Regimental Organization and Tactics (1855)

From: Field Service; The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia, 11 May 1855
(From the Household Words)

Popularly, a regiment is said to consist of a thousand men, but at present the actual strength of an infantry regiment is a battalion of thirteen hundred and thirty-seven men of all ranks. One third of this number, or four companies (each company being composed of a captain, two subalterns, five sergeants, five corporals, ninety-five privates), form the depôt or reserve at home; while the other eight, amounting to eight hundred and ninety-five men, are the service companies on duty abroad.

A regiment of cavalry numbers two hundred and seventy-one horses, or three hundred and sixty-one in the dragoons, and as many as seven hundred and three in the East Indies.

What is called a division of an army is a force of from five to ten thousand men, in command of a general, and made of of two or three brigades of three or four regiments each of infantry, two or three gun batteries of six pieces each, and a proportion of cavalry. In reckoning their number, it is customary to deduct ten per cent, sick or disabled; so that five regiments of say eight hundred each would represent three thousand six hundred fighting men actually in the field.

A division in line of battle is posted in two lines, one in rear of the other with cavalry behind, and a reserve of guns and one or two regiments behind these, to be kept fresh in case of need. Some idea of the extant of a line may be gathered from these numbers; a regiment of eight hundred stretches two hundred and fifty yards; a division of three brigades, seven hundred and thirty-five yards, allowing for spaces between; and a regiment of cavalry, four hundred yards. The guns are posted in front, or at the flanks, at each end of the line; the right flank and wing being at your right hand as you face the enemy, the left flank at your left hand. Generally, the artillery have the honour to begin the encounter, supported by the fire of infantry. When the former have done sufficient execution, the latter advance with the bayonet to complete the business; and when the enemy is disorganised, or in flight, cavalry follow up the blow and dart off in pursuit. Artillery are usually employed opposite artillery, cavalry against cavalry, and so on, according to circumstances. It is only "devils dressed in red and white" who go up—as the gallant light division of infantry at the Alma did—and, contrary to all the rules of strategy, take a battery of artillery in the face of an astonished foe.

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Tribal Warriors Stalk Axis With Strange Weapons

The Sherbrooke Telegram, 25 May 1944
By The Canadian Press

There are strange warriors with the Allies—black, brown, yellow, bronze, some a loin cloth for a uniform and a snickersnee for a fighting tool.

Some are virtually unknown soldiers of the United Nations. Who ever heard of the Tcherkesses, the Atjehnese, and the Dyaks, the Gojjams, the Tanganyikas, or the redoubtable Wah?

Or who can say what manner of weapon is the dah, the koumia and khukri? Yet the Axis soldier fears them more than all the secret weapons turning on the lathes of the propaganda mills.

The little-known people, and many more, are making stout contributions toward the day of victory, says the United Nations Information office.

Take the Tcherkesses, fur-bonneted Syrian cossacks. They were stalwart allies of the British and Free French in Syria and Iraq.

The Atjehnese and Dyaks are some of the fierce guerillas who have kept the Japanese "masters" of the Netherlands East Indies clinging to the beaches, afraid to enter the interior except in force.

Gojjams provided loyal Ethiopians with a base for revolt and with the Armachahos, Wikaits and Bagemirs made the return of Emperor Haile Selassie from exile infinitely easier. Tanganyikas are blacks who with Kenyas, Ugandas and Nyasas make up the crack King's African Rifles who shooed Italians out of East Africa.

The Wah Has a Dah

And the Wah is an interesting party who may give the British a lift in Burma. His weapon is the dah, an evil looking bowie with the blade of a broadsword and the edge of a razor.

The British booed Mussolini out of East Africa and the Nazis out of North Africa with such characters as the Ghurkas, Punjabis and the Sihks that made up most of the 300,000 Indians in the British Army.

The Afrika Corps especially disliked Ghurkas, who made a habit of lopping off heads with a Khukri, a curved knife.

From East Africa come black, spindly-legged Sudanese, who are silent fighters. The Somali camel corps, Askaris from Eritrea and Turkanas helped to throw Italians out of Italian Somaliland. South Africa sent 32,000 native soldiers to North Africa and the Middle East—20,000 Bechuanas, 9,000 Basutos (who are so fond of drilling that the only way to punish them for infractions is to not let them drill) and 3,000 Swasis. Zulus fought well in Kenya. Many black Nigerians were in the Nigerian force which swept 1,054 miles in 30 days through Italian Somaliland.

Most populous of the Burman allies are the Burmese—also handy with the dah—who are training in India agsinst the day of liberation. The Chins and Kachins are unhealthy guerillas to start trouble with in a Burman jungle.

The Free French have some tough customers. Pig-tailed Goumiers from Morocco swing a Kouma, another of those ugly exotic knives. There are the Spahis, native cavalry from North Africa and the Senegalese.

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Rifle Brigade group, Montreal, QC, 1865; William Notman (1826-1891); 1865, 19th century; I-15545.1; © McCord Museum.

The Rifle Brigade in Canada (1865)

The Montreal Gazette, 14 May 1927

Sir Leopold V. Swaine, who once commanded the Rifle Brigade, came out to Canada in 1865 with a battalion of his regiment, and camped over at Point Levis for a few months, helping the Royal Engineers to construct field-works. After they had been there for some six weeks or more, men began to desert, as the U.S.A. frontier was within such easy reach. Swaine consulted with his commanding officer and got his sanction to open all letters that came for men from the United States. Most, if not all of these, contained offers of high wages if the men would come and work for the writer. These were, of course, all burnt. But, in three and a half months, they tried between ten and fifteen men by district court-martial for desertion; awarded something like twenty years' imprisonment with hard labor, fined them over £50 for loss of kit, and flogged three men, awarding one hundred and twenty-five lashes. One of the three kept a diary of their wandering, which showed that, for the three days they were away, they had continually walked in a circle and had never been more than three miles from camp.

One day, when the working parties came in for dinner, they reported than an American had been attempting to set fire to some huts. He was stopped from doing so, but claimed that they were his own property and heavily insured. After mess that evening an individual entered their tent and drawled out a request to know who was the boss of the establishment. He was a bit incoherent and had evidently been doing himself well at supper. They were quite sure that he was the man who had been reported in the morning so they surrounded him, and someone mentioned the fact that there was a pond handy. So they carried him triumphantly through the camp, swung him three times, and launched him into space.

Next morning a message came from the Colonel saying that he wished to see all the officers of the regiment in the mess tent at twelve o'clock. When they were all assembled he began: "I have had a visit this morning from an American gentleman, who gave me an account of the disgraceful manner in which he had been treated by the officers of this battalion. Mr. Swaine, you will be good enough to tell me who were the ringleaders in this affair." Swaine replied, "I was one, sir," and all the subalterns present re-echoed his words. On hearing this, the Colonel said, "I confine all officers to camp for the day."

The 1st battalion was quartered at the time at the Citadel at Quebec, and immediately after lunch the culprits were sent over to invite them all to come to tea and to bring anyone else they could think of. Among them were the Colonel and his wife. They had a glorious time, only marred by the fact that they were all invited to dine at the Citadel the same night, and had a hard time inventing previous engagements. Years afterwards the Colonel confided that the American had owned up to being drunk.

In the ensuing winter they had to learn to march on snowshoes, with the result that when the commanding officer gave the words "Fours right," nearly half the men fell on their noses.

In 1866 the Fenians began to give trouble, and they were ordered to St. Armands. Apparently the only casualty was the killing of some old woman who was stone-deaf, and who was seen trying to escape in the darkness and who continued to run in spite of repeated orders to halt. The Royal Fusileers gave her a great funeral, and, thirty years later, when he was a Major-General, the author received the Fenian medal, inscribed to Lieutenant Swaine.

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What Not to Feed Him

Berkeley Daily Gazette, Berkeley, California, 20 June 1919

Have you a returned soldier in your home? And would you like him to be happy? To forget those French mademoiselles Tout Suite? To go back to his old job and stick, even though it does seem to be a bit of a bore at first? Then follow this advice, approved by Colonel Woods, assistant to the secretary of war.

Feed him well, and you will make him happy. Give him good food, plain cooking and very fancy cooking. But remember that he has acquired certain inalienable hatreds.

Don't—give him beans. Green beans are alright. But never give him the comedy beans.

Don't—give him salmon. Not cooked or smoked or in salad.

Don't—give him hash. Not even if he liked it before.

Don't—give him corned beef. Not even in sandwiches or with eggs. When he was over there he called it "Corned Willy," "Monkey Meat" and "Bully Beef."

Don't—give him bread pudding. He has had a great deal too much of it.

Don't—give him rice pudding. It will make him think he is being forcibly fed.

Don't—give him condensed milk.

Don't—give him Irish stew. He used to call it "slum" in the army. He no longer desires it.

Don't—give him horse meat. You wouldn't anyway, but nevertheless—Don't.

This leaves a number of pleasant dishes which you may serve him. He will welcome chocolate ice cream, thick steak, roast beef, French fried potatoes, salad with Russian dressing, ham and eggs, and other delectable dishes.

If you treat him in accordance with the culinary advice so outlined, he will once more be one of the world's happy workers, and stick to his job, old or new.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Saturday, 15 October 2016 12:13 PM EDT

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Militia Matters at Halifax (1905)

103rd Company of Royal Artillery to be Transferred to Canadian Artillery

St John Daily Sun, 10 November, 1905
(Special to the Sun.)

