Organization and Administration of CEF Units; Discipline
Topic: Discipline

The following section on Discipline is excerpted fron the Militia and Defence publication "Instructions Governing Organization and Administration" for new Units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. This publication was provided to the new staffs of units being raised for service overseas in the First World War and introduced them to the complex world of administration in a rapidly expanding army.

Instructions Governing
Organization and Administration of CEF Units
1916

DISCIPLINE

For purposes of discipline all ranks will be subject to the Army Act, to King's Regulations, and to such other ordinances as may apply or may be made to apply to the British Regular Army.

The following remarks regarding discipline will, no doubt, be found helpful:—

Discipline means respectful obedience to orders which is the first principle and duty of all soldiers and is the only true basis on which discipline can rest.

Without discipline there can be no real bond of confidence between officers and man or even between the men themselves.

Obedience means obedience to the spirit of all orders, not only by the letter. Promptness and punctuality are indicative of discipline as is steadiness on parade and saluting.

Life in a highly disciplined Corps is always more pleasant than in one where order and regularity are not strictly maintained.

Discipline must not have its origin in fear of punishment, but upon the knowledge and conviction that the orders emanate from a superior not only in rank but in knowledge.

Without discipline all Military bodies become mobs and worse than useless, but discipline enforced by punishment alone is a poor sort which will not stand any severe strain. What must be aimed at is that high state of discipline which springs from a Military system administered with impartiality and judgment, so as to induce all ranks a feeling of duty and the assurance that while no offence will be passed over, no offender will be unjustly dealt with.

In all cases the whole Corps should see that the punishment awarded is not more than is necessary for the maintenance of discipline.

A C.O. cannot pay too much attention to the prevention of Crime—but the true criterion of well established discipline is the absence of crime, not its screened existence.

These should be such as to insure discipline and at the same time foster self-respect.

Indecision or the use of intemperate language or an offensive manner should be carefully avoided.

C.Os. should prevent officers, N.C.Os, or men publishing information relative to the numbers, movements or operations or troops or Military details.

They should not permit any letters of complaint to be published or memorials or requisitions made without their consent.

Any officer or soldier is personally responsible for reports of this kind, which he may make without special permission, or for placing information beyond his control so that it finds its way into unauthorized hands.

Officers and soldiers are forbidden to give publicity to their individual opinions in any manner tending to prejudge any questions undergoing official investigation.

No assemblage of officer, N.C.Os or men should take place to deliberate on any military matter without the consent of the C.O.

Neither officers nor men as such should take part in any political, religious or party demonstration.

Officers should avoid reprimanding N.C.Os for irregularity of duty or awkwardness in the presence of the privates lest they weaken their authority and lessen their self-respect, unless it be necessary as in the case of severe reprimand that the reproof be public for the benefit of example.

"Trench Warfare" - Gas Masks or Respirators
Topic: CEF

Excerpted from "Trench Warfare; A Manual for Officers and Men," by J.S. Smith, Second Lieutenant with the British Expeditionary Force, E.P. Dutton & Co., 1917.

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Gas Masks or Respirators

The Box Respirator at present in use on the Western Front is the latest improvement, and proof against any gas that so far has been used, but should such a thing happen that a man be caught without his box respirator, any of the following improvised methods are good:

1.     Wet and ring out any woolen article, such as a stocking, muffler or cap comforter, so as to form a thick pad large enough to cover the nose and mouth, and press firmly over both.

2.     Place in a scarf, stocking or handkerchief, a pad of about three handfuls of damp earth, and tie firmly over the nose and mouth.

3.     A wet cap comforter will be found useful as additional protection, especially against certain gases other than chlorine.

4.     A cap comforter wetted with water and soda solution or tea, folded into eight folds and firmly held over the nose.

5.     A sock folded fourfold similarly wetted and held or tied. If the sock or comforter has been soaked in soda solution it will act efficiently when dry, though, if possible, it should be moist. The spare tapes from puttees may be used for tying on the sock or cap comforter.

