John Alexander Charles

Honorary Degree

Spring 2008 Convocation

John Alexander Charles served as Commandant of Canadian Services College, Royal Roads from 1954 to 1957 and, years later, founded the Friends of Hatley Park Society, a group of volunteers who support the preservation of Hatley Park National Historic Site.

Born in Rouleau, Saskatchewan on March 27, 1918, Charles joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1937. At the start of World War II, he was a mid-shipman on HMS Berwick, which patrolled northern waters and performed Norwegian operations. In the fall of 1940, he joined HMCS Restigouche for convoy duty as part of the Clyde Escort Force and, in 1942, HMS Laforey for operations in the Mediterranean, North Africa, Sicily, Salerno and Anzio.

Charles returned to Canada in 1944 for staff signal duties at St. Hyacinthe, Esquimalt and Washington, DC, before taking command of HMCS Crescent on January 1, 1948. He completed Royal Navy and Joint Services Staff courses and joined HMCS Magnificent before his appointment as Director of Naval Communications.

On October 29, 1953, Charles took command of HMCS Haida and then became Commander Canadian Destroyer Far East and was promoted to Captain. It was upon his return to British Columbia that he served at Royal Roads before heading back to Ottawa to become Director of Naval Operations and, later, returning to Esquimalt as Commander, 2nd Escort Squadron.

Charles has served as Commodore of the Royal Canadian Navy Barracks; Assistant Chief of Naval Staff at National Defence Headquarters in Ontario; Rear Admiral, Maritime Force Commander Pacific; Assistant, Canadian Defence Staff Plans; and Chief of Maritime Operations. He retired from the post of Deputy Chief of Defence Staff in 1974.

Charles is a notable graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, class of 1935, and received the Order of Military Merit (CMM) and the Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) as well as having been Mentioned in Despatches (MID).

Retired Rear Admiral John Alexander Charles is an accomplished military officer, a revered leader, and a long-time supporter of Royal Roads University, its predecessor institutions, and Hatley Park National Historic Site.

Admiral Charles began his military service in 1937 as a cadet at the Royal Military College of Canada. In his second year he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and sailed to England to train as a naval officer.

During the Second World War he served in ships of the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy. He was awarded a Mention in Dispatches “For good services during the landing of Allied Forces at Anzio, Italy.” He remained in the navy after the war and continued to serve Canada with distinction for 37 years. He retired in 1974 as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff.

For three years from September 1954 John Charles was Commandant of Canadian Services College, Royal Roads. His work during this posting illustrates the qualities of leadership that shaped his success throughout his life and which epitomize the leadership principles Royal Roads University seeks to nurture in each of our graduates.

The military cadets who came to Royal Roads were mostly young, inexperienced and away from home for the first time. Their college program was both physically and mentally rigorous – but it was rigorous with the intention of building them, not breaking them. It was the philosophy of Commandant Charles that “you never had anybody coming in last.” He sought to instill in his cadets an understanding of the value of teamwork and a sense of responsibility for each other’s success. These are principles this university continues to espouse.

Cadets from that time recall Commandant Charles as a father figure, someone who knew each of their names, cared about them as individuals, and treated them with fairness, honesty and understanding.

John Charles’ official tenure at Royal Roads was relatively short, however he has been dedicated to the well-being of this campus and this institution since his first days here. During the 1980s, when the future of what was by then Royal Roads Military College was in question, Rear Admiral Charles founded the Friends of Hatley Park Society. This group of volunteers worked to protect the grounds from development. As president of the society, Rear Admiral Charles was instrumental in the federal government declaring the grounds Hatley Park National Historic Site in 1995. The society continues to support the preservation of the heritage property.

John Charles continues to show his support for the people and the place that make up Royal Roads. He attends every Remembrance Day ceremony on campus and is a regular participant in convocation and other university events.

This year, as we mark the 100th anniversary of Hatley Castle and honour the history of this illustrious site, it is fitting that we pay tribute to a man who has not only done the same but who has been an important part of that history: a man who exemplifies the tradition of leadership that distinguishes each of the institutions that have borne the name “Royal Roads.”

Mr. Chancellor, it is indeed an honour to present retired Rear Admiral John Alexander Charles for the degree, Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa.