_NO. 2 CONSTRUCTION BATTALION._
No. 2 Construction Battalion was authorized on July 5, 1916. Mr. D. H.
Sutherland, of River John, N.S., a well-known railroad contractor, who
had enlisted in the 193rd Overseas Battalion, was given command of this
Unit with the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.
[Illustration:
LIEUT.-COL. D. H. SUTHERLAND.]
An Infantry Battalion was not deemed advisable as the population was not
sufficient to send the necessary reinforcements; therefore a
Construction Battalion was authorized to represent the colored citizens
of Canada, who were demanding that their race should be represented in
the C.E.F. by a Unit composed of their own people.
The colored citizens of Canada are settled principally in the Provinces
of Nova Scotia and Ontario, although of late years a great many have
settled in Western Canada. Out of a total population in Canada of
20,000, including men, women and children, Nova Scotia has 7,000;
Ontario 5,000; New Brunswick 1,000, and the remainder of the colored
population are settled in Western Canada. It is estimated that 200
colored men were engaged in coal mines in Nova Scotia, and therefore not
eligible to enlist. The number of men who enlisted in No. 2 Construction
from Nova Scotia was 500, so that of the men available in Nova Scotia,
the colored citizens sent Overseas in No. 2 Construction Battalion fully
10 per cent. of their population as volunteers.
Recruiting was carried on simultaneously wherever the colored population
were located. A detachment of sixty men, under command of Capt. W. A.
McConnell, was raised at Toronto and latterly joined the detachment at
Windsor, Out., under the command of Capt. A. J. Gayfer. The Ontario
recruits in all numbered 350. About fifty recruits volunteered from
Western Canada. The headquarters was first located at Pictou, N.S., and
later transferred to Truro, where more barracks room was available.
No. 2 Construction Battalion was the only volunteer Unit to engage in
war-work before proceeding Overseas. A Company of 250 men, under command
of Capt. Kenneth A. Morrison, was employed during the months of January,
February and part of March lifting rails from the Grand Trunk sidings at
Moncton, Nappadogan and Edmundston, N.B., to be shipped Overseas for the
Western Front.
Following is a list of officers of this Unit:
D. H. Sutherland Lieut-Colonel and O.C.
Kenneth A. Morrison Capt. and Second in Command.
John Sidney Davie Capt. and Adjutant.
Walter Adam McConnell Captain.
George Peter McLaren Captain.
A. J. Gayfer Captain.
James Stuart Grant Captain and Paymaster.
David Anderson Captain and Quartermaster.
Russell R. McLean Lieutenant.
James Bertram Hayes Lieutenant.
Roderick Livingstone Lieutenant.
Halton Fyles Lieutenant.
William L. Young Lieutenant.
L. Bruce Young Lieutenant.
Isaac Logan Banhill Lieutenant.
Attached Officers Capt. Dan. Murray, Medical Officer.
Hon. Capt. William A. White, Chaplain.
Mr. Harry B. McLean, of the Cook Construction Company, and Wheaton
Bros., presented the Unit with a set of band instruments. Mr. Andrew
Wheaton also assisted the Unit financially. Mr. H. B. McLean was
appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel on account of his interest in and
assistance to the Battalion.
The Unit embarked at Halifax, March 25, 1917, on board the troopship
_Southland_; in all there were 3,500 troops on board. The ship was in
command of Captain Morehouse, and the troops in command of Lieut.-Col.
D. H. Sutherland. The convoy arrived at Liverpool April 8th. During the
passage great precautions were taken to guard against enemy submarines.
No lights were shown, no bugles blown and a constant watch was kept day
and night for floating mines and submarines. This period was the worst
in the history of submarine warfare, as more ships were sunk during the
week April 1 to April 8, 1917, than at any time during the War.
The Unit entrained at Liverpool Sunday noon, April 8th, and left for
Seaford, travelling by special troop train through a very picturesque
country. Arriving at Seaford the Unit was escorted by a British band to
our Camp under canvas, about two miles from the depot. All troops
arriving from Canada at this time were segregated ten days, to avoid the
introduction of contagious diseases. The Unit was taken on the strength
of the Canadian forces at Seaford, under command of Col. G. S. Gardiner.
Before proceeding to France, it was necessary for any Unit to have the
full quota of men in accordance to the establishment of the Unit. As No.
2 Construction was 300 under strength, the Unit was reorganized into a
Construction Company of 506 men and ten officers. As there was no
provision on the establishment for a Lieutenant-Colonel, Lieut.-Col.
Sutherland, Officer Commanding, reverted to the rank of Major to proceed
to France in command of the Unit.