6.     Any loose fabric, such as a sock, sandbag, woolen scarf or comforter, soaked in urine, then wrung out sufficiently to allow of free breathing and tied tightly over the nose and mouth. In the absence of any other cloths, the flannel waistbands issued for winter use could be used for this purpose.

Every officer defending a trench against an enemy gas attack should endeavor to collect information whenever possible to be sent to headquarters regarding the capture of apparatus used by the enemy either for disseminating or protection from gas. If a gas shell attack is made, unexploded shells or portions of them should be sent ; the time of day, duration of attack, color, taste or smell of gas used, effect on the eyes, breathing, and all other symptoms should be noted. New gases may be used at any time, and speedy information greatly helps the adopting of protective measures.

The area of the gas attack is very large and will sometimes cover as far back as 12 to 15 miles behind the lines, although at that point it is not generally dangerous, but for three to four miles the gas has a killing power, and precaution should be taken anywhere within that length of the firing line the same as though in the firing line.

Another nuisance resulting from a gas attack is the wholesale slaughter of rats and other animals that infest the trenches, and while a very unpleasant job, steps should at once be taken to gather these beasts up and bury them in some place, obviously for sanitary reasons.

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Joseph Shuter Smith

Joseph Shuter Smith was an American author born in Philadelphia in 1893. He spent his childhood in Alaska during the Gold Rush and spent his years before the Great War as a lumberjack, miner, surveyor and cowboy. In 1914, continuing his adventurous streak, he went to Canada and enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, declaring his birthplace to be Port Hope, Ontario (with next of kin in Oakland, California). Smith enlisted with the 29th Canadian Infantry Battalion at Vancouver. He served in France and Belgium as a soldier in the CEF and, after being commissioned in August, 1916, as an officer of the British Army with The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). He resigned his Imperial commission after a year to return to the US and enlist in the American Army. Joseph Smith also wrote the memoir: Over There and Back in Three Uniforms; Being the Experiences of an American Boy in the Canadian, British and American Armies at the Front and through No Man's Land.

CEF: Training Manuals and Forms
Topic: CEF

Instructions Governing
Organization and Administration of CEF Units
1916

Appendix XI

Training Manuals

1.     A supply of the undermentioned Training Manuals are sent from Militia Headquarters, Ottawa, shortly after authority has been granted to raise a Unit of the C.E.F.

• Infantry Training
• Musketry Regulations, Parts I and II
• Field Service Regulations, Parts I and II
• Field Service Pocket Book
• Training and Manual Regulations (sic)
• Manual of Military Law
• King's Regulations and Orders "Imperial"
• Rifle and Musketry Exercises, Ross Rifle
• Handbook of Canadian Service Rifle, Part I
• Manual of Ceremonial
• Trumpet or Bugle Sounds
• Instructions in Bayonet Fighting
• Manual of Field Engineering
• Engineer Training
• Manual of Elementary Military Hygiene
• Manual of Map Reading
• Training Manual Signalling
• Field Service Manual (Infantry)
• Army Book 153 (Field Message Book, Dismounted Officers)
• Army Book 155 (Field Message Book, Mounted Officers)

Militia Books and Forms

2.     A supply of the undermentioned Militia Books and Forms can be obtained on application to the Divisional Office.

.

