Andrew Hamilton Gault (18 August 1882 – 28 November 1958) was the founder of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.
He was born in England, of Canadian parents. Gault attended McGill University. Commissioned in the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, he served in the Second Boer War and joined the Canadian Militia on return to Canada.
On the eve of the First World War he offered the Canadian government $100 000 to help raise and equip an infantry battalion for overseas duty, leading to the formation in 1914 of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Gault accompanied the regiment overseas as second-in-command, fighting until the loss of his left leg. On retirement in 1920, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton at the 1924 general election, and held the seat through two further elections until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1935 general election. Recalled to active duty in the Second World War, he served on staff with the Canadian Army in England (colonel, 1940; brigadier, 1942) and returned to Canada in 1945. Appointed honorary colonel (1948) and colonel (1958) of his regiment, he showed a keen interest in it until his death in 1958.[1]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Hope Simpson |
Member of Parliament for Taunton 1924–1935 |
Succeeded by Edward Wickham |