CMHS.CA Dedicated to the exploration, study & preservation of our military heritage

2016 Sabretache

• January : "Kilroy was here"

• February : German U-boats sunk or damaged by the RCAF in WWII

• March : The Battle of the St. Laurence: U-boats in Canada's waterways

• April : The Fighting Ballendine Family: Metis snipers in the CEF

• May : The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny of 1946

• June : The Wehrmacht-Einheitskanister, also known as the Jerrycan

• July : 7:28 am 1 July 1916: The Battle of the Somme begins

• August : The Confederate submarine HL Hunley: Trying to break the Charleston blockade

• September : The railway men of WWI

• October : Lieutenant Commander David Balme and the capture of Germany's Enigma Machine

• November : "Zone Rouge": France's forbidden no man’s land poisoned by war

• December : The USS Arizona: December 7th, 1941, the day the world changed

If you enjoy what you read here, consider joining the CMHS – there's lots more to see, learn and talk about. Meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of every month and visitors are always welcome!

2017 Sabretache

• January : Canada's Military Dentists

• February : "Firemen go to war": The Story of the Canadian Overseas Fire Fighters in WWII

• March : Oglala Sioux Chief Xunka Kuciyedan's (Low Dog's) account of the battle of the Little Big Horn

• April : The CEF's 10th Field Ambulance

• May : U.S. Air Corps' William Overstreet Jr., famous flight beneath the Eiffel Tower in 1944

• June : What if? Gatling guns at the Little Big Horn

• July : The Columbian Army in the Korean War

• August : Pte. Leon Ayles: A CEF Casualty's Long Journey Home

• September : Lady Fanny Lucy Houston, the British philanthropist whose money built the Spitfire and Hurricane

• October : Albert Woolson, the Last Civil War Soldier

• November : RAF's Reginald Nutter comes to Canada

• December : "The Night Witches": Russia's WWII women bomber pilots

If you enjoy what you read here, consider joining the CMHS – there's lots more to see, learn and talk about. Meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of every month and visitors are always welcome!

Books by CMHS members

Collectively and individually, the members of the CMHS are passionate about military history. Several of our members have written excellent resource books, and we are proud to feature them on our website.

Ethnic Soldiers Who Have Served for Canada: A Uniform Coat of Colors

by Indra Teekasingh and Allan Ross
Published by the authors (Calgary AB), 2021
ISBN 9780994761019

"Ethnic Soldiers Who Have Served for Canada: A Uniform Coat of Colors" is a unique compilation of personal stories of men and women from various ethnic backgrounds that have served in the Canadian Military. The authors, researchers at The Military Museums in Calgary, Alberta, have been the curators of past exhibits featuring Ethic Soldiers, and have now compiled some of these intriguing stories into a book format, as well as many new stories never presented at the museum. The book focuses on the following military histories and stories: Black, Caribbean and West Indian, Chinese, Indigenous, Japanese, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Some Soldiers of Interest (Hindu, Buddhist, Free Thinker). In addition, the book substantiates and sometimes challenges previous research on the exact numbers of soldiers from some of these ethnic backgrounds that have served for Canada. The book is large format (8-1/2 x 11), 217 pages, with many photos of the soldiers and colorful pictures of medals and insignia that would have been worn or awarded to these brave men and women. Never before has a multitude of personal stories been compiled into one publication. The book is a great reference material and teaching aid. A recommended read for all wanting a unique military history.

In 2020, The authors were awarded the prestigious Canadian Armed Forces Recognition Award

This limited first edition is available from the authors at email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Artillery Flyers at War: A History of the 664, 665, and 666 'Air Observation Post' Squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force

by Darrell Knight
Published by Merriam Press (Hoosick Falls NY), 2010
ISBN 978-0-557-32963-2, 978-0-557-32964-9

Often referred to as the definitive account of the Canadian Air Observation Post in the Second World War, "Artillery Flyers at War" provides a day-by-day account of the creation, training and deployment of the three orphan "600-series" squadrons of the RCAF, and the evolution of the aircraft these formations were sent into battle with, the ubiquitous Taylorcraft Auster V. Included in the text is an array of unforgettable characters who contributed to the building of the Canadian AOP, including Star Trek's famed First Engineering Officer, 'Scotty' (Captain James Doohan, a distinguished pilot serving in 666 AOP RCAF in 1945). 482 pages. Many previously-unpublished photos included.

Kindle edition available from the Amazon.ca

Buffalo Airways – Diamonds, DC-3s and 'Buffalo Joe' McBryan

by Darrell Knight
Published by Alberta Publishing, 2011
ISBN 9780981197630

In the wake of world-wide media attention generated by Omni Film Productions' ICE PILOTS NWT comes an insider's story of Buffalo Airways, written by one of the few chosen to fly for this colourful northern airline. This detailed narrative speaks of the long road to becoming a pilot, and the pitfalls and sacrifices attendant with landing a flying job with one of the toughest airlines to hire on with in the Canadian Arctic. A host of characters – including the tough, enigmatic war bird-airline owner, 'Buffalo Joe' McBryan – leap from the pages of this heart-felt reminiscence. The book is a rollicking, blow-by-blow "must read" for anyone interested in the aviation business, vintage aircraft and the Canadian north, as well as a testament to the human spirit caught in the struggle against adversity.

