Born in Westmount, Quebec, he graduated from the RMC, in Kingston, Ontario; McGill University and the University of Paris.

During World War II, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. After the war, he was chief of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 1945 to 1947. Drury was appointed deputy minister of national defence from 1948 to 1955. He spent 1955 to 1962 in private business.

He was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for the Montreal riding of Saint-Antoine...Westmount (later Westmount) in the 1962 federal election. He was re-elected in the 1963, 1965, 1968, 1972, and 1974 elections.

He held many ministerial positions in the governments of Prime Ministers Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau, including: Defence Production, Industry, Trade and Commerce, Treasury Board, National Defence, Public Works, Finance, and State for Science and Technology.

After leaving politics, he became chairman of the National Capital Commission, from 1978 to 1984.

In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Books

• 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
• H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
• H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
• H16511 Dr. Richard Preston "R.M.C. and Kingston: The effect of imperial and military influences on a Canadian community" 1968 Kingston, Ontario.
• H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876-1918. Volume II: 1919-1984. RMC. Kingston, Ontario. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984

Charles Mills DruryCharles Mills Drury