View source for Milton Fowler Gregg

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[Brigadier]] [[the Honourable]]
| name                = Milton Fowler Gregg
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|VC|PC|OC|CBE|MC1|ED|CD}}
| image               = Milton Gregg, VC.jpg
| imagesize           = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Gregg as a junior officer in 1917.
| order               = 
| office              = [[Minister of Labour (Canada)|Minister of Labour]]
| term_start          = 7 August 1950
| term_end            = 20 June 1957
| primeminister       = [[Louis St. Laurent]]
| predecessor         = [[Paul Martin Sr.]] (acting)
| successor           = [[Michael Starr (politician)|Michael Starr]]
| order2              = 
| office2             = [[Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Veterans Affairs]]
| term_start2         = 19 January 1948
| term_end2           = 6 August 1950
| primeminister2      = {{plainlist|
* [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]
* [[Louis St. Laurent]]
}}
| predecessor2        = [[Ian Alistair Mackenzie]]
| successor2          = [[Hugues Lapointe]]
| office3             = [[Minister of Fisheries (Canada)|Minister of Fisheries]]
| term_start3         = 2 September 1947
| term_end3           = 18 January 1948
| primeminister3      = [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]
| predecessor3        = [[Ernest Bertrand]] (acting)
| successor3          = [[James Angus MacKinnon]]
| riding4             = [[York—Sunbury]]
| parliament4         = Canadian
| term_start4         = 20 October 1947
| term_end4           = 10 June 1957
| predecessor4        = [[Hedley Francis Gregory Bridges]]
| successor4          = [[John Chester MacRae]]
| office5             = 5th [[List of Sergeants-at-Arms of the Canadian House of Commons|Sergeant-at-Arms of the Canadian House of Commons]]
| term_start5         = 1934
| term_end5           = 1944
| 1blankname5         = {{nowrap|Clerk}}
| 1namedata5          = [[Arthur Beauchesne]]
| predecessor5        = [[Harry Judson Coghill]]
| successor5          = {{plainlist|
* [[Arthur Beauchesne]] (acting)
* [[William John Franklin]]
}}
| birth_date          = {{birth date|df=y|1892|4|10}}
| birth_place         = [[Kings County, New Brunswick|Kings County]], [[New Brunswick]], Canada
| death_date          = {{death date and age|df=y|1978|3|13|1892|4|10}}
| death_place         = [[Fredericton]], [[New Brunswick]], Canada
| restingplace        = Snider Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery, [[Snider Mountain]]
| restingplacecoordinates = 
| birthname           = 
| citizenship         = 
| nationality         = 
| party               = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| otherparty          = <!--For additional political affiliations-->
| spouse              = [[Erica Deichmann Gregg]]
| partner             = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married-->
| relations           = 
| children            = 
| parents             = 
| residence           = 
| education           = 
| alma_mater          = [[Acadia University]]
| occupation          = 
| profession          = 
| cabinet             = 
| committees          = 
| portfolio           = 
| signature           = 
| signature_alt       = 
| website             = 
| footnotes           = <!--Military service-->
| nickname            = 
| allegiance          = 
| branch              = [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]]
| serviceyears        = 1914–1943
| rank                = [[Brigadier]]
| unit                = [[The Royal Canadian Regiment]]
| commands            = [[West Nova Scotia Regiment]]
| battles             = {{plainlist|
* [[First World War]]
* [[Second World War]]
}}
| mawards             = {{plainlist|
* [[Victoria Cross]]
* [[Officer of the Order of Canada]]
* [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37408|page=134|date=28 December 1945|supp=y}}</ref>
* [[Military Cross]] & [[Medal bar|Bar]]
* [[Canadian Efficiency Decoration]]
* [[Canadian Forces' Decoration]]
}}
}}
[[Brigadier]] '''Milton Fowler Gregg''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|VC|PC|OC|CBE|MC1|ED|CD}} (10 April 1892 – 13 March 1978) was a [[The Royal Canadian Regiment|Canadian military officer]] and a [[First World War]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces. In later life, he was a [[House of Commons of Canada|Member of the Canadian Parliament]], [[cabinet minister]], academic, soldier and diplomat.

== Early life ==
Gregg was born in 1892 in Mountain Dale, [[Kings County, New Brunswick]], the son of Clarissa E.(Myles) and George Lord Gregg. During the early stages of [[World War I]] he enlisted in the [[Canadian Army]] with [[The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada]] in September 1914 while still studying at [[Acadia University]]. He graduated with a [[Master of Arts]] in 1916.

