Chapter XXIII: No. 6 District Depot

During the early part of 1918 when the Germans were making their last great drive, few people realized that preparations were already made for the demobilization of the Canadian Corps. These preparations were due to the foresight of Headquarters Staff. Accordingly when the organization of No. 6 District Depot was completed on the 18th of April, 1918, a District Depot was established in each Military District of Canada, each Depot being designated by the number of the Military District in which the Depot was situated.

Lieut.-Col. B. W. Roscoe, D.S.O., was first appointed Officer Commanding, and he had under him a small but efficient Staff, with Capt. J. S. Davies, M.C., as Adjutant, headquarters being at Leith House, Hollis Street, Halifax.

The functions of District Depots at first were many. Besides carrying out ordinary discharges, all personnel in the different hospitals had to be looked after, and in addition to this all casualties who became fit for further service were allotted to the different Service Companies and Battalions in the District and to their own Units Overseas.

No. 6 District Depot differed from the other Depots in so far that it had an Embarkation Casualty Section which handled all casualties, on embarkation; that is to say, when troops were proceeding Overseas from the different districts of Canada, who for various reasons could not embark at the appointed time, they were taken on the strength of No. 6 District Depot and forwarded by some future sailing.

This work was carried on by Lieut.-Colonel Roscoe until June, 1918, when Lieut.-Col. D. A. MacRae, 25th Battalion, was appointed Officer Commanding, with Capt. G. T. Shaw, 31st Battalion, as Adjutant, headquarters being removed to Wellington Barracks.

From this time on the work began to increase owing to the great number of men returning from England to be demobilized. Demobilization went on very rapidly, and when the Armistice suddenly came it was realized that more speedily to carry out demobilization No. 6 District Depot would have to be enlarged. With this in view two Dispersal Stations known as “A” and “B” were added to the Depot, these Dispersal Stations being situated in Charlottetown and Halifax, and commanded by Major J. S. Stanley and Major J. G. Johnstone, respectively. To these officers was allotted the greater part of the organization of their respective stations which was carried on in such a manner that great credit was reflected upon the Depot as well as upon the officers commanding.

Everything was now in readiness to handle very speedily troops arriving for demobilization, so that when the first complete Unit, the Royal Canadian Regiment, arrived at the Port of Halifax early in March, 1919, it was demobilized in less than a day. This was made possible by the hard work of the Officer Commanding Dispersal Station B, Major J. G. Johnstone.

This work was kept up by the stations throughout Canada until late in July, 1919, when it was found that the Canadian Corps had practically been demobilized. At first it was thought it would take two years to complete demobilization of our forces, but the whole work was carried on so speedily that the feat was practically accomplished in six months. This in itself speaks well of the splendid organization of the Depots.

No. 6 Depot, besides demobilizing the Maritime troops, demobilized a great number of troops from other districts, viz., the Cavalry Brigade, Engineer and Forestry Units, Railway Troops and several Hospital Units. The work of No. 6 Depot was highly praised by Gen. John Hughes during his tour of inspection, when he stated that No. 6 District was one of the best organized throughout Canada.

One will realize the immense amount of work done by No. 6 District Depot by the results obtained; that is to say, the total number of discharges from April 18, 1918, until the latter part of May 1920, were one thousand five hundred and seventy-eighty (1,578) officers and twenty-seven thousand eight hundred and ninety-six other ranks (27,896), made up as shown in the table below:

Reasons. Other
Officers. Ranks.
1. _Medically Unfit._
(_a_) Disability due to or aggravated by
service 76 2,983
(_b_) Requiring further medical treatment of
long duration or vocational education 38 507

2. _Demobilisation._
All discharged other than above 1,462 24,299

3. _Struck off Strength._
Deaths 2 17
1,578 27,896
————— ——————
Transferred to other Districts 8 58

It will be very gratifying to Nova Scotians to know that the whole Staff of No. 6 District Depot were made up of Nova Scotia officer ranks, all of whom saw service at the Front, and it is sure when the records of the District Depots are compared that No. 6 District Depot will be well to the forefront.

Officers on strength No. 6 District Depot when organized:

Officer Commanding Lieut.-Col. W. B. Roscoe, D.S.O C.M.R.’s.
Second in Command Major A. B. Bucknell 15th L.H.
Adjutant Capt. J. L. Davie, M.C 21st Bn.
Assistant Adjutant Lieut. J. A. Ross 85th Bn.
Quartermaster Capt. A. A. Clark 139th Bn.

_June, 1918._

Officer Commanding Lieut.-Col. D. A. MacRae 25th Bn.
Second in Command Major J. L. Davie, M.C. 31st Bn.
Adjutant Capt. G. T. Shaw 21st Bn.
Assistant Adjutant Lieut. A. F. Ferguson 10th R.R.T.
Quartermaster Capt. A. A. Clark 139th Bn.
Records Officer Lieut. B. E. Elliott C.E.

_Leave and Furlough Section._

Officer Commanding Capt. M. S. Hunt 5th Bn.
Second in Command Lieut. J. Harley 25th Bn.

_Details Company._

Officer Commanding Capt. F. A. Ladd 7th Bn.

_Casualty Company._

Officer Commanding Major L. D. V. Chipman 13th Bn.
Company Officers Capt. A. G. Foster 7th Bn.
Lieut. W. H. Whidden Composite Bn.
Lieut. H. A. Crawley 85th Bn.
Lieut. A. A. Crawley R.C.G.A.

_Discharge Section._

Officer Commanding Capt. R. W. Dill 25th Bn.
Section Officers Capt. J. A. Gunn 13th Bn.
Capt. F. A. MacAloney R.A.F.
Capt. W. Fisher 25th Bn.
Lieut. G. W. Banks 38th Bn.
Lieut. I. C. Banks Composite Bn.

_Hospital Section._

Officer Commanding Major J. A. Mackenzie 85th Bn.
Section Officer Capt F. T. DeWolfe C.G.A.

_Dispersal Station “A,” Charlottetown._

Officer Commanding Major J. W. Stanley C.G.A.
Second in Command Capt. J. S. Bagnell C.G.A.
Company Officers Lieut. R. Richie C.G.A.
Lieut. H. E. McEachern 50th Bn.
Lieut. J. McDonald C.G.A.
Lieut. J. White C.G.A.

_Dispersal Station “B,” Halifax._

Officer Commanding Major J. G. Johnstone 85th Bn.
Second in Command Capt. M. S. Hunt 5th Bn.
Company Officers Capt. R. L. Billman C.G.A.
Lieut. J. Bonner 85th Bn.
Lieut. B. E. Nicks 13th Bn.
Lieut. J. H. E. Jones C.E.