Military History Commons^™

From Enlistment To The Grave: The Impact Of The First World War On 52 Canadian Soldiers, Mike Wert

Canadian Military History

Because they have clearly demarcated beginnings and endings, wars tend to be studied in isolation. Studies are made of the events leading up to wars, the wars themselves, and their aftermaths as though each could be easily pigeon-holed. The majority of work done on the First World War, for example, has concerned itself solely with the events of 1914-1918, as though the war ended with the Armistice. What this approach forgets is that wars exact a profound and lasting influence on those who live through them. For many—and in particular for many veterans—the Great War did not end with the …

The Royal City At War: The Military Mobilization Of Guelph, Ontario During The First 18 Months Of The Second World War, Jason R.H. Braida

Canadian Military History

The story of a country at war can be told at various levels. Traditional histories speak of generals and statesmen, of decisions made in cabinet rooms, war rooms, and dimly-lit clubs. Others choose to concentrate upon particular instances or groups, such as the impact of the war upon women, a particular military unit, or even a specific family. This article seeks to combine those two traditions by examining the manner in which international events and political decisions made at the national level affected the way in which the nation’s military mobilization was carried out in one particular Canadian community.

Recipe For Victory: The Fight For Hill 677 During The Battle Of The Kap’Yong River, 24-25 April 1951, Brent Watson

Canadian Military History

During the night of 24–25 April 1951, the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry fought what became the most famous Canadian battle of the Korean War. Outnumbered and isolated, the Princess Pats repulsed wave after wave of attacking Chinese infantry from their positions atop Hill 677 overlooking the Kap’yong River Valley. Although a comparatively minor episode in the broader context of the Korean War, Canadian retention of Hill 677 made an important contribution to the Commonwealth victory at Kap’yong. More significantly, the fight for Hill 677 was clearly the most successful set-piece engagement fought by the Canadians in Korea. …

The 1999 Vimy Award: Acceptance Address By Ltd. General Charles Belzille, Charles Belzille

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Bed And Breakfast: A Canadian Airman Reflects On The Food And Quarters During The Second World War, Bill Mcrae

Canadian Military History

Hollywood’s stereotyped version of an RAF fighter pilot—lounging about in a comfortable leather chair with a pint in one hand and Punch in the other—is not quite as I remember it. But what were “typical“ conditions? Using my log book and wartime letters as references, with war art to serve as illustrations, this is how I recollect RAF/RCAF living conditions during the Second World War.

Army Supplies In The Forward Area And The Tumpline System: A First World War Canadian Logistical Innovation, F.R. Phelan

Canadian Military History

Editor’s Note: In British Logistics on the Western Front, 1914–1919 (Praeger, 1998), Ian M. Brown documents the problems of maintaining an army in the field; throughout that war, supply lines were strained to get food, equipment and ammunition forward. Early problems of adequate supplies were replaced by an inability to get the items from depots to where they were required. Some of these latter problems were blamed on “establishments” and other force-structure problems caused by stripping logistical-support units to meet the manpower needs of the fighting units. The decision to dramatically reduce the size of the BEF divisions in France …

James Peters, Military Photography And The Northwest Campaign, 1885, Owen Cooke

Canadian Military History

In June 1884, the noted buffalo hunter Gabriel Dumont led a delegation of Métis from the Batoche settlement, in what is now Saskatchewan, to Montana in the United States to search out Louis Riel. He hoped to persuade Riel to lead them as he had in 1869–70 in their demands for the Canadian government to recognize their land claims and other grievances. Riel reluctantly returned to Canada. The situation worsened until March 1885, when a skirmish between Métis and North West Mounted Police at Duck Lake, near Prince Albert, cost seventeen dead on both sides. The government feared a general …

“The Boys Of Summer”: A Personal Account Of The Canadian Berlin Battalion, June–July 1945, Kurt Loeb

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

1st Canadian Parachute Battalion In The Ardennes: A Personal Account, 23 December 1944 To 26 February 1945, R.F. Anderson

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

Canada’S Peacekeepers Remember, Murray Johnston

Canadian Military History

Stopping wars, keeping them from restarting, and observing the implementation of cease-fires—various shades of “peacekeeping”—have always been dangerous work. It has become particularly so over the past decade as peacekeepers increasingly find themselves in high intensity, near-war situations. No longer are belligerents constrained by world power blocs as they were before the end of the Cold War.