While at Seaford, from April 8 to May 17, 1917, the Unit was detailed
into working parties and employed in building trenches for the troops in
training and in building and repairing roads within the bounds of the
Canadian command. Permanent air picket was detailed about May 1st, to be
in readiness in the event of air raids, which were of frequent
occurrence. During the Sports’ Day Competition among the Canadian Forces
at Seaford, the members of No. 2 Construction won a silver cup presented
for competition by the British Y.M.C.A.
The Unit was ordered to France on May 17th, and entrained at Seaford at
2 a.m., May 17th, arriving at Folkestone and proceeding direct to the
Channel troopship at the pier. The crossing occupied two hours. The
Channel boats carrying troops were well escorted by British destroyers
on port and starboard sides, while the _Silver Queen_, a small-sized
dirigible airship, escorted our troopship overhead to sight for enemy
submarines. Arriving at Boulogne at 3 p.m. the Unit was escorted to a
rest camp; twenty-four hours later, on May 18th, the Unit entrained at
Boulogne and travelled by special troop train by Etaples, Paris, Dijon,
Dole, Mouchard and arrived at our destination, La Joux, Jour Mountains,
on May 21st.
The Unit was attached to No. 5 District, Canadian Forestry Corps, under
command of Lieut.-Col. Geo. Johnson. There were four Forestry Companies
consisting of 170 men, 40 teams, logging and sawmill outfit, located
within one-half mile radius from No. 2 Construction Company’s Camp. The
officers and men of No. 2 Construction were detailed into working
parties and paraded daily to assist in the logging, milling and shipping
operations of the Forestry Corps.
The officers were employed as follows:
Major Sutherland was in command of the Unit and kept a general
supervision over the different working parties.
Capt. J. S. Grant was employed as officer in charge of shipping for No.
5 District, and all lumber sawn by the four Companies was shipped at La
Joux Station by No. 2 Construction men. A detachment of fifty men, under
command of Lieut. H. Fyles, assisted No. 22 Company, C.F.C., in logging
and in the construction of a narrow gauge railway to transport saw-logs
to the mill. The roads were kept in repair by Capt. David Anderson, No.
2 Construction, with a party of 100 men. A road plant consisting of a
rock crusher, steam drill, motor lorries and steam roller, was employed,
and the roads were kept in a good state of repair where the heavy
traffic demanded the best roads possible.
The water to supply the Camp had to be pumped to an elevation of 1,500
feet by means of force pumps in relay. Lieut. Bertram Hayes was officer
in charge of pumping stations and water lines. Capt. R. Livingstone was
Transport Officer for No. 5 District, assisted by Lieut. Russell McLean,
both of No. 2 Construction Company.
On December 30, 1917, Capt. K. A. Morrison left La Joux for Alencon, in
command of 180 other ranks to report to the O.C. No. 1 District, C.F.C.;
Lieut. S. Hood was Adjutant of this detachment. Fifty other ranks were
despatched to 37th Company, C.F.C., near Peronne.
A few items, as follows, taken from the War Diary of this Unit July 1,
1918, will be of interest:
Dominion Day celebrated by the eleven Forestry Companies and No. 2
Construction Company, composing No. 5 District, in field sports held at
Chapois. The four Companies from La Joux, namely, No. 22, 40, 50 and No.
2 Construction paraded to the grounds under the command of Major
Sutherland. During the day, the band of this Company, by their excellent
music, greatly assisted in entertaining the crowd and making the holiday
a success.
July 7, 1918: Camp inspected by Lieut.-General Sir Richard Turner, V.C.,
accompanied by Major-General A. MacDougall, G.O.C. Canadian Forestry
Corps, and Lieut.-Colonel Johnson, O.C. Jura Group. The interior economy
and general tidiness were favorably commented upon.
July 13, 1918: Hon. Capt. W. A. White, Chaplain, returns from visiting
the Alencon detachment.
July 14, 1918: Sunday, no work. The Mayor of Salins invited the
Canadians in this district to send a detachment to Salins to take part
in a review in which American and French troops were participating.
Major Sutherland represented Lieut.-Col. G. M. Strong, D.S.O., O.C. No.
5 District, C.F.C., who was absent on duty, and acted as reviewing
officer of the Allied Troops at Salins, in commemorating the National
Day and to do honor to the French Republic. The band of this Company,
under the leadership of Sergt. G. W. Stewart, played the National Anthem
and a programme and greatly assisted in making the event a memorable
one.
July 15, 1918: Camp inspected by General Bouillard, Commanding 7th Army
Division, French, and Lieut.-Col. G. Johnson, O.C. Jura Group.
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.