The CANLOAN program (or the Canada Loan program) was a scheme created in 1944 to loan
officers
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
from the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
to serve in
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
units. The program's initial aims were to help supplement the undermanned British Army officer corps and provide alternate avenues for Canadian Army officers to see active service. The program initially called for 1,500 junior officers to serve in the CANLOAN program, although that number was later reduced to 625 in April 1944. In total, 673 officers from the CANLOAN program served with British Army units during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
The majority of the officers in the program were loaned to British regiments that fought in the
North-West Europe campaign of 1944–45
North-West Europe 1944–1945 is a battle honour (more properly known as an honorary distinction) earned by regiments of the British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War that took part in the actions of the northern part of the war's We ...
. However, several CANLOAN officers also served with British Army and
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
units in the
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
,
Mediterranean and Middle East, and the
Southeast Asian theatre.
Background
The CANLOAN program was analogous to a program that existed during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
; although the program during that conflict saw British Army officers serve in Canadian Army regiments.
The Canadian Army also loaned out its members to the British Army earlier during the Second World War; with 201 officers and 147 soldiers of the Canadian Army loaned to the British
First Army in Tunisia. The loaning of Canadian officers to the British First Army was approved in December 1942, with the first Canadian officers arriving in Tunisia in January 1943. However, Canadian officers attached to the British First Army units were treated as supernumerary personnel; as opposed to the officers of the CANLOAN program, who were integrated into their British units. Canadian officers attached to the British First Army later returned to their Canadian units in July 1943 in preparation for the
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers ( Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It bega ...
.
History
![Lieutenant-general Sir Ronald Adam, Bart, Cb, Dso, Obe Art](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Lieutenant-general_Sir_Ronald_Adam%2C_Bart%2C_Cb%2C_Dso%2C_Obe_Art.IWMARTLD404.jpg)
In 1943, the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
had a surplus of
junior officer
Junior officer, company officer or company grade officer refers to the lowest operational Officer (armed forces), commissioned officer category of ranks in a military or paramilitary organization, ranking above non-commissioned officers and below ...
s and did not have enough active regiments to employ them in; given that the army was only active in the
Italian Front, and that the Home Defence divisions in Canada were disbanded.
Conversely, the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
faced a shortage of junior officers, with its forces deployed in a number of fronts; and a need to supplement its regiments in preparation for the
Normandy landings
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
.
[ In an effort to rectify these issues, a scheme was devised to redeploy Canadian junior officers not in combat into active service, by "loaning" Canadian Army officers to various British Army units.][ The plan was first devised during a meeting between ]Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Harry Letson of the Canadian Army, and General Ronald Forbes Adam
General Sir Ronald Forbes Adam, 2nd Baronet, (30 October 1885 – 26 December 1982) was a senior British Army officer. He had an important influence on the conduct of the British Army during the Second World War as a result of his long tenure ...
of the British Army in London on 9 October 1943. Canadian Military Headquarters and the British War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
later approved of the program on 4 February 1944. Preparations were made for the program in early 1944, although the plan was not formally enacted by the government of Canada
The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...
until 29 April 1944 by Order in Council
An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' Ki ...
; several weeks after the first cohort of CANLOAN officers had already arrived in the United Kingdom. The Canada Loan program operated under the code word ''CANLOAN''.
Service
After recruitment for the CANLOAN program took place the selected volunteers were sent to Sussex Military Camp
The Sussex Military Camp, frequently shortened to Camp Sussex, was a training facility for the Permanent Active Militia and Non-Permanent Active Militia, later known as the Canadian Army. It was located on the southeastern edge of the town of ...
in early 1944, to complete necessary preparations for overseas deployment.[ While stationed at Sussex Military Camp, officers of CANLOAN were placed under the command of ]Brigadier-General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Milton Fowler Gregg
Brigadier Milton Fowler Gregg, (10 April 1892 – 13 March 1978) was a The Royal Canadian Regiment, Canadian military officer and a First World War recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ...
of the Canadian Army. Originally, the CANLOAN plan called for 1,500 Canadian officers to volunteer with regiments in the British Army. However, a manpower crisis within the Canadian Army in 1944 forced them to cap the program at 625 members shortly after the first CANLOAN cohort landed in the United Kingdom.
The first batch of CANLOAN officers arrived in Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
on 6 April 1944, ferried from Canada by . Another 200 officers arrived in the United Kingdom on 7 April 1944, with the remainder arriving shortly afterwards.[ The officers were immediately posted to various British battalions that were under-strength.][ While the program was active, British divisions took in 40 CANLOAN officers on average. Canadian officers loaned to British Army regiments were treated as a part of the regiment for all purposes except for pay, which remained the responsibility of the Canadian Army. Additionally while on loan to the British Army, CANLOAN officers wore a specialized shoulder badge and flashes with the words ''Canada'' on it, and ''CDN'' appeared before their serial number.][ CANLOAN officers also had separate administrative arrangements from the rest of the units they were loaned to. Barring administrative and payment differences, CANLOAN officers had largely integrated into their units without issue. The ease of integrating CANLOAN officers into their respective British units was largely credited to the uniform fashion of training in military colleges, and Officer Cadet Training Units in Canada and the United Kingdom.
The majority of the officers in the program were loaned to British regiments that fought in the ]North-West Europe campaign of 1944–45
North-West Europe 1944–1945 is a battle honour (more properly known as an honorary distinction) earned by regiments of the British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War that took part in the actions of the northern part of the war's We ...
;[ with 100 officers serving with British ]airborne forces
Airborne forces, airborne troops, or airborne infantry are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop or air assault. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in ai ...
during the Normandy landings. However, nearly half the officers assigned to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) was a corps of the British Army. At its renaming as a Royal Corps in 1918 it was both a supply and repair corps. In the supply area it had responsibility for weapons, armoured vehicles and other military equip ...
were assigned to posts in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre
The Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre was a major theatre of operations during the Second World War. The vast size of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Medit ...
; with several other officers stationed with units in Italy.[ CANLOAN officers were also active in the Southeast Asian theatre, with 22 Canadian officers sent to the ]South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command (SEAC) was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allies of World War II, Allied operations in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II, South-East Asian Theatre during the World War II, Second World War.
Histo ...
in the summer of 1944; with the intended purpose to gain knowledge of tropical operations for the Canadian Army in anticipation for their participation in the Asian theatre once the war in Europe ended. These officers were posted with XV Corps 15th Corps, Fifteenth Corps, or XV Corps may refer to:
*XV Corps (British India)
* XV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* 15th Army Corps (Russian Empire), a unit in World War I
*XV Royal Bav ...
of the British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
.
155 CANLOAN officers were promoted while serving with a British unit; with nearly half of the ordnance CANLOAN officers receiving promotions while serving with the British Army. Several CANLOAN officers were promoted as company commanders, and in one instance, was promoted as the commanding officer of their battalion.[
]
Members