Halifax, Nov. 9.—It was reported at the militia headquarters this morning that nearly all of the 103rd company of the Royal Artillery will be transferred to the Canadian Artillery tomorrow. Several of the other company of Royal Artillery have also expressed a desire to remain. A number of the Royal Engineers have also signified their intention to join the Canadian corps. Besides those already mentioned there are some forty artillerymen who are not connected with any particular company but are familiar with all the supplies and the location of them in the various forts, and these were also to remain. It was learned this morning at the armories that when everything was finally settled the Canadian government will have about 1,200 troops in Halifax. Of that number 650 will be infantry, 460 engineers and gunner and about 100 men on the staff.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 14 October 2016 11:17 AM EDT

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Tanks (1920)

Field Service Regulations, Volume II; Operations, 1920 (Provisional), General Staff, War Office

1.     The tank is a mechanically propelled armoured vehicle which affords protection to its crew, armament, and machinery from ordinary rifle and machine gun fire and from shrapnel bullets. Its fire power and mobility make it essentially a weapon of offence. Its capability of delivering a large volume of accurate fire during movement is an important characteristic. Its moral effect on hostile troops is very great.

2.     The tank can move over country where roads and tracks do not exist; it can cross trenches and surmount obstacles; when moving through entanglements it crushes down the wire to form lanes passable by infantry in single file. The weight of the tank can be utilized to destroy hostile weapons and personnel by passing over them.

Deep cuttings, swamps, very heavily shelled ground, rocky mountainous country, and thick woods are serious obstacles.

3.     The size of the tank makes it a conspicuous object, and the noise of its engine, when running at high speeds, necessitates driving at low speed in the vicinity of the enemy when surprise is intended. The track of a tank make a distinctive mark on ground which is not very hard.

4.     The limiting factors of the tank are its visibility and its vulnerability to shell fire, which render effective counter battery support of great importance. The radius of action is governed by the amount of petrol, &c., that can be carried on the tank and the physical endurance of the crew.

5.     The power of delivering successful surprise attacks against almost any type of defences is one of the most important advantages of the use of tanks in large numbers.

6.     The size, weight, speed, armament, strength of crew, and other factors vary with the different types of tanks. These details are given in the training manual of that arm.

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Camp Petawawa (1947)

Ottawa Citizen, 17 November 1947
By V.A. Bower, Citizen Parliamentary Writer

Petawawa military camp, 10 miles north of Pembroke, which during the war was one of Canada's greatest military camps, accommodating some 20,000 troops, is to have a new lease on life.

The camp, which since the end of hostilities has been used for reserve army troops with a few permanent force troops for maintenance, about the end of March will see the first influx of permanent force units who will in future make Petawawa their permanent home.

Infantry Formations

The camp, according to army authorities, will be occupied by infantry formations with their necessary ancillary and servicing troops and units. But before the winter is out the ranges formerly echoing to the thunder of 25-pounders of the Royal Canadian Artillery may echo once again, this time with the clanking of armoured corps units.

Plans are completed for the moving in of infantry units and consideration is being given to moving in armoured corps units, though decision in this latter move is not yet reached.

In all the strength of the camp will not come near the 20,000 figure of war time.

The Canadian Permanent Force, even if recruited to full strength, would number 25,000 troops. However, there will be several thousand new troops moving into the area. Total strength may go as high as 5,000.

Marriage Problem

One of the problems at present facing the authorities is the fact that many of the permanent force troops are married and in many instances have converted huts near their present stations into living quarters. This means new living quarters—married quarters as the army calls them—will have to be provided at Petawawa. There are ample buildings at the sprawling camp for the unmarried troops quarters, messes, canteens, garages, hospitals, and other use. But married quarters are scarce.

The army's idea is not to convert temporary barracks to married quarters since this would only be a temporary solution. Thus new married quarters will probably be erected on the station.

The military reservation of Petawawa embraces in all over 100 square miles which gives ample scope for both infantry and armoured corps training. The old artillery ranges which were abandoned when the RCA moved west are ideal for tank maneuvres, and will fill a need which the armoured corps has found lacking in Borden.

Camps Linked

Camp Borden and Petawawa are linked together in the scheme to give permanent units of the permanent force home stations in Ontario.

Royal Canadian Signal Corps, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, RCEME, RCAMC, and other troops sufficient to service the camp will also move to Petawawa.

The move will give new life to the town of Pembroke, long familiar with the marching feet of Canadian soldiers. The close down of the big camp came as a serious blow to Pembroke merchants and the news of the reopening on an expended scale is being received with satisfaction.

