John Hamilton Roberts

Infobox Military Person
name= John Hamilton Roberts


caption=
rank=Major-General
branch=Canadian Army
commands= 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.
unit=
battles=the raid against Dieppe,
family=
nickname=
allegiance=Canada
born= 1891
died=1962
placeofbirth= Pipestone, Manitoba.
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=
serviceyears=1911-1943
portrayedby=
laterwork=
awards=CB, DSO, MC

John Hamilton "Ham" Roberts CB, DSO, MC (December 21, 1891 – 1962) was a Canadian artillery officer and major general.

Roberts was born in Pipestone, Manitoba. He studied in Upper Canada College and graduated from from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario in 1914, student #891.

In the World War II Roberts was stationed in Northern France, when the Germans started their assault on May 1940. Roberts succeeded to save his regiment's guns while evacuating over the English Channel in Dunkirk. He was later promoted to Major General and appointed General Officer Commanding the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.

Roberts was put in charge of the ground troops for the raid against Dieppe, on August 19, 1942. His command post was aboard HMS Calpe and due to poor communications he had no idea how his troops were managing, until they called for landing crafts for immediate evacuation. Roberts, who had no part in planning the operation, was not blamed and continued to command the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division for six more months. He was found wanting after Exercise Spartan in the spring of 1943, and relieved of command. [Granatstein, Jack "The Generals: Canada's Senior Commanders in the Second World War"] He was sent to command reinforcement units in the United Kingdom and received no further operational commands. He later retired to the Channel Islands. [ CBC interview, Dieppe 20th Anniversary, "Dieppe" miniseries DVD]

External links

* [http://www.junobeach.org/e/3/can-pep-can-roberts-e.htm Juno Beach Centre, short biography on Roberts]

References

*4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
*H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
*H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
*H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876-1918. Volume II: 1919-1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston] . The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984