Okanagan Military Museum

MILITARY BIOGRAPHIES

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL JOHN (JACK) K. DANGERFIELD

Commander of the Order of Military Merit	Meritorious Service Cross	L'Ordre National du Merite (France)	Legion of Merit (USA)
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps	Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)	Royal Canadian Dragoons	8th Canadian Hussars

Lieutenant-General Dangerfield enrolled in The British Columbia Regiment (Militia) in 1955. He transferred to the Canadian Army in 1957 and was commissioned into the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians). He served as a Troop Leader until 1963, including a tour with the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF)in the Middle East.

Canadian troops in Egypt during UNEF peacekeeping service

After a two year posting to the Royal Canadian Armour Corps School as a tactics instructor, Lieutenant-General Dangerfield was posted back to the Lord Strathcona's Horse(Royal Canadians) as the Operations Officer, accompanying the Regiment to Germany in December 1965. In 1967, he was selected to attend the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College at Kingston, Ont. He was promoted to major on graduation in July 1968 and posted to the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's), in Petawawa, Ont, where he commanded the Light Armoured Squadron. The next year, in July 1969 he was appointed as the Commanding Officer, C Squadron, 8th Canadian Hussars (Brigade Reconnaissance) in Germany.

Canadian infantry with Leopard tank in support

Lieutenant-General Dangerfield held various staff appointments including an exchange posting with the 1st British Division in Verden Germany. He returned to Canada to command the Armour Department at the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown, New Brunswick. Following a year as part of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of The Royal Canadian Dragoons, in Lahr Germany. In 1976 he returned to Canada and has held various staff appointments in Toronto and National Defence Headquarters and was selected to attend the US Army War College in Carlisle Pennsylvania, in July 1980. In May 1983 he was promoted to Brigadier-General and assumed the appointment of Director General Land Doctrine and Operations. On 20 July, 1984 Lieutenant-General Dangerfield assumed command of 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Lahr, and in 1986 was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations at CENTAG, Heidelberg Germany. He was promoted to Major-General in 1988 and assumed the appointment of Commander 1 Canadian Division in Kingston. In 1991 he was promoted to his current rank and posted to NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Lieutenant-General Dangerfield retired from the Canadian Forces in 1994 after 36 years of service. In 1989 Lieutenant-General Dangerfield was appointed by the French government into L'Ordre National du Merite and in 1996 the President of the United States of America selected him for the Legion of Merit award. He and his wife, Jean, have resided in Kelowna, British Columbia since his retirement.

LGen Dangerfield addressing an
audience at the museum

Since his retirement Lieutenant-General Dangerfield has kept a close association with the Canadian Army and has served as the Honorary Colonel for the Royal Canadian Dragoons Regiment. He has also worked in support of the Okanagan Military Museum as a member of the Board of Directors of the Okanagan Military Museum Society since the early days of the museum's establishment. He continues to make a significant contribution in that position where his wealth of experience and organizational talents are very much appreciated by all.