Question for the Experts

[Barry Churcher]

I have been asked a queation by one of my customers at the garage and I think I know the answer, but rather than lead her astray I will defer to some of the expertise on MLU. Her father was the manager of a rather large agricultural operation in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. He went to the closest recruiter and volunteered at the wars outbreak. The owner of the farm did whatever was necessary to make him an essential worker. When her father found out he quit the job and went to Montreal to join up. He enlisted in the Fort Garry Horse. Her question is
" why would he not have been in a Quebec regiment or more specifically one from Montreal as opposed to one from Winnipeg?" He finished the war in that regiment as a driver. Her and her sister have graciously offered me her fathers tanker overalls. She said he sold most of his medals when someone came door to door buying old silver.

Thanks for any input
Barry

[John McGillivray]

Did he enlist in the Fort Garry Horse, or did he enlist in the Canadian Army and was posted to the Fort Garry Horse after training?

[chris vickery]

Just an idea Barry;

Is it possible that perhaps as being dubbed an "essential worker" he was listed in provincial or local files and was turned away?

I am thinking that back in the days when communications were slow or lacking that he may have headed west and perhaps fibbed on his application in order to be accepted in???

A copy of his service records may shed some light on it.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi Barry;

This may be how he ended up with the Fort Garry Horse: -

Having found out that the owner had, had him declared an essential worker and quit, it may be that the gentleman in question enlisted in the Canadian Army and volunteered to serve overseas in the latter part of 1940 (Aug-Dec) or early 1941, when, upon his enlistment, he either opted for or was 'steered toward' the newly established Canadian Armoured Corps (Aug 40) because of his 'mechanical' background, having come from being the "manager of a rather large agricultural operation," whereupon he would have been sent off to the Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre (from Aug 40, later divided (Feb 41) into the A8 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre and A9 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre, with A9 C.A.C.T.C., being the training centre which dealt with the training of personnel destined for the 1st (later 5th) Canadian Armoured Division) located at Camp Borden, Ont.

Upon completion of his training he may have been posted directly to the Fort Garry Horse (from the C.A.C.T.C. or from A9 C.A.C.T.C.), who at that time (from approx. Sep 40 to Oct 41) were stationed at Camp Borden undergoing training (both conversion to an armoured regiment and brigade training as part of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, 1st (later 5th) Canadian Armoured Division) prior to moving to Camp Debert, N.S. and embarking for the UK in early Nov 41.

or

He may have enlisted and volunteered for overseas service and opted for the Canadian Armoured Corps, at a later time and once he completed training at A33 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Establishment (Camp Borden, Ont.) and proceeded overseas, may have been posted to the Fort Garry Horse from the 3rd Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (which dealt with reinforcements for the armoured regiments) while in the United Kingdom.

Only his Record of Service would confirm how it came to be that he served with the Fort Garry Horse and not a 'Quebec' regiment.

Just some thoughts on the subject.

Cheers