Canadian Expeditionary Force (4) Forestry Corps

‍Canadian Forestry Corps

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

1997.28.276.

Canadian Forestry Battalion,

The Canadian Forestry Corps was created 14 Nov 1916. The badge of the Canadian Forestry Corps consists of a circle, with a beaver on top, superimposed on a pair of crossed axes, with the text "Canadian Forestry Corps" around the edge. At the centre of the circle is a maple leaf with the Imperial State Crown. Their nickname was the "Sawdust Fusiliers". The Canadian Forestry Corps was disbanded in 1920. It was reformed in 1940 then disbanded again in 1945.

The Forestry Corps was created during the First World War when it was discovered that huge quantities of wood were needed for use on the Western Front. Duckboards, shoring timbers, crates—anything that needed wood had to be provided. The British government concluded[when?][citation needed] that there was nobody more experienced or qualified in the British Empire to harvest timber than the Canadians. At first the idea was to harvest the trees from Canada's abundant forests and bring them overseas. But space aboard merchant ships was at a premium, so rather than stuff ships' holds with timber, it was decided to use the Canadians over in Europe, cutting down forests in the UK and France.Canadian Journalists in France viewing the work of the Canadian Forestry Detachment.

Several regiments originally slated for the front lines became military lumberjack units instead. Canadian troops with their coniferous-tree cap badges identifying them as the Canadian Forestry Corps cut trees in forests in England, Scotland and France, where the timber was squared, sawed and transported. The CFC also built aerodromes in France for the ever-burgeoning Royal Flying Corps.Altogether, some 35,000 Canadians served in the Forestry Corps[2]—which eventually was composed of dozens of companies (each composed of several hundred workers). Although individual troops in emergency situations were sent to fight on the front lines the CFC usually served well back of the fighting. Occasionally, Forestry Corps units were employed as labour units for the Canadian Corps on the front lines with duties such as stockpiling artillery ammunition, assisting in the quick construction of rail and road systems in the wake of attacking troops, or in helping to evacuate the wounded.

Towards the final two years of the war, more and more Canadian soldiers volunteered for the Forestry Corps, as it was viewed by many as a way to serve the country without facing the German Army in direct conflict. Many members were underaged volunteers, who had lied about their age in order to be accepted for overseas service, but were below the age of 19 and not legally allowed to serve in combat. However, the Corps was not without casualties: accidents like those which would occur in a forestry camp in Canada were not uncommon: power saws, machinery and transport all took lives. Additionally, particularly during the last 100 days of the War, the Forestry Corps was repeatedly combed for volunteers for transfer into the infantry. The Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa has a statue figure of a member of the Canadian Forestry Corps upon it near the back of the memorial. (Wikipedia)

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

1997.28.275.

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

1997.28.276.

224th Canadian Forestry Battalion Overseas.

224th Canadian Forestry Battalion. Authorized on 15 July 1916, disbanded on 18 Feb 1918.

A request from the Imperial Government in England for skilled lumbermen to process forests in the British Isles thus freeing shipping from transporting finished lumber saw the 224th Canadian Forestry Battalion being raised in Canada. The battalion was recruited from across Canada with mobilization headquarters at Ottawa on 26 February 1916 being authorized under General Order 69 of July 15th 1916. The battalion embarked for England in drafts with around 400 all ranks. The full battalion of 47 Officers and 1526 OR’s by 19 May 1916 under command of Lieutenant-Colonel A. McDougall (3rd Field Company C.E.). The 224th Battalion had just arrived in England and commenced work when an urgent request was made by the British Government for more Canadian lumbermen. A telegram received at Ottawa May 16th 1916requested a further 2000 lumbermen as soon as possible. The 238th and 242nd Forestry Battalions were raised and equipped with mills and shipped to England in drafts. In November 1916 the 230th Battalion was also converted to a Forestry Battalion but the demands for lumbermen continued unabated. In December 1916 officers in England went to the CEF Reserve Bases to find experienced lumbermen who were transferred to the CFC. Consideration was also given to converting the 119th and 156th Battalions in England from Infantry to Forestry Battalions.

In November 1916 the timber operations were gathered under the Director of Canadian Timber Operations as the Canadian Forestry Corps at which time the former CEF Infantry Battalion structure was replaced with Forestry Companies. Each of these with six Officers, 14 Sergeants and 171 OR’s with attached laborers of approximately 150 to 200 unskilled labourers provided from various British Colonies as well as the Chinese Labour Corps, South African Labour Corps, Russian Labour Corps and Prisoner of War Companies. By the end of December 1916 there were 103 Officers and 2303 OR’s working in England and a further 30 Officers and 602 OR’s in France. By the time of the Armistice there were 60 Companies working in France and 41 in Great Britain. Depending on the area from which they were drawn Forestry companies specialized in cutting different types of soft and hard wood forests. Some Companies in France cutting Spruce exclusively for aircraft production. In addition to lumber production other companies worked in quarries cutting stone and in the construction of air fields.  Being fully depleted of all ranks the 224th Canadian Forestry Battalion (which specialized in cutting Beech forests), was disbanded under General Order 82 of 1 June 1918.

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

1997.28.262.