New Series.	Former No.	Subject.
B.207	C.29	Memorandum Form, 6 ½ x 9.
B.211	C.72	Envelopes, blue, 11 ¼ x 9.
B.215	C.17	State, marching In and Out.
B.218	B.99	Discharge, Proceedings of.
B.220	A.48	Court-Martial, Orders, for Assembly.
B.222	B.116	Detention Barracks; Commitment to, by Officer Commanding (Order to Officer of N.C.O. in charge of).
B.224	B.32	Minor-Offence Report.
B.227	B.129	Medical History of an Invalid.
B.229	B.146	Test-Messages for Signallers (Pads of 100).
B.234	C.69	Envelopes, Blue, 9 x 4.
B.237	B.25 and C.113	Guard Report.
B.239	C.80	Correspondence sheets, 8 x 13, with heading.
B.259	B.12	Court of Enquiry, Declaration of.
B.263	B.17	Conduct Sheet; Regimental.
B.263a	B.17	Conduct Sheet; Sqd., Troop, Battery or Company.
B.263b	B.22	Conduct Sheet; Instructions and Specimen Sheet.
B.263c	New Form.	Follow sheets to B263.
B.263d	New Form.	Follow sheets to B263a.
B.264	B.14	Charge Sheet.
B.273	B.1	Absentee Report.
B.289	C.23	Parade State, daily, all arms except Units of the Permanent Force; (see also Militia Book No. 67).
B.292	B.34 and C.93	Sick Report; Morning.
B.297	B.42	Drunkenness, Scales of Fines for.
B.303	B.54	Board of Officers, or Committee, or Court of Enquiry; Proceedings of.
B.305	C.212	Telegraphs and Signals; Message Form "A" (pads of 100).
B.307	New Form.	Church State Parade; Weekly.
B.312	A.4	Court-Martial; Memo for guidance at.
B.313	B.63	Medical History Sheet.
B.321	B.9	Court-Martial; Application for.
B.322	B.24	Furlough, Authority granting.
B.341	C.18	Tattoo; Absentee Report.
B.355	B.44	Court-Martial; Statement of Character, Particulars of Service and Schedule of Convictions of Prisoner.
B.356	B.153	Deserter; Description to Chief of Police.
B.418	New Form.	Army Telegraphs and Signals; Message Form "C" (Pads of 25 originals and 25 duplicates).
B.440	New Form.	Correspondence Sheets, 4to., with Heading.
B.462	New Form.	Recruiting; Semi-monthly Return of.
B.463	New Form.	Recruiting; Statement of Results for half month to 16th day.
B.463a	New Form.	Recruiting; Statement of Results for 17th day to end of month.
B.464	New Form.	Envelopes, white 9 x 4, addressed: Headquarters ……… Division or (District).
C.501	A.29, A.30, etc.	Forms and Books, Militia, Classified List and Requisition for.
C.502	New Form.	Forms and Books, Militia; Short Form of Demand for.
C.548	C.114	Size Roll; Special.
C.550	New Form.	Stationery; Demand Form and List of.
C.552	C.23	Provisions, etc.; Demand for Rations of, (Pads of 100).
C.566	C.32	Size-Roll of Clothing of stock sizes. (Pads of 100).
C.573	O.3	Stores; General Equipment Indent. (Pads of 100).
C.574	O.4	Stores; Issue and Receipt Vouchers. (Pads of 100).
C.615	New Form.	Stores; medical; Requisition for. (Pads of 100).
D.811	C.52 and C.53	Travelling and Hotel Expenses; Claim for.
D.817	B.5a	Canteen; Stock Account and Proof of Cash (Monthly Return).
D.817a	B.5b	Canteen; Abstract of Receipt and Expenditures (Monthly Return).
D.840	C.83	General Allowance Claim.
D.863	Acct. Br. 27	Postage Account, monthly.
D.873	New Form.	Promotions, casualties, etc. (Pt II), Regimental Orders.
No. 4	B.69	Cash Book and ledger, Troop, Battery or Company ( 4to, 150 folios).
No. 11	C.76	Guard Book, 11 ½ x 17.
No. 14	B.97	Recruits, Register of (200 folios).
No. 15	B.132	Duty-Roster, Officers; Permanent Force (120 pages).
No. 16	C.100	Rations; Requisition for (100 per book).
No. 17	B.113	Memo-Book (daily); Orderly-Sergeants' (5 ½ x 8).
No. 18	B.112	Duty-Roster; Orderly-Sergeants' (f'cap, 100 pages).
No. 28	C.176	Nominal Roll and Attendance at Drill; Company (50 folios).
No. 30	C.22	Guard-Room, 10 x 15 ½.
No. 33	B.73	Cells, Visiting Officers' Book (f'cap, 100 pages).
No. 35	C.27	Correspondence, documentary, Register of (f'cap, 150 folios).
No. 36	C.92	Order-Book, 8 x 5 (300 pages).
No. 38	B.152	Orderly's Book; Battery or Company.
No. 40	C.105	Defaulter's Book (other than Permanent Force) 150 sheets.
No. 42	B.121	Officers' Service, Record of.
No. 43	B.154	Conduct Sheets, Cover of.
No. 44	B.71	Portfolio for Papers (f'cap).
No. 46	C.123	Postage, Register of (f'cap, 300 pages).
No. 49	B.70	Cash Account, Pay Sergeants, 6 x 8 ½ (100 folios).
No. 50	New Book	Equipment ledger; all non-permanent Units (artillery, clothing and personal equipment only) (8-page book).
No. 50f	do	Appendix to Equipment (Mil. Book 50), all non-permenant Units (42-page book).
No. 54	do	Squadron, Battery or Company Book (f'cap 100 folios).
No. 60	do	Plain foolscap book (3 qr).
No. 62	do	Section Pocket-Book.
No. 63	do	Pass; temporary absence from Quarters (100 per book).
No. 68	do	Courts of Enquiry, Record of Declaration (f'cap book, 2 qrs).
No. 69	B.68	Casualty Book.
W.5	New Form	Receipts for Payments (CEF Paymasters).
W.6	do	Statement of amount received and expended by Paymaster (CEF Paymasters).
W.7	do	Pay-List of Officers, N.C.Os and Men (CEF Paymasters).
W.7a	do	Pay-List of Officers (Inside Sheets) (CEF Paymasters).
W.10	do	Assigned—Pay Cards; for Name, Corps, Address, etc., of soldier.
W.13	do	Field State.
W.14	do	Field Return.
W.20	do	Sheets for Preparation of Nominal Roll.
W.23	do	Attestation paper, C.E.F.
W.29	do	Medical Report on Recruits.
W.30	do	Separation---Allowance Cards; for Name, Corps, Address, etc., of soldier.
W.38	do	Transportation at reduced rates; special certificate for C.E.F., Soldiers.
W.39	do	Discharge Certificate, C.E.F.
W.43	do	Special parade-State; Battalion or Battery.
W.44	do	Last-Pay Certificate.
W.51	do	Officers Declaration Paper.
W.54	do	Casualty Return, by Unit, Regiment, or Corps.
W.61	do	Recruits; Particulars to be given by Recruiting Officer, for information of Regimental Paymaster.
W.66	do	Return, monthly, changes of addresses of next of kin, N.C.Os and men, C.E.F.
W.67	do	Particulars of families of officers and men enlisted in C.E.F.

