Canadian Expeditionary Force (16) Railway Troops

CEF Railway Troops

(Author Photo)

Canadian Pacific Railway war memorial plaque in the McAdam train station.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps

As early as October of 1914 Canada offered to raise a railway construction corps of 500 skilled railwaymen at its own expense for service with the Imperial Government at that time the offer was declined. However the offer was accepted by telegram on 21 Jan 1915 and on 2 Feb 1915 the mobilization of the Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps commenced from experienced workers from the Canadian Pacific Railway at Saint John, N.B. The Corps comprising of a regimental headquarters with two companies plus a 100 man reserve the organization being completed by 15 May 1915 the unit sailing for England on 15 June 1915 and to France on 15 Sep 1915. Under General Order 11 of Sep 1918 the Overseas Canadian Railway Corps was established on 5 March 1915 and organized under General Order 86 of 1 July 1915 was disbanded. This brought it under the command of the Corps of Canadian Railway Troops on its formation authorized under General Order 109 of 3 Sep 1918. The Headquarters in France was under the command of Major-General J.W. Stewart from 2 March 1917 until demobilization. In England. Command was under Colonel B.M. Humble from 18 March 1917 until demobilization.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3405543)

Canadian Railway Troops passing through the ruins of a town after laying the track, October 1917.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3403701)

No. 1 Construction Battalion, street car being used for recruiting, 3 July 1916.

Canadian Railway Corps

1st Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, 2nd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from 127th York Rangers), 3rd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 239th Battalion), 4th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, 5th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, 6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 25th Battalion), 7th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, 8th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 218th and 211th Battalions), 9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (1st Pioneer Battalion), 10th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 256th Battalion).

1st Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.

(New Brunswick Military History Museum Colleciton, Author Photo)

No. 1 Construction Battalion

No. 1 and No. 2 Construction Battalions were authorized under General Order 69 of July 1916 and disbanded under General Order 149 of 15 September 1920. Both units were raised in April 1916 from skilled but experienced building labour. The 1st Canadian Construction Battalion arrived in France in October 1916 where effective 11 November was converted and designated as the 1st Canadian Railway Construction Battalion. In February 1917 the designation was changed to the 1st Battalion Canadian Railway Troops. This unit was disbanded in 1920 under General Order 196.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

Accession No. 2022.3.1.

No. 2 Construction Battalion.

The 2nd Construction Battalion was unique in the Canadian Army being entirely raised from black troops but under command of white officers with one exception the battalion Chaplain, Honorary Captain William A. White, the only black officer to serve in the Great War in the entire British Empire. A shameful fact that this battalion is never mentioned in any of the First World War histories including Nicholson’s 1962 Official History of the CEF. After arrival in England in 1917 the designation was altered to No.2 Construction Company and the unit was absorbed into the Canadian Forestry Corps. Serving in France for the duration of the war.

2nd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from 127th York Rangers).

The 127th Battalion was recruited November 12th 1915 with mobilization headquarters at Toronto under General Order 151 of 22 Dec 1915. The battalion was raised by the 12th Regiment York Rangers this previously having contributed 273 volunteers to the 4th Battalion on its formation at Camp Valcartier in August 1914, and later raised or provided volunteers to the 1st Construction Battalion and the 20th, 81st, 83rd, and 220th Infantry Battalions. On the expansion of the Canadian Railway Troops in 1916 the 127th Battalion requested that it be allowed to remain in tact as a railway construction battalion. Due to a high preponderance of the battalion being former railway men the offer was accepted and in November the 127th Infantry Battalion was redesignated as the 127th Battalion (Canadian Railway Troops). The battalion had already previously sent a strong contingent to the 1st Construction Battalion on its conversion to the 1st Battalion Canadian Railway Construction Battalion. The 127th Battalion embarked for England on 24 Aug 1916 with a strength of 32 officers and 972 OR's under command of Lieutenant-Colonel F.F. Clarke (12th York Rangers). Effective 3 Feb 1917 the 127th Battalion (Canadian Railway Troops) was designated as the 2nd Canadian Railway Troops. The unit sailed for France from Folkstone on 11 March 1917 serving on the Western Front for the duration of the Great War. The Battalion never adopted a ‘regimental’ pattern badge but continued to wear their original 127th Battalion pattern CEF badges. The 2nd Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were disbanded under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

3rd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 239th Battalion.