This is reflected in the list of the 107 Canadian soldiers who have been killed worldwide since 1950 while serving as peacekeepers, including 22 killed since 1992. The Peacekeeping Memorial in Ottawa reflects Canada’s tribute to this sacrifice and the nation’s pride in …

A Nightmare Revisited: The Resotration Of The Canadian War Museum’S 8.8 Cm Flak Gun, Michael H. Miller

Canadian Military History

The German 8.8 cm Flugabwehrkanone (flak) gun is one of the most famous weapons of the Second World War. It was greatly feared by Allied soldiers and airmen alike. Just as every tank they encountered was a Tiger, so too was every German gun an “88.” In December 1998, the Canadian War Museum set out to restore the 88 in the museum’s collection and return to public view one of the few such artifacts in Canada. The museum’s gun was in extremely poor condition, and needed major work. Its components had been disassembled before it had come to the museum …

“A Question Of Relevance”: The Establishment Of A Canadian Parachute Capability, 1942–1945, Bernd Horn

Canadian Military History

“The great trouble with starting anything new,” argued Brigadier-General William Mitchell, “is to break away from the conservative policy of those who have gone before.” His observation was born from his own experience as a result of the inertia which existed in the interwar years. Not surprisingly, Canada did little during this period to ensure that it was capable of participating in a modern war. The vacuum of peace was insufficient to overcome the vacillation of military and political decision makers. It was only the stunning German victories of 1939–1940, which provided the catalyst for change and a template of …

The Burlington Races Revisited: A Revised Analysis Of An 1813 Naval Battle For Supremacy On Lake Ontario, Robert J. Williamson

Canadian Military History

From the safety of the Lake Ontario shore near Burlington, military and civilian observers witnessed the jockeying for position for many sailing vessels during the afternoon of Tuesday, September 28, 1813. They likened the event to a yacht race. Thus, a pivotal naval engagement that would determine the outcome of the War of 1812 was facetiously labelled, "The Burlington Races." The facts of this important piece of Canadiana, have, like so many significant historical events, been cloaked by myth and misconception until recently. The discovery in the US National Archives of the log of the British flagship of the Lake …

D-Day At Bernieres-Sur-Mer: The 5th Bn, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Gordon Blight

Canadian Military History

Editor’s Note: Canadian visitors to Bernieres-sur-Mer are frequently puzzled by the name of the main street leading from the beach to the village church. The signs reach “Rue Royal Berkshire Regiment.” Who were the Berkshires and why such prominence in a Canadian landing area? C.P. Stacey’s official history has no listing for the regiment. Copp and Vogel ignore them in Maple Leaf Route: Caen as does Reg Roy in 1944: The Canadians in Normandy.

The British official history is almost as silent except for a single chart on “Initial Beach Organisation” which lists “8 Kings and 5 R Berks” …

Bombs Away: The First Mission On A Coastal Command Liberator, D. Joseph Matthews

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

The End Of Hmcs St. Croix, William Fisher

Canadian Military History

The following story tells of the end of HMCS St. Croix and HMS Itchen. It was written by the sole survivor of St. Croix, a stoker. The story which follows originally appeared in the Royal Canadian Navy Monthly Review in August 1944. It is printed without embellishments or alterations.

The Gardeners Of Vimy: Canadian Corps’ Farming Operations During The German Offensives Of 1918, S.F. Wise

Canadian Military History

“The Gardeners of Salonika” was Georges Clemenceau’s jibe at the French and British divisions tied down in entrenchments round the Greek port for a good part of the First World War, because all they seemed to do was dig, rather than launch a Balkan offensive. The Canadian Corps, from Field Marshal Haig’s perspective, was similarly removed from the war when Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, strongly supported by the Canadian government, refused to accept the piecemeal breakup of the Corps to help shore up the British line during the great German offensive which began in March 1918. Haig never forgave this …

The Canadian Role In Operation “Charnwood,” 8 July 1944: A Case Study In Tank/Infantry Doctrine And Practice, David A. Wilson

Canadian Military History

On the morning of 8 July 1944, soldiers of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade (9 CIB) left their startlines near the Norman village of Vieux Cairon heading for Buron and Gruchy; two villages nearly 2,000 yards across open ground to the south. Their advance was part of Operation “Charnwood,” British I Corps’ final assault on Caen. By the end of the day most objectives were secured, and on 9 July Caen north of the Orne River and Canal was captured. General Dempsey, General Officer Commanding (GOC) British 2nd Army expressed his satisfaction, saying that the operations of 8 and 9 …

The Quebec Tercentenary, 1908: Canada’S First National Military Pageant, Mark Reid

Canadian Military History

The Quebec Tercentenary celebrations of 1908 constituted one of the largest gatherings of military forces on Canadian soil before 1914, yet the affair has been largely eclipsed by the momentous events of the First World War. The recent donation to the Canadian War Museum of the scrapbooks of General Sir William Otter, however, have provided some information on the contemporary view of the Tercentenary as seen through the eyes of Canadian journalists. The 19 leather-bound folios, covering his entire military career, were compiled by his loyal wife “Molly,” and contain a wealth of newspaper clippings, official programs and invitations. Every …