Trench Warfare – Duties of an Officer
Topic: Officers

Excerpted from "Trench Warfare; A Manual for Officers and Men," by J.S. Smith, Second Lieutenant with the British Expeditionary Force, E.P. Dutton & Co., 1917.

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Trench Warfare – Duties of an Officer

Some of the questions an officer should ask himself on taking over a trench and keep in mind during his stay there, are:

1.     I am here for two purposes to do as much damage as possible to the enemy and to hold my part of the line at all costs. Am I doing everything possible to insure my being able to do this?

2.     Do I worry the enemy as much as I might, and are the periscope rifles, rifle grenades, catapults and patrols at my disposal organized in the best way to effect this purpose?

3.     Am I doing all I can to make my part of the line, as strong as possible?

4.     Should the enemy succeed in getting into any part of my line, will I be able to at once bring up a section of bombers for immediate counter-attack?

5.     Do I connect properly with units on my right and left? Do I know the position of the nearest support, and the position of all machine guns in my vicinity, as well as their lines of fire?

6.     Does every man know his firing position, and can he fire from it over the parapet at the foot of our wire?

7.     Do I do my best to prevent men exposing themselves needlessly? Have I ascertained and warned all my men of the places in my part of the line, including communication trenches, which are exposed to the fire of hostile snipers?

