Canadian Military History Volume 18 Issue 4 Article 3 2009 The Royal Military College of Canada and the Education of Officers for the eatGr War Andrew B. Godefroy Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Andrew B. Godefroy "The Royal Military College of Canada and the Education of Officers for the eatGr War." Canadian Military History 18, 4 (2009) 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]. : The Royal Military College of Canada and the Education of Officers for the Great War The Royal Military College of Canada and the Education of Officers for the Great War Andrew B. Godefroy he technical and tactical attendance at the Royal Military limitations of command and Abstract: This article examines College of Canada (RMC) located in T the wartime role of the Royal control on western front battlefields Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston, Ontario. often meant that once the shooting in commissioning officers for This article examines the wartime started it was not the generals but overseas service with the Canadian role of RMC in commissioning officers rather the surviving junior officer Expeditionary Force (CEF). In for overseas service with the CEF.5 In who determined the outcome of an particular, it examines the evolution particular, it examines the evolution of the college as the war progressed, engagement. Yet despite the fact how its graduates helped to shape of the college as the war progressed, that Canada’s Army performed both that institution and the army, and how that evolution influenced exceptionally well in combat at and it provides new insight into the the pre-deployment education and the tactical level, our knowledge leadership provided by an important training of Canadian junior officers. group of junior officers within the CEF. of the young officers who led their As well, it examines how those soldiers in battle remains limited, who were formed by this military with existing studies concerning shaped into leaders on the Western institution in turn helped to shape Canadian combat leadership often Front and to measure some aspects both that institution and the army. focusing on the more senior levels of their effectiveness within that Though RMC’s graduates constituted of command.1 In the absence of environment, it is important to first only a tiny percentage of Canada’s more detailed study and analysis understand how these junior leaders wartime officer corps, these alumni at the lower echelon of command, were in fact developed. This means heavily influenced the culture of historians have relied largely on examining their social, educational, the military both during the war the less than flattering assessments and professional backgrounds prior and after. Finally, with scholars concerning junior officers often found to deployment and assessing to traditionally focusing their research in the memoirs of private soldiers.2 what degree, if any, their pre-war on the most senior levels of command Though colourful they are not lives influenced their ability to act as within the CEF, this article provides surprisingly often negatively biased, effective leaders in combat. new insight on its leadership through and provide but one perspective of In August 1914, there were many an important group of junior officers. the lieutenants and captains of the ways a young man might obtain an Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). officer’s commission in the newly- The study of Canadian junior created CEF. For those already in A Military College combat leadership on the western uniform it was a simple matter of in Canada front has yet to receive detailed transferring over from the militia. For attention from scholars.3 Aside from others a place might be found through he exponential growth of the the publication of a small number of professional or personal connections TCanadian army after the outbreak memoirs and letters, little is known as towns across the nation began of war in August 1914 created an about the social and professional raising units for overseas service. immediate need for fit and deployable lives of these young men.4 Therefore, A third option was to obtain an officers, especially at the junior level. to discern how junior officers were education and commission through Although there was an abundance Published© Canadian by Scholars Military Commons History @, Laurier,Volume 2009 18, Number 4, Autumn 2009, pp.17-31. 17 1 Godefroy - RMC and the Great War.indd 17 1/26/2010 10:15:51 AM Canadian Military History, Vol. 18 [2009], Iss. 4, Art. 3 of men suitable to fill the rank and Figure 1.1 file of the first Canadian contingent, Commanders and Staff Officers of 1st Canadian Division, August 191410 experienced and competent junior Total in Division RMC Graduates leaders were in very short supply. Divisional Commander 1 - In 1914 the Permanent Force in Infantry Brigade Commanders 3 1 Canada’s militia had only 260 Commander Royal Artillery 1 1 commissioned officers and there were roughly the same number Artillery Brigade Commanders 3 - of experienced British expatriates Artillery Battery Commanders 12 2 serving with the part-time militia.6 Engineer Commanders 5 3 Yet, the authorized establishment Infantry Battalion Commanders 12 1 of just the first Canadian overseas Staff Officers (Brigade Major and Senior) 11 4 7 contingent was 1,424 officers. Total 48 12 The only other ready source of officers was RMC, created in 1876 and Both Britain and the United States The West Point Academy still the country’s sole professional had previously established similar guaranteed no military employment school of arms for young gentlemen academies, and when the Canadian after graduation. As a result, the seeking an officer’s commission in government embarked on the task school saw many of its better either the British or Canadian forces. of founding its own institution in graduates pursue civilian occupations Under the mentoring and tutelage 1869 it examined the experiences of rather than become career soldiers of experienced British and Canadian both these predecessors very closely. and contribute to the effectiveness regulars, 37 gentlemen cadets were Though the Dufferin commission, of the US Army.12 The Canadian in the process of graduating from named for Canadian governor- government wanted to avoid a similar the college in the summer of 1914 general who initiated the study, problem and sought access to British and a further 128 were undergoing initially favoured the British military postings and advanced military instruction.8 Still, their professional school system, others urged that the training courses for Canadian officers education did little to endear college be modeled after the West that were superior to anything in them to the Canadian minister of Point Military Academy in the United the United States, making a military militia of defence, the energetic States. Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas career in Canada’s forces much more and erratic Sam Hughes, who was Bland Strange, the British officer attractive. personally overseeing many of the commanding the Gunnery School The final decision to create first officer appointments for the CEF. at Quebec, had visited West Point a professional school of arms in Hughes was a strong proponent of previously on his own initiative and Canada came from the newly-elected the citizen soldier of the part-time argued that the mathematics-based Liberal prime minister, Alexander militia and often regarded with curriculum there, as well as its all- Mackenzie, who entered office contempt those who considered arms training program, made it the in November 1873.13 After some themselves “professional” soldiers, best example to emulate. Colonel consideration and planning, his especially British regulars. Hughes Patrick Leonard MacDougall, the minister of militia and defence, preferred instead to select militia British officer serving as the adjutant- William Ross, entered a bill in officers and newly-commissioned general of the Canadian militia, Parliament the following May.14 It personal friends, especially for concurred with Strange’s assessment read: more senior positions.9 Yet, despite based on his own findings and his proclaimed animosity towards experience. With a limited defence An institution shall be established for “professional” soldiers, 25 percent budget and a small officer candidate the purpose of imparting a complete of the 1st Contingent’s senior officers pool, MacDougall felt that the education in all branches of military were drawn from the pool of RMC government needed to follow the tactics, fortification, engineering graduates and those soon to graduate West Point model and be able to and general scientific knowledge (see Figure 1.1). qualify all arms needed for Canada’s in subjects connected with and Canada was not unique in its fledgling Permanent Force as a single necessary to a thorough knowledge creation of a dedicated military establishment.11 The only part of of the military profession and for college to train young gentleman the US model they did not favour qualifying officers for command and to become career military officers, was the career phase transition after staff appointments. Such institution nor was it the first country to do so. graduation. to be known as the Military College, https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol18/iss4/318 2 Godefroy - RMC and the Great War.indd 18 1/26/2010 10:15:51 AM : The Royal Military College of Canada and the Education of Officers for the Great War A view of the Royal Military College of Canada from Fort Henry, circa 1914. and to be located in some [sic] one the very organization and culture of of the garrison towns of Canada.15 RMC and the Great War the college as the war progressed.