Canadian Brigadier Thomas John "Uncle Tom" Rutherford (16 Jan 1893), Commander of the 1st Armoured Brigade, stands inwards front end of a M4A4 Sherman tank of the Canadian Army. As a senior brigade commander, Rutherford satisfied his fighting cravings past times visiting units inwards the plain equally oft equally possible “to exam out our preparation too gain sense for farther preparation past times acting equally a fellow member of tank crews inwards action,” he wrote inwards his memoirs. But his project proved far to a greater extent than involved too varied than that. After near 2 years amongst the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, he took over the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He afterward returned to the armoured corps too commanded a reinforcement units brigade group. His tasks included giving rehabilitation education to men who were beingness sent domicile from the war. It was a project Rutherford took peculiarly seriously. The government’s failure to properly await after its First World War veterans had inspired Rutherford too others to establish the Canadian Legion to advocate for veterans too he was determined that it non arrive at again. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 stint equally deputy commander of Canadian forces inwards the Netherlands brought Rutherford’s negotiating skills to the fore, equally he helped to adjust for the divergence of Canada’s soldiers from that country. “It allowed us to piece of job out without farther complications too amongst the skillful volition of our friends, the people of Holland,” he wrote. Despite his increasing responsibility, Rutherford was never promoted beyond the order of brigadier. But he didn’t aspire to loftier positions. “I never was ambitious to play on the larger board,” he wrote. “I wanted to atomic number 82 men, non to motion units or formations. Perhaps that was why I lasted too thence long equally I am quite certain that no senior officeholder ever was jealous of me or got whatsoever sentiment that I was out after his project merely solely doing my best where I was. I felt very, rattling fortunate e'er to live where I was too thence long equally I could delight my superiors which I seemed to live able to do.” This was recognized when, inwards 1945, Rutherford was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Only 481 Canadians convey ever been appointed CBE inwards the chivalric order.
Source :
https://www.facebook.com/commonwealthforces/posts/brig-gen-thomas-john-rutherford-cbe-ed-an-amazing-lifethomas-j-uncle-tom-rutherf/929839640431102/
https://greyroots.pastperfectonline.com/byperson?keyword=Rutherford%2C+Thomas+J.
https://jonathonjackson.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/remembering-brig-tom-rutherford/
http://www.theshermantank.com/2016/01/26/
