# General Volkes info



## BDTyre (22 Feb 2008)

I'm just wondering if anyone out there has some biographical info on General Volkes - or can point me to some sources.  Google turns up a bunch of German pages and a few of my photos from the Volkes range.

My father and I are curious, as my father attend school with a Michael Volkes whose father served with the army during WWII -and coincidentally, the old barracks in Oakville were called the Ortona Barracks.

Thanks for the help.


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## Old Sweat (22 Feb 2008)

There was a Major General Chris Vokes and a Lieutenant General Charles Foulkes in the Canadian army in the Second World War. Not only were their names somewhat confusable (Vokes after the event claimed that Foulkes got command of 1st Canadian Corps in Italy because the British commander thought he was being offered Vokes) but they hated each other's guts dating back to the pre-war years. Vokes was a Sapper and a RMC graduate while Foulkes was a Royal and a direct entry officer.

After the war Foulkes became Chief of the General Staff and then was promoted General and served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee into the sixites. Vokes had reached his ceiling as Major General and served in a variety of command and staff positions until he retired. Foulkes had no personality to speak of and was blandness personified; Vokes was a drunken, foulmouthed womanizer.

For a balanced assessment I recommend Jack Granatstein's The Generals, which discusses the Second World War Canadian general officer corps.


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## Kat Stevens (22 Feb 2008)

"Vokes was a drunken, foulmouthed womanizer."

So a credit to our beloved Corps, then?   ;D


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## geo (22 Feb 2008)

Kat Stevens said:
			
		

> "Vokes was a drunken, foulmouthed womanizer."
> 
> So a credit to our beloved Corps, then?   ;D



Amen to that!

A sapper after my own heart!  8)

CHIMO!


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## 54/102 CEF (22 Feb 2008)

A few links - get the book in the 3rd link - you`ll enjoy it.

http://www.generals.dk/general/Vokes/Christopher/Canada.html

http://www.junobeach.org/e/3/can-pep-can-vokes-e.htm

His bio - http://www.amazon.ca/Vokes-my-story-Chris/dp/0969210906


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## daftandbarmy (23 Feb 2008)

Kat Stevens said:
			
		

> "Vokes was a drunken, foulmouthed womanizer."
> 
> So a credit to our beloved Corps, then?   ;D



My dad was in the 3rd Div. They were astonished at the casualty rate in 1 Can Div and called him 'Butcher Vokes' or 'Send them in again Vokes'. 

"If they took the words f##k and frontal out of the English language, the Canadians would not be able to speak or attack - was one comment directed at him." http://theworldatwar70879.yuku.com/topic/1156

http://www.junobeach.org/e/3/can-pep-can-vokes-e.htm


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## 54/102 CEF (23 Feb 2008)

Vokes as he went into the operational side - "I was sick and tired of being the Base Plumber in Halifax"

Vokes as the CE guy at Dundurn Relief Camp - "there I was taking welfare cases to the Dentist"

Vokes on R and R in Egypt - "some guy ripped us off on a snake charmign session"

Vokes on his Batman bringing Tea on a Silver plate in view of the Germans - "what an idiot!"

Vokes on Tommy Burns - "what an idiot!"

Vokes speaking to a Staff Offr from Higher about Burns "You figure it out"

Granatstein on Burns "sent home from CDLS London for saying everyone was an idiot in Ottawa"

Idiots in Ottawa "Burns can go back overseas now"

His early memories of life as a kid in Ireland - "I remember a funeral party going up to the cemetery - playing mournful music and coming back down playing jaunty airs - thats how I remember my time in the Army"

Vokes driving Monty around Toronto after the war - "some guy on the streets sees Monty - Screw you Monty!" Vokes and Monty laugh

Vokes on the world "The meek shall inherit the earth - I friggin`doubt it!`

You must get the book - its great and full of the stuff I write above


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