Military History Commons^™

Brigadier J.K. Lawson And Command Of “C” Force At Hong Kong, Tyler Wentzell

Canadian Military History

Brigadier J.K. Lawson, the commander of the Canadian contingent at the Battle of Hong Kong, has been the subject of only a few statements in any work concerning the battle. These statements, as false and misleading as they are, have been referenced many times and are generally taken as fact. This article seeks to rectify this affair by providing a biographical profile of Lawson based on archival data and interviews with his family. Contrary to other accounts, Lawson was a professional soldier with substantial education and experience in his craft and he was extremely well–suited to his appointment to command …

Ch-147d Chinook Nose Art In Afghanistan, Ed Storey

Canadian Military History

Nose art is an important component of any combat aircraft’s markings. Nose art not only helps to boost crew morale, esprit de corps and instill pride in the service, but it also adds a distinct character to the aircraft. Although the subject of current nose art has changed since the classic “pin up” girls of the 1940s, today’s artowrk is just as interesting and worthy of study. With the help of imagery taken in Afghanistan and first–hand study of the artwork, this article catalogues and explores the meaning of the artwork now used.

Preparing For War: The 25th Battalion In Halifax, 1914–15, Robert N. Clements, Brian D. Tennyson

Canadian Military History

The 25th Battalion was authorized in November 1914 and recruited men from throughout Nova Scotia before departing for England in May 1915. It spent the winter and early spring of 1914–15 in Halifax, where it was based at the Armoury and on the Common. Robert Clements, a native of Yarmouth, enlisted in the battalion in November 1914 and served in it throughout the war, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Many years later he wrote an informal history of the battalion, giving a colourful account based on his personal experiences and observations. These excerpts from his soon to be published …

“When You’Re A Long, Long Way From Home”: The Establishment Of Canadian-Only Social Clubs For Cef Soldiers In London, 1915–1919, Sarah Cozzi

Canadian Military History

This article examines the off–duty activities of Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) soldiers in Britain during the First World War. For many CEF soldiers abroad, Britain became their “home away from home,” with London serving as their main leave–time destination. Although thousands of CEF soldiers visited the English capital, Canadian federal and military authorities maintained a hands–off approach to the off–duty lives of the men. Fearing for the men’s well–being, Canadian philanthropist, Lady Julia Drummond, established the Canadian–only King George and Queen Mary Maple Leaf Club. Founded upon middle– and upper–class moral standards the Maple Leaf Club emphasizes the role of …

“Canada’S Roll Of Honour”: Controversy Over Casualty Notification And Publication During The Second World War, Timothy Balzer

Canadian Military History

During the Second World War, the Canadian Army’s announcement of casualties to next–of–kin and the press often caused controversy. Even though the army tried to notify the family and public as quickly as possible, it could not always do so. Unofficial communications with the family, procedural failures, and more frequently press and censorship errors, cause occasional mistakes in casualty reporting. Moreover, the interests of Canada’s allies often prevented the timely publication of casualty names and figures, as in the aftermath of the Dieppe Raid, Sicily campaign and Normandy landings. These delays were often for alleged security reasons, sometimes with questionable …

No Easy Thing: Senior Command In The Canadian Army, 1939–1945, Randall Wakelam

Canadian Military History

There is relatively little Canadian military history which looks specifically at the questions and themes surrounding senior command (commanders of large formations of troops—normally generals or lieutenant–generals). Current interpretations call for a trilogy of abilities: the ability to defend national interests in the highest military (and often political) circles; the ability to organize and manage forces both before and during combat; and the ability to lead both directly and indirectly those who have to implement the plans. Were Canadians then, and are historians today, right to apply this multiple standard? This article looks at the three officers who commanded First …

Destroying Hitler’S Berghof: The Bomber Command Raid Of 25 April 1945, Oliver Haller

