We regret to advise of the death of Brigadier-General William Allan Douglas Yuill OMM, CD (Ret’d) on 19 July 2024 at the age of 92 years. Brigadier-General Yuill was a Korean War veteran who started his 44-year military career as a Sapper and retired as Colonel Commandant of the Military Police Branch.
William was born in Winnipeg MB. He spent four years in Army Cadets before joining the Regular Army with the Royal Canadian Engineers in October 1950. He was soon promoted and served in Korea as a Section Commander with 23 Field Squadron (1952-53). Upon return to Canada, William was selected for officer training and attended the College Military Royal in St. Jean QC. On graduation from the Infantry School in 1956, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Regiment of the Canadian Guards.
William graduated from the Royal Military College in Kingston in 1958 and then served with the Canadian Guards in Camp Petawawa ON. He was next posted to West Germany (1957-59) as a Platoon Commander and later as Assistant Adjutant before returning to Petawawa. He then moved to Western Command Headquarters in Edmonton AB (1963-65), and then returned to Petawawa (1966-67).
William deployed with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus for six months in 1966. After completing his CF Staff College Course in 1975, William returned to West Germany as the Commander of Base Support for CFB Baden Soellingen (1975-77).
William returned to Canada as Director of Defence Intelligence in National Defence Headquarters (1977-80),. He then returned to CFB Petawawa as the Deputy Base Commander (1981-83). William was then posted to Vancouver BC as the Chief of Staff, Pacific Militia Area (1983-85). His last assignment was as a Brigadier-General in Damascus, Syria, where he was the Deputy Force Commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) separating the Israelis and the Syrians across the Golan Heights Area of Separation (1985-87).
On return to Canada, BGen Yuill retired from the Canadian Forces and became the Executive Assistant to the Base Commander, Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt BC 1988-93). William was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Military Police Branch in 1994 and held that appointment for six years.
Among his honours and awards, William became an Officer of the Order of Military Merit in 1985 and received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977. He also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires Long Service Medal with Bar in 2000, representing over 17 years of service.
A Funeral Service will be held for William on 1 August 2024 at 2:00 pm from the Grandview Kinsmen Community Center in Grandview MB. Interment will follow in the Grandview Memorial Gardens & District Cemetery. Online condolences can be sent to the funeral home.