The removal of the RCA was not due to the presence of the Atomic plant at Chalk River, but rather due to the fact that modern artillery guns have a firing range too great for available ranges, army authorities said.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Thursday, 17 November 2016 7:04 AM EST

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Trench Soup (1915)

The Age, Melbourne, Australia, 9 June 1915

The British soldier has a knack of making himself at home wherever he is. During the weary months he has spent in the trenches in France he has endeavoured, among other things, to improve on the regimental rations, and vary the monotony of his diet. He has compounded a recipe for "trench soup," which is declared by those who have tried it to be very appetising.

The rations for one man per day are:—

• One tin of bully beef,
• a few biscuits (or bread),
• a rasher of bacon,
• tea and sugar to make two quarts,
• two ounces of jam,
• and occasionally, a packet of pea soup powder or an OXO cube.

The recipe for the soup is:—

• One tin of corned beef (chopped up),
• one packet of pea soup powder,
• one OXO cube,
• four tablets of Brand's essence of beef,
• two biscuits (broken up), 
• a few potatoes.

For pudding Tommy Atkins boils a few biscuits to a pulp, strains off the water, and serves with jam.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Wednesday, 16 November 2016 12:33 AM EST

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Bars to Medals

The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia, 15 November 1916

It is stated in Army Orders that the King has ben pleased to approve of the following emblems being worn on the ribands of certain decorations and medals, when worn on undress and service dress garments, to denote that the wearer has been awarded a bar or bars to the original decorations or medal for subsequent acts of bravery, or for further distinguished conduct in the field:—

Victoria Cross: A miniature replica of the Cross in bronze; one or more according to the number of bars awarded.

Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal, and Military Medal: A small silver rose; one or more according to the number of bars awarded.

These emblems do not form part of the decoration or medal, and are not to be worn on the riband when the decoration or medal is worn in original on the full-dress tunic or jacket, or in miniature on the mess jacket.

Two roses or crosses, as the case may be will be supplied with each bar when then original award is made.

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Armoured Cars (1927)

Cavalry Co-operation
Lighter Infantry

The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia, 7 January 1927

The possibility of British cavalry regiments remaining cavalry regiments in name, but in actual practise dispensing more and more with horses and gradually replacing them with armoured cars, was suggested by General Sir Alexander Godley, G.O.C.-in-C., Southern Command, presiding recently at a lecture on "The Horse and the Machine in War," by Sir Percy Hambro, at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall.

Sir Alexander Godley, referring to the exercises on Salisbury Plain this year to show how tanks could co-operate with cavalry, spoke of the "wonderful advantage" which a reduction in the soldier's pack would give the troops. Anything done by the petrol machine in that way would be of untold value.

He thought that is the armoured car came more generally into use it would be as a cavalry weapon. If a change were to be effected in the cavalry regiments he thought it possible that they would be armed with a certain number of armoured cars, and fewer horses would be employed. But in his view we could not obliterate the great traditions and efficiency and all the possibilities we now got from our cavalry regiments. "We ought to look before we leap," he said, "We must not too hurriedly and blindly turn everything into machines."

Sir Percy Hambro said that European wars brought increased complexity in the handling of armies, but the aim of great commanders to secure for their troops the power of mobility in order to inflict surprise remained constant. While arguing in favour of the machine for transport of supply, the demand for the tank and the armoured car, the mechanicalising of heavy, medium and light artillery and of first line transport, he did not favour the elimination of the horse.

"It is quite possible in the cavalry action of the future," he observed, "that the fire power of the machine will prepare the opportunity, and the horse will reap the harvest. The horse, in co-operation with the machine, remains supreme as the swift weapon of opportunity."

By the latest development of modern science a new type of machine, which appeared capable of taking its place in the first line transport, had been developed. By the ability of this machine to eliminate distance and its imperviousness to fatigue it might be possible to increase the marching power of the soldier and the radius of action of the cavalry.

The movement of infantry in 'bus columns was a subject of great interest to the army. With the new transport vehicle they were able to relieve the infantry soldier of at least eight pounds, and the cavalry soldier of two stone.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Monday, 14 November 2016 12:09 AM EST

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Enemy Guns, Aircraft, etc., Coming to Canada

Quebec Telegraph, 19 August 1919

It is stated in the Overseas Minister of Militia's report in connection with the allocation of war trophies captured by the Canadian troops, to the Dominion, that the Canadian war trophies may be classified under three heads:

• Guns, machine guns, tanks, etc.
• Smaller articles of interest to war museums, such as german equipment, armour, shells, shell cases, munitions, etc.
• War aeroplanes and aeronautical equipment.

These trophies which will be shopped to Canada, include 107 field guns, 19 trench mortars, 248 machine guns, a large number of German aeroplanes, including 21 Fokker, 39 various other types of enemy aircraft, and 5 Gothas; many thousands German rifles, bayonets, grenades, uniforms, insignia, equipment of all kinds. All war trophies captured by Canadian troops became the property of Canadian Government.

