We regret to advise of the death of Major Gordon Vincent “Vince” Clark, CD (Ret’d) in Ottawa, ON at the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre on 30 August 2017 at age 91.
Vince was born in North Sydney, NS and was educated in the local public schools and Sydney Academy. He enlisted in the Army for WW II in August 1943 while attending Acadia University. He qualified as a Gunner Operator and arrived in England in January 1945 where he was soon assigned to VIII Princess Louise’s (NB) Hussars in Holland. At war's end Vince was transferred to 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars in Leer, GE as part of the Canadian Army Occupation Force.
Repatriated to Canada in June 1946, Vince returned to Acadia that Fall and received his Applied Science Certificate in 1949. He qualified for his Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) in 1951. While at Nova Scotia Technical College he enlisted in the Militia in May 1950 with the Halifax Rifles (23rd Armoured Regiment) and, later, with 5th Field Engineer Regiment, Royal Canadian Engineers. In October he re-enlisted in the Canadian Army Active Force. Vince was a member of No 3 Young Officers Course at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering (RCSME) and was assigned as RCSME Assistant Adjutant (1953-53) for his first tour as a Commissioned Officer. For his next assignment he was Roads Platoon Commander on the Northwest Highway Maintenance System (1953-55) before returning to RCSME as Troop Commander, Electrical Trades Troop.
Upon completion of this second tour at RCSME Vince embarked on a career that was to be primarily in the Technical Staff sector. After a year in the Army Headquarters Directorate of Design and Development he was selected to attend the Royal Military College of Science in England where he received his qualification as a Technical Staff Officer (1960-61). He then returned to Ottawa where he was employed in the Directorate of Equipment Engineering (1962-65) before deploying to Camp Rafah, Egypt as the Force Engineer for the United Nations Emergency Force and Commanding Officer of the Canadian Engineer Company (1966). Upon return to Ottawa Vince had a two years tour with Director General Environmental and Operational Services before moving back into the Technical Staff sector with the Directorate of Vehicles and Field Engineer Equipment (DVFE) (1969-72).
Vince retired from the Canadian Forces in 1972 and joined the Public Service. For the next eight years he continued his work with Field Engineer equipment in DVFE and its replacement Directorate of Combat Mobility Engineering and Maintenance (DCMEM) in National Defence Headquarters.
Vince was a proud Cape Bretoner who was an active alumni of the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS) and served on the Executive Committee of the Ottawa Branch of TUNS. He volunteered in many ways in support of the Baptist Church community where he became Moderator of the Ottawa Baptist Association. Vince was an active member with several Regimental Associations. He dedicated much of his efforts in his retirement to the Canadian Defence Association as their Archivist and the Military Engineering Association of Canada (MEAC). Vince was a Honourary Life Member of the MEAC and was awarded a CMEA Commendation in 2012 for his dedicated work over many years to archive and preserve the written records of the Military Engineers Association of Canada.
The family will receive friends at Beechwood, Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services (280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa), on Saturday, 30 September 2017 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of Memorial Service in Beechwood’s Sacred Space at 2:00 p.m. Interment in the National Military Cemetery located at Beechwood Cemetery, followed by a Reception. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Dementia Society (formerly Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County), or First Baptist Church, 140 Laurier Avenue West, would be appreciated. Messages of Condolence may be left at www.beechwoodottawa.ca. {khSep2017}
