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Canadian Military History Volume 22 | Issue 1 Article 4 4-17-2015 British Blood Calls British Blood The rB itish- Canadian Recruiting Mission of 1917-1918 Richard Holt Recommended Citation Richard Holt (2015) "British Blood Calls British Blood The rB itish-Canadian Recruiting Mission of 1917-1918," Canadian Military History: Vol. 22: Iss. 1, Article 4. Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol22/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : British Blood Calls British Blood The British-Canadian Recruiting Mission of 1917-1918 Canadian War Museum 19750157-001 Canadian War Published26 by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 22 [2015], Iss. 1, Art. 4 British Blood Calls British Blood The British-Canadian Recruiting Mission of 1917-1918 Richard Holt uring the First World War, a forfeited their citizenship.4 Foreign total of 593,079 men enlisted in Abstract: This article explores the armies, including the CEF, were D organization and activities of the the Canadian Expeditionary Force British-Canadian Recruiting Mission forbidden by US law to recruit (CEF), an astonishing number for which recruited more than 33,000 within the United States or to enter a small nation with only 1,526,133 British subjects living in the United the United States with the intention men of military age.1 Not all of these States for the Canadian Expeditionary of enticing men to leave in order to recruits lived in Canada; more than Force in 1917-1918. Recruiting enlist elsewhere.5 Both provisions operations and cooperation with the 57,000 were American residents. United States Army are discussed and were reinforced in August 1914 by While many of these men made their statistical summaries are presented President Wilson’s proclamation own way to Canada to join the CEF, showing the recruits’ origins, the emphasizing American neutrality.6 more than 33,000 were enlisted in the corps they were assigned to and the In Canada, CEF regulations and the United States by the British-Canadian effect on the reinforcement flow to Militia Act specified that recruits had select Canadian battalions in France. Recruiting Mission (BCRM). The The article concludes that the Mission to be British subjects thus excluding contribution to the manpower pool may have recruited a large number American citizens, although the by the BCRM was significant: more of men, but in the event was a failure British Army Act, provided that one than 18 percent of all those who because the vast majority of British soldier in 50 could be an alien.7 subjects living in the United States joined the CEF between June 1917 The BCRM originated in February ignored the call to arms. and September 1918 were recruited 1917 when Britain was facing a in the United States.2 Despite this shortage of military manpower. success, the BCRM has been largely born recruits living in Canada.3 In The problem was serious and Army ignored by most historians. The the event, the legion proved to be an Council went so far as to advise official history, written by G.W.L. ongoing diplomatic embarrassment Cabinet at the beginning of February Nicholson, for example, does not in part because of surreptitious that in the event of heavy fighting mention the mission, even in passing. attempts to recruit south of the on the Western Front, it would be This article will examine the origin, border and in part because of the impossible to maintain the existing organization and operation of what name. None of these units were strength of the British army in the was an unparalleled example of overly successful and in practice field.8 Not unnaturally, Britain looked international cooperation. enlisted men regardless of where for alternative sources of manpower, The BCRM was not the first they had been born. The 212th and particularly the large number of attempt to recruit men from the 237th, both unable to attract recruits, British immigrants living in the United States. In 1915, the eccentric were disbanded while the remaining United States. However, no effort minister of militia and defence, Sam three battalions were under-strength could be made to recruit these men Hughes, authorized the creation when they sailed to England. Their as America was a neutral country. of the 97th Battalion in Toronto. failure was largely attributable to But, the German resumption of Four additional battalions (211th, American and Canadian legislation unrestricted submarine warfare 212th, 213th and 237th) followed and regulations. Under American and the release of the Zimmerman in 1916. Known collectively as the law, citizens who joined the CEF telegram in February raised the “American Legion,” these five units were deemed to have expatriated possibility that America would join were intended to attract American- themselves or, in other words, the war on the side of the allies. A http://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol22/iss1/4© Canadian Military History, Volume 22, Number 1, Winter 2013, pp.27-37. 