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English Soldiers Cookbook

Several Recipes That Are Sanctioned by the Commander-in-Chief of the Army

Meriden Morning Record, Meriden, Connecticut, 22 January 1900
(From the London Mail.)

Occasionally one hears a great deal about the bad cooking and insufficient food of British soldiers. Every now and again some fadist takes the matter up and tries to lead the public to believe that our troops are condemned to live entirely upon unpalatable food.

Here are three recipes from "Tommy's" cookery book which are sanctioned by no less than the commander in chief himself:

Meat Soup.

"Ingredients: Sixteen and one-half pounds meat, one pound onions, one pound flour, five ounces salt, one-fourth ounce pepper, five ounces sugar, small faggot of herbs, 3 1/2 gallons of water.

"Cut the meat into pieces about four ounces, take eight ounces of the fat and chop it up; slice the onions. Put the fat in the boiler; when melted, add the onions; stir them well, so that they do not get brown. In five minutes add the meat, which keep stirring or turning over for five minutes longer. Then add the boiling water by degrees; let it simmer gently for one hour. Mix the flour with cold water very smoothly, add it to the soup, with the salt, pepper, sugar and herbs. Simmer gently for 30 minutes; keep stirring to prevent flour from settling at the bottom."

No doubt the result of these careful operations is a most sustaining and excellent soup, and one wonders how many artisans or laborers get anything better for dinner.

The recipe for "a hurried dinner" is much less elaborate; but if soldiers opinions go for anything, it is by no means a bad one. It is as follows:

"Cut your ration of meat into pieces about the size of a penny, but three of four times thicker. Skewer them only a piece of iron wire or hard stick. A few minutes will cook them if hung before the fire."

Plum pudding in "Tommy's" cookery book"

"Put into a basin one pound of flour, three-fourths pound of raisins (stoned, if that can be allowed), three-fourths pound of the fat of salt pork (well washed, cut into small dice or chopped), and two tablespoonfuls of sugar, or treacle. Add half a pint of water, mix all together; put into a cloth tied tightly; boil for four hours and serve. If time will not admit, boil only for two hours, though four are preferable."

There seems a touch of human nature about the war office, after all.

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Canada to Honor Her Unknown Dead (1921)

The Evening Record, Ellensburg, Washington, 26 November 1921

Ottawa, Nov. 26.—Canada is to pay her tribue to her unknown war dead. The body on an unknown soldier from the Dominion will be brought fron the Western front and burined beneath the Victory Tower of the new Parliament buildings, it was announced yesterday.

It is proposed that the body shall be placed in a vault excavated in the solid rock foundation under the great archway of the Victory Tower and between the two portals which give entrance to the buildings.

The grave will be set almost immediately below the altar in the memorial chamber overhead, and will be marked by a marble slab raised above the grave level.

Thus, all who enter the Parliament building through the two portals under the archway of the tower, will pass by the last resting place of Canada's "unknown" warrior.

Canada did not repatriate the body of an Unknown Soldier of the Great War until 2000.

The chosen resting place for this soldier, the Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, is in front of the National War Memorial.

"The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was created to honour the more than 116,000 Canadians who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace and freedom. Furthermore, the Unknown Soldier represents all Canadians, whether they be navy, army, air force or merchant marine, who died or may die for their country in all conflicts - past, present, and future." (Source)

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War Graves to be Held In Perpetuity

The Sherbrooke Telegram, 25 May 1944

Ottawa, May 25.—All necessary steps to ensure that the land containing Canadian War Graves Overseas will be held in perpetuity for the Canadian people, were taken long ago by the Dominion Government, Defence Headquarters announced.

By virtue of a long-standing agreement with the Imperial War Graves Commission all such properties requisitioned during hostilities by the Canadian Army, will be acquired, "not in the manner or with the consequences of a private sale," but for permanent possession by the Dominion of Canada, the statement revealed.

The Imperial War Graves Commission is the accredited agent of all the governments of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and the "custodian in perpetuity" of all the graves of fallen members of the Commonwealth's forces. The Commission was formed during the Great War and operates under special powers conferred by Royal Charter. Its headquarters are in London, England, and its Canadian member is The Hon. Vincent Massey, High Commissioner for Canada.

Although, due to the exigencies of war, the Canadian Army has had to assume the duty of choosing War cemetery sites, marking the graves with the approved, temporary crosses, maintaining the cemeteries during hostilities and keeping detailed records of those buried, it has carried out all such preliminary work under the guidance of the Commission. The transfer of active responsibility from the Army to the Commission, at the end of the war, will thus be effected smoothly and without the confusion which might otherwise occur.

When that time comes, of of the first duties of the Commission will be the replacement of all temporary memorials with permanent headstones. Such headstones, however, cannot be erected now, due to shortage of labor, lack of transport and—Overseas—the ever present danger of war damage.