Available from the Lulu Online

History of the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion C.E.F.

by Major Horace C. Singer
Edited by Darrell Knight
Published by Detselig Enterprises-Temeron Books (Calgary), 2006
ISBN 978-1-55059-316-7

This is the historical account and fighting history of Alberta's own 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, of the Canadian Expeditionary Force's famed "Iron Sixth" Brigade, of the Second Division during the First World War. Originally commission to be prepared by Major Singer for the battalion survivors in Lethbridge from 1930 to 1938, the original work was prepared simply as a binding-job by Knight Bindery of Calgary; the current work is the first commercial edition of this epic history. Additional notes are included in the text from Ms. Alberta Rafferty (Major Singer's daughter) and Mrs. Barb Knight, Granddaughter of Acting/Sergeant Art Watson, MM, survivor of the 31st Battalion. Many photos included. Hard-cover with jacket, 523 pages.

Available from the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A Call to Arms: The Organization and Administration of Canada's Military in World War One

by David W. Love
Published by Bunker to Bunker Books (Calgary), 1999
ISBN: 1894581725

This sourcebook on the origins, evolution and workings of Canada's military forces in the Great War details the response to the call to arms issued in 1914 and traces the subsequent development. Its principal focus, however, is on the organization of the Canadian military at its apogee in November 1918. The research is very thorough.  Insights, for example, are offered into the organization of veterinary and forestry units and the chaplaincy. Even the duties of the laundry officer can be found! Canada evolved its own distinctive command structure during the course of the war and the author makes the point that the success of the Canadian Corps was due to this organization and its adaptability, as much as to the individual skill of its leaders.

This book grew out of the author's need as a long-time researcher and collector to gather together information not normally found in one place. Indeed much of the original material is long out of print.

OOP: Possibly available from Amazon.ca or other second hand resellers.

A Nation in Making — The Organization and Administration of the Canadian Expeditionary Force

by David W. Love
Published by Service Publications (Toronto), 2012
ISBN: 1894581721

This work is a complete rewrite and extension of his original ‘A Call to Arms’.  From additional research and response to feedback from readers, the author provides extensive new material and insights, photographs and details that were either not covered, or discussed only in summary, in the original work.  Production values are also greatly improved.  Response to this work has been universally favourable and complimentary.

The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the largest military force ever fielded by Canada in its day. The management of this force of five divisions, with four in the field, was a challenge to Canada's predominantly amateur Staff. Borrowing heavily from British practice the Canadians nonetheless had specific challenges that were theirs alone.  David Love has adroitly described the organization and administration of the CEF and delves into a level of detail previously unimaginable. Two hard cover volumes: over 400 pages, with 391 illustrations, maps, charts and tables, and three full-colour pages of distinguishing patches. This is a 'must have' for any historian — amateur or professional — of Canadian military history.

The two-volume set is available from Service Publications

A Collector's Guide to Canadian Army Cap Badges: 1920-1952

by David Soltess
Published by the author, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-9881201-0-5

A digital book in Acrobat® PDF format.

INCLUDES information on cap badges, varieties, reproductions, lineages and pricing for every Canadian Army corps and service, infantry, cavalry and armoured regiment, the Royal Military College, and COTC contingent in service between Spring 1920 and 1952, plus every Canadian wartime service, volunteer, medical and civilian corps and service active during the Second World War.

Nearly 500 pages with over 460 badge entries and more than 430 new colour photos, organized alphabetically in twelve sections. The PDF format is completely navigable, completely portable. Optimized for use on iPads® or tablets, but equally at home on your laptop or desktop computer, providing convenient, single-source reference information at your fingertips whether you’re at home or at a trade show.

"A very good product, possibly the best money I've ever spent" (Buyer comment: 12-14-2012)

Available from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Medicine and Duty: The World War I Memoir of Captain Harold W. McGill, Medical Officer, 31st Battalion C.E.F.

by Harold W McGill
edited by Marjorie Norris
Published by University of Calgary Press, 2007
ISBN-10: 1552381935

Medicine and Duty is the World War I memoir of Harold McGill, a medical officer in the 31st (Alberta) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. McGill attempted to have his memoir published by Macmillan of Canada in 1935, but, unfortunately, due to financial constraints, the company was not able to complete the publication. Decades later, editor Marjorie Norris came upon a draft of the manuscript in the Glenbow Archives and took it upon herself to resurrect McGill's story. Norris's painstaking archival research and careful editing skills have brought back to light a gripping first-hand account of the 31st Battalion and, on a larger scale, of Canada's participation in World War I. A wealth of additional information, including extensive notes and excerpts from letters written "from the trenches," lends a new sense of immediacy and realism to the original memoir and provides a fascinating, harrowing glimpse into the day-to-day life of Canadian soldiers during the Great War.