8.     Are my sentries in the right places? Are they properly posted by N. C. O.'s and have they received proper instructions? Are the sentries visited at frequent intervals?

9.     Have I always got a man ready to take messages to company headquarters? Do I realize that I should at once report any information I may obtain about the enemy, and that such information may be of the greatest use to the highest commanders?

10.     Do all my men know their duties in case of attack, especially the bombers? If the enemy succeeds in working into my line at any point, how can I best arrange for counter-attacking him?

11.     Are there any suitable places in my part of the line which snipers can use? Have I pointed out to section commanders the portions of the enemy's trench which each one is responsible for keeping under fire, and where the enemy's loopholes are?

12.     Do I thoroughly understand the best method of relief and bringing up of ration and water supplies, and do my men come up into the trenches in absolute silence?

13.     Do my men know their way about the trenches in various routes to company and battalion headquarters?

14.     Am I acquainted with the arrangements for access to the artillery and for asking, if necessary, for their immediate support? Do I know the location of the nearest telephone?

15.     Am I doing my best to collect information about the enemy, his defenses, his activities and movements, and especially about his patrols at night ? What points in my front particularly require patrolling?

16.     Are my listening patrols properly detailed?

17.     Which is my best way to get through the parapet in order to go towards the enemy?

18.     Do I know the last order regarding the use of B.0.S., gas and Zeppelin messages, and do I know exactly what messages to send?

19.     Are the arrangements in case of gas attack complete and known to all ranks? Do I know the gong position, and does the sentry know the orders as to sounding it?

20.     Have my men always got their gas helmets on their person and are they in good order?

21.     Are my parapets and traverses bulletproof everywhere?

22.     Is my wire strong enough and am I doing all I can to prevent my trenches from falling in?

23.     Am I doing all I can to drain my trenches?

24.     Have my men got weather-proof places to sleep in?

25.     Are the trenches as clean and sanitary as they might be? Are live ammunition and empty shells properly collected? Have I made all possible arrangements for the collection of refuse and do the men realize that it must not be thrown over the parapets or in the sump-pits for sanitary reasons?

26.     Where are my small ammunition and bomb stores, and are they under cover from weather?

27.     Are all my rifles and ammunition clean and in good order, and have all my men rifle covers? Are their magazines always charged?

28.     Am I doing all I can to prevent my men from getting trench feet? Have my men greased their feet before entering the trenches, and have they a pair of spare dry socks to change? Do my men wear gum boots when it is not necessary? Have I made all possible arrangements for drying socks?

29.     Are the orders as to wearing equipment carried out?

30.     Are my men using as firewood notice boards or wood from the defense or from the engineer or trench stores?

31.     Are my men drinking water from any but authorized sources?

32.     Do I know the name of every N.C.O. and man in my platoon, and do they know mine?

33.     Do I insure that my men get sufficient sleep?

34.     Have I sufficient periscopes and are they in good order?

35.     Almost always remember that I am here for two purposes. Do as much damage to the enemy with the minimum amount of casualties resulting from retaliation, and to hold my part of the line at all costs.

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Joseph Shuter Smith

Joseph Shuter Smith was an American author born in Philadelphia in 1893. He spent his childhood in Alaska during the Gold Rush and spent his years before the Great War as a lumberjack, miner, surveyor and cowboy. In 1914, continuing his adventurous streak, he went to Canada and enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, declaring his birthplace to be Port Hope, Ontario (with next of kin in Oakland, California). Smith enlisted with the 29th Canadian Infantry Battalion at Vancouver. He served in France and Belgium as a soldier in the CEF and, after being commissioned in August, 1916, as an officer of the British Army with The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). He resigned his Imperial commission after a year to return to the US and enlist in the American Army. Joseph Smith also wrote the memoir: Over There and Back in Three Uniforms; Being the Experiences of an American Boy in the Canadian, British and American Armies at the Front and through No Man's Land.

