For several decades we have presented the Bradley Award Plaque to the Best Junior
Officer of the Sherbrooke Hussars. It is always interesting to know the donor of this honorary distinction. In some other articles of the regimental journal, we saw the Denis Letellier, Oakley memorial an Atholl trophies. The Bradley Award plaque has been filled with names since 2019 which forces us to switch to a trophy with more display space. So, let's take this opportunity to find out who Mr. Bradley was?
Douglas Hamilton Bradley, the donor of the Bradley Plaque that is presented to the best junior officer of The Sherbrooke Hussars for a given training year (September to August) was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec in 1920 and died in North Hatley, Quebec in 2000. Douglas Hamilton Bradley was one of five children of a distinguished Sherbrooke family. His father, Frederick Hamilton Bradley, served as a captain in the Sherbrooke Regiment in 1901-1902 and as a captain and Lieutenant - Colonel in the Canadian Army Dental Corps from 1915 until 1920. He was also a mayor of Sherbrooke between 1934 and 1936.
Douglas and his brother William Barker Bradley attended Sherbrooke High School. Thereafter, Douglas attended Bishop’s University from which he graduated in 1940. Immediately upon graduating from Bishop’s University Art Degree, Douglas enlisted in The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment which was rebranded as the 27th Canadian Armoured Regiment and became The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment. He held the rank of Lieutenant. His brother William enlisted in the Royal Rifles of Canada and also held the rank of Lieutenant. William was posted to Hong Kong and was a prisoner of war from 1941 until 1945. Lieutenant Douglas Hamilton Bradley was initially stationed in Newfoundland where the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment trained extensively to prepare for the D-Day Landing on June 6, 1944. The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment was sent to England where Douglas continued his training until June 1944. Lieutenant Bradley was the commander of a Sherman tank and disembarked on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944.
Lieutenant Bradley appointed acting captain as adjutant. After the D-Day Landing, Lieutenant Bradley’s tank was struck in the front bogey by an 88-millimetre shell, which penetrated the hull under the driver’s seat. Fortunately, no crew member was killed after that direct hit. Lieutenant Bradley was twice wounded in action and was hospitalized in Holland and England. He was a decorated officer that received a battlefield promotion to major and was the youngest major in the Canadian army. After Germany’s unconditional surrender in May 1945, Major Bradley volunteered to join the war in the Pacific but his deployment was forestalled due to Japan’s unconditional surrender in August 1945.
In 1945, Major Bradley married Miss Jane Cole of Tarrytown, New York and relocated to New York where he was the president and a major shareholder of the famous Angostura Wupperman Corporation. In 1968, that company merged with Iroquois Brands Limited and Douglas served as an officer, director and Chairman of the Board of the merged entity until his retirement in 1983. Douglas Hamilton Bradley proudly served as the Honorary Lieutenant - Colonel and Honorary Colonel of the Sherbrooke Hussars during the 1980s. He was a philanthropist, an environmentalist and a loving son, sibling, husband, father and grandfather.
Recipients of the Bradley Award in the last years :
- Slt Dean Moffatt - 2022
- Slt Emrik Carrier - 2021
- Capt Rafaël Gendron - 2020
- Capt Philippe Yargeau - 2019
- Lt (Maintenant Capt) Jean-François Wehrung - 2018
- Lt (Maintenant Capt) Jean-François Wehrung - 2017
- Capt Olivier Jacques - 2016
- Capt Olivier Jacques - 2015
- Capt Léveillé - 2014
- Capt (Maintenant Maj) Samuel Beaudette - 2013
- Capt (Maintenant Maj) Samuel Beaudette - 2012
- Capt (Maintenant Maj) Mathieu Proulx - 2011
- Lt (Maintenant Maj) Samuel Beaudette - 2010
- Lt (Maintenant Maj) Samuel Beaudette - 2009
- Lt (A terminé Capt) André Bernard - 2008
- Lt Hamel - 1994-1996
- Lt Roy - 1992-1993
- Lt (Maintenant Col) Daniel Lamoureux - 1991
- Lt Nas - 1990
- Slt Spaulding - 1989
- Lt Côté - 1988
- Lt Clark - 1987
- Slt Clark Dubois - 1986-1987
Comments