Available from Amazon.ca

Sister Heroines: The Roseate Glow of Wartime Nursing, 1914-1918

by Marjorie Barron Norris
Published by Bunker to Bunker Publishing (Calgary), 2002
ISBN: 1894255194 / 9781894255196

Jessie Barron, like other military nurses, was reticent to speak about or document her wartime experiences. But her daughter, author Marjorie Barron Norris, became intrigued with her mother's wartime mementos as well as the experiences of other women from Calgary who served during the First World War... .
In addition to Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) war diaries and records of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces (CEF), Norris uses a range of sources to fill gaps in existing evidence about these women: a collection of letters exchanged between a CEF officer and his wife; two published memoirs by trained nurses from eastern Canada; memoirs of a British Voluntary Aid Detachment; published histories of several Canadian General Hospital units; and local newspaper accounts related to women who either served or tried to serve overseas in some capacity. ...Thus the book offers a range of women's experiences related to wartime opportunities. It highlights many issues associated with the turn-of-the-century professionalization movement within nursing, as well as issues associated with women's desires for patriotism, adventure, and service opportunities in general.

– from a review by Cynthia Toman, Project Muse

OOP Possibly available from Amazon.ca or Cabin Fever Books

Abbreviations Used in Military Documents and for Medal Inscriptions

The military, in many ways presents a unique and focused culture onto itself. Part of this culture has been the evolution of a somewhat bewildering and very extensive use of abbreviations and acronyms. To individuals inexperienced in the ‘ways’ of the military, this can often make any research or study of military records and associated items, such as medals, quite unintelligible.

One can roughly segregate these abbreviations/acronyms into several broad categories, depending on the context under which they are used. However, the truth is that most abbreviations can, and are, used fairly universally. Notwithstanding this, these divisions can be summarized as follows: 1) those used in service or operational records (i.e. of an administrative nature), 2) those giving unit, formation or organization names (i.e.of an organizational nature), 3) those indicating ranks, trades, appointments or specialized employments (i.e. of an employment nature), and 4) those used to identify medals and decorations.

Also, too, apart from the thousands of identified abbreviations, etc. that have been recorded and used at one time or another, a great deal of synonmy of military abbreviations is also present.  These arise not only as new abbreviations are required for new descriptions, but also through the development of individual bias and uniqueness that is brought on through time, relative isolation and the ever-present propensity of those bureaucratically inclined to develop new terms. One might ask, then, “how can any one individual remember this huge number of abbreviations”. The truth is that each branch of the military obviously has its own specialty and focus, and thus, its own unique language. Individuals within each of these branches, therefore, focus on those abbreviations most applicable to their duties, thereby removing the need to be familiar with every one available.

In an effort to make this source of confusion more understandable to the average researcher, following is a table of abbreviations that have been used by British and Commonwealth military forces, with a focus on the Canadian situation. This author has arbitrarily not included other nationalities, including United States examples (other than some of the higher formations that would occasionally appear in Commonwealth military documents). Those of a more international nature, especially American, would make this list tremendously long and beyond the scope of this summary. The included abbreviations range in vintage from at least the Anglo-Boer War (circa. 1900) until the present. While this list is extensive and fairly comprehensive (over 7500 unique abbreviations are listed), it is safe to say that is probably far from complete. As with international examples, to try and capture every Canadian, British or Commonwealth abbreviation, even those more or less officially recognized, is again far beyond the scope and practicality of this work. The abbreviations listed here come from a multitude of sources, some more official than others, but this author, wherever possible, has tried to confirm their validity from more than one source.

A few things to remember when using this list:

• There is a great deal of synonymy present for similar or different descriptors. These are often due to convention, original author bias, experience and nationality. In these cases, especially when there is more than one descriptor for a single abbreviation, the reader must make a decision on which descriptor is valid. By being aware of the context of the descriptor is the best method to differentiate the proper term. Wherever possible, this author has tried to group abbreviations to recognize synonym. Likewise, this author has tried to show synonyms as separate entries if the first few letters of the abbreviation are sufficiently different to make it difficult to search alphabetically.
• Any abbreviation can be found as upper case, lower case, or a combination of both. This does not represent inaccurate abbreviations but rather the biases and experiences of the original author. This author uses both interchangeably which is more a function of ease of editing the list rather than any other design.
• Any abbreviation may have period punctuation of varying patterns; any abbreviation may have varying presence or absence of spacing between the letters within the abbreviation. As in the last point, this author again has arbitrarily listed (or not listed) possible combinations.
• Many abbreviations are used interchangeably in different types of records and on medal stampings (most British and Commonwealth medals have, as a minimum, the recipient’s name, rank or specialty and unit at the time of award, stamped into the rim of the medal). These may mean different things depending upon context and should be noted when drawing conclusions.
• Many of the abbreviations listed here originated in Commonwealth military forces where English was not used. In particular, this is true of the British India, or Indian Army. The descriptors in these cases are given, wherever possible, the English equivalent. This means that the actual abbreviation may not appear consistent to the descriptor. Where an English equivalent has not been identified by this author, the vernacular descriptor is given.
  
  

Download complete list as PDF