Canadian Expeditionary Force
The
Canadian Expeditionary Force was the group of Canadian military units formed for service overseas in the
First World War. As the units arrived in France they were formed into the divisions of the
Canadian Corps. Four divisions ultimately served on the front line.
The force consisted of
260 numbered infantry battalions,
13 mounted rifle regiments, 13 railway troop battalions, 5 pioneer battalions as well as field and heavy artillery batteries, ambulance, medical, dental, forestry, labour, tunneling, cyclist, and service units.
A distinct entity within the Canadian Expeditionary Force 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 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 demographics of the of the Canadian Expeditionary Force reflected Canada's growing ethnic diversity. Many were of
English birth or heritage. Large numbers of
Scots,
Irish,
Francophones, and men of
American birth also served. To a lesser extent, there were also
Russians,
Scandinavians,
Belgians,
Dutch,
French,
Swiss,
Chinese and
Japanese men who enlisted. Despite some racism directed towards non-whites (both systemic (blacks were segregated into labour battalions) and casual (at least one battalion refused to accept Japanese-Canadians
[Dancocks, Daniel G. Gallant Canadians: The Story of the Tenth Canadian Infantry Battalion 1914-1919])), a significant contribution was made by individuals of certain ethnic groups, notably the
First Nations[Morton, Desmond. When Your Number's Up''] and Japanese-Canadians.
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was comprised mostly of men who had volunteered as conscription wasn't enforced until the end of the war when call ups began in January 1918. (See
Conscription Crisis of 1917.) Ultimately, only 24,132 conscripts arrived in France before the end of the war.
After distinguishing themselves in battles such as the
Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917, the Canadian Corps was considered to be an elite force by both Allied and German military commanders. Since they were mostly unmolested by the German army's offensive maneuvers in the spring of 1918, the Canadians were ordered to spearhead the last campaigns of the First World War starting with the
Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918 which ended in a tacit victory for the Allies when the
armistice was signed on 11 November 1918.
The Canadian Expeditionary Force lost 60,661 dead during the war, representing 9.28% of the 619,636 who enlisted.
*
Canadian Great War Project*
The C.E.F. Paper Trail*
The C.E.F. Study Group*
Central Ontario Branch â€" Western Front Association*
Library & Archives Canada - Canada and the First World War*
National Defence â€" Books/Publications Online â€" Contains a link to download a copy of Nicholson's Official History of the C.E.F.*
Veteran Affairs Canada â€" History of the First World War*Regimental Rogue site
**
Perpetuation of the Units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F.), 1914-1919**
Conditions of Award of Battle Honours for the Great War 1914-1919**
C.E.F. Distinguishing Patches (wallpaper graphic offered in three sizes)*Links to Nicholson text and maps (see book reference below: [
1])
*
canadiansoldiers.com article on the CEF*Berton, Pierre. Vimy
*Christie, Norm. For King & Empire, The Canadians at Amiens, August 1918. CEF Books, 1999
*Christie, Norm. For King & Empire, The Canadians at Arras, August - September 1918. CEF Books, 1997
*Christie, Norm. For King & Empire, The Canadians at Cambrai, September - October 1918. CEF Books, 1997
*Morton, Desmond and Granatstein, J.L. Marching to Armageddon. Lester & Orpen Dennys Publishers, 1989
*Morton, Desmond. When Your Numbers Up. Random House of Canada, 1993
*Newman, Stephen K. With the Patricia's in Flanders: 1914-1918. Bellewaerde House Publishing, 2000
*Nicholson, Col. G.W.L. Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War, Queen's Printer, 1964
*Schreiber, Shane B. Shock Army of the British Empire â€" The Canadian Corps in the Last 100 Days of the Great War. Vanwell Publishing Limited, 2004
