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General George-Philas Vanier was 71
years old when he became nineteenth
Governor General. the second Canadian t
hold the office. He brought t it a
distinguished record of service to his
country in war and peace.
He was
born in Montreal on April 23, 1888, he
studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1911. But from 1915 until his death,
war and public service occupied the
greater part of his life. He was
commanding officer of the Royal 22nd
Regiment from 1925 to 1928.
He
earned decorations and distinction
during the First World War. Thereafter
he represented his country on numerous
diplomatic missions and at important
conferences dealing with post-war
problems and adjustments.
General Vanier served as Secretary of
the Canadian High Commission in London
and was Canadian Minister to France when
that country fell in 1940. He returned
there as Canadian Ambassador from 1944
until his retirement in 1953 at the age
of 65.
Despite this retirement, he was
frequently engaged in government
missions, including delegations to the
United Nations and in private business
activities. Honours and decorations were
showered on him as they had been
throughout most of his active life, both
at home and abroad.
General Vanier was no stranger to Rideau
Hall, having served as Aide-de-Camp to
Governors General Byng and Willingdon. A
tall, impressive man with great dignity
and composure, he moved about with some
difficulty due to the loss of a leg in
the First World War, but the impairment
never hindered the enthusiasm and
dedication with which he carried out the
duties entrusted to him. On his
appointment in 1959, he set out at once
to emulate his predecessors in getting
to know Canada and its people. In his
first year of office, he travelled some
15,000 miles. He worked hard and
incessantly for the cause of national
unity and to encourage a greater
awareness among Canadians of the value
and importance of happy, united family
units.
A
soldier to the end, he valiantly fought
ill health in an effort to discharge the
numerous Centennial responsibilities of
his office, but succumbed on March 5th,
1967; the second Governor General to die
in office.
Following a state funeral in Ottawa and
a memorial service in Quebec's historic
Citadel, General Vanier was buried in
Quebec City with full military honours.
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