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Overseas Military Forces of Canada 1918 | Compass lIbrary

Overseas Military Forces of Canada 1918

Price £99.00 Sale


Printed by Authority of the Minister
Overseas Forces of Canada

H.M.S.O, London, 1919

An original, 1919 1st edition of Overseas Military Forces of Canada 1918, a detailed survey of the actions and operations of Canada’s armed forces in the final year of the war. Very well illustrated with epia-toned plates, sketches, diagrams and maps. It comes complete with the two large General Staff maps of the 'Western Theatre of War' and 'N.W. Europe (April 1918)’ at the rear of the book. The book includes details of the operations of the Canadian Corps in 1918, organisation of the Canadian Corps, operations of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, Canadians in the Royal Air Force, Canadian Air Force, Canadian Railway Troops, Canadian Tank Battalion, Canadian Medical Corps, prisoners of war, Red Cross, and various other military and non-military organisations.

The Ministry of Overseas Military Forces of Canada: established in October 1916, controlled the organization, supply, and maintenance of all Canadian forces overseas, including the Canadian Corps and the overall Canadian Expeditionary Forces. The new ministry, created to replace the ineffective and overlapping authorities and organizations that had hampered military administration in the first two years of war, was a cabinet post headed first by Sir George Perley (1916 - 1917), and then by Sir Edward Kemp until the ministry’s dissolution in July 1920. Before its establishment, few officials in London understood how Canadian forces were being led and administered; afterwards, there was a clear authority in charge. The Ministry’s creation was an important step in imposing Canadian authority over its overseas forces, and an example of Canada’s growing exertion of an independent voice in its own imperial affairs.

The Canadian Expeditionary Force: was the entire overseas force fielded by Canada during the First World War. Of the 630,000 Canadians who enlisted for military service, 424,000 went overseas as part of the CEF. The Canadian Corps that fought on the Western Front was the CEF’s largest formation and its principal combat element, but not its only one. Other units in the CEF served outside the Corps, including the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, forestry and railway units, and various medical hospitals. Canada’s first fighting division in Europe, comprised mainly of troops from the First Contingent who had sailed in 1914, served as an individual division under British command. The growing size and complexity of Canadian forces overseas led in September 1915 to the creation of the Canadian Corps, an operational and administrative grouping of most Canadian fighting units and their supporting services. At first commanded by British Lieutenant-General Sir E.A.H. Alderson and, from May 1916 to June 1917, by British Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng, the Corps grew from an initial establishment of two divisions with approximately 35,000 troops to a powerful striking force of four divisions with 100,000 troops by early 1917. From June 1917, the Canadians were led by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, a Canadian militia officer who rose during the war from command of a brigade to command of the entire Corps. Currie, who remained in command until 1919, is widely considered one of the war’s most capable generals.


In very good condition. The boards are in good condition, with general signs of use, a mark to the spine, and some bumped corners. The hinges and binding are good and secure. The text, plates and maps are in very good condition. There are Imperial War Museum ink stamps to the front endpapers, title page, and bottom edge of the text block. The two large folding maps are in very good condition.

Published: 1919
Grey boards, with black titling
Illustrated with maps, and sepia toned plates, and diagrams
Dimensions: 160mm x 255mm
Pages: 533 (plus 2 large folding maps at rear)