Material Type

Photograph

Date Range

[between 1926 and 1937]

Description Level

Item

Physical Description

20.3 x 25.4 cm black and white copy photograph

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

Walter Evans Huckvale was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta on 25 December 1900. In 1912 Mr. Huckvale was sent to Toronto to attend Upper Canada College. In 1918 he entered the Royal Military College at Kingston, Ontario. Following his graduation in 1921, Mr. Huckvale returned to Alberta to article with a Calgary law firm, and was admitted to the bar in 1924. He practiced with the firm Johnstone, Ritchie and Huckvale. He and his wife Jane had two daughters, Virginia and Sidney, and five grandchildren. Through the inter-war years Mr. Huckvale pursued his military career at the same time he practiced law. Commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 15th Light Horse, Calgary in 1921, Huckvale was transferred to Lethbridge in 1924 to join the 20th Battery Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) as a Captain. In 1926 he completed his qualifications for Major and took command of the 20th Battery RCA. On 22 February 1937 Major Huckvale assumed command of the 18th Field Brigade. A year after the outbreak of World War 2, Lieutenant Colonel Huckvale was sent overseas in command of the 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment. In March 1941 he was given command of the newly formed 1st Light Anti Aircraft (LAA) Regiment as they trained for combat with their new 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns. Promoted to Colonel in January 1942, W.E. Huckvale was placed in command of the Number 2 Artillery Reinforcement Unit in England. Promoted to Brigadier General in November 1942, he was given command of the 2nd Canadian Artillery Group Royal Artillery (AGRA). Like the 1st LAA Regiment, the 2nd Canadian AGRA was a new unit that Huckvale had to train for combat. In February 1944 Brigadier General Huckvale assumed command of the 1st Canadian AGRA, then fighting in Italy. The unit was handicapped in that only five of its 16 guns were serviceable, and no spare parts were available. By May 1944 Huckvale had resolved the supply problems, and the unit was once again in good order. Brigadier General Huckvale commanded the 1st Canadian AGRA during the battles of the Gothic Line, the Rimini Line, and the initial stages of the Battle of the Rivers. In late 1944 Huckvale was transferred back to in England in an administrative post, and in February 1945 returned to Canada. In post-war life, Walter Evans Huckvale was a community leader. He served as an Alderman from 1948 to 1951, and was also active as a bencher with the Alberta Law Society executive Committee. He served as president of the Alberta Cancer Society and Lethbridge Progressive Conservative Association. Walter Evans Huckvale died on 23 November 1972, age 71, and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Lethbridge.

Acquisition Source

Huckvale, Mrs Jane E

Scope and Content

Head and shoulders portrait of Walter Evans Huckvale in the uniform of a major, in the Canadian Army.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19851038000

Collection

Archive

Less detail