Rcaf Identity In Bomber Command: Squadron Names And Sponsors, John G. Armstrong

Canadian Military History

Royal Canadian Air Force bomber squadrons which served overseas during the Second World War were not only identified on the Commonwealth air forces order of battle by the customary squadron number but by a title or nickname as well. Additionally, Canadian squadrons received formal sponsorship and support, generally from Canadian communities or other organizations. In one instance the sponsor was a major Hollywood film studio which also mobilized its roster of movie stars to the cause. Needless to say, these practices were something of a departure from the general orthodoxy within the parent RAF, where the normal practice was to …

The Franks Flying Suit In Canadian Aviation Medicine History, 1939–1945, George Smith

Canadian Military History

It is not widely appreciated that Canadians were active during the war in the field of aviation medicine. Aviation medicine research in Canada during the Second World War involved a significant commitment of personnel and resources. However, there has been little historical investigation of this and that which has occurred is misleading. In 1947 C.B. Stewart argued that Canadian research was boosted by an early start and achieved unsurpassed results; the most prominent of which was the work of Wilbur Franks. In the years since 1947, Stewart's conclusions have never been challenged. In fact, historians have ultimately judged the entire …

A Lesson In Success: The Calonne Trench Raid, 17 January 1917, Andrew B. Godefroy

Canadian Military History

The Allied armies slugged it out on the Western front for nearly four years before finally achieving the breakout sought since November 1914. The four-division strong Canadian Corps led this “spearhead to victory.” Its commander was Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, and his corps was commonly referred to as the “shock troops” of the British Expeditionary Force and as “the enemy’s elite soldiers” by the German high command. This reputation stemmed from the Canadians’ impressive record of success in raiding the German lines throughout the war. The Canadian Corps’ flexibility, and initiative, the aggressiveness of its soldiers, and their ever improving …

Memory, Monument, And Landsacpe, Nan Griffiths

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

24th Canadian Field Ambulance Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, Harold Russell

Canadian Military History

The 24th Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, was the only complete Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario unit mobilized and sent overseas in the Second World War. Today few know its story in spite of an active veterans’ association. The purpose of this article is to pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of these extraordinary ordinary men who risked all when Canada was in peril.

The Fog Of War: Large-Scale Smoke Screening Operations Of First Canadian Army In Northwest Europe, James C. Bond

Canadian Military History

Smoke screens have been employed in sea and land warfare for many centuries for a variety of purposes. They have been used to conceal troop movements, to deceive the enemy as to combat strengths, point of attack, and preparations for offensive operations. During the Second World War all armies made use of smoke screns in their operations to a greater or lesser extent. Canada was no exception and was considered to be extremely innovative in the use of smoke equipment in ways for which it was not designed. The First Canadian Army first employed large-scale non-artillery-projected smoke screens during the …

“While The Shells Crashed We Were Strong”: The Life Of War Poet “Toronto” Prewitt, Andrew Coppolino

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.

The Fighter-Bomber In The Normandy Campaign: The Role Of 83 Group, Christopher Evans

Canadian Military History

The dichotomy between popular and academic history is, for most historians, and readers, an uncomfortable one. A book that appeals to a mass audience risks the scorn of academia, whereas a scholarly work may never reach beyond the confines of the university. While there are exceptions to this rule, John Keegan’s The Face of Battle being perhaps the most famous, by and large academic study runs parallel with popular accounts and rarely the twain meet. No where is this more prevalent in the study of military history than the question of the role played by tactical air power in the …

What Is Tank Country?, William Murphy

Canadian Military History

There are certain principles that evolved during the past war that should be applicable to future operations, and one of these principles, it is suggested, is the answer to the question of what is and what is not tank country. Many serving and former members of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps will recollect how eagerly they perused reports from the western desert during the years they sat in England awaiting their turn. They realized that in all probability when they saw action it would be with a better vehicle and in totally different country. But the only reports available, so …

Shermans In Sicily: The Diary Of A Young Soldier, Summer 1943, Jack Wallace

Canadian Military History

Fifty five years ago, one of the biggest news stories of the summer was the invasion of Sicily by Allied Forces. For some, the memories will never fade because they were in the front lines of the first successful Allied push into occupied Europe.

Jack Wallace of Nepean remembers Sicily the way it was 55 years ago—the stifling heat, the billowing clouds of dust and the rugged mountain terrain. At the time, Wallace was a 23-year-old lieutenant commanding a squadron of Sherman tanks with the Three Rivers Regiment. The battle for Sicily—“the soft underbelly of fascism” as Churchill called it—was …

Restoration Of The Canadian War Memorial In The Senate, Danielle Allard

Canadian Military History

No abstract provided.