The Prisoner - Major General Victor Arthur Seymour Williams

Victor Arthur Seymour Williams, a Canadian general in the First World War, was later Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. He was born at Port Hope, Ontario, in 1867, the son of Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams and his wife, Emily.

After attending Trinity College School, Port Hope, he entered the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, in 1884. In December 1887, he was appointed inspector and transferred to the Mounted Infantry in 1889. He eventually took a commission with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in 1893.

In 1899, he went to South Africa, serving as a major and lieutenant-colonel in command of B Squadron, Canadian Mounted Rifles, during the Second Boer War. Williams was promoted brevet colonel for his overseas service and appointed commandant of the Royal School of Cavalry in Toronto.

In 1907, he was appointed commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons and Inspector of Cavalry for the Dominion of Canada. In 1911, he commanded the mounted units at the Coronation of King George V. From 1912 to 1914, he was Adjutant-general in Ottawa.

He commanded Valcartier Camp, Quebec, during the mobilisation of the 1st Canadian Division, and accompanied the contingent overseas.

During the war, he served on the general staff of Field Marshal Sir John French and the British II and III Corps. As brigadiergeneral, he commanded the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Division from December 1915 to June 1916. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 30

April 1916 for gallant and distinguished services in the field

He was severely wounded and taken prisoner on 2 June 1916 during the Battle of Mont Sorrel and released in a prisoner exchange before the end of the war. He returned to Canada in late 1918.

Mount Williams (2,730 metres) in the Canadian Rockies, on the border of Alberta and British Columbia, was named in his honour in 1918. After the war, he was promoted to major-general in command of Military District 2, Toronto.

Victor Williams served as Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police from 1922 to 1939. He died in Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, on 12 December 1949 and was buried in Saint John‘s Cemetery, Port Hope.