The Queen's South Africa Medal
Topic: Medals

The Queen's South Africa Medal, awarded for service in the Second Boer War (1899-1902), was received by 3860 Canadians who served in Canada's Contingents to the British Army in South Africa.

The first production of these medals included the year dates on the reverse "1899-1900" since a short war was anticipated. While most of the medals produced with these dates were re-struck, leaving visible "ghost dates" on the back of the disc, at least 50 (and possibly as many as 300) were issued to the soldiers of the Lord Strathcona's Horse before the remaining medals were corrected.

Twenty-six clasps (a.k.a., bars) were authorized for the Queen's South Africa Medal, which vary between being commonly found on medals issued to Canadians to ones that are classed as "extremely rare" or "unknown." Clasps named for States were awarded to mark service within their boundaries and for the many smaller actions that individual clasps would have created too complex a system of clasps for the medal. Also issued were a number of clasps for specific battle or participation in operations within specific areas and time. Finally, there were also the theatre clasps "South Africa 1901" and "South Africa 1902" for service between dates for those not eligible for the subsequently issued King's South Africa medal. The Veterans Affairs Canada webpage for the for the medal lists as common clasp issued to Canadians, the following:

• Four of the the five state clasps:
  • Cape Colony
  • Orange Free State
  • Natal
  • Transvaal
• Area or Battle clasps:
  • Johannesburg
  • Belfast
  • Driefontein
• Theatre clasps:
  • South Africa 1901
  • South Africa 1902

According to the medal collector's reference, the Medal Yearbook, at least four other clasps are known to be issued to Canadians, although other may be extant where individuals were attached to units other than their parent regiments at times during the war. The four identified clasps are:

• Rhodesia (the fifth State clasp)
• Relief of Mafeking
• Paardeberg
• Diamond Hill

To the VAC list of commonly issued clasps to Canadians, perhaps, should be added the clasp "Paardeberg", which was awarded to the soldiers of the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment for its service at the defeat of the Boer General Piet Cronje in February, 1900, at Paardeberg Drift.

For those seeking more detailed information, the excellent British service medals reference "British Battles and Medals" provides descriptions of the eligibility requirements for each of the clasps for the Queen's South Africa medal.

 

 

The Canadian Guards; Kit Inspections (1966)
Topic: Drill and Training

The Canadian Guards
Regimental Standing Orders — 1966

Kit inspections; the bane of every soldier's existence. Today, detailed kit inpections are something seen during basic training and then rarely thereafter for members of the Canadian Armed Forces. In the Regiment of Canadian Guards during the 1960s, a complete kit inspection a was a monthly occurrence for soldiers, or possibly more often if considered ncessary by someone further up the chain of command than the suffering soldier submittting to it. 

The following images from the 1966 edition of the Regimental Standing Orders for The Canadian Guards offer a glimpse of the level of detail necessary to be met for such inspections.

The Garrison Chapel, Halifax, Nova Scotia (1847 to 1905)
Topic: Halifax

The image above, from a postcard with a 1905 postmark shows the Garrison Chapel in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which was used by the British garrison troops between 1847 and 1905.

The Evolution of the Halifax Fortress; 1749-1928
by Harry Piers (Revised by G.M. Self, Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 1947)

Before 1830 the troops attended religious service in the various churches of the town. From about November, 1830, to about November, 1837, an old building was leased, and fitted up as a garrison Chapel. In July, 1835, Lt. Colonel Jones sent to England plans and estimates £1,980 4s 1/2d, for a Military or Garrison Chapel to be erected near the foot of the Citadel glacis. It was intended to afford ample accommodation for 794 persons, the galleries being for the officers and their families and the ground floor for the NCO's and men. The corner-stone was laid on 23 October, 1844, and the building was opened for service 18 June, 1847. Its site was in from the northwest corner of Brunswick and Cogswell Streets. It was from the built of wood, about 100' by 60', designed in a classic style, the recessed portico beneath the pediment on the east front having large fluted Doric columns.

