Drafter of Defence Scheme Number 1

Born: 28 June 1881 in Simcoe, Ontario
Died: 13 April 1951 in Victoria, British Columbia

James Sutherland "Buster" Brown joined the Royal Canadian Regiment in 1906. In the 1920s, he became Director of Military Operations and Intelligence at the Canadian army headquarters.

During that time, Brown became concerned about the possibility of war between Britain and the United States so he developed a contingency plan for Canada that he called "Defence Scheme Number 1". This plan called for mobile units to capture US bases close to the border, such as Seattle and Minneapolis, to stall the American army and allow time for the British army to arrive. An ambitious plan which, fortunately, was never tested.

Brown retired from military life in 1933 after a clash with AGL McNaughton over the administration of unemployment relief camps. He ran for political office as a Conservative but was unsuccessful.

Suggested reading:

Buster, A Canadian Patriot and Imperialist: The Life and Times of Brigadier James Sutherland Brown     by Atholl Sutherland Brown

Amazon.ca Amazon.com Alibris.com

Sources include:

Kearney, Mark, and Randy Ray. The Great Canadian Trivia Book. Toronto: Hounslow Press, 1996.

The 1998 Canadian and World Encyclopedia. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc., 1998.

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