Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...

Ernest Charles Ashton CB, CMG, VD (1873–1956) was a Canadian soldier and

Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff. List * Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia) * Chief of General Staff (Afghanistan) * Chief of the General Staff (Albania) * C ...

, the head of the

Canadian Militia The Canadian Militia is a historical title for military units raised for the defence of Canada. The term has been used to describe sedentary militia units raised from local communities in Canada; as well as the regular army for the Province of Ca ...

(later the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

) from 1935 until 21 November 1938. He retired from the Canadian Army in 1941.

Military career

Ashton was commissioned as a provisional second lieutenant in the 38th Battalion Dufferin Rifles of Canada in 1893. Promoted to captain in 1895, major in 1902 and lieutenant colonel in 1907, he became Commanding Officer of the Dufferin Rifles that year. He was appointed Commanding Officer of the 36th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1914 at the start of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He went on to be Commanding Officer of 9th Reserve Canadian Infantry Brigade in 1915. Promoted to

brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

in 1917, he became Commander of 15th Canadian Infantry Brigade that year.Ernest Charles Ashton at Generals.dk
/ref> Promoted to major-general in 1918, he became Adjutant General of the Canadian Army. He went on to be Quartermaster General in 1920, Commander Military District 2 in 1930 and Commander Military District 11 in 1933. In 1935 he was selected to be

and in 1939 he became Inspector-General of Military Forces in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. He retired in 1941. He was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George I ...

in January 1918 and a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

in June 1935.Canada Gazette of 29 June 1935

References

External links

Generals of World War II
1873 births 1956 deaths 19th-century Canadian military personnel Canadian Anglicans Canadian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Canadian Companions of the Order of the Bath Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Canadian Army generals of World War II Canadian Militia officers Canadian generals of World War I {{Canada-mil-bio-stub