Chapter XXI: 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.

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.