As a temporary measure, therefore, all known graves will remain marked by specially designed wooden crosses; by the Star of David in the case of Jewish graves, or by other appropriate forms of memorials approved by the Commission. These temporary memorials are ruggedly built, painted white and bear the regimental particulars in black letters. In the Overseas theatres most of them are constructed on the spot by men of the Royal Canadian Engineers.

After peace is declared, and the danger of war damage removed, the Commission will erect the standard, copyrighted headstone which, since 1914-1918, has been reserved as a mark of honour used only on graves of fallen members of the Commonwealth's forces. As a symbol of equality of sacrifice all headstones are identical size and design, regardless of rank.

This traditional stone memorial is 2 feet 6 inches high, 1 foot 3 inches wide and 3 inches thick. Ample space is provided on each stone for a personal inscription and the engraving of a religious emblem, if the next-of-kin so desires.

The Commission in due course, will write to all next of kin to obtain full particulars of such inscriptions, so that all may be in readiness to make and erect the permanent memorial as soon as opportunity permits. Such details as the next-of-kin wish to have recorded in the permanent printed register will be secured at the same time and in the same way.

As in the late war, many are missing and have no known graves. In such cases the Commission will invite the next-of-kin to supply the necessary particulars for inscription on whatever type of memorial is chosen to commemorate their sacrifice.

No charge is made for temporary markings, permanent headstones or the necessary engravings. The Commissions funds are provided by the various Governments of the Commonwealth.

The Commission is prepared to mark all War Graves with the same distinctive headstone, not only in military cemeteries and Service Plots, but also in cases of single and private burials, where relatives wish their dead to share the traditional memorial with their comrades who rest in foreign lands.

The erection of private or unit memorials in military cemeteries of Service plats, however, cannot be permitted. Such a practice would destroy the harmonious appearance of the plots and violate the Commission's policy of equality of treatment. Civil cemetery authorities, for a like reason, also prohibit the erection of private memorials in service plots.

These policies, which have guided the Commission since it was first entrusted with the marking and care of the graves of those who fell during 1914-1918, have won the sympathy and understanding of the British Commonwealth. The War Graves Cemeteries which were laid out in all parts of the world, as a result of the Commission's labors, have been universally recognized as placed of quiet beauty, fitting memorials created by the Commission's architects and landscape artists as a final tribute to those who gave their lives in the course of duty. The same meticulous care governs the work of the Commission in the present war.

To attempt such an undertaking in the midst of the confusion of war, however, would not, in the Commission's opinion, be conducive to the satisfactory discharge of its responsibilities to the next-of-kin. Until hostilities cease, therefore, Canadians War Graves Overseas will remain marked by temporary memorials, while the cemeteries themselves will remain in the care of the military authorities until taken over by the Commission for permanent embellishment and maintenance.

Relatives who wish to make enquiries respecting war graves should address them to Imperial War Graves Commission, Canadian Agency, 312 Transportation Building, Ottawa, Ontario. [Current address: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Canadian Agency, 66 Slater Street Suite 1412, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0P4, CANADA]

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Scanned Sites for Canada's Monument (1927)

Canadian and U.S. Officials at Arlington—Four Spots Considered

The Montreal Gazette, 14 June 1927

Washington, June 13.—The possible sites in Arlington Memorial Cemetery for Canada's monument to those citizens of the United States who died in Canadian uniform during the great war were inspected today by Canadians and United States officials. Four sites are under consideration; Three near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Amphitheatre, and the fourth alongside the section the main entrance road in the World War section among thousands of victims.

The Canadian favour proximity to the Amphitheatre, and the matter will be taken up with the Fine Arts Commission, who administer that section of the great national cemetery.

The inspecting party today consisted of Hon. Vincent Massey, the Canadian Minister, E.H. Scammell, Canadian Deputy Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment; Col. Henry Osborne, of the Canadian War Graves Commission, and Merchant Mahoney, of the Canadian Legation staff. The United States was represented by Colonel Hampton, of the Quartermaster-General's office, and F.J. Glochette, superintendent of the cemetery.

Preparations will go forward immediately for the cutting of the Canadian monument, which will be a cross of sacrifice of Canadian granite similar to those already erected in Europe in memory of both canadian and British was dead. The cross will stand twenty-four and a half feet high. It will be embellished with a crusader's sword in bronze, superimposed on the face of the cross, and a suitable inscription.

The monument will be made in Canada and shipped here in time for unveiling some time in October. Plans for the unveiling ceremony are yet to be announced in Ottawa, but they include the despatch of a detachment of Canadian militia and a military band to Washington. It is not yet known who will perform the ceremony of unveiling. The Governor-General may be asked to come down or possibly Premier King will officiate.