=== Victoria Cross ===
At the age of eighteen Gregg joined the [[8th New Brunswick Hussars]] militia regiment. Gregg served during the First World War as a sergeant in the medical corps and later as an officer of [[The Royal Canadian Regiment]]. During combat on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in 1917, his actions earned him the [[Military Cross]] and in 1918 further valour added a bar to the Cross. Near [[Cambrai]], [[Nord (département)|Nord]], [[France]] on 28 September 1918 his actions during the [[Battle of the Canal du Nord]] (part of [[Canada's Hundred Days]]) earned him the [[Victoria Cross]]. 

The citation for Gregg's Victoria Cross reads:
{{Blockquote|Lt. Milton Fowler Gregg, M.C., R. Can. Regt., Nova Scotia R. – For most conspicuous bravery and initiative during operations near Cambrai, 27th September to 1st October, 1918.<br />
On 28th September, when the advance of the brigade was held up by fire from both flanks and by thick, uncut wire, he crawled forward alone and explored the wire until he found a small gap through which he subsequently led his men and forced an entry into the enemy trench. The enemy counter-attacked in force and, through lack of bombs, the situation became critical. Although wounded Lt. Gregg returned alone under terrific fire and collected a further supply. Then rejoining his party, which by this time was much reduced in numbers, and in spite of a second wound, he reorganized his men and led them with the greatest determination against the enemy trenches, which he finally cleared. He personally killed or wounded 11 of the enemy and took 25 prisoners, in addition to 12 machine guns captured in the trench. Remaining with his company in spite of wounds he again on the 30th September led his men in attack until severely wounded. The outstanding valour of this officer saved many casualties and enabled the advance to continue.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31108 |supp=y|page=306|date=4 January 1919}}</ref>}}

==== Victoria Cross stolen ====
On the evening of 24 December 1978, Gregg's medal set was stolen from the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum in [[London, Ontario]]. The medal set which had been placed on permanent loan to the museum by his widow [[Erica Deichmann Gregg]] included the Victoria Cross, the [[Order of Canada]] in the grade of Officer and the [[Military Cross]] with one [[Medal bar|Bar]].

== Later career ==
{{more citations needed section|date=March 2015}}
From 1934 until 1939, Gregg was the [[Sergeant at Arms]] of the House of Commons. Following the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]] in September 1939, Gregg served overseas for two years with the [[West Nova Scotia Regiment]] and then commanded officer training centres at various military facilities in Canada and retired with the rank of [[brigadier]] in 1943. In 1944, Gregg was appointed the commanding officers of [[CANLOAN]] officers at [[Sussex Military Camp]] prior to their deployment to the British Army.<ref>{{cite book|title=Crerar's Lieutenants: Inventing the Canadian Junior Army Officer, 1939–45|publisher=UBC Press|year=2017|last=Hayes|first=Geoffrey|isbn=978-0-7748-3486-5|page=133}}</ref> He was later named the first honorary president of the CANLOAN Army Officers' Association, a veterans association of CANLOAN officers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://war-experience.org/the-canloan-scheme/|title=The CANLOAN Scheme|publisher=Second World War Experience Centre|website=war-experience.org|access-date=2 October 2020}}</ref>

In 1944, Gregg was appointed President of the [[University of New Brunswick]], serving in that position until 1947 when he was elected to [[Parliament of Canada|Parliament]] as [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] member for the [[York-Sunbury]] riding. Gregg served in the cabinets of [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Ministers]] [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] and [[Louis St. Laurent]] for almost 10 years as the [[Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada)|Minister of Fisheries]], [[Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Veterans Affairs]], and [[Minister of Labour (Canada)|Minister of Labour]].

Defeated in the [[1957 Canadian federal election|1957 election]], Gregg went on to become the [[United Nations]] representative in [[Iraq]], the [[UNICEF]] administrator in [[Indonesia]], and the Canadian High Commissioner in [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]], [[British Guiana]]. He retired in 1968. He died on 13 March 1978 and is buried at Snider Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery <ref>WikiMapia latitude/longitude 45° 50.402'N 65° 37.950'W</ref> in [[Snider Mountain]], New Brunswick.

