Canadian Military History Volume 5 Issue 2 Article 11 1996 The Corps of Guides, 1903–1914 Dan Jenkins Carleton University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Jenkins, Dan "The Corps of Guides, 1903–1914." Canadian Military History 5, 2 (1996) 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 editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Jenkins: The Corps of Guides, 1903–1914 Little Known Canadian Units The Corps of Guides, 1903-1914 Dan R. Jenkins 'T"he Canadian Corps of Guides was created in Valuable as such a corps proved in Natal during ~ April 1903 by General Order 61 , and fell the South African war, its value to a country such under the purview of the Intelligence Department as Canada can hardly be over-estimated. It not only forms an indispensable adjunct to an at Militia Headquarters in Ottawa. However, as Intelligence Department, but it enables Canada the Guides were a service of the Active Militia, to be covered by a network of capable officers, and not of the Permanent Force, they were not a trained durtng peace in their special duties, and full-time formation. The Corps was designed to who would be invaluable to a General in the field from their knowledge of every part of the fulfil both a peacetime and wartime role. During 2 active operations it was to act as a combat country. intelligence force for Canadian armies in the field, The Corps of Guides then, was designed very and provide commanders with operational and much as a force for use in Canada. tactical level intelligence. During peacetime it was to prepare for this eventuality, but more One of the objectives of the Intelligence importantly, it was to help accumulate intelligence Department was to make available to officers on Canada's military resources and capabilities, commanding field forces military intelligence as well as on those offoreign powers, in particular pertinent to their commands. The Department the United States. As with all of Canada's was also charged with gathering information on peacetime military establishments, the Guides the military resources of the British Empire and suffered from underfunding, understaffing and foreign powers, although efforts and results in undertraining. Nevertheless, the Corps of Guides this regard were meagre. Lieutenant-Colonel was still able to provide a valuable service in the Denny, Director oflntelligence in 1903, stated in years leading up to the First World War, and a letter to the District Intelligence Officers (DIOs), offered its members a background in Intelligence that information on Canada "should be as far 1 that would prove indispensable in that war. reaching as possible," and he asked that DIOs send in clippings from newspapers and other Canada's experience in the Boer War had sources on a monthly basis regarding any material much to do with the creation of the Corps of of a military character, including information on Guides. In the South Afrtcan War, Canadians saw the "movements of high USA Officials, troops, etc." first-hand the value of Scouts and scouting. Many, All data collected would then be collated and including General Dundonald, the General Officer indexed, and form the basis of the monthly Commanding the Canadian Militia, believed that Intelligence Diary. 3 a mounted scouting force would prove valuable in Canada, a country similar to SouthMrica, with The accumulation of information on the wide open and sparsely populated spaces. As the military resources of Canada proceeded diligently. 1904 Militia Report stated: In 1903 Canada was still very much an unknown 88 ©Canadian Military History, Volume 5, Number 2, Autumn 1996, pp.88-98. Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 1996 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 5 [1996], Iss. 2, Art. 11 and unexplored country, whose military resources responsible for commanding the Guides in their were often a mystery to military planners in both respective Sub-Districts, collecting Guide reports, Ottawa and London. The country had not yet been and gathering information from other sources, fully surveyed. The resource potential, including in addition to their own reconnaissances. They natural resources and regional and local were to record all information onto sketch maps manufacturing output, was unknown, and the provided to them for this purpose. If called upon, country had yet to be mapped on a scale suitable SDIOs were to be able to answer any question of for military use. The Intelligence Department's an intelligence nature regarding their sub-district, mandate was to correct these shortfalls so that just as DIOs and Guides were expected to be able military planners would at least know the country to do in their respective jurisdictions. 7 Again, better than any potential enemies (read USA). It military experience was not considered necessary was the role of the Corps of Guides to help in the for the job. "If an officer can be appointed with collection of this information. As General some knowledge of military topography and Dundonald stated in 1903: reconnaissance work, so much the better, but the lack of these qualifications will not be counted Canada is now being covered by a network of when a man is keen and will take an interest in intelligent and capable men, who will be of great his work." Civil engineers and land surveyors were service to the country in collecting information of a military character and in fitting themselves again the first choice. In any event, all those to act as guides in their own [military] districts selected for the position would preferably have a to the forces in the field ... Nobody is admitted profession or occupation that permitted them to into this Corps unless he is a man whose services travel about their sub-district and the country are likely to be of real use to the country.• side regularly, to permit some familiarity with the residents. 8 In order to systematically gather intelligence on Canada's resources, the Guides' organization Sub-Districts were divided into Guide Areas was designed to fit the pre-existing system of in which specially qualified men with a knowledge Military Districts. Each District was given its own of the local area were to be appointed as Guides. District Intelligence Officer. The DIO was to Guides were to do most of the ground work. They oversee the entire collection process for the were to be intelligent and capable men with a district, collect all intelligence reports and maps thorough knowledge of the topography and and forward them to the Intelligence Department resources in their respective area. They were in Ottawa. He was to advise the District supposed to be intimately familiar with such Commander on intelligence matters, and be able features as road and rail networks, water routes, to address any question regarding military telegraph and telephone lines, and pathways. As 5 intelligence for his district. "Officers receiving the well, Guides were expected to be acquainted with appointment of D. I. 0. should be of suitable spirit the farmers and important towns' people in the and one who would take a keen interest in his area. If possible, Guides were to have a horse - work." A military background was not a indeed, it is difficult to see how they could do prerequisite- in fact, civil engineers, and land their job without one. All in all, the standards surveyors "or one connected with these demanded were high: professions would be preferable." Although those selected would also require "a general knowledge Too much stress cannot be laid on the necessity of military topography and reconnaissance duties, for careful selection of Guides. The best class of and to be acquainted with the geography of his man would be one who is of sufficient position District." In addition, it would be helpful if and intelligence to be an officer in the Corps, but who, not willing to accept an officer's potential DIOs knew the "resources of [their] responsibility, might join as a Guide. district" in terms of"produce, horses, cattle, and transportation," so that they could check for The Intelligence Department recognized that this accuracy the work of those under their class of men would be a rare find and told the command.6 SDIOs, who were responsible for selecting Guides, to do the best they could with the material at hand. Districts were further subdivided into Sub­ The pay certainly would not attract good men. Districts, and commanded by Sub-District On the contrary, it was "presumed that those who Intelligence Officers (SDIOs). These officers were join the Guides will do so from patriotic motives 89 https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol5/iss2/11 2 Jenkins: The Corps of Guides, 1903–1914 Offtcers of the Canadian Corps of Guides, Cobourg, Ontario, 1906. (E.L.M. Burns Collection. NAC PA 113014) and from interest in a Corps the novelty of which is a principle which is capable of extension. "13 cannot fail to appeal to those who desire Every year more useful military information was something more than mere "Drill" soldiering. "9 being gathered, tabulated and distributed in the This point, however, is moot, as the Corps did form of an Intelligence Diary to those who could not recruit Guides until 1912. Headquarters felt use it. 14 And every year more officers were it was best to train officers in their intelligence becoming proficient in their duties, with the duties before selecting Guides, as Guides were to Eastern Commands generally performing ahead be trained by the Corps' officers.