André Gauthier (sculptor)

Colonel (Canadian Armed Forces, Retired) André D. Gauthier OMM, CD, is a Canadian monument sculptor and designer in various materials including bronze casting. He is also an artist in oil painting, charcoal, and watercolours. Many of his works are connected with the Profession of Arms in the Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Royal Military College of Canada Gauthier Collection consists of 60 sculptures. His works are found in military and private collections in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Military units have presented his sculptures to cities with which they have had a long association. His works have been presented to a member of the British royal family, the Governor General of Canada, two Canadian prime ministers, Canadian cabinet ministers and dozens of visiting foreign dignitaries. Five of his works are in the permanent art collection of the Canadian War Museum (Ottawa, Canada).

Life and work
Colonel (Retired) André D. Gauthier was born in 1935 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He was educated in Montreal. He studied at the University of Ottawa on the Regular Officer Training Plan. He served as a troop commander with a reserve armoured regiment, the Régiment de Hull. He was commissioned in May 1958 in the Canadian Provost Corps. He served as an infantry platoon commander in the First Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada; No 1 Provost Platoon in Calgary, Alberta; the Kingston Provost Detachment and at Base Valcartier, Que. In 1962-65, Captain Gauthier was posted to Germany with a Military Police staff appointment and No 4 Provost Platoon. In 1965, he served at the Canadian Forces School of Intelligence and Security in Infantry Phase I Officer Training. He attended the Canadian Army Staff College in Kingston, Ont. Promoted to Major in 1967, he served at Mobile Command Headquarters in St. Hubert, Que. In 1969, he became the Senior Staff Officer Security.

In 1970, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel with Regional Civil Emergency Operations Section of Mobile Command, Quebec. In 1973, he served as Vice-Commandant and Director of Cadets at Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean and the Ducros Commission. In 1976-8, Colonel Gauthier was assigned as the Canadian Forces Attaché to Yugoslavia and Greece. He served as Director of Security at National Defence Headquarters 1976-80. He attended the National Defence College in Kingston, Ont in 1980/81. He served as the Chief of Staff for Headquarters Prairie Militia Area in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

From 1983-86, he served with the Canadian delegation to the conventional arms control negotiations (MBFR Talks) between NATO and the Warsaw Pact in Vienna, Austria. From 1986-89, he was Commandant of the unit administering Canada's National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa.

Awards and recognition
In November 1989, Colonel Gauthier was awarded the Order of Military Merit by the Governor General of Canada.

Selected works


The Royal Military College of Canada Gauthier Collection gifted by the Class of 1974 consists of 60 sculptures by Col (Ret’d) Andre Gauthier, OMM, CD. This includes a sculpture of a Royal Military College of Canada Cadet.

"Pointsman" (1965) depicts a Military Policeman with the uniform, weapons and accoutrements of the Canadian Provost Corps 1965.

"Helicopter Pilot" (1968) is a life sized bust which depicts an Army pilot flying a "Voyageur" twin-rotor transport helicopter

"Helicopter Pilot" (1969) is a smaller bust which depicts an Army pilot flying a "Voyageur" twin-rotor transport helicopter

"Infantryman" (1969) depicts a Canadian Airborne Regiment Infantryman with a FN C1 rifle

"Fallen Soldier" (1969) depicts a battlefield soldier falling to the ground mortally wounded in a realistic way.

"Kneeling Gunner" (1970) depicts the loader in a gun detachment on one knee, cradling a 105 mm artillery round as he waits to re-load the gun breech.

"Mobile Command" (1973) bas relief depicts a paratrooper of the Canadian Airborne Regiment and a Huey helicopter.

"Canadian Jumper" (1974) depics a paratrooper of the Canadian Airborne Regiment

"Cadet" (1974) depicts (then) Cadet Wing Commander, Officer Cadet Pierre Trahan, at the College Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean at attention and drawing his sword to bring it to a full salute

"Winter Patrol" (1975) depicts an infantryman in winter gear with his rifle at the ready as he trudges on snowshoes.

"Para Drop" (1975) (large) bas relief depicts paratroopers of the Canadian Airborne Regiment at a Drop Zone in winter and a Hercules C-130 aircraft.

"Sailor" (1975) depicts the submarine docking menoeuvre; a Canadian "HMC Submarines" sailor standing on the submarine deck holding a coil of light line in his left hand while in the throwing motion releasing the "Monkey's Fist", a lead weight on the end of the tossing line wrapped in a knotted fashion, from his right hand.