== Honours ==
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background: DarkGreen ;color:White" align="center"
|Ribbon || Description || Notes
|-
|[[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|40px]] || [[Victoria Cross]] (VC) ||
* 6 January 1919
|-
|[[File:CAN Order of Canada Officer ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Order of Canada]] (OC) ||
* Officer
* 22 December 1967
* Invested 26 April 1968
* <ref>{{OCC|2012}}</ref>
* <ref>{{cite web |title=Milton Gregg's Order of Canada Citation |url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-2806 |website=Governor General of Canada |access-date=30 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) ||
* Commander
* Military Division
|-
|[[File:Military cross w bar BAR.svg|40px]] || [[Military Cross]] (MC) ||
* With 1 Bar
|-
|[[File:Ribbon - 1914 Star.png|40px]] || [[1914–15 Star]] ||
|-
|[[File:British War Medal BAR.svg|40px]] || [[British War Medal]] ||
|-
|[[File:Interallied Victory Medal ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Victory Medal (United Kingdom)|WWI Victory Medal]] ||
|-
|[[File:Defence Medal BAR.svg|40px]] || [[Defence Medal (United Kingdom)|Defence Medal]] ||
|-
|[[File:Canadian Volunteer Service Medal BAR 2.svg|40px]] || [[Canadian Volunteer Service Medal]] ||
* With Overseas [[Medal bar|Clasp]]
|-
|[[File:Ribbon - War Medal.png|40px]] || [[War Medal 1939–1945|War Medal]] ||
|-
|[[File:UK King George V Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[King George V Silver Jubilee Medal]] ||
* 6 May 1935
|-
|[[File:UK King George VI Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[King George VI Coronation Medal]] ||
* 12 May 1937
|-
|[[File:UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]] ||
* 2 June 1953
|-
|[[File:CAN Canadian Centennial Medal ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Canadian Centennial Medal]] ||
* 1 July 1967
|-
|[[File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal]] ||
* 6 February 1977
* Both British and Canadian Versions
|-
|[[File:Ribbon - Volunteer Long Service Medal.png|40px]] || [[Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies]] ||
|-
|[[File:Efficiency Decoration (NZ) ribbon.jpg|40px]] || [[Canadian Efficiency Decoration]] (ED) ||
|-
|[[File:CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon.svg|40px]] || [[Canadian Forces' Decoration|Canadian Forces Decoration]] (CD) ||
|-
|[[File:Commissionaire Long Service Medal Ribbon.png|40px]] || [[Commissionaires Long Service Medal]] ||
|}

<ref>{{cite web |title=Milton Gregg's Medals |url=http://www.vconline.org.uk/milton-f-gregg-vc/4586847970.html |website=Victoria Cross Online |access-date=22 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

* Gregg was sworn into the [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|King's Privy Council for Canada]] on 2 September 1947 by the [[Governor General of Canada]] [[Field marshal|FM]] [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Rt Hon Lord Alexander of Tunis]] on the advice of [[Prime Minister of Canada|Canadian Prime Minister]] [[William Lyon Mackenzie King|Rt Hon William Lyon Mackenzie King]]. This gave him the [[Style (form of address)|Honorific Title]] "[[The Honourable]]" and the [[List of post-nominal letters in Canada|Post Nominal Letters]] "PC" for Life.

=== Scholastic ===

;Honorary degrees
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
! style="width:20%;"| Location
! style="width:20%;"| Date
! style="width:40%;"| School
! style="width:20%;"| Degree
! style="width:20%;"| Gave Commencement Address
|-
| {{Flagu|Nova Scotia}} || '''1921''' || [[Acadia University]] ||<ref>{{cite web |title=Acadia University Honorary Degrees |url=https://www2.acadiau.ca/alumni-friends/alumni/awards/honorary-degrees.html |website=Acadia University |access-date=30 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref>  ||
|-
| {{Flagu|British Columbia}} || '''26 October 1951''' || [[University of British Columbia]] || [[Doctor of Laws]] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |title=University of British Columbia Honorary degrees |url=https://archives.library.ubc.ca/heraldry-congregation-graduation/honorary-degrees-conferred-by-ubc/honorary-degrees-chronological/
|website=The University of British Columbia |access-date=30 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Milton Gregg's Honorary Degree Citation |url=https://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/hdcites/hdcites3.html#gregg
|website=The University of British Columbia |access-date=30 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref> || Yes
|-
| {{Flagu|Ontario}} || '''20 May 1977''' || [[Royal Military College of Canada]] || [[Military science|Doctor of Military Science]] (D.Sc.Mil)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rmcc-cmrc.ca/en/royal-military-college-canada-honorary-degree-recipients|title=Royal Military College of Canada Honorary Degree Recipients|date=19 July 2016}}</ref> || Yes
|}

{{Incomplete list|date=September 2021}}

== Legacy ==
After his death, the Milton Fowler Gregg VC Memorial Trust Fund Bursary was created in his name. It is offered annually to students entering the [[Royal Military College of Canada]] Division of Graduate Studies and Research.

