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60-677: The Board would give assistance to any man who had served abroad with the Canadian Expeditionary Force , to any former Canadian serviceman who had not left Canada but was in receipt of a service pension, to any member of the Imperial , Dominion or Allied forces who had lived in Canada before the war, or to any member of the Imperial or Dominion forces who had served outside their own country and who had since emigrated to Canada. The last category

120-622: A German attack at Mont Sorrel in the Ypres sector in June 1916. while much of the BEF was moving toward the Somme. In this engagement, Major-General Malcolm Mercer , commander of the newly formed 3rd Division was killed; he was the most senior Canadian to be killed in the war. The corps did not participate in the battles of the Somme until September, but these began on 1 July after a seven-day bombardment. British losses on

180-521: A World War I soldier (1995) by André Gauthier at the entrance to CFB Valcartier commemorates the training of Canadian Army volunteers for the European battlefields in World War I. The site was also used as an internment camp for "enemy aliens", mainly eastern Europeans . The name Valcartier comes from the town of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier , of which a large section was expropriated in order to create

240-694: A bridging unit for the Middle East; the Canadian Forestry Corps , which felled timber in Britain and France, and special units which operated around the Caspian Sea , in northern Russia and eastern Siberia. When it was deployed in 1914, the Canadian Expeditionary Force included only infantry battalions, but it became clear by 1915 that support and administrative units needed to be included on

300-588: A distraction to allow two armies of the BEF to begin the Third Battle of Ypres , the attack on Passchendaele Ridge. The Corps, led by Lieutenant General Arthur Currie , captured Hill 70 overlooking Lens and forced the Germans to launch more than twenty counter-attacks in attempting to remove the threat to its flank. The Ypres offensive began with the swift capture of the Messines Ridge, but weather, concrete defences and

360-409: A dozen engineering companies, over 80 field and heavy artillery batteries, fifteen field ambulance units, 23 general and stationary hospitals, and many other medical, dental, forestry, labour, tunnelling, cyclist, and service units. Two tank battalions were raised in 1918 but did not see service. Most of the infantry battalions were broken up and used as reinforcements, with a total of fifty being used in

420-440: A farm first for a period, and until 1 May 1921 pay and allowances could be granted for such training, especially to men with families. Special training centers for this purpose were established in some places, but these were all closed in 1921. By 1921, nearly 60,000 applications for loans had been made, of which 43,000 had been deemed suitable. Loans were made at 5 per cent interest. They were repayable in six annual installments in

480-809: A lesser extent, several other cultural groups within the Dominion enlisted and made a significant contribution to the Force including Indigenous people of the First Nations , Black Canadians as well as Black Americans. Many British nationals from the United Kingdom or other territories who were resident in Canada and the United States also joined the CEF. Some units of the Permanent Active Militia were mobilized into

540-690: A region by the Colonial Office ), with its garrison forming part of that of Nova Scotia (the second nearest landfall from Bermuda after the United States) under the Commander-in-Chief, Maritime provinces , but as an Imperial fortress it had remained under administration of the British Government after being left out of the 1867 Confederation of Canada (along with the Colony of Newfoundland ). As

600-457: A single reliable source, however historians have estimated German losses at roughly 670,000 and an Allied total of 623,907. The Canadian Corps suffered almost 25,000 casualties in this the final phase of the operation, but like the remainder of the BEF, it had developed significant experience in the use of infantry and artillery and in tactical doctrine, preparation and leadership under fire. The Battle of Vimy Ridge had significance for Canada as

660-473: A young nation. For the first time the Canadian Corps, with all four of its divisions attacked as one. This Canadian offensive amounted to the capture of more land, prisoners and armaments than any previous offensive. The main offensive tactic was the creeping barrage , an artillery strike combined with constant infantry progression through the battlefield. In August 1917, the Canadian Corps attacked Lens as

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720-776: Is also located on the base. CFB Valcartier is also home to a Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) location, which conducts military research for the Canadian Armed Forces . 2 CDSB Valcartier is also the home of the Army Cadet Summer Training Centre Valcartier, which trains Royal Canadian Sea Cadets , Royal Canadian Army Cadets and Royal Canadian Air Cadets of the Eastern Region / Province of Quebec . In July 1974, an explosives safety training accident involving "D" Company killed six cadets and injured over 50. A coroner's inquiry found

780-703: Is located in the Quebec City region, of Quebec , Canada. Currently, Valcartier is home to the 2nd Canadian Division . The division has two formations: 2nd Canadian Division Support Group (2 CDSG) and 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG). The following units are stationed at Valcartier. Included are affiliated units and other units that are not directly part of 2nd Canadian Division: The base also houses 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron , CI SQFT (Land Force Quebec Area Training Centre), in addition to providing training facilities for most Quebec-based reserve units. The Myriam Bédard Biathlon Training Centre

840-492: Is stationed at the base, comprising the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and the 2nd Canadian Division Support Group. CFB Valcartier was originally erected as a military training camp in August 1914 as part of the mobilization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force at the onset of World War I. Inaugurated by Jean Chrétien , then Prime Minister of Canada , in 1995, a 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m) high bronze figure of

900-527: The Military Community Guidebook - Quebec Region annually. The Military Ordinariate of Canada integrated a chapel which is situated at CFB Valcartier. The chapel is named Saint Jeanne d’Arc Chapel . This service is for all military persons of CFB Valcartier. The Chapel Life Coordinator is Captain Titus Ndala . CFB Valcartier Military Cemetery, opened to serve the camp in 1914, contains

960-554: The Royal Canadian Regiment , 38th Battalion (Ottawa), CEF , 77th Battalion, CEF , and 163rd Battalion (French-Canadian), CEF were posted successively to the Bermuda Garrison before proceeding to France, islanders were also able to enlist there. Bermudians in the Canadian Expeditionary Force enlisted under the same terms as Canadians, and all male British Nationals resident in Canada became liable for conscription under

1020-574: The Second Battle of Ypres , through the Somme and particularly in the Battle of Arras at Vimy Ridge in April 1917, and Passchendaele the Canadian Corps came to be regarded as an exceptional force by both Allied and German military commanders. In the later stages of the European war, particularly after their success at Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele, the Canadian Corps was regarded by friend and foe alike as one of

1080-565: The cavalry , as well as for transport of personnel and equipment to the front. Government links Museums and media links Other links CFB Valcartier 2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier ( 2 CDSB Valcartier ), formerly known as and commonly referred to as Canadian Forces Base Valcartier ( CFB Valcartier ), is a Canadian Forces base located in the municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier , 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) north northwest of Quebec City , Quebec , Canada. The 2nd Canadian Division

1140-626: The CEF was formed and given the title 97th Battalion (American Legion) . The unit embarked for Europe in May 1916 at Toronto , but were held at Aldershot, Nova Scotia , due to objections by the US government, causing a number of desertions and resignations. The battalion finally arrived in England in September, having officially dropped the "American Legion" title, although the term continued to be used informally throughout

1200-593: The CEF, including the Royal Canadian Dragoons , Lord Strathcona's Horse and the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR). But the bulk of the CEF's units were newly raised, including a privately raised and equipped battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). The CEF came to include 260 numbered infantry battalions , two named infantry battalions (RCR and PPCLI), 17 mounted regiments , 13 railway troop battalions, five pioneer battalions, four divisional supply trains, four divisional signals companies,

1260-506: The Canadian Expeditionary Force units that had fought during the war. During the latter part of the war, the Canadian Military Hospitals Commission reported on provision of employment for members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on their return to Canada, and the re-education of those who were unable to follow their previous occupations because of disability. After extensive experience and success in battle from

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1320-496: The Canadian Expeditionary Force. A sizeable percentage of Bermuda 's volunteers who served in the war joined the CEF, either because they were resident in Canada already, or because Canada (its next nearest neighbour after the United States) was the easiest other part of the British Empire and Commonwealth to reach from Bermuda. Bermuda had been part of British North America (a collection of colonies administered collectively as

1380-489: The Canadian sector. For three days, Canadian and reinforcing British units fought to contain the penetration with a series of counter-attacks while using handkerchiefs soaked in urine to neutralize effects of the gas. One in every three of the inexperienced but determined Canadians became a casualty. The senior Canadian officers were also inexperienced at first and lacked communications with most of their troops. Notable among these

1440-640: The French army deteriorating, it was decided to continue the push and Currie was ordered to bring in the Canadian Corps. He insisted on time to prepare, on reorganizing the now-worn down artillery assets and on being placed under command of General Plumer, a commander he trusted. The first assault began on October 26, 1917. It was designed to achieve about 500 meters in what had become known as "bite and hold" tactics but at great cost (2,481 casualties) and made little progress. The second assault on October 30 cost another 1,321 soldiers and achieved another 500 metres but reached

1500-705: The Military Service Act, 1917. Chinese labourers were also brought over to Europe, especially the Canadian Railway Troops . From 1917 to 1918 84,000 Chinese labourers were recruited for the Chinese Labour Corps from China (via Shandong Province ) that were shipped to Canada and then some to the Western Front. Many of these labourers died in Belgium and France. The Second Battle of Ypres in 1915,

1560-639: The Ross bayonet , and later the Pattern 1907 bayonet . Machine-guns initially included the Colt and Vickers machine-guns, with the Vickers line continually expanded during the war, and which were complemented by the Lewis machine gun . Officially an infantry division would be classified at full animal strength at 5,241 horses and mules; 60.7 percent or 3,182 of these animals were part of

1620-541: The Soldier Settlement Board were regularly visited by field supervisors to check on their progress and give advice. A Home Service Branch was established to give help and advice to wives, including free courses in home economics and farm subjects. Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force ( CEF ) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War . It

1680-554: The Western Front. After September 1915 it expanded to include supporting combat corps and what were considered administrative corps: The Canadian Expeditionary Force also had a large reserve and training organization in England , and a recruiting organization in Canada. A large number of United States citizens enlisted in the Canadian armed forces while the United States was still neutral . In November 1915, an all-American battalion of

1740-470: The case of loans for stock and equipment and in 25 annual installments in the case of loans for land and buildings. Loans on land to be purchased could be made up to a total of $ 7,500, including: Loans on land already owned by the applicant could be made up to a total of $ 5,000, including: Alberta and Saskatchewan were the most popular provinces for settlement, followed by Manitoba , British Columbia and Ontario . There were far fewer applications for

1800-582: The correct documentation. Some of the men reportedly sent a telegram to King George V , complaining of their "rotten reception." The plight of these men was covered extensively in local and national media, and following several days of negotiations and bureaucratic wrangling, those who had returned legally were allowed to enter the country. Their ticket home was paid by the UK government, in addition to 28 days pay. A United States Department of War report in early 1918 estimated that 25,000 to 30,000 Americans were serving in

1860-516: The course of fighting in Europe. Dogs and carrier pigeons were employed as messengers in the front. With horses, wagons were also used to transport equipment as well. Load-bearing equipment Head dress Military equipment The CEF used a mix of service revolver or pistols , bolt-action rifles , machine guns (from light, medium and heavy) and armoured fighting vehicles (armoured cars, tanks and motorcycles). Horses and mules were used by

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1920-530: The disbandment of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, plans for the re-organization of the militia were initiated, guided largely by the deliberations of the Otter Commission , convened for this purpose. Among the commission's recommendations was a plan by which individual units of the Canadian Militia, notably infantry and cavalry regiments, would be permitted to perpetuate the battle honours and histories of

1980-419: The expected breakthrough. The psychological impact of them was considerable, with some claiming that they made many German soldiers surrender immediately, although the four months of sustained combat, high casualties among the defending Germans and the appearance of the fresh Canadian Corps were more likely factors in the increasing surrenders. The toll of the five-month campaign cannot be statistically verified by

2040-599: The field, including the mounted rifle units, which were re-organized as infantry. The artillery and engineering units underwent significant re-organization as the war progressed, in keeping with rapidly changing technological and tactical requirements. Another entity within the CEF was the Canadian Machine Gun Corps . It consisted of several motor machine gun battalions, the Eatons, Yukon, and Borden Motor Machine Gun Batteries, and nineteen machine gun companies. During

2100-538: The fighting in France and Belgium along the Western Front. A fifth division was partially raised in 1917, but was broken up in 1918 and used as reinforcements following heavy casualties. The CEF was mostly volunteers; a bill allowing conscription was passed in August 1917, but not enforced until call-ups began in January 1918 ( see Conscription Crisis of 1917 ); only 24,132 conscripts ended up being sent to France to take part in

2160-608: The final Hundred Days campaign. As a Dominion in the British Empire , Canada was automatically at war with Germany upon the British declaration. Popular support for the war was found mainly in English Canada, especially among those born in the United Kingdom who had recently emigrated. Of the first contingent trained at Valcartier in 1914, about two-thirds were men born in the United Kingdom. More Canadian-born recruits would join

2220-585: The first day amounted to 57,470, which included the casualties of the Newfoundland Regiment serving in the British 29th Division. The regiment was annihilated when it attacked at Beaumont Hamel. By the time the four Canadian divisions of the corps participated in September, the Mark I Tank first appeared in battle. Only a few were available because the production time was long for the unfamiliar and unproven technology; those delivered were committed in order to aid

2280-563: The first engagement of Canadian forces in the Great War, exposed Canadian soldiers and their commanders to modern war. They had previously experienced the effects of shellfire and participated in aggressive trench raiding despite a lack of formal training and generally inferior equipment. They were equipped with the frequently malfunctioning Ross rifle , the older, lighter and less reliable Colt machine gun and an inferior Canadian copy of British webbing equipment that rotted quickly and fell apart in

2340-489: The graves of nine Canadian Army personnel, six from World War I and three from World War II, registered and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission . In 1997, a cancer-causing chemical, trichloroethylene , was found in the water supply of CFB Valcartier and the nearby town of Shannon, Quebec . Trichloroethylene, which has been linked to liver cancer , was used for degreasing metal parts at

2400-469: The high ground at Crest Farm. On November 6, after another round of preparations, a third attack won the town of Passchendaele, for another 2,238 killed or wounded. The final assault to capture the remainder of Passchendaele Ridge began on November 10 and was completed the same day. Nine Canadians earned the Victoria Cross in an area not much bigger than four football fields and the Canadian Corps completed

2460-451: The history of Canada. Prime minister Stephen Harper also thanked the soldiers. Adsum is a monthly newspaper for CFB Valcartier and the military community in the Quebec eastern area. The newspaper was created in 1972. It publishes 4,200 copies. The readers of the newspaper are mostly the military (active and retired) and civilians working at CFB Valcartier. The newspaper team also publishes

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2520-562: The imposition of strict liquor laws. A.A. Milne 's well-known character " Winnie-the-pooh " is derived from a black bear taken to Europe as the mascot of a western Canadian army unit during the war. [1] During the war the equipment used changed as tactics evolved. The standard issued rifle was, at the beginning of the war, the Ross Rifle , which was later replaced by the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mark III (SMLE). This

2580-418: The infantry division's artillery branch. Besides mounted and cavalry units, the Canadian Expeditionary Force used horses , mules , donkeys and cattle to transport gun pieces on the battle front, as motorized vehicles could not handle rough terrain. At the start of the war over 7,000 horses were brought over to England and Europe from Canada and by the end of the war over 8 million horses had been lost in

2640-430: The instructor criminally responsible. The various summer training courses offered at Valcartier Cadet Training Centre are the following: Colonel J.L.S. Ménard is commander, and Chief Warrant Officer Éric Normand is sergeant major. In 2014, CFB Valcartier celebrated its 100th anniversary. David Johnston , then Governor General of Canada , offered a message about the role the base and its soldiers who have played in

2700-558: The lack of any other concurrent Allied effort meant that the BEF fought a muddy, bloody campaign against the main German force for two months. The BEF, including the ANZACs, pushed to within two kilometres of the objective with very high casualties and in ever-deepening mud. By September, it became clear that a fresh force would need to be brought in for the final push. With the situation in Italy and with

2760-601: The military training camp. Due to its proximity to the Port of Quebec , Valcartier became the largest military camp on Canadian soil, including some 32,000 men, 8,000 horses, and one black bear In 1968, after the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces , the title 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group was assigned to the brigade group established in CFB Valcartier. The base is 12 by 24 km (7.5 by 14.9 mi) and

2820-477: The most effective Allied military formations on the Western Front. The Canadian Expeditionary Force lost 60,661 men killed or died during the war, representing 9.28 per cent of the 619,636 who enlisted. There were occasions when Canadian soldiers acted up. Soldiers of the 218th Battalion rioted in Feb 1917. About 150 soldiers of an un-named battalion attacked the police station at Prince Albert in 1917, in protest of

2880-581: The operation after it had taken the BEF three months to advance the eight kilometres onto the ridge. The Canadian Corps suffered 15,654 battle casualties in the muddiest, best-known battle of the Great War. Since they were mostly unmolested by the German Army's offensive manoeuvres in the spring of 1918, the Canadians were ordered to spearhead the last campaigns of the War from the Battle of Amiens on August 8, 1918 to

2940-447: The other provinces. All Dominion lands within fifteen miles (24 km) of a railway were reserved for veterans. In the three Prairie Provinces , every eligible soldier was entitled to a grant of 160 acres (0.65 km) and also had the right of any civilian to homestead a further 160 acres (0.65 km). Other Dominion lands were also opened for settlement, including Forest Reserves and Indian reserves . All settlers helped by

3000-501: The ranks throughout the war, but at least half of CEF soldiers were still British-born at the war's end in 1918. Recruiting was difficult among the French-Canadian population, many of whom did not agree with Canada's participation in the war; one battalion, the 22nd , who came to be known as the 'Van Doos', was French-speaking ("Van Doos" is a caricatured Anglophone mispronunciation of the French for "22nd" - vingt-deuxième ). To

3060-481: The summer of 1918, these units were consolidated into four machine gun battalions, one being attached to each of the four divisions in the Canadian Corps . The Canadian Corps with its four infantry divisions comprised the main fighting force of the CEF. The Canadian Cavalry Brigade also served in France. Support units of the CEF included the Canadian Railway Troops , which served on the Western Front and provided

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3120-532: The war. Further American battalions followed, but were either used as drafts for other CEF units or had been merged with the 97th Battalion by the end of the war. Approximately 2,700 US citizens are interred in Commonwealth War Graves or named in its memorials. On returning to New York after the war, 2,754 US citizens who had fought with British Empire forces, including 300 African Americans, were detained on Long Island and New Jersey because they lacked

3180-409: The wet of the trenches. In April 1915, they were introduced to yet another facet of modern war, gas. The Germans employed chlorine gas to create a hole in the French lines adjacent to the Canadian force and poured troops into the gap. The Canadians, operating for the most part in small groups and under local commanders, fired into the flanks of the German advance, forcing it to turn its attention onto

3240-652: The winning of a tacit victory for the Allies, when the armistice came into effect on November 11, 1918. In August 1918, the Canadian Expeditionary Force's Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force travelled to revolution-torn Russia . It reinforced a garrison resisting Lenin 's Bolshevik forces in Vladivostok during the winter of 1918–19. At this time, another force of Canadian soldiers were placed in Archangel , where they fought against Bolsheviks. The Canadian Expeditionary Force

3300-466: Was Arthur Currie , a brigade commander later became the commander of the Canadian Corps and who appointed as his divisional commanders only those who had fought well in this engagement. The battle cost the British Expeditionary Force – BEF (of which the Canadian Corps was a part) 59,275 men and the Canadian Expeditionary Force over 6000. According to historian G. W. L. Nicholson , "The Somme offensive had no great geographical objectives. Its purpose

3360-412: Was a special force, distinct from the Canadian Militia which mobilized in 1914 on a limited basis for home defence and to assist with the recruitment and training of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In 1918 the militia personnel active in Canada were granted Canadian Expeditionary Force status, to simplify administration in the wake of conscription coming into force. Beginning in 1918, in anticipation of

3420-407: Was due to problems of the Ross Rifle in comparison to the reliability of the SMLE, with unofficial replacement already occurring until the switchover in 1916. The service pistols issued were the Colt New Service , M1911 pistol , and the Smith & Wesson Triple Lock . Approved private purchase and secondary side-arms were the Webley Mark VI , and the Enfield revolver . Infantrymen were issued with

3480-411: Was formed on August 15, 1914 following Britain’s declaration of war on the German Empire , with an initial strength of one infantry division . The division subsequently fought at Ypres on the Western Front , with a newly raised second division reinforcing the committed units to form the Canadian Corps . The CEF and corps was eventually expanded to four infantry divisions, which were all committed to

3540-452: Was required to first work on a Canadian farm for a time to prove that they had the capability to farm on their own, to have sufficient working capital to establish themselves, and to make a down payment of 20 per cent for land, stock, implements and buildings. Applicants for a loan were first investigated as to their fitness, moral character, assets and abilities. If they did not have sufficient farming experience, they could be asked to work on

3600-460: Was threefold – to relieve pressure on the French armies at Verdun , to inflict as heavy losses as possible on the German armies, and to aid allies on other fronts by preventing any further transfer of German troops from the west." The Canadian Corps was formed after receiving the 2nd and 3rd and later, 4th divisions. Its first commander was Lieutenant-General Edwin Alderson , who was soon replaced by Lieutenant-General Julian Byng , in time to repulse

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