"Partizani" (1978) depicts a column of Marshal Josip Broz Tito's Yogoslav Partisan soldiers with a mortar on a mule seen trudging on a mountain trail in World War II.

"Paradrop" (1979) (small) bas relief depicts paratroopers of the Canadian Airborne Regiment at a Drop Zone in winter and a Hercules C-130 aircraft.

"Trooper" (1979) depicts an Armoured Corps Trooper holding up an Armour-piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS)  round, as if to another  crewman  in the turret to re-stock the ammunition bins in the Centurion tank.

"Pilot" (1980) depicts a young lieutenant flying CF-101 Voodoo interceptor from CFB Comox.

"Falls Eagle" 1980 depicts a First Nation's Thunderbird mystical figure landing.

"Snowy Owl" (1980) depicts a Snowy Owl in early winter, the main charge of the badge of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College

"Sapper" (1981) depicts a Combat Engineer sapper with a mine detector

"Leopards" (1981) bas relief depicts two Leopard 1 tanks emerging from a forest into a clearing.

"National Defence College Griffin" (1981) depicts a Griffin holding a torch in the right talon, standing on a naval anchor, the badge device of the National Defence College of Canada at Fort Frontenac in Kingston.

"Highlander" (1982) depicts a member of the Militia Highland Regiment (Lake Superior Scottish Regiment (Thunder Bay, Ont) and The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Hamilton, Ont)).

"Mounted Officer" (1982) depicts an Armoured Branch officer in the traditional dress and sword of a Cavalry officer. (Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadian) Regiment; or Royal Canadian Dragoons.

"Field Dental Clinic" (1982) bas relief depicts an army field dental clinic consisting of two vans: one with dental chair and the second as a lab

"Patricia" (1983) depicts a Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry soldier in Summer Dress worn during the Italian Campaign of WWII Italian Campaign,  sitting on a crate rifle across his lap and helmet on the cobblestone street at his feet, while he lights a cigarette.

"Vehicle Mechanic" (1983) depicts a Vehicle Mechanic cleaning a Jeep cylinder head in an Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch Workshop

"Blowpipe gunner" (1984) depicts a gunner with the Blowpipe, a man-portable surface-to-air missile (MANPADS) which was in use with 129th Air Defence Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery in the 1980s.

"Into Action" (1988) marks the 20th anniversary of the Canadian Airborne Regiment by depicting a paratrooper in Winter combat gear at the entrance to CFB Petawawa's Airborne Forces Museum.

"Je Me Souviens" (1989), a 6’ X 9’ bronze 'haut-relief' bronze and granite wall memorial, was erected at Place George V in front of the Grande Allée Armoury in Quebec City, Quebec. Unveiled on November 11, 1989, the sculpture honours the memory of the soldiers from the Royal 22e Régiment (R 22e R or "Van Doos'' French Canadian regiment who were killed during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Gauthier was inspired by A.T.C. Bastiens’ painting “L’Avance” at the Canadian War Museum. The names of soldiers are inscribed in granite on the monument.

"Anti-Tank Patrol” (1989) marks the 75th anniversary of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regiment (PPCLI or "Patricias").

"Standard Bearer" (1990) depicts a Canadian Army soldier holding a UN flag.

"Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch Workshop" (1990) bas relief depicts a Vehicle mechanic, Metal Technician, Army Technician and Electronics Technician.

"The Bridge" (1990) bas relief depicts assembly of a Medium Girder Bridge at CFB Borden

"Desert Cats" (1991) bas-relief repicts a CF-18 Hornet during the First Gulf War

"Three and a Tiger" (1991) -represents a WWI officer in the Battle of Vimy Ridge

In 1991, Gauthier sculpted a 1/4-scale statue of a WWI Officer for the Conference of Defence Associations' institute "VIMY AWARD".

"In Good Hands" (1992) Canadian medical assistant treats a wounded soldier on a stretcher

"The Return" (1992) depicts a Canadian soldier giving the V for Victory sign while returning from WWII

"Javelin gunner" (1993)depicts a gunner with the Javelin, a man-portable surface-to-air missile (MANPADS) which was in use with 129th Air Defence Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery in the 1990s.

