William Alexander Binny "Alec" Douglas is a Canadian
naval historian, who was Director, Directorate of History, National
Defence Headquarters (Canada), 1973–1993, then Director General History,
1993–1994.
The son of Hector Douglas, a British engineer
working in Southern Rhodesia, and Phyllis Fernie, he was born in
Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia on 4th June 1929.
Douglas left as a
youngster for England and after the outbreak of World War II was
evacuated to Canada with other children during the "Blitz". Reaching
college age while in Canada, he joined the Canadian University Naval
Training Divisions to help finance his undergraduate education at the
University of Toronto, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in
1951.
After training in HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) and HMCS Swansea
(K328) in 1951–1954, Douglas qualified for Lieutenant with the Royal
Navy, then served as a watchkeeping officer in HMCS
Quebec (C66), HMCS Penetang (K676), and HMCS Outremont (K322) between
1955 and 1957. He then served as navigating and operations officer in
HMCS Ottawa (DDH 229) and HMCS Kootenay (DDE 258) in 1958–1960. Assigned
to staff duty in 1960, he became navigation equipment and trials officer
on the staff of Flag Officer, Atlantic Coast, then, as a lieutenant
commander became squadron navigator and operations officer with the 7th
Canadian Escort Squadron in 1961–1964. During this period, he earned a
Master of Arts degree in history at Dalhousie University in 1962, with a
thesis on “Halifax as an element of sea power, 1749–1766”. In 1964, he
was posted as naval staff officer and associate professor of military
studies at the Royal Military College of Canada. In 1967 he was assigned
as an historian at the Directorate of History, National Defence
Headquarters, in Ottawa. Promoted to commander in 1970, he became senior
historian in the Directorate. During this period he completed graduate
studies at Queen’s University under Sydney F. Wise, earning a Ph.D. in
1973 with a thesis on “Nova Scotia and the Royal Navy, 1713–1766”.
After retiring from active service in 1973, he was appointed Director,
Directorate of History, National Defence Headquarters, serving until
1993, becoming Director General History, in 1993–1994.
Among his
appointments, he was a member of the Public Service Commission Committee
of Peers for the Canadian Government Historical Research Group,
1973–1994; National Commissioner, Canadian National Commission for
Military History; Chairman, Canadian Commission for the History of the
Second World war, 1973–1984; Vice President, 1976–1981, and Member of
Council, North American Society for Oceanic History, 1973–1985;
Director, Ontario Historical Society, 1975–1983; Secretary, 1984–1989,
and President, 1990–1993, Canadian Nautical Research Society; Adjunct
Professor, Carleton University, 1985– ; Visiting professor of history
Duke University, 1988-1989, 2001-2002; Vice-President, International
Commission for Maritime History, 1995-2000; Visiting Research Fellow,
Clare Hall, Cambridge, 1996.> |