Canadian Military History

This paper examines the Royal Air Force raid on Adolf Hitler’s Berghof on the Obersalzberg in April 1945. Arthur Harris, the head of Bomber Command, wanted to emphasize the air power’s decisive role in the defeat of Nazism. However, Winston Churchill and Bernard Montgomery, among others, questioned the usefulness of destroying Berchtesgaden so late in the war. Unlike traditional explanations that focus on post–Dresden guilt, this article contends that British politicians grew increasingly concerned with the economic state of postwar Germany and the potential costs of the upcoming occupation. The continuation of area bombing at this late stage of the …

Table Of Contents

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Memories: A Photo Feature, Doug Mcintyre

Canadian Military History

Canadian Military History is pleased to introduce a new feature that will showcase never-before-seen photos. This issue presents photos from the wartime scrapbook of Doug McIntyre, who served in the Essex Scottish Regiment during the Second World War.

Analysis Of 75 Mm Sherman Tank Casualties Suffered Between 6th June And 10th July 1944: Report No. 12

Canadian Military History

Long before the war it was evident that science would have much to contribute to the development of military equipment, and it was no surprise that research found such wide applications to the technically difficult but fundamentally amenable problems of Radar, Anti-aircraft and Fragmentation, to name only a few. These problems offered great possibilities to the well-established methods of the physical sciences. By contrast, the complexities of military tactics proved for a long time intractable, since even the smallest battle is a bewildering compound of variables, and new methods had therefore to be worked out before there could be any …

“Black, White And Grey”: Wartime Arguments For And Against The Strategic Bomber Offensive, David Ian Hall

Canadian Military History

The strategic bomber offensive against Nazi Germany has attracted more than its fair share of attention, most of which has been highly critical, both on moral as well as pragmatic grounds. Scholarly articles and books, in addition to a much larger number of sensationalized popular accounts, have appeared at a steady rate since the end of the war.¹ More recently, journalists and television producers—capitalising on the fiftieth anniversary commemorations of the Second World War—have taken an interest in this controversial yet highly marketable and therefore profitable subject. Partly revisionist, and deliberately emotive, their “factions” (part fact and part dramatic …

Table Of Contents

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Prisoners Of War As Library Users, Jean Langdon-Ford

Canadian Military History

One does not usually associate libraries and study classes with amenities provided for internees in Prisoner of War camps in the First World War. It was surprising then for me, as Librarian/Archivist of the Canadian War Museum, to find evidence in our Library/Archives of well-organized libraries in the First World War internment camps in Germany. My introduction to POW library users in this war came about as I was undertaking a preliminary inventory of the rich resources of the Canadian War Museum (CWM) Archives. In the CWM Archives are two files related to libraries in POW camps in Germany. One …

Dr. Strangelove Visits Canada: Project Rustice, Ease, And Bridge, 1958–1963, Sean M. Maloney

Canadian Military History

During the Cold War, many NATO governments developed highly secret contingency plans to maintain the continuity of government (COG) during and after nuclear attack. Canada was no exception. COG planning generally consisted of several elements including legal mechanisms and constitutional matters; document duplication and storage; skeleton bureaucracies; dispersion; transportation; and shelter. All were necessary to keep Canada functioning as a nation in the face of an attack by Soviet atomic and hydrogen bombs. The most misunderstood element of COG planning has been the shelter component. Critics of civil defence programmes argued that protecting government leaders in shelters and not providing …

Table Of Contents

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Colonel H.D.G. Crerar’S Visit To Nazi Germany, 1937, H.D.G. Crerar

Canadian Military History

Following the Imperial Conference in London in May 1937, Mackenzie King, the Canadian Prime Minister, accepted Ribbentrop’s invitation and visited Germany. He arrived in Berlin on 7 June. Colonel H.D.G. Crerar, the Canadian Army’s Director of Military Operations and Intelligence, also took part in the Conference. He visited Germany at his own expense from 16 to 21 June to familiarize himself with the nature of the Nazi regime.

This document is the report that he wrote following his visit to Germany. It is interesting to note his personal impressions and observe the validity of his comments.

Canada’S Coming Of Age: A New Resource For Schools

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

The 1996 Canadian Battle Of Normandy Foundation Study Tour

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.