The Canadian Cross of Sacrifice at Arlington National Cemetery

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Wednesday, 12 October 2016 10:19 AM EDT

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30 Tons of World War Trophies Turned Into Arms for Dominion

The Montreal Gazette, 31 January 1941

Ottawa, January 30.—German rifles, shell cases, trench mortars and other pieces of equipment of the Great War are being thrown in the melting pot whence come Canadian arms and ammunition to fight new German aggression.

Dr. Gustave Lanctot, Dominion archivist and chairman of the Military Museum Board told The Canadian press tonight that 30 tons of German equipment taken in the last war had been sold for scrap at Ottawa and—he hoped—would soon be on its way to Germany in the form of shells, bombs or bullets.

Dr. Lanctot explained the equipment was surplus stock not required by the Canadian war museum. It has some value as metal.

The museum's idea of thus disposing of German war equipment it does not need, has its counterpart in several cities and villages in Canada which have written asking how they can turn in the German guns loaned them to exhibit as trophies of the last war.

Before these trophies could be sold or given away permission of the Dominion had to be obtained, because the arms were only loaned to cities and municipalities for display.

"If some municipality writes us and says that they have been offered a good local price for a trophy, the chances are that we will permit them to sell it and turn the money over to the Government," said Dr. Lanctot.

"But the cost of transporting a two or three-ton gun is high and the need of scrap metal is not so pressing that it is economical to ship trophies for great distances for melting down."

No action has been taken to encourage municipalities to turn in the German trophies loaned the, although the Military Museum Board has made inquiries to see what demand there is for such scrap metal. Munitions manufacturing forms have informed the board they need to know the composition of the metal in the gun, whether it is suitable for their furnaces and whether the laid-down price at their factories will compare with the market price for metal.

Because the trophies have been loaned, an annual report on their condition is required by the Dominion. Latest reports showed some of the guns were in good repair, having been cleaned and painted. Others had deteriorated badly. Some reports bore the notation, "wheels missing."

The trophies were distributed after the war on the basis of enlistments by provinces. Guns placed on display numbered 592, and machine gins 2,111. They are scattered across Canada, most of them at the points where they were first placed. A few have been exchanged by municipalities which no longer wanted them and presented to other communities where a trophy had been requested.

If ever an urgent need for scrap metal arises, the Dominion has the power to call back all trophies on loan.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

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War Medals Ready in 1948

Over Three Million To be Distributed

Ottawa Citizen, 7 November 1947 By Frank Swanson, Citizen Parliamentary Writer

Canadians who won campaign medals in the last war likely won't get them before late in 1948, according to the Department of Veterans' Affairs which has taken over the huge task of distributing the awards.

There are 11 stars and medals to be awarded and the total number to be handed out when the time comes will run around the staggering figure of 3,356,000, the department reported.

Although thousands are now being stamped out at the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa, only 537,450 of the medals so far have been made. Production on two of the 11 has not yet been started because the Mint is still awaiting official dies from Britain. Production of four of the medals has been completed.

Will Get Set

There will be no distribution of any of the medals until all are completed, the department said. At that time, each recipient will receive a complete set of the medals to which he or she is entitled, all at the same time.

There have been no arrangements yet as to the system that will be used for the medal distribution, but its expected that each veteran will be asked to apply in writing when the time comes, giving his or her present address. Otherwise, it was stated, a great many of the packages will go astray.

Meanwhile DVA and service headquarters united to ask veterans not to write requests for medals or stars yet. They say it will create a huge amount of needless work which will only complicate the eventual distribution of the awards.

Meanwhile, a new card index system bearing the complete war records of all servicemen is being compiled at DVA. This will be used as the basis of awarding the stars and medals. When the applications are finally called for quick reference to the system, it is hoped, will establish whether ot not the serviceman or woman is entitled to the various awards. This will eliminate the necessity of drawing out an otherwise bulky file from the immense collection in possession of the three services.

As for gallantry awards, Canada has nothing to do with them. All the decorations are made in Britain and supplies are sent to Canada as soon as they are available. They are considerably behind at present owing to the shortage of supplies in Britain.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EST

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No Canadian Soldier Will Remain Buried In the Soil of Germany

Ottawa Citizen, 30 October 1945

No Canadian soldier of the Second World War will remain buried in the conquered soil of Germany.

In accordance with the policy adopted by the Canadian army overseas, the Canadian bodies which were first buried in Germany will be brought out to one of the Allied countries and re-interred in one of the eight permanent Canadian military cemeteries, the nearest of them in Holland with 1½ miles of the German frontier.

By Dec. 1 the army hopes to have completed concentration of all Canadian killed on the western front within the eight cemeteries—four in France, one in Belgium and three in Holland.

That task has already been completed in Sicily and Italy with the main concentrations at Agira and Ortona and in the British cemetery at Cassino and lesser concentrations at 25 other points that once echoed to the sounds of battle.

The concentration is the responsibility of two army graves registration units. It is believed less than 1,000 remain unidentified and a specially qualified unit is laboring to lessen that number.

Col. Osborne Interviewed

In Italy, roughly 40 bodies remain unidentified.

Giving these facts in an interview, Col. H.C. Osborne, secretary-general of the Canadian agency for the Imperial War Graves Commission, said the commission was planning a list of British Commonwealth military cemeteries, giving their official name, the number of their dead, the nationalities and the location.

The general Canadian policy in northwest Europe was to establish Canadian military cemeteries in areas where operations were "essentially Canadian." But this would not preclude the burial of some British and Allied bodies in their plots.

The policy in Italy and Sicily had largely been dictated by the same circumstances which resulted in the burial of the Canadian dead in British cemeteries, since the Canadian role was played within British armies.

This Agira, one of the two official Canadian cemeteries in that theatre, contained 474 Canadian bodies compared with the 770 buried in the British cemetery at Cassino, scene of Italy's most bitter battle and neat the last few miles of the Liri Valley where the Canadian broke their sector of the Hitler Line.

The procedure practiced in establishing cemeteries provides that "on their completion, the graves are marked, the adjoining area cleared of fences, gates, flag poles, register buildings, tool houses and temporary crosses are constructed by the army."

When final graves registration is properly prepared, the graves are handed over to the Imperial [War Graves] Commission which assumes responsibility for permanent construction, the creation of memorials, horticulture and the general upkeep or maintenance.

The policy adopted by the Canadian army overseas that no Canadians of this war were to remain buried in Germany met the requests of more than a few bereaved mothers who wrote authorities requesting that their sons be removed from German soil.

Canadian soldiers of the First Great War were buried near Cologne and Berlin, Col. Osborne said, among the total of 6,560 British Empire dead who were laid to rest in the soil they, too, had conquered.

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EDT

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Cemeteries for Canada's Fallen (1919)

War Graves Commission Decides on Immense Plots in France and Belgium

The Toronto World, 7 February 1919

Ottawa, Feb. 6.—Canadian soldiers who gave up their lives for their country on the battlefields of France and Flanders will lie, as they fought, together facing the line they died to hold. Comrades in life, they will be comrades in death.

The Imperial War Graves Commission has issued its report to the various governments of the empire, the following memorandum on which is issued by the militia department here:

"Among other matters which were discussed by the Imperial War Graves Commission were two important questions. First, the bringing into cemeteries the bodies buried in isolated graves on the battlefield; and secondly, the exhumation of bodies, whether in isolated braves or in cemeteries, in order to transfer them to their native countries.

"The Commission recognized the existence of a sentiment in favor of leaving the bodies of the dead where they fell, but, in view of the actual conditions, regarded it as impracticable. Over 150,000 such scattered graves are known in France and Belgium. These will shortly be restored to cultivation, or possibly be afforested and the bodies cannot remain undisturbed.

"The Commission resolves to apply to the French Government for permission to gather these bodies into cemeteries as close as they may be to the place where they lie.

"Adopt" Our Dead

"With regard to the removal of bodies to their native countries, the Commission were aware of a strong desire in a small number of cases that such exhumation should be permitted, but the reasons to the contrary appeared to them overwhelming. The empire had gratefully accepted the offers made by the governments of France, Belgium, Italy and Greece to provide land in perpetuity for our cemeteries, and to 'adopt' our dead. The Commission felt that a higher ideal than that of private burial at home is embodied in these war cemeteries in foreign lands, where those who fought and fell together, officers and men, lie together in their resting place, facing the line they gave their lives to maintain."

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EDT

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Halifax is Vulnerable (1900)

Sham Battle Results in Success of the Attacking party

Boston Evening Transcript, 3 July 1900

Halifax, N.S., July 3—Halifax was proved to be vulnerable in yesterday's mobilization manoeuvres by the troops in this garrison. The militia and the British regulars were divided into attacking and defending forces and Halifax was declared to be in a state of siege. The attacking party were enabled to make a landing and to successfully force their way for several miles in towards the city. In doing this they captured two companies of the Third Royal Canadian Regiment and took two guns from the Royal Artillery. The umpires decided that the attacking party had scored a success. The defence duplicated some of the mistakes made by the British in South Africa, for it was on account of their lack of a full knowledge of all the roads that it was possible for the attacking party to entrap them and capture a large number of prisoners.

• General Order 28; Provisional Battalion to Garrison Halifax, N.S.
• The Royal Canadian Regiment at Halifax (1900)
• Royal Canadians to be Disbanded (1902)

Posted by regimentalrogue at 12:01 AM EDT

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