The Church of Saint Paul in Halifax, Nova Scotia: 1749-1949
by Reginald V. Harris, K.C., D.C.L. (Ryerson Press, 1949)

St Paul's was for ninety-six years (1750-1846) the church of the Army and Navy stationed in Halifax. ...

Garrison Chapel. On October 23, 1844, the corner-stone of the “new Military Chapel” at the corner of Brunswick and Cogswell Streets was laid, in the presence of troops in the garrison.

From the time it was opened until 1905 this Chapel was the authorized place of worship for all British soldiers in the garrison, except Presbyterians and Roman Catholics, and nothing could exceed the heartiness of the services held there.

In 1905 the Imperial troops were withdrawn from Halifax, and the Chapel was closed. In the following year the building was purchased by the congregation of Trinity Church, then on Jacob Street, occupying it in 1907.

Badges Modified by Soldiers
Topic: Militaria

It is easy to fall into the expectation that every soldier's badge looks alike. We readily perceive this as a singular point of uniformity, one issued by the Army or Regiment, so how could differentiation occur? Surely the Sergeants Major would halt any attempts to reshape or change the appearance of regimental badges. But this did happen, in small ways to achieve specific results. These soldier modified badges seem most common from the Second World War era. The reasons for this are probably a combination of the use of metal, often brass, badges which were more easily reformed than later anodized badges, and for many Canadian soldiers, the long period spent in Britain with opportunities to "walk out" in the public eye. Combine soldiers, uniforms, the public presence of ladies and little bit of personal vanity, and all the ingredients exist for some soldiers to very carefully and diligently rework their badges to ensure they shone brighter than thier section mates'. I suspect the one thing we can be certain of, this wasn't done to impress the Sergeant Major.

In some regiments it was preferred to have a central part of their badge noticeably "domed" and long and nerve-wracking moments using the open end of a pipe (like a barracks shower drain) and a carefully dropped round-ended broom handle against the back of the badge to achieve that effect. A similar result could also be achieved by applying pressure with the hand while working the badge over the broom handle end. Poster DavidS describes this technique on the British and Commonwealth Military Badge Forum:

"... a 'broomstick vault'. A guy would put his badge on the end of a rod like a broom handle and give it a good smack with his palm to give it the convex shape."

A domed example of a Perth Regiment badge can be found on this page.

Soldiers also learned quickly that the smoother a badge was, the higher a shine could be achieved. In some cases extreme examples can be found where all details were removed to leave a single smooth surface in the shape of the original badge. Some extreme examples of this being dome to Artillery badges can be seen at this page. We can probably presume that the most severe examples were reserved for walking out dress, and that few soldiers would dare to appear on parade with a badge altered to such a degree.

Another common alteration to the Artillery's badge was to replace the wheel with a coin, thus providing a solid surface that could be more easily polished to a high sheen. Again, polishing to remove any details of the coin's original face accentuated this effect.

From poster Michael Reintjes at the British and Commonwealth Military Badge Forum we find the following comments:

"Heavily polished and altered badges have become an interest of mine for some time. I have several CAC, RCA and RCR cap badges that have been obviously intentionally altered by the owners and one with provenance. An RCR cap badge that was given to me by my next door neighbour ... intentionally polished on a wheel by the soldier and he told me this was common practice among his peers as well."

"As Bill says alot of these were done on wheels as they were not in use long enough to be worn down during polishing."

"Artillery and CAC cap badges seem to be some of the favourites of the polishing wheel treatment. The CAC Badges are very selectively done with the details of the tank being polished with the rest of the badge left alone. I even have one with the tank polished smooth and the words RECCE T.C. engraved on the tank. The arty badges also seem to be a favourite one with heavy polishing and even several I've seen with a Dutch or Italian coin sweated onto the wheel of the gun. The most common RCR alteration seems to be to grind the rays of the star completely flat and then polish to a mirror finish like the one I got from my neighbour in the 70's."

