CANADA AND

THE GREAT WAR

SAM HUGHES

• Minister of Militia• Participated in South

African War (Boer War)

• Initially promises to send 25,000 men to Britain

• By 1916, Hughes has promised 500,000

The reality of the situation:

• In 1914, 3,000 members of Canadian Army

• 2 battleships

• BUT, by end of 1914 more than 59,000 had volunteered

• In 1915, 159,000 volunteer

• Clergy and women asked to persuade men to enlist

White Feather and More…

• Some women would offer a white feather in public to men- On assumption

(usually unfair) that they are cowards

• Posters appeal directly to women to “allow” husbands to go to war.

VALCARTIER

• Recruits train at Valcartier

• French Units not permitted to work together

• Instead, dispersed among English contingents– Further alienates the French Canadian

• French have less attachment to France than English do to Britain

First Canadians Overseas…

• 31,200 depart in 30 ships from Quebec City in October, 1914

• They are to be further trained in England upon arrival

• When they arrived, they are placed on Salisbury Plain in winter

• Rained EVERY DAY but one–on that day:IT SNOWED

THE CANADIAN UNIFORM

ROSS RIFLE

• Marketed to Sam Hughes as a great target and sporting weapon

• Although some minor defects, Ross Rifle used by Canadian military and defended by Sam Hughes

• Ross rifle out of place in trench conditions• Rifle jammed and misfired when covered in mud

and grime• Canadians would frequently steal guns off dead

British soldiers and dispose of Ross Rifle

ROSS RIFLEROSS RIFLE

MACADAM SHOVEL

• Invented and patented by Sam Hughes

• Shovel has hole for shooter to put gun through

• BUT – where do you look?

• Not bulletproof!!

• Entire shipment of 22,000 shovels which had cost the government over $29,000 was sold off as scrap in 1917 for $1,400.

MACADAM SHOVEL

CARDBOARD BOOTS?!?

• Complaints that boots were not fit for the trenches

• In effort to cut costs, Canadians equipped with boots with soles made from cardboard