Charles Winter

Charles F. Winter

by John D. Reid

Charles Francis Winter, was born in Montreal on 3 February 1863, the son of English-born William B Winter and his wife Mary McFarlane. The family moved to Prescott, where he was educated, and he then moved to England to join the Royal Fusiliers, becoming Lance-Corporal at 17 yeas of age. He volunteered for service in Egypt and nearly succumbed to typhoid fever; his recovery being greatly assisted by the friendship of Lady Dufferin, wife of the former British High Commissioner in Ottawa.

Returning to Canada, and to Ottawa, in 1883 he found a position in the Civil Service, and in the militia with the Governor General’s Foot Guards. In 1885 he volunteered with the
Ottawa Company of Sharpshooters during the North West Rebellion, served as company Colour Sergeant, and was wounded during the Battle of Cut Knife Hill. He was commissioned in the GGFG in 1886 and appointed Adjutant, with rank of Captain, in 1890.

He married Helen Wilkins in 1887.

In the Public Service he served as Secretary to the First Salmon Fishery Commission in
British Columbia in 1892, and was on the staff of the British Agent in the Bering Sea
arbitration with the United States in 1893-4, following which he had appointments to the
staff of several Ministers, including Sir Charles Tupper.

Volunteering to serve during the South African War, he took part in the capture of
Pretoria, and guerrilla operations in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. On return
to Canada he was transferred to the staff of the Militia Department, and in 1907 was
appointed to the Canadian Permanent Staff. During the First World War he again
volunteered for active service, was promoted to Colonel, and served in staff roles in
Canada, Bermuda and St. Lucia.

On retirement in 1922 he was promoted to Brigadier-General, maintained an active
involvement with military matters, and increased his involvement with the Dominion of
Canada Rifle Association. He also served as President of the Ottawa Branch of the
Canadian Red Cross for many years. He died at his home, 149 Hawthorne Ave, on 20 October 1946 and is buried at Beechwood Cemetery.

[The above information was gathered as part of research on the "Ottawa Sharpshooters", a research project of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (2004)]

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