"I've stopped looking at them as damaged badges and see them as actual theatre worn artifacts which of course they are and to me anyway mean more than the bags of mint ersatz unissued examples that sat well into the 60's at the RCOC depot in London or Borden."

As noted, not even The Royal Canadian Regiment was exempt from soldiers trying to improve the appearance of their badges to obtain a better surface to shine. There are two basic modifications that can be found on older regimental badges to achieve this. The first method was using the point of a bullet to burnish smooth the pebbling around the central "VRI" of the badge frontpiece.

The second required a little more work and the right tools as described above. This technique resulted in the smoothing the diamond cut pattern of the badge star to leave an smooth a surface as possible that would shine easily and reflect the light better than the broken surface of the original pattern of concentric circle and ray divisions. This technique could also be extended to smoothing the tops of the edges of the "VRI" lettering.

Detail of an unaltered badge of The Royal Canadian Regiment. Note the texture of the pebbling around the lettering and the lines of the star.	Detail of an RCR badge showing the attempt to smooth the pebbling around the letters. Note also the removal of the raised edges on the letters.
Detail of an RCR badge showing the rays of a star which have been ground smooth to facilitate polishing.	Detail of an RCR badge showing an incomplete or poorly worked attenpt to smooth the star, visible file marks remain evident. Note also the removal of the raised edges on the letters.

Terms of Service; The Canadian Expeditionary Force
Topic: CEF

The following extract details the terms of service for men enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force for service during the First World War.

Instructions Governing
Organization and Administration of CEF Units
1916

Appendix II

Terms of Service

(a)     An officer before being appointed as such, and a man before enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, will be required to sign a declarations (Officers' Declaration paper, M.F.W. 51, or Attestation paper, M.F.W. 23) to the effect that he accepts the conditions therein set forth, and that he engages to serve for a term of one year, unless the war lasts longer, in which case his services will be retained until the conclusion of the war; provided that if employed with a hospital, depot, or a mounted unit, or as a clerk, etc., he may be retained after hostilities until his services can be dispensed with, but in no case for a period exceeding six months. Officers and men may be attached to any arm of the service as required.

(b)     Subject to authority and with their consent officers of the Permanent Staff and Force may be appointed for general service; such service will count towards promotion and pension in the Permanent Staff and Force after the conclusion of the war, subject to authority and with their consent men of the Permanent Force may be enlisted for general service. Only in special cases will it be possible to accept the service of men who belong to the permanent Garrisons of Halifax, Quebec, or Esquimalt.

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Example Officer's Declaration – Lieut Robert England, MC, The RCR

Example Soldier's Attestation Form – 477550 Sergeant Walter Lowe, MM, The RCR

    

Service History links at the LAC
Topic: LAC

In the archived internet content at Library and Achives Canada can be found this directory to content on service histories of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Troops and Traditions

• Uniforms and Traditions
• Veterans

Service Histories

A strong tradition of official history in Canada has greatly influenced the writing of histories of individual armed services. Although the Canadian Militia had an historian, in the person of Brigadier-General E.A. Cruikshank, it was not until the appointment of Major (later Colonel) C.P. Stacey in 1940 that modern, critical military history in Canada really took form. Stacey's work has profoundly influenced every writer on Canada's military history since that time. For this reason, the chief official histories of each of the services are listed here, even though individual volumes record only one period or part of a single period in the history of each service.

To understand the organizational makeup of a service — the relationship of the ships of the navy, the regiments of the land forces and the squadrons of the air forces — a number of useful general guides exist and are listed at the end of the section on the specific service.

• The Navy and Maritime Forces
  • Official Histories
  • Other General Histories of the Navy
  • Guides to the Navy
• Land Forces
  • Official Histories
  • Other General Histories of the Land Forces
  • Guides to the Land Forces
  • Corps, Branch and Regimental Histories
• Air Forces
  • Official Histories
  • Other General Histories of the Air Force
  • Guides to the Air Forces