In October, 1915, the Halifax Detachment of the Canadian Ordnance Corps sent Overseas a nucleus of an Ordnance Mobile Workshop required by the Canadian Corps for the inspection, repair and upkeep of guns and vehicles of all kinds in the Field. This Unit was placed under the command of Major A. S. Buttenshaw, Inspector of Ordnance Machinery. This officer was afterwards Chief Inspector of Ordnance Machinery, Canadian Forces, and was awarded the D.S.O. Other ranks of the Detachment were moved away from time to time Overseas as ordered from Ottawa. Owing to the enormous amount of work required in the clothing and equipping of C.E.F. Units in the district, it was necessary to more than treble the Staff, recruits enlisting being trained for their duties by the few permanent men who, though much against their own wishes, were kept in Halifax, and even then all ranks were working day and night. The explosion which occurred in Halifax, December, 1917, also added to the work, various temporary hospitals being equipped by the Canadian Ordnance Corps.
In August, 1918, one officer and nine other ranks of the Halifax Detachment, C.O.C., were ordered to Vancouver as part of the Siberian Expeditionary Force. Several cars were loaded at Halifax with stores for this force and sent forward. The Halifax Detachment, with Ordnance men from other districts, arrived in Russia at Vladivostock and at once opened up a complete Ordnance Depot, where work was carried on in the usual smooth manner.
Several hundred thousand tons of ammunition, arms, equipment and clothing have been handled by the Canadian Ordnance Corps at Halifax during the period of the War, both coming from and going to England. The Ordnance Workshops at Halifax carried out an enormous amount of repair work, and in addition manufactured large quantities of military stores which were unable to be purchased. Tradesmen enlisting in the C.E.F. in various parts of Canada, such as wheelers, blacksmiths, saddlers and armorers, who were required to accompany troops Overseas, were sent to the Canadian Ordnance Corps, Halifax, for training. The Ordnance Department was also called upon to carry out all repairs and testing of ammunition for the Naval Services, both Imperial and Canadian, in addition to that of the Land Service. This work has to be done by experts, and necessitates very long hours, as certain cordite tests have to run continually day and night for several days at a time.
Since the War, all the equipment, including ammunition, for the new Reorganized Active Militia, is being handled at Halifax and reshipped to the various military points in Canada.
The following officers and senior warrant officers of Canadian Ordnance Corps have served with No. 6 Detachment, Canadian Ordnance Corps, during various periods of the War:—
Colonel J. F. MacDonald; Lieut.-Colonels A. H. Panet and M. C. Gillin; Majors A. S. Buttenshaw, D.S.O., and J. D. Pitman, D.S.O.; Captains E. M. Cartmer, J. H. MacQueen, S. V. Cooke, A. M. Simons, J. N. Gibson, and R. N. C. Bishop; Lieut. G. E. J. Ball; Conductors J. A. Villard, E. V. Hessian, A. Bentley, D.C.M., and A. Lable.
In recognition of services rendered during War 1914–1918, His Majesty the King has graciously approved the grant of the title “Royal” to the Canadian Permanent Ordnance Corps, and hereafter this Corps is permitted to bear the designation of “The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps.”
LIEUT.-COL. JOSEPH HAYES, D.S.O., C.A.M.C.,
Twice mentioned in dispatches; M.O., 85th Infantry Battalion, 30–10–15 to 19–12–17; M.O., 4th Divisional Train, 19–12–17 to 14–4–18; S.M.O., Central Group, C.F.C., 15–5–18 to 1–1–19; O.C., No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, 7–1–19 to 17–5–19. Author of “The 85th in France and Flanders.”