The most serious difficulty, however, which had to be combatted was that of obtaining sufficient men to carry out the increased work thrown upon this Corps by the sudden strengthening of Halifax Garrison, and the calling out of troops to guard various points in the Maritime Provinces. This was a real and trying hardship. The other Permanent Force Units forming Halifax Garrison could not spare men to assist the Army Service Corps, as every man was needed within his own Unit. The problem was partly solved by calling up a number of non-commissioned officers and men of No. 8 Company, Canadian Army Service Corps, commanded by Capt. F. W. Wickwire, with headquarters at Kentville, N.S. No. 7 Company, commanded by Major A. L. Massie, with headquarters at St. John, also supplied a few. Later on Lieut.-Col. I. W. Videto, commanding the 63rd Halifax Rifles, and Lieut.-Col. A. King, commanding the 66th Princess Louise Fusiliers, very generously loaned a number of splendid men, whose ready adaptability made it possible for the Army Service Corps to “carry on.” As time advanced enlistments made the Corps more or less self-sustaining, but the fact remains that never throughout the duration of the War were sufficient men actually enlisted in this branch of the Service to render it independent of other Units. This condition was probably due to the fact that the possibility of getting Overseas was greater by enlisting in other Units.
Mention has been made of Nos. 7 and 8 Companies of the Canadian Army Service Corps. Both these Companies played important parts in the Great World War, at home and abroad. Major Massie took Overseas the Second Divisional Train, and all the officers and practically the whole of the rank and file of No. 7 Company accompanied him. Captain Wickwire, of No. 8 Company, after a short period as Deputy Assistant Director of Supply and Transport, M.D. No. 6, also went over to France with this Train, and rendered very efficient service with it in the fighting zone.
The strengthening of the Garrison of Halifax made possible the fulfilment of the plans of defence, which had long since been carefully laid down. This, and the summoning of troops for guard purposes at various points in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, threw a vast amount of work on the Army Service Corps, for not only had these troops, scattered over a wide area throughout the three Provinces, to be housed, and their daily wants in the matter of food, water, light, fuel, straw for bedding, transport and necessary services arranged for, but it was also required, following a preconceived plan, to provide for them against the possibility of their being cut off from their source of supply. To do justice to the amount of labor involved in the organization and administration of this task would require a volume greater in size than this one, so all that can be done is to give a brief outline of the general scheme followed.
When the Royal Canadian Regiment, with its supporting artillery, were ordered to garrison points in the Island of Cape Breton and Canso, they left Halifax self-sustaining for fourteen days; that is, they carried with them reserve rations sufficient for fourteen days for all ranks. In addition they carried rations for current consumption sufficient for all ranks for a further fourteen days, but minus meat, butter and bread. Lieut. J. A. Gwynne, of the Army Service Corps, and one clerk, accompanied the Regiment to Sydney to make necessary supply and other arrangements. The tasks this officer had to attend to may be judged when it is known that he had to make contracts, and to arrange to supply the wants of troops located at nine different points, covering a frontage of about fifty miles, and requiring travel by train, steamship, street car and automobile to reach the various posts. So capably was the duty performed that the troops had never to go without a meal, their rations being arranged with practically the regularity which prevailed in Halifax under peace conditions. When Lieutenant Gwynne was summoned for service Overseas, he was replaced at Sydney by Lieut. Horace Westmoreland. Later on this officer went to France as Transport Officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment, being replaced at Sydney by Lieut. Cecil Sircom. These three officers belonged to the Permanent Force, and received their training at Halifax.
As the Supply and Transport Officer at Sydney found it impossible to give any attention to the troops stationed at Canso, the work there incidental to the Army Service Corps was performed by the Officer Commanding the Guard, who received the necessary instructions by telegram and telephone from the Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport at Halifax, an Army Service Corps’ Clerk being sent to Canso to attend to the necessary accounting.
An incident might here be related as exemplifying the difficulties that had to be overcome from time to time by the Army Service Corps. Certain heavy guns had to be transported from Prince Edward Island to points in Nova Scotia. Every effort was put forth to obtain the services of a ship capable of carrying these guns, but without success. Finally, after a delay of several days, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur Peake telephoned from Charlottetown to Halifax to say that a ship was then approaching Charlottetown Harbor which might be suitable. The A.D. of S. & T. at Halifax instructed him to approach the captain of this vessel and explain to him the situation, and if he was not agreeable to undertaking the task of transporting these guns, Colonel Peake was to commandeer the ship and move the artillery to the places directed. Whether it was Colonel Peake’s persuasiveness or his war-like demeanor that had the desired effect cannot be stated with certainty. Time was spent only in removing sufficient of the ship’s cargo to make it possible to load the guns, which were then transported with despatch. Meanwhile other arrangements had been made by the Army Service Corps to carry these guns to the points in Nova Scotia where they were required.
The troops forming the actual defence force of Halifax and environments were supplied on the same basis as those sent to Cape Breton, so that in the event of necessity they could sustain themselves for fourteen days, and by the addition of tinned meat and biscuit, the period could be extended another fourteen days.
Meanwhile troops had been summoned for the defence of St. John, N.B., which necessitated calling out a portion of No. 7 Company of the Canadian Army Service Corps, under the command of Major A. L. Massie. This detachment took up its headquarters in the Armories, and from there efficiently ministered to the wants of the troops on duty and in training at St. John and adjoining points. Lieut. J. Key, who had been trained at Halifax, was sent to St. John to take up the duties as District Barrack Officer, carrying out these duties very satisfactorily. Lieut. Arthur Biggar, who was also trained at Halifax, was despatched to St. John as Officer in Charge of Supplies, a position he filled very creditably until called for duty in France. The troops doing duty at St. John and adjacent points were also rationed on the same basis as were those on duty at Halifax, Cape Breton, and other points.
It will be remembered that early in the War a Capt. Von Weghorn, an officer of the Prussian Army, startled the civilized world by an attempt to destroy the International railway bridge spanning the St. Lacroix River, between McAdam Junction, on the Canadian side, and Vanceboro, on the United States’ side. A suitcase filled with dynamite was placed between the piers of the northeast corner of the bridge on the Canadian side. The attempt failed, the bridge being only slightly damaged and traffic not delayed. It was considered expedient, however, to place an armed guard on this bridge on the Canadian side. To Lieut.-Col. E. C. Dean, A.D. of S. & T., M.D. No. 6, fell the duty of making the necessary supply and other arrangements for this guard.
A similar guard was placed over the new railway bridge spanning the St. John River at St. Leonards.