C. P. Stacey
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Charles Perry Stacey, OC
, OBE
, CD
, FRSC
(30 July 1906 – 17 November 1989) was a Canadian historian
and university professor
. He was the official historian of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, and has been published extensively on matters both military and political.
, he received a B.A.
degree in History from the University of Toronto
in 1924. He received a second Bachelor's degree
in History from Corpus Christi College, Oxford
in 1929. In 1933, he received a Ph.D.
degree from Princeton University
. From 1933 to 1940, he was a member of the History department at Princeton University.
for the majority of the war, collecting and collating information for future historians, as well as writing contemporary reports. Stacey's works have contributed much to the study of certain controversial operations such as the Dieppe Raid
and Operation Spring
. Stacey benefited from his access to the major Canadian military and political figures involved in the War, both during the conflict and afterwards, when the official histories were being finalized for publication. He attained the rank of Colonel
. In total He served in the Army for 35 years (1924-1959).
entitled A Date With History, which presented much background information regarding the writing of the Official History of the Canadian Army. He extended these themes in volumes such as The Half Million (dealing with the Canadian forces stationed in Britain), and Arms, Men, and Government (concerning the government in Canada) during World War II. He also sheds light on the poorly managed writing of the Official History of World War I
(only one of the projected eight volumes by the original author ever appeared in print).
He died in Toronto in 1989. His personal and research papers are in the University of Toronto Archives.
A comment he made following World War II regarding war brides, calling them "Most excellent citizens," became the title of a book on the subject by Eswyn Lyster
.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Charles Perry Stacey, OC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
(30 July 1906 – 17 November 1989) was a Canadian historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and university professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. He was the official historian of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, and has been published extensively on matters both military and political.
Early life, education
Stacey was born in Toronto, Ontario. After attending the University of Toronto SchoolsUniversity of Toronto Schools
The University of Toronto Schools is an independent secondary day school affiliated with the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, he received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in History from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1924. He received a second Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in History from Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
in 1929. In 1933, he received a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. From 1933 to 1940, he was a member of the History department at Princeton University.
Service in Canadian Army
Stacey joined the Militia before the Second World War. His service as one of the Canadian Army's historians is well chronicled in his autobiography. He served in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for the majority of the war, collecting and collating information for future historians, as well as writing contemporary reports. Stacey's works have contributed much to the study of certain controversial operations such as the Dieppe Raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
and Operation Spring
Operation Spring
Operation Spring was an offensive operation conducted by II Canadian Corps during the Normandy campaign. The plan was intended to create pressure on the German forces operating on the British and Canadian front simultaneously to American offensive operations in their sector known as Operation...
. Stacey benefited from his access to the major Canadian military and political figures involved in the War, both during the conflict and afterwards, when the official histories were being finalized for publication. He attained the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. In total He served in the Army for 35 years (1924-1959).
Professor
From 1959 to 1975, he was a Professor of History at the University of Toronto. Stacey published an autobiographyAutobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
entitled A Date With History, which presented much background information regarding the writing of the Official History of the Canadian Army. He extended these themes in volumes such as The Half Million (dealing with the Canadian forces stationed in Britain), and Arms, Men, and Government (concerning the government in Canada) during World War II. He also sheds light on the poorly managed writing of the Official History of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(only one of the projected eight volumes by the original author ever appeared in print).
He died in Toronto in 1989. His personal and research papers are in the University of Toronto Archives.
A comment he made following World War II regarding war brides, calling them "Most excellent citizens," became the title of a book on the subject by Eswyn Lyster
Eswyn Lyster
Coral Eswyn Lyster, was a Canadian author best known for writing extensively on the Canadian war bride experience...
.
Selected bibliography
- Canada and the British Army (1936)
- The Canadian Army 1939-1945 (1948), winner of the 1948 Governor General's Awards1948 Governor General's AwardsIn Canada, the 1948 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the twelfth such awards. The awards in this period had no monetary prize but were an honour for the authors.-Winners:*Fiction: Hugh MacLennan, The Precipice ....
- Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War. Six Years of War: The Army in Canada, Britain, and the Pacific (Ottawa: The Queens Printer, 1955)
- Quebec, 1759: The Siege and the Battle (1959)
- (An updated version was published in 2001 with new material by Donald E. GravesDonald E. GravesDonald Edward Graves was a State Department analyst who specialized in studying the government of the USSR. As a Kremlinologist, Donald Graves tracked the personal history of individual Soviet officials. These files, profiled in the 1982 Washington Post story, "The Secret Files of Mr...
.)
- (An updated version was published in 2001 with new material by Donald E. Graves
- Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World WarOfficial History of the Canadian Army in the Second World WarThe Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War was a three volume set of books, based on the wartime work of the Historical Section of the General Staff. The Canadian Army had a dedicated set of officers in the Second World War who studied and recorded various facets of wartime...
. The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944-1945 (Ottawa: The Queens Printer, 1960) - Arms, Men, and Governments: The War Policies of Canada, 1939-1945 (Ottawa: Minister of National Defence, 1970)
- A Very Double Life: The Private World of Mackenzie King (1976)
- Canada and the Age of Conflict Vol. 1 (1977), (Toronto: University of Toronto Press), ISBN 0-8020-6560-0.
- Canada and the Age of Conflict Vol. 2 (1981), (Toronto: University of Toronto Press), ISBN 0-8020-2397-5.
- (with Barbara M. Wilson) The Half-Million: The Canadians in Britain, 1939-1946 (1987), (Toronto: University of Toronto Press).
- A Date With History ISBN 0-88879-086-4
See also
- Most Excellent CitizensEswyn LysterCoral Eswyn Lyster, was a Canadian author best known for writing extensively on the Canadian war bride experience...
- a book on the World War II war bride experience, title based on a quote from C.P. Stacey
External links
- biography at canadiansoldiers.com
- Charles Perry Stacey at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
- Eswyn Lyster's war bride webpage
- Most Excellent Citizens
- C.P. Stacey's Biography on Department of National Defence Website