Samuel Findlay Clark

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Samuel Findlay Clark
Born1909
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died1998 (aged 88–89)
AllegianceCanada
Service/branchCanadian Army
Years of service1933–1961
RankLieutenant general
UnitRoyal Canadian Corps of Signals
Commands heldChief of the General Staff
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Canadian Forces' Decoration

Lieutenant General Samuel Findlay Clark CBE, CD (1909–1998) was a senior Canadian Army officer who became Chief of the General Staff (CGS), the professional head of the Canadian Army, from 1958 until 1961.

Education[edit]

Clark received his early education in Winnipeg[1] and attended the University of Manitoba, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering (BSc EE) in 1932.[2] He subsequently attended the University of Saskatchewan to obtain a degree in mechanical engineering (BSc ME) in 1933.[2]

Career[edit]

He enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1933, joining the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals as a lieutenant.[2]

In 1938, he was promoted to captain and posted to the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) as an associate professor of electrical and mechanical engineering.[2] At the time, Harry Crerar was the RMC commandant and Guy Simonds was the commander of a cadet company.[2] He was appointed adjutant of the I Canadian Corps Signals.[2]

He served in World War II, initially as commanding officer of 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals Regiment, and from 1942 as a general staff officer at Canadian Military Headquarters in London.[2] In 1943 he was made chief signals officer at the headquarters of II Canadian Corps and served in North West Europe.[2]

In 1945 he became Deputy Chief of the General Staff in Ottawa before becoming a member of the Military Committee of the Western European Union and then of NATO.[2] He became Quartermaster-General of the Canadian Army in 1951 and general officer commanding Central Command at Oakville, Ontario in 1955.[2] He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1958.[2]

Retirement[edit]

From until 1 October 1968 until 24 March 1973, Clark served as colonel commandant of the new Communications and Electronics Branch.[3] He died in 1998.[4]

References[edit]

Military offices
Preceded by Chief of the General Staff
1958–1961
Succeeded by