Charles William Drury (1856 - 1913)

Born 18 Jul 1856 in Kingston, Canada West

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Louise (Henderson) Drury — married 20 Apr 1880 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1913 at age 56 in Montréal, Québec, Canada

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Biography

Commanding Officer, Brigade Division, Royal Canadian Field Artillery

His many innovations earned Lieutenant-Colonel Charles W. Drury the title of “Father of Modern Field Artillery in Canada.” After serving in the militia artillery in New Brunswick, he joined the permanent force artillery in 1877. He served in the Northwest Campaign in 1885.

At the outbreak of the South African War he was in command of the Permanent Force artillery at Kingston. He was one of the officers who accompanied the first Canadian contingent to study military developments during the war. He saw action with British forces and was present at the battle of Magersfontein.

Drury took command of the Canadian artillery when it arrived in South Africa in early 1900. After initial operations in March and April 1900, however, the Canadian artillery was split up and its component batteries served independently with different British forces. Drury and his headquarters, along with "C" Battery, formed part of Major-General Robert Baden Powell's operations in the western Transvaal. The artillery proved its efficiency, although the batteries were mostly employed in the frustrating task of pursuing the Boers in remote areas

After his return to Canada, Drury became military commander of the Maritime Provinces region. In 1905-06, his command took over the large fortress at Halifax from the departing British garrison.^[1]

Born in 1856, Drury was the son of Ward Drury and Charlotte A. Hayne. He married Mary Louise Henderson in 1880.^[2]

Charles William Drury and Mary Louise Henderson had the following children:

1. Edith Hayne Drury 1881–
2. Victor Montague Drury 1884–
3. Gladys Henderson Drury 1885–1927
4. Louise Arabella Drury 1886–
5. George Chipman Drury 1888–
6. Helen G. Drury 1896–1957

He died in 1913. Burial: Fernhill Cemetery, Saint-John, Saint John County, New Brunswick, Canada. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Canadian War Museum
2. ↑ "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FMNB-JTY : accessed 8 March 2016), Charles H Drury and Mary Louise Henderson, 20 Apr 1880; citing registration , Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,869,507.
3. ↑ Charles William Drury Memorial Page on Find A Grave. Charles William Drury

• A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry by Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms, Harrison and Sons, London, 1895. Drury pg 834-835
• Charles William Drury Memorial Page on Find A Grave. Charles William Drury
• Canadian War Museum - Lieutenant-Colonel Charles W. Drury