The Mons Box Trophy was created by then Brigadier, The Honourable Milton F. Gregg, VC, CBE, OC, MC, ED, CD. It is awarded to the platoon commander who has exhibited the highest qualities of leadership and who is therefore, the junior officer most fit to command the men who have been placed in his charge. The Mons Box, a ceremonial cigar box, was presented to then Lieutenant Gregg by the Burgomaster of Mons, Belgium in November 1918. In addition, all members of the Canadian Corps who had reached the Mons area by Armistice Day were presented with a souvenir medallion of the City of Mons. Duplicates of this medallion are affixed to the box. Brigadier Gregg presented the Mons Box to 2 RCR on 1 June 1973. It has been presented annually since then to the winning platoon commander on the first appropriate battalion function after 1 June. The winner of the Mons Box is determined by a selection committee consisting of the Commanding Officer, the Adjutant, Company Commanders and any previous winners of the Mons Box serving in 2 RCR. These previous winners are no longer eligible to compete. All Subalterns, who have spent at least eight consecutive months of the previous year as a platoon commander, are eligible for the award.
The Mons Box is displayed in the silver cabinet of the Saint Andrew's Barracks Officers' Mess in [[CFB Gagetown]]. It is placed in front of the current winner during all Mess Dinners and it contains the after dinner cigars. Each winner of the Mons Box receives a souvenir trophy.

The Brigadier Milton F. Gregg, VC, Centre for the Study of War and Society was created at the [[University of New Brunswick]] in 2006 to further Canadians' knowledge about conflict, and is devoted to excellence in the study of war as a complex social phenomenon. [[Marc Milner]] is the first Director. The centre incorporates the UNB History and UNB Military and Strategic Studies Programs.

== Electoral history ==
{{1957 Canadian federal election/Fredericton}}
{{1953 Canadian federal election/Fredericton}}
{{1949 Canadian federal election/Fredericton}}

{{CanElec4-by|1947|On the death of Francis Bridges}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Milton Fowler Gregg|12,237|51.27|+3.05}}
{{CANelec|CA|PC|Ernest William Sansom|8,119|34.01|-10.31}}
{{CANelec|CA|CCF|Murray Young|3,514|14.72|+7.27}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|23,870|100.00 }}
{{end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/milton-fowler-gregg/ Canadian Encyclopedia – Milton Fowler]
* [http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=430345 Milton Fowler Gregg's digitized service file]
* [http://regimentalrogue.com/rcr_great_war/the_rcr_great_war.html The Royal Canadian Regiment and The First World War – 1914–1919] – [http://regimentalrogue.com/rcr_great_war_officers/rcr_offr_gregg_mf.html Lieut. Milton Fowler Gregg, V.C., M.C.]
* [https://www.rmcc-cmrc.ca/en/registrars-office/scholarships-bursaries-prizes-and-awards-graduate-studies#mfmt Trust Fund Bursary]
* {{OCC|2012}}
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=1629}}
* [https://legionmagazine.com/en/2006/01/securing-victory/ Legion Magazine Article of Milton Gregg]
* [http://www.unbf.ca/arts/MSS/ The Brigadier Milton F. Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society]
* [http://thercr.ca/ The Royal Canadian Regiment]
* [http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/vcg-gcv/bio/gregg-mf-eng.asp Milton Fowler Gregg biography] on DND's Directorate of History and Heritage
*[https://generals.dk/general/Gregg/Milton_Fowler/Canada.html Generals of World War II]

{{Presidents of the University of New Brunswick}}
{{CA-Ministers of Fisheries}}
{{CA-Ministers of Veterans Affairs}}
{{CA-Ministers of Labour}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregg, Milton Fowler}}
[[Category:1892 births]]
[[Category:1978 deaths]]
[[Category:Acadia University alumni]]
[[Category:Canadian military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Canadian Baptists]]
[[Category:Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:People from Kings County, New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:Canadian Expeditionary Force officers]]
[[Category:Canadian recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:High commissioners of Canada to Guyana]]
[[Category:UNICEF people]]
[[Category:Canadian military personnel from New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Canadian officials of the United Nations]]
[[Category:Sergeants-at-Arms of the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:20th-century Baptists]]
[[Category:Canadian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Canadian Regiment officers]]
[[Category:Presidents of the University of New Brunswick]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:Minister of veterans affairs of Canada]]