The 239th Overseas Railway Construction Battalion was recruited from skilled railway personnel from Ontario and Quebec with mobilization headquarters at Camp Valcartier on 5 May 1916 under General Order 69 of 15 July 1916. The battalion embarked for England on 15 Dec 1916 under command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.B.L. MacDonald (C.E.), with a strength of 26 officers and 738 OR’s. After its arrival from Canada the 239th Overseas Construction Corps was redesignated as the 3rd Battalion Canadian Railway Troops sailing for France on 22 March 1917 where the unit served for the duration of the war. The 239th Overseas Railway Construction Battalion was disbanded under General Order 149 of 15 Sep 1920. The 3rd Battalion Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

Accession No. 1997.28.408.

4th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.

The 4th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops was formed from experienced railway workers at the Canadian Railway Depot at Purfleet in England effective 29 Jan 1917. The 4th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops embarked from Folkstone for France on 23 Feb 1917. The unit served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

5th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.

The 5th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops was formed from experienced railway workers at the Canadian Railway Depot at Purfleet in England effective 29 Jan 1917. The 5th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops embarked for France from Folkstone on 24 Feb 1917. The unit served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 25th Battalion).

The 6th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were originally raised as the 228th Battalion CEF. The 228th Battalion CEF (Northern Fusiliers) was raised from the 23rd Northern Pioneers with mobilization headquarters at North Bay effective 15 July 1916. The battalion sailed for England on 16 Feb 1917where on arrival were sent to the Canadian Railway Troops Depot at Purfleet where on 8 March 1917were redesignated as the 6th Battalion Railway Troops. The Battalion sailed for France during the first week of April 1917 and served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

Accession No. 1997.28.415.

7th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.

The 257th Railway Construction Battalion was recruited in Eastern Ontario with mobilization headquarters at the Exhibition Grounds, Toronto being authorized under General Order 48 of 1 May 1917. The actual date of formation is currently undetermined but likely in late 1916 as the badges were approved 18 Jan 1917. The battalion embarked for England on 16 Feb 1917 under command of Lieutenant-Colonel L.T. Martin (43rd Duke of Cornwall’s Own Rifles), with a strength of 29 officers and 902 OR’s where on 8 March 1917 it was redesignated as the 7th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops. The Battalion sailed for France during the first week of April 1917 and served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

(Private Collection Photo)

8th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 218th and 211th Battalions).

The 8th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were formed from the experienced railway workers from the 211th and 218th Battalions and from the reinforcing Drafts for the Canadian Railway Troops sent from Canada. No less than 25 Railway Construction Reinforcing Drafts were sent to England all of these being authorized under General Order 63 of 15 June 1917. The 8th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops embarked for France on 17 April 1917 serving on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920. As were all 25 Reinforcing Drafts and the Ruthenian Railway Construction Company.

The Ruthenian Railway Construction Company.

The 258th Battalion was raised as the Ruthenian Railway Construction Company under General Order 11of February 1917. The Ruthenian’s were an ethnic/religious group of the Eastern Orthodox sect and are generally associated with the Ukraine and northern Romania. The unit consisting of 16 Officers and 215 OR’s was formed from railway personnel in Military District No. 5 with mobilization headquarters at Quebec City the Company (it never approached battalion strength), sailed for England on 16 Oct 1917 where they became a Forestry Company. The unit was disbanded under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920. (This was the General Order disbanding the Railway units of the CEF.)

9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (1st Pioneer Battalion).

1st Pioneer Battalion

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

Accession No. 1997.28.394.

