Black Watch friends:

Regret to report the passing of Maj-Gen Brian Vernon on 11 June 2023 in Comox BC.
Brian joined our Second Battalion, The Black Watch RHC in Germany in 1965 for his Phase IV COTC basic officer training. Following that, after graduation from university and a year of civilian employment, he joined Canada’s Regular Force and was posted to our First Battalion in CFB Gagetown. He accompanied 1RHC to Cyprus in 1967 but was posted to the Canadian Airborne Regiment in 1969 and afterwards re-badged to P.P.C.L.I..

Below is his P.P.C.L.I. bio:
Major-General W. Brian Vernon, CD

Major-General W.B. (Brian) Vernon and his wife are natives of Windsor, ON. His military service began in 1958 in the Militia as a NCO. While attending university, he was commissioned following courses with the Canadian Officer Training Corps. After a year with Chrysler Corporation as a System Analyst, Major-General Vernon joined the Regular Army as a Direct Entry Officer in 1965.
As an officer in the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment of Canada), Major-General Vernon saw regimental duty in Europe, the Middle East and Eastern Canada. After that time, he served principally in operational staff and command roles. The former included appointments as the Operations Officer of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (1973-73), Brigade Major of the Special Service Force (1977-78) and Chief of Staff Land Forces Command (1992-93). He commanded the Second Airborne Command (1975-77) and the Third Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1979-81). He was the Deputy Commander of 1 CBG (1985-88) and commanded the Brigade from 1989-91. His final command appointment was Area Commander Land Forces Central Area, which he held from 1993 until 1995. He retired from the military in September 1996 after a posting to Ottawa, ON as Chief of Personnel Service.
Major-General Vernon is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College (1970-71) and the National Defence College (1984-85). In addition, he was a member of the Directing Staff of the Australian Army Command and Staff College (1981-83).
Major-General Vernon and his wife Jill have three sons; the eldest two, Michael and David, served as captains in Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Michael would go on to serve as the Commanding Officer of the Calgary Highlanders, while David would serve as Commanding Officer of the Royal Westminster Regiment. Upon retirement, Major-General Vernon and his wife moved to the West Coast. The Vernons’ hobbies include sports, history, sketching and other crafts
Obituary and memorial service detail is not yet available.

With thanks to Mark Fisher and Isaac Kennedy for the foregoing.

R. I. P.
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT