April 3, 1918: The following telegram sent to the D.T.O., C.F.C., France, from the O.C. No. 2 Construction Company:
“Will you please recommend my Unit which is organized for construction work for transfer to Western Front.”
In April, 1918, Colonel Strong, D.S.O., O.C. No. 5 District, C.F.C., recommended that No. 2 Construction Company be given the establishment of a Battalion. This recommendation was approved by the G.O.C., General White, and General MacDougall, but held up for lack of reinforcements.
Shortly after the Armistice, orders were received for this Unit to report at the General Base Depot, Etaples. The Unit left La Joux, December 4th. One hundred and fifty Russian soldiers, who had been attached to No. 2 Construction Company during 1918, were taken over by No. 40 Company, C.F.C. No. 2 Construction arrived at Etaples December 7th, and was joined by the detachment from Alencon and fifty men from 37th Company, C.F.C. The Unit sailed from Boulogne, December 14th, with 600 attached troops, under command of Major Sutherland, and arrived at Bramshott Camp. The Unit was attached to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, and from there dispersed to the several military camps representing the various military districts in Canada, to which the men would be forwarded for demobilization. The different drafts composing this Unit sailed the latter part of January, 1919, for Halifax.
A letter was received by Major Sutherland from Major-General MacDougall conveying the thanks of the Canadian Forestry Corps to the officers and men of this Unit for their valuable and faithful services while attached for duty and discipline, to the Canadian Forestry Corps.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE CANADIAN FORESTRY CORPS.
On February 15, 1916, the Colonial Secretary cabled to the Governor-General of Canada, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, the following message:
“H.M. Government would be grateful if the Canadian Government would assist in the production of timber for war purposes. Owing to the very serious shortage of freight for munitions, food, forage and other essentials, which is a matter of the gravest concern to H.M. Government, it is impossible to continue to import Canadian timber on a sufficiently large scale to meet war requirements, and arrangements must therefore be made for felling and converting English forests.
“Chief difficulty is finding sufficient skilled labor, fellers, haulers and sawyers. One thousand five hundred men are urgently needed, and H.M. Government would suggest that a Battalion of lumbermen might be formed of specially listed men to undertake exploitations of forests of this country. If proposal commends itself to Canadian Government, would beg very early action. Suggest that men be enlisted into Canadian Expeditionary Force and despatched in small companies under competent supervision. Government is aware that lumber season is now in progress, but feel sure that men would enlist even at sacrifice of present employment if the reason of appeal were made known to them. Incidence of cost will be arranged as agreeable to Canadian Government.”
A further cable was sent on February 29th. So quickly did the Canadian authorities make up their minds, that on March 1, 1916, a cable was sent stating that the Battalion asked for would be provided with the least possible delay. The raising of Units in this Corps exemplified the readiness of the Canadian Government to assist in the most unexpected direction.