Description
Physical description
A green printed isosceles triangle on "waterproof" cotton.
Label
Some time prior to September 1941 the Forestry Corps applied to Canadian Military HQ in the UK for a distinguishing patch. It proposed a green triangle bearing the initials CFC in black. Although HQ pointed out that the CFC was, technically, a unit and not a formation, they agreed the principle of a distinguishing patch. Nevertheless, the proposal was initially refused on the grounds that green was likely to be used by the 4th Division. National Defence HQ in Ottawa, however, saw no problem with a green patch, provided it could not be confused with the 4 Division rectangle. On re-application it seems the request was granted, although the date for this is not known. It also appears that the superimposed initials were dropped at this time and no reference was made to initials in Routine Order 3316 listing this patch and dated 22 October 1942.
The choice of a green triangle may, perhaps fancifully, have been to reflect the tip of a fir tree, this being the central element of the Corps' cap badge.
The use of printed cotton for this particular patch indicates that it dates to after November 1942.
Formation patches and unit shoulder titles were produced in three materials, woollen cloth, felt and printed cotton. Of these, felt was probably the least common. Both Canadian and British firms produced the woollen versions but, particularly in Britain, there were problems with supply and with the colour-fastness of the dyes. From November 1942 a printed cotton material with a strong backing became available in the UK, often now referred to as 'canvas'. After initial production problems with skewed shapes and letters, most patches and titles produced in the UK were in this material. It was supposed not to fray, run or fade but complaints about quality began to emerge around October 1944. A request to return to wool does not appear to have been possible before the end of the war.
Unit history.
World War II created a crisis in wood supply for the United Kingdom. Pre war UK production provided about four percent by volume of timber needed to support the war effort. In addition to civilian requirements it was estimated that every soldier needed five trees:
1 for living quarters, messing and recreation;
1 for crates to ship food, ammunition, tanks, etc; and
3 for explosives, gunstocks, ships, factories and to support him in the fighting line, directly or indirectly.
Given their impressive record in World War One it was natural that the British government looked to Canada to provide forestry units. The High Commissioner asked for forestry units on 3 October 1939 and in June 1940 the Canadian Government confirmed that they would form a Canadian Forestry Corps.
Mobilization centres for the corps were set up across Canada. Many of the volunteers were veterans of World War One, including the Corps' first Commander, Brigadier- General J.B. White. He relinquished command on health grounds in autumn 1943. The main training centre for the Corp was in Valcartier, where they received 5-7 months training before proceeding to the United Kingdom, where the main areas of operations were centred in Scotland. Each C.F.C. Company was around 200 men and was a self-contained community, including men capable of turning their hand to any task from blacksmithing and mechanical repair to snow clearance on the highland roads. The Corps was organised into five Forestry District HQs, each controlling five or six Companies, with in addition technical and engineering sections. At it's peak, the Overseas strength of the Corp was 220 officers and 6771 other ranks.
Twenty Companies were initially formed and arrived in the UK between October 1940 and July 1941. Ten more were created and sent to the UK between May 1941 and October 1942. Acute manpower problems resulted in a review of the CFC and as a result a number of individuals were posted to other overseas units and in addition ten companies and one Forestry District were returned to Canada in October 1943.
In March 1944, No. 1 Special Canadian Forestry Section was formed in the UK to create timber rafts for towing across the Channel to provide lumber until standing timber became available there. The Section built rafts at Southampton and at Barry in South Wales, the work ending on 31 August 1944. The Southampton detachment had produced 57 of these huge rafts (some of the log rafts were 120 feet long), the Barry detachment 74.
Since 1942, five C.F.C. Companies had been earmarked for employment in 21 Army Group in North West Europe. The Companies eventually chosen were 5, 15, 16, 28 and 30, each organised on a Canadian regional basis, plus a Group HQ, No. 1 Canadian Forestry Group. A further five Companies were requested and 1, 9, 14, 25 and 27 Companies, together with 7 and 8 Forestry District HQs, came under command 21 Army Group on 15 July 1944. The first group of Companies landed in France end July, beginning August 1944, and began work in the Cerisy area. Four Companies moved under 8 Group HQ at the beginning of November to the Brussels area. No. 30 Company was responsible for designing and building a 'finning boom' for the protection of Nijmegen Bridges against numerous attempts by the enemy to float mines down the river. The second group of companies arrived on the continent in November 1944 where, under 7 Group HQ, they joined the remaining Company from the first group under command of US 9 Army in the Ardennes.
The big difference between the new Corp and their World War One counter parts was that the new Corp Companies were considered Combat Troops. A regular portion of each unit's time was devoted to military training, each company preparing defensive positions in its area in cooperation with the troops of Scottish Command in the event of German invasion. At the end of November 1944 the Companies under US command in the Ardennes were organised into three defensive sub-areas in response to US intelligence reports of an impending German attack. In December 1944 the Germans launched their offensive but the Companies withdrew with the Americans, in the process managing to save much of their technical equipment.
On the continent, the early part of 1945 saw timber work focussed on the production of pilings for port repair work, material for the Rhine crossing and stock for proposed bridges across the Meuse, the Rhine and other large German rivers. Similar work in preparation for major bridges over the Dortmund-Ems Canal and Weser River followed the end of the war.
The ten Companies still in the UK began to disband in March 1945, the last units at the end of August 1945, and Corps HQ closing on 1 September. During their stay in the Highlands, the C.F.C. had cleared an estimated 230,000 forest acres. On the continent, six companies were disbanded in July and August 1945, the balance of the Corps by the end of November.
Note that the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit, formed in November 1939, did similar work in Scotland but was an entirely separate and wholly civilian organization.
History note
Associated person: John Tiffin Murray Stewart b. 1917, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. d. 6 August 1964, 47 yrs., heart attack. Service record: Gunner M 4044 RCA. 1942: Reg. H2, HQ RCA, 1st Administration Corps. RCA CASF (Canadian Active Service Force) 1st Division. 1943: Reg. H3, 3rd Field Regt. RCA CASF 1st Division. 1944: 1st A Wing. No. 1 CARU (Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit).
Family history: 11 December 1942, married Elfreda Joan, nee Knight, at Congregational Church West Wickham, Kent. 15 June 1945, returned Canada. 27 June 1946, joined by family (on board 'Letitia'). August 1948, all family return to UK ('Queen Mary'). Moved to family home, Cavendish Way, West Wickham, Kent. Subsequently bought house, Oak Avenue, Shirley, Croydon.
Inscription
none