Canadian Infantry Division under Major General ChristopherVokes. It was the culmination of the fighting on the Adriatic front in Italy...
University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-726380-8. Morton, Desmond (2016) [2008]. "ChristopherVokes". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 24 January 2018. Ramet, Sabrina...
1926 Thomas Romney Robinson (1792–1882), astronomer, lived in Armagh ChristopherVokes, Major General, was born in Armagh in 1904 William Whitford (1846...
Corps (Lt-Gen Guy G. Simonds) Canadian 4th Armoured Division (Maj-Gen ChristopherVokes) British Second Army Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey 79th Armoured...
rector of the College of Europe. Later, swapping commands with Chris Vokes (because Vokes had a poor relationship with new I Canadian Corps commander Charles...
was replaced as commander of the 1st Canadian Division by Brigadier ChristopherVokes, the former commander of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. Subsequently...
Simonds fell ill with jaundice in September 1943, and was replaced by ChristopherVokes. When he recovered, McNaughton gave him command of the 5th Canadian...
From left to right: ChristopherVokes, Harry Crerar, Sir Bernard Montgomery, Brian Horrocks (both British Army), Guy Simonds, Daniel Spry and Bruce Mathews...
and the date was subsequently set at January 7, 1946. Major General ChristopherVokes rejected Meyer's appeal but postponed the execution on January 5 after...
destroys the German town of Friesoythe on the orders of Major General ChristopherVokes. 1958 – The Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission...
Major-General Nicholas Hall, CD – 1991–1993 Razing of Friesoythe ChristopherVokes "4th Canadian Armoured Division – Quartermaster Section". "www.canadiansoldiers...
(Lieutenant-General E. L. M. Burns) 1st Canadian Infantry Division - (Major-General ChristopherVokes) 2nd New Zealand Division - (Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg,...
From left to right, Major-General ChristopherVokes, General Harry Crerar, Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks, Lieutenant-General...
Canadian to be decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross General ChristopherVokes CB CBE DSO CD (1904–1985) – General Officer commanding the Canadian...
Interview with Dr. Bryce, May 11, 1998. Chris Vokes, Vokes: My Story, 194-195. A similar account of Vokes and his role in the destruction of Friesoythe...
in the Moro River Campaign. The division, now under Major General Chris Vokes, supported by tanks of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, took part in the...
the Cathode-ray direction finder (the forerunner to radar), 1926. ChristopherVokes, Major General (CAN); McGill University, 1926. Edward Stuyvesant Bragg...
destroys the German town of Friesoythe, on the orders of Major General ChristopherVokes. April 15 – WWII: The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp is liberated...
Line Belligerents Canada Poland Germany Commanders and leaders ChristopherVokes Bert Hoffmeister Władysław Anders Albert Kesselring Strength 1st Canadian...
planned for the SAS to provide reconnaissance for Major General ChristopherVokes's Canadian 4th Armoured Division in its advance toward Oldenburg in...
Lieutenant-General Charles Allfrey 1st Canadian Infantry Division Major-General ChristopherVokes No. 1 Defense and Employment Platoon (Lorne Scots) 1st Canadian Infantry...
attack on The Gully, Vokes shifted the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade to occupy positions formerly belonging to the 1st Brigade. Vokes planned for an attack...
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