"Service Battalion" (1993) bas-relief depicts a vehicle convoy exiting from the Service Battalion harbour area in the field

"Weapons Tech" (1993) depicts an Electrical Mechanical Branch Weapons Technician dis-assembling 81 mm motor.

"Au Revoir" (1994) depicts a young Canadian infantryman waving "au revoir" with an open hand while departing for World War I.

"Bomber Crewman" (1994) depicts a WWII bomber crewman in the Royal Canadian Air Force No 6 Bomber Group.

"The Salute" (1994) depicts a WWII Canadian sailor saluting his lost crewmates

"Juno" (1995) depicts a Canadian Infantryman rushing ashore knee-deep in water during the D-Day Landings on Juno Beach (6 June 1944)

"Sailor" (1995) is a bust of a WWII Canadian Sailor Reservist

"Canadian Jumper" (1994) depicts a paratrooper

A 10′6″ high bronze figure of a World War I soldier (1995) at the entrance to CFB Valcartier commemorates the training of Canadian Army volunteers for the European battlefields in World War I.

"Royal Canadian Naval Association Naval Memorial (1995)" on the shore of Lake Ontario in Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, Ontario is a 6’4” high cast bronze statue of a WWII Canadian sailor in the position of attention saluting his lost shipmates. The model for the statue was a local Sea Cadet wearing Mike Vencel's naval service uniform. On the black granite base, the names of Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Merchant Navy ships sunk during WWII are engraved.

"What Price, Victory" (1996) depicts a WWII Canadian Infantry sergeant in France shortly after the D-Day landings; he is down on one knee shedding tears over the loss of a crewmate.

"Who Goes There" (1996) depicts a WWII infantryman of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, which landed on JUNO Beach, on sentry duty in the rain.

"Kneeling Gunner" (1997) depicts a member of the Royal Canadian Field Artillery down on one knee holding a piece of artillery

"Infantryman" (1997) depicts a Canadian soldier standing with a C-7 rifle and scope held at the ready.

"Caribou" (1997) depicts a caribou in the same pose at the Royal Newfoundland Regiment's World War I memorial monument at Beaumont Harnel, Franch.

"Mine Clearance" (1998) depicts a Canadian Combat Engineer Sapper down on one knee engaged in mine clearance operations on a UN deployment in Croatia.

"Paardeberg" (1998) depicts a member of the 2 Royal Canadian Regiment raising his helmet in a victory salute during the battle of Paardeberg during the Boer War (South Africa) in 1900.

"Rappel" (1998) depicts a Canadian soldier rappelling down a building

"Leliefontein" (1999) depicts three members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons at the battle of Liliefontein (South Africa) on 7 Nov 1900: Sgt. E.J. Hollard, VC; Lt R.E.W. Turner, VC and Lt H.Z.C. Cockburn, VC.

"Sgt E.J. Holland, VC" (1999) depicts Sgt. E.J. Hollard, member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons at the battle of Liliefontein (South Africa) on 7 Nov 1900.

"Lt R.E.W. Turner, VC" (1999) depicts Lt H.Z.C. Cockburn, VC., member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons at the battle of Liliefontein (South Africa) on 7 Nov 1900.

"Air Defence Gunner" (1999) depicts a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery (Air Defence) holding a seven round, 35mm ammunition clip.

A small statuette (1999) commemorates the centennial of the Royal Canadian Regiment’s Battle of Paardeberg during the Boer War.

A three-figure bronze sculptural grouping of Royal Canadian Dragoons who won the Victoria Cross in the Battle of Leliefontein during the Boer War was sculpted in 1999.

A 6’4” high bronze statue for a monument honours the WWII Canadian Women’s Army Corps (2000) in front of the Kitchener Armoury in Kitchener, Ontario.

A small work of art on the theme of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Canada) (2001) was sculpted for the Royal Canadian Legion

The Leadership Award (2000) was sculpted for The Royal Canadian Regiment.

The “Munro Award”, a statuette of Canada’s WWII war correspondent, Ross Munro was commissioned by the Conference of Defence Associations Institute as an award for providing exceptional media coverage of Canadian defence and security issues.

"Combat Diver" Bas-relief (2000) depicts a scuba diver serving in the Combat Engineer Regiment.

"Stepping Out" (2000) depicts a member of the Canadian Women's Army Corps in a "walking out" dress uniform during World War II.

"This Way!" (2001) depicts a member of the Canadian operational parachute unit.