The 9th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were originally raised as the 1st Pioneer Battalion, authorized on 22 Dec 1915 under General Order 151 of 22 Dec 1915. The nucleus of the 1st Pioneers was raised in British Columbia where the unit had originally been envisioned as the 80th (Pioneer) Battalion in the summer of 1915 however the unit was not formed until December long after the 80th Infantry Battalion had been formed in Eastern Ontario. The 1st Pioneers sailed for England in Feb 1916 and to France on 11 March 1916, where they were attached to the 1st Division. Eventually seven Pioneer battalions served in France these numbered the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 67th (Western Scots), 107th (Timber wolves), 123rd (Royal Grenadier) and the 124th (Governor General’s Body Guard) Battalions. Apparently these rotated back and forth to England, with only four serving in France at any one time. The Pioneer Battalions were under command of Divisional Headquarters but the work was supposed to be organized by the Canadian Engineers, an unworkable arrangement that was scrapped in the 1917 post Sir Sam Hughes reorganization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The 1st Pioneers were detached from the 1st Division in March 1917 and attached to the 5th Canadian Railway Troops. Effective 17 May 1917 the unit was designated as the 9th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops serving in this capacity on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920. The 9th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops never adopted a ‘regimental’ pattern badge but presumably continued to wear their 1st Pioneers badges or adopted the authorized General Service maple leaf patterns.

10th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (formed from the 256th Battalion).

The 10th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops was raised in Toronto and Northern Ontario as the 256th Canadian Railway Construction Battalion with mobilization headquarters at Toronto under General Order 69 of July 1916. The Battalion sailed for England on 28 March 1917 with 18 officers and 531 Other Ranks where it was designated as the 10th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops. The Battalion sailed for France on 9 June 1917 serving on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

Accession No. 1997.28.397.

11th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (3rd Labour Battalion).

(CWM Photo)

3rd Pioneer Battalion

The 11th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were originally raised as the 3rd Pioneer Battalion from category ‘B’ men in England in Dec 1916. On 23 Nov 1916, the unit was employed unloading ships at Dunkirk when it was redesignated as the 11th Battalion Railway Troops with the addition of specialized railway workers arrived in the Drafts from Canada the new unit began its first railway work on 17 Dec 1917. The 11th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

(Private Collection Photo)

12th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (2nd Labour Battalion).

2nd Pioneer Battalion

(CWM Photo)

The 12th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were originally raised as the 2nd Pioneer Battalion from category ‘B’ men in England in Dec 1916. The unit was employed in light railway construction in France when on 22 Nov 1916 the unit redesignated as the 12th Battalion Railway Troops with the addition of specialized railway workers arriving with the Drafts from Canada. The 12th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The unit was disbanded along with the rest of the Canadian Railway Troops under General Order 196 of 1Nov 1920.

1st Bridging Company, Canadian Railway Troops

On 20 Aug 1918 a bridging unit was formed from volunteers of the 12th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops for service in Palestine. Named the 1st Bridging Company, Canadian Railway Troops the unit sailed for Egypt on 28 Sep 1918 with a total of six officers and 255 Other Ranks. The 1st Bridging Company started its first work in the Middle East on 5 Oct 1918 with attached Egyptian labor. Malaria was a serious problem and within a few weeks only six men were able to perform work. Four Canadians died two from Malaria and two from Pneumonia before the job was finished on 26 Oct 1918. The unit continued to work in the Middle East until February 1919 leaving from Egypt on 14 March 1919, while their sick comrades remained in a Hospital in Egypt.

13th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops (Depot unit).

The 13th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops was formed at the Canadian Railway Troops Depot at Purfleet in March 1918. The 13th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops embarked for France from Southampton on 28 March 1918 where the served on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. The 13th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops were disbanded under General Order 196 of 1 Nov 1920.

14th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops.

(New Brunswick Military History Museum Collection, Author Photo)

No. 1 Section, Skilled Railway Employees.

No. 1 Section Skilled Railway Employees was authorized under General Order 11 of February 1917 having been raised in MD. 2 on 1 Dec 1916. The unit arrived in England on 15 March 1917 where it was renamed 12th (Canadian) Light Railway Operating Company R.E. The unit, comprising of three officers and 264 OR’s, apparently disliked the term ‘Light Railway’ and on 17 April 1917 at their own request were redesignated the 58th Broad Gage Operating Company R.E. The unit arrived at Audruicq in France on 23 April 1917, where it served under the British Royal Engineers Railway Operating Department, maintaining 60 miles of track (apparently the French railways were of broader gage than the standard and light railways built by the British and Canadian Railway Troops.) On 18 May 1918 on the formation of the Corps of Canadian Railway Troops The 58th Broad Gage Operating Company was absorbed into the Canadian Corps of Railway Troops as No.1 Section Skilled railway Employees.

No. 2 Section, Skilled Railway Employees.

No. 2 Section Skilled Railway Employees was authorized under General Order 63 of June 15th 1917 having been raised in MD. 13 on 27 Jan 1917. The unit was comprised of three officers and 264 OR’s, and arrived in England at the end of April 1917 where it was renamed13th Light Railway Operating Company R.E. (No.2 Section Skilled Railway Employees CEF). In Sep 1917 the designation became the 13th Light Railway Operating Company (No. 2 Section Skilled Railway Employees CEF) and in Nov 1917 the 13th Light Railway Operating Company (Canadians)and finally in March 1918 as the 13th Canadian Light Railway Operating Company. The unit arrived in France in June 1917. On 18 May 1918 on the formation of the Corps of Canadian Railway Troops, the 13th Canadian Light Railway Operating Company was absorbed into the Canadian Corps of Railway Troops as No. 2 Section Skilled railway Employees. The 13th Canadian Light Railway Operating Company was disbanded under General Order 196, 1 Nov 1920.

No. 3 Section, Skilled Railway Employees.

No.3 Section Skilled Railway Employees was formed at St. John’s (St. Jean) Quebec with mainly railwaymen from Moncton. (No authorizing General Order is listed). The unit arrived in England on 14 March 1918 where on 16 March it was designated the 69th Canadian Wagon Erecting Company. It arrived in France on 15 April 1918, the last Canadian railway troop unit to do so and was the first of the formerly independent units to leave France in February 1919. On the formation of the Corps of Canadian Railway Troops the 69th Canadian Wagon Erecting Company was designated as No. 3 Section Skilled railway Employees. No official date of disbandment is listed in the General Orders possibly served as part of the British Royal Engine.

No. 4 Section, Skilled Railway Employees

No. 4 Section Skilled Railway Employees was formed at Purfleet on 7 Sep 1917 as the 85th Canadian Engine Crew Company it was formed for service in France. The unit provided 108 train crews, (approximately 300 all ranks) and sailed for France on 12 Dec 1917. On 18 May 1918 on the formation of the Corps of Canadian Railway Troops the 85th Canadian Engine Crew Company was absorbed into the Canadian Corps of Railway Troops as No. 4 Section Skilled railway Employees. No official date of disbandment is listed in the General Orders.

On 27 July 1916 the British Government asked if Canada could supply railway specialists in addition to the railway construction battalions either serving in France or being formed. Three sections of skilled railway employees were raised and later a fourth was formed from skilled personnel in France. These were raised as operating and engineering companies and not construction units, all serving under the British Royal Engineers.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3194247)

A Canadian narrow-gauge armoured train taking ammunition up to the front line, September 1917.

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No. 58 Broad Gage Railway Operating Company

No. 13 Canadian Light Railway Operating Company

No. 85 Canadian Engine Crew Company

No. 65 Wagon Erecting Company (Broad Gage Railways)

No. 1 Canadian Bridging Company

Corps of Canadian Railway Troops April 1918

The Corps of Canadian Railway Troops was formed in France on 23 April 1918 under General Order 109 of Sep 1918. bringing all thirteen Canadian Railway Troop companies and the formerly independent Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps, the 58th Broad Gage Operating Company, the 13th Light Operating Company, the 85th Engine Crew Company and the 69th Wagon Erecting Company under its administrative control. Also under the supervision of the Corps of Canadian Railway Troops were the 5000+ British Royal Engineer Railway Troops. A generic Canadian Railway Corps cap badge design was approved in October 1918 but the Armistice saw its manufacture cancelled. In Canada a depot was established on 5 June 1918 as the Railway Construction Depot, M.D. 2, (this originally organized as a Forestry Depot under G.O. 74 of 1917) under General Order 110 of Sep 1918 laid down as a depot battalion with a headquarters and four companies. During the last great German offensive in the spring of 1918 a number of Canadian Railway Troops were included in ad hoc infantry brigades to stem the German advance. 400 officers and men of the 2nd Battalion Canadian Railway Troops 25-26 March at Amiens and the personnel of the 5th and 11th CRT to help hold part of the front for the British 1st Division being bolstered by the addition of the 7th CRT a few days later.