238th Canadian Forestry Battalion Overseas. Authorized on 15 July 1916, disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 1609 man 224th Battalion had only just arrived in England and commenced work when an urgent request was made by the British Government for more Canadian lumbermen. A telegram received at Ottawa on 16 May 1916 requested a further 2000 lumbermen as soon as possible. The 238th and 242nd Forestry Battalions were raised and equipped with mills and shipped to England in Drafts. In November 1916 the 230th Battalion was also converted to a Forestry Battalion but the demands for lumbermen continued unabated. In December 1916 officers in England went to the CEF Reserve Bases to find experienced lumbermen who were transferred to the CFC. Consideration was also given to converting the119th and 156th Battalions in England from Infantry to Forestry Battalions. In November 1916 the timber operations were gathered under the Director of Canadian Timber Operations as the Canadian Forestry Corps at which time the former CEF Infantry Battalion structure was replaced with Forestry Companies. Each of these with six Officers, 14 Sergeants and 171 OR’s with attached laborers of approximately 150 to200 unskilled laborers provided from various British Colonies as well as the Chinese Labour Corps, Russian Labour Corps and Prisoner of War Companies. By the end of December 1916 there were 103 Officers and2303 OR’s working in England and a further 30 Officers and 602 OR’s in France. By the time of the Armistice there were 60 Companies working in France and 41 in Great Britain. Depending on the area from which they were drawn Forestry companies specialized in cutting different types of soft and hard wood forests. Some Companies in France cutting Spruce exclusively for aircraft production. In addition to lumber production other companies worked cutting stone in quarries and constructing air fields. The 238th Canadian Forestry Battalion was recruited from volunteers from Ontario and Quebec with mobilization headquarters at Camp Valcartier being authorized under General Order 69 of July 1916. The ranks of the battalion were quickly filled and the unit sailed for England in September 1916 in a series of Drafts of 200 each complete with its own mill and transport under overall command of Lieutenant -Colonel W.R. Smyth (Honorary rank), the total compliment of the 238th Battalion being 44 officers and 1081 other ranks. After its arrival in England and the compulsory 14 weeks of infantry training given to all soldiers of the CEF, the 238th battalion was assigned to the Canadian Forestry Corps. A number of the Companies formed from the 238th Battalion almost immediately being transferred to France. The 238th Forestry Battalion specialized in cutting pine whereas the 224th Forestry Battalion concentrated mainly on Beech forests.

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

1997.28.409. 1997.28.265.

242nd Forestry Battalion Overseas. Authorized on 15 July 1916, disbanded on 29 November 1918.

A 1609 man 224th Battalion had only just arrived in England and commenced work when an urgent request was made by the British Government for more Canadian lumbermen. A telegram received at Ottawa on 16 May 1916 requested a further 2000 lumbermen as soon as possible. The 238th and 242nd Forestry Battalions were raised and equipped with mills and shipped to England in drafts. In November 1916 the230th Battalion was also converted to a Forestry Battalion but the demands for lumbermen continued unabated. In December 1916 officers in England went to the CEF Reserve Bases to find experienced lumbermen who were transferred to the CFC. Consideration was also given to converting the 119th and156th Battalions in England from Infantry to Forestry Battalions. In November 1916 the timber operations were gathered under the Director of Canadian Timber Operations as the Canadian Forestry Corps at which time the former CEF Infantry Battalion structure was replaced with Forestry Companies. Each of these with six Officers, 14 Sergeants and 171 OR’s with attached labourers of approximately 150 to 200 unskilled laborers provided from various British Colonies as well as the Chinese Labor Corps, Russian Labour Corps and Prisoner of War Companies. By the end of December 1916 there were 103 Officers and 2303 OR’s working in England and a further 30 Officers and 602 OR’s in France. By the time of the Armistice there were 60 Companies working in France and 41 in Great Britain. Depending on the area from which they were drawn Forestry companies specialized in cutting different types of soft and hard wood forests. Some Companies in France cutting Spruce exclusively for aircraft production. In addition to lumber production other companies worked cutting stone in quarries and constructing air fields. The 242nd Canadian Forestry Battalion war raised in Quebec in June 1916 with mobilization headquarters at Montreal under General Order 69 of July 15th 1916. The battalion embarked for England in drafts during November 1916 under overall command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.B. White (17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars), with a total strength of 44 officers and 1006 OR’s. The 242nd Canadian Forestry Battalion was disbanded on 29 November 1918 under General Order 135 of 16 December 1918.

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

1997.28.404.

12th Company, Canadian Forestry Corps Overseas.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642858)

Canadian Forestry Corps at Work, making railway sleepers for France with a Canadian Mill.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3624870)

Personnel of the Canadian Forestry Corps loading timber, 1919.

The Canadian Railway Corps and the Canadian Forestry Corps were independent establishments.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3642867)

Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Ernest William Turner, VC, KCB, KCMG, DSO, CD, 3rd from the left, visiting Canadian Forestry Corps at Cliburn, Westmorland.

Second World War

The disbanded Forestry Corps was reinstated for service in the Second World War. They were deployed to England, but worked on cutting trees in Scotland and France. The CFC in the Second World War were only provided basic training and not expect to be in combat roles.

Newfoundland Forestry Battalion

Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949 but was at the time a separate Dominion of the British Empire and had its own wartime forestry unit. During the First World War I the Newfoundland Forestry Battalion was formed on 2 April 1917, comprising about 500 men. During the Second World War, a unit was formed known as the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit (or NOFU) with about 3,680 men. Many Newfoundlanders stationed in Scotland in the NOFU worked on their education to be eligible for enlistment in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.