“Of Such As These” (2003) is a small bas-relief of Canadian World War II fighting men and women presented by the Conference of Defence Associations Institute to the Royal Canadian Legion’s National Secretariat in Ottawa.

Gauthier's sculptures (2005 & 2007) honour members of Canadian Special Operations Forces serving in Afghanistan.

"Known only onto God" (2002) depicts a World War I Canadian soldier down on one knee at the foot of a World War I temporary battlefield grave with a wood cross bearing the inscription "Known only unto God"

"What Price, Victory?" (2002) depicts a WWII Canadian Infantry sergeant in France shortly after the D-Day landings; he is down on one knee shedding tears over the loss of a crewmate; A helmet is set on the top of a rifle planted at the head of a World War II temporary battlefield grave.

"Covering File" (2002) depicts a Royal Canadian Regiment Infantry Section Commander, a sergeant, moving forward while pointing to his MG crew when he wanted them to provide covering fire for the section assault.

"Warco" (2002) depicts World War II Canadian war correspondent Ross Munro, who accompanied Canadians at Dieppe, Sicily, Italy, the Normany Invasion and the crossing of the Rhine.

"Izzy Dolls" (2003) Bas-relief depicts MCpl Mark Isfield, a Canadian Combat Engineer Sapper, presenting hand-knitted dollas made by his mother to Bosnian children. MCpl Islfield was killed while clearing land mines on UN operations in Bosnia. The bas relief was erected in the Mark R. Isfeld Senior Secondary School in Courtenay BC which was named after a Canadian Sapper killed while clearing a minefield in Bosnia. The bas relief was erected at Peacekeeper Park in Calgary.

"Of such as These - De Tels Predecesseurs" (2003) bas relief depicts a number of World War II figures of men and women of the army, navy, air force and a merchant season.

"MP" (2004) depicts Canadian Military Police with the dress and equipment 2004.

"Warrior" (2005) depicts an Assaulter named "Jeff" of the Joint Task Force 2 Special Forces unit with the dress and equipment per the Afghanistan theatre of operations

"On Vimy Ridge" (2006) depicts a soldier in World War I kit with his helmet held by his right side; Vimy Ridge is a Battle Honour of the Princess of Wales' Own Regiment

"Wall of Remembrance" (2006) is an 11 foot long stainless steel replica of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission "Sword of Sacrifice" with stainless steel lettering on either side of extracts from the Prayer of Remembrance in English and French at the entrance to Royal Canadian Legion's Kanata Legion House building. The "Sword of Sacrifice" is a bronze 8 foot sword mounted on a granite cross at the center of Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries.

"Fer De Lance or The Tip of the Spear" (2007) depicts an Assaulter named "Jeff" of the Joint Task Force 2 Special Forces unit with a C-* assault rifle in the standard firing position with the dress and equipment per the Afghanistan theatre of operations. "Birchall Leadership Award" (2007) bas relief is based on a 1942 photo of Air Commodore Leonard J. Birchall, OBE, DFC, CM, OONT, CD at the cockpit of his Catalina PBY amphibious aircraft.

"The Warrior" (2006), which depicts a combat soldier, was commissioned by the Canadian Defence Association "in recognition of the significant and outstanding contribution of the members of the Canadian Forces to the security of Canada and to the preservation of our democratic values."

A small statuette (2008) representing Jeanne Mance was sculpted for the Canadian Nurses Association for a biannual award of nursing excellence.

"Remembrance" in Heritage Square, Surrey, British Columbia is an oversized bronze statue of a WWI kneeling soldier, helmet in hand, in remembrance of his fallen comrade.

Non-military works
Non-military subjects by André D. Gauthier include:
 * a bronze bas-relief marking the Centennial of the St. John's Ambulance Society of Canada,
 * portrait busts.
 * a life-size statue 'Madeleine', of his daughter.
 * an equestrian statue for Parliament Hill to honour in 1992 the 40th year of Her Majesty The Queen's reign (1990).
 * wildlife animal sculptures (1996).

Exhibits
André Gauthier's works have been featured in newspaper articles, TV documentaries and radio interviews. His works were exhibited at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, at the Mill of Kintail museum in Mississippi Mills, Ontario, at the Military Museum of Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, and at the Royal Military College of Canada Museum. His works were exhibited at the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in the context of the centennial of the Royal 22nd Regiment.