Arthur Victor Seymour Williams

Arthur Victor Seymour Williams
Born	1876 Port Hope, Ontario
Died	December 12, 1949 Toronto, Ontario
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	North-West Mounted Police,
Years of service	1886-1939
Rank	Commissioner; Major-General
Unit	Canadian Mounted Rifles
Commands held	Second Boer War, Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police
Battles/wars	Battle of Mont Sorrel
Awards	Order of St. Michael and St. George
Other work	Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police

General Arthur Victor Seymour Williams (1867 - December 12, 1949), was a Canadian general in the First World War and later the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.

Arthur Williams was born at Port Hope, Ontario in 1867, the son of Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams, by his wife Emily, daughter of Benjamin Seymour. After attending Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario he entered the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston in 1884. Two years into his studies he was withdrawn from the college at his parent’s request and entered service in the Northwest Mounted Police. The following year he became an inspector. His commission as an Inspector with the Northwest Mounted Police is dated December 1887. He transferred to the Mounted Infantry in 1889. He married Helen Euphemia Sutherland on Oct 23, 1890. He eventually took a commission with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in 1893. In 1899 he went to South Africa, serving as a Major and Lieutenant Colonel in command of `B`Squadron, with the Canadian Mounted Rifles during the Second Boer War, South Africa in 1900. There is a photo c. 1900 in the Library and Archives Canada Collection taken in Winnipeg, Manitoba of Major V.A.S. Williams, his daughter Phyllis, and his horse Joe.

Williams was promoted to Brevet Colonel for his overseas service and made Commandant of the Royal School of Cavalry in Toronto. In 1907 he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons and Inspector of Cavalry for the Dominion of Canada. In 1911 he commanded the mounted units at the Coronation of King George V. In 1913, he was presented with a Silver Trowel. From 1912 to 1914 he was Adjutant General at Ottawa. He commanded Valcartier Camp, Quebec, during the mobilization of the 1st Canadian Division, and accompanied the contingent overseas. During the war he served on the general staffs of Field Marshal Sir John French and the 2nd and 3rd British Army Corps.

As a Brigadier-General, he commanded the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Battalions of the 8th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Division (December 1915 to June 1916). He was mentioned in a Despatch on 30 April 1916 for gallant and distinguished services in the Field. He was severely wounded and taken prisoner on 3 June 1916, during the Battle of Mont Sorrel. He was captured by the Germans. German doctors cared for him when he was a German prisoner of war. He was released in a prisoner exchange before the end of the war.

He returned to Canada in late 1918. Mount Williams (Canada) (2730 meters) in the Canadian Rockies on the border of Alberta and British Columbia was named in his honour in 1918. He was appointed Companion to the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) in 1920.

After the war, he was promoted to Major-General in command of Military District 2 based in Toronto. He commanded military districts in Kingston and Toronto. He served as the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police from 1922-39. He became Chief Commander of the Ontario Provincial Police in 1926-39. He died in Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, Ontario on December 12, 1949. He was buried in the St. John's Cemetery in Port Hope, Ontario. A collection of his Boer War, African War and World War I medals were auctioned by Plato Auctions in April 2010.

External

• Williams Family, Port Hope Archives