27 2 : British Blood Calls British Blood The British-Canadian Recruiting Mission of 1917-1918 Photo courtesy Jonathan F. Vance courtesy Jonathan F. Photo A marching contingent from the 48th Highlanders of Canada is greeted by large crowds in a US city, probably Chicago, circa 1917. British officer, Brigadier-General Code to allow Allied nations to enlist Britons, Jews and Australians, to the W.A. White, and seven other officers residents who were not American Imperial Recruit Depot at Windsor, were sent to join the British War citizens or declarants and had been Nova Scotia.14 Mission in the United States, an born in the Allied nation concerned.11 From a modest start, the BCRM organization that coordinated the The amendment, which allowed expanded steadily. The headquarters purchase of munitions, weapons foreign armies to enter the United was located in New York City and for and equipment, to prepare for States and actively seek recruits, organizational purposes the country the possibility of recruiting in the was a remarkable act of generosity was divided into three divisions: United States should the opportunity and cooperation even though the the Eastern Division based in New arise.9 potential recruits were not eligible to York City, the Western Division in American neutrality ended serve in the American Expeditionary Chicago and the Pacific Division in on 6 April 1917 when the United Force (AEF).12 San Francisco. By November 1917, 27 States declared war on the German By 6 June 1917, the British recruiting depots had been established Empire. The mood of the country was Recruiting Mission, later renamed as well as mobile detachments that distinctly pro-Allied and after the the British-Canadian Recruiting visited urban centres in the Western British ambassador in Washington Mission (BCRM), started operations and Pacific Division. Canadians cleared the way, White lost no in New York.13 Developing the were part of every division, but the time in soliciting congressmen for infrastructure and assembling staff Western Division was staffed entirely permission to enlist recruits from took time and in the interim US Army by Canadians and commanded by a the 700,000 British subjects in the US recruiting offices assisted the BCRM militia officer, Lieutenant-Colonel who were neither American citizens by receiving applicants, conducting J.S. Dennis, a veteran of the Riel nor declarants.10 The results were medical exams, providing subsistence Rebellion and civil engineer with the almost immediate and on 7 May 1917 and forwarding men to the nearest Department of Natural Resources Museum 19680184-002 Canadian War Congress amended the U.S. Penal CEF depot in Canada or, in the case of who later served in Russia as a staff Published28 by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2015 3 Canadian Military History, Vol. 22 [2015], Iss. 1, Art. 4 officer with the Canadian Siberian Broadway musical was produced.17 was posted to the BCRM in the Expeditionary Force.15 In New Written by Ian Hay, author of the hopes of enlisting a sizable number England, the commanding officer of best-selling First Hundred Thousand, of French-Canadian immigrants in the 236th MacLean Highlanders not with lyrics by a Canadian musician, the New England states. The results only recruited for his own battalion Lieutenant Gitz Rice, Getting Together were disappointing and in August but also the BCRM in June-July 1917. opened in New York and then toured 1917, a Catholic priest, Captain The BCRM received help from Albany, Syracuse, Philadelphia and F.C.D. Doyon, the former padre of a variety of other sources. British Boston.18 the 22nd Battalion, reported that consuls were instructed to assist the Border crossing problems were many had already joined the AEF Photo courtesy Jonathan F. Vance courtesy Jonathan F. Photo mission and 72 recruiting committees non-existent. In June 1917, the as translators and the remainder were formed by prominent Britons superintendent of immigration noted anticipated being drafted in the near and Canadians living in the United that “for months past our inspectors future. In summary, said Father States.16 Canadian bands and have, all along the Boundary, Doyon, a concerted effort to recruit marching contingents from the 5th admitted such men as applied for these men would be a waste of time.20 Royal Highlanders of Montreal, entry to enlist and were believed to BCRM recruiting in the United the 48th Highlanders of Toronto be suitable.”19 States encountered some obstacles. and the 236th Battalion, MacLean Special efforts were made to Most US Army recruiting stations Highlanders, of Fredericton toured recruit French Canadians and in June cooperated with the BCRM, but Boston, New York and Chicago in 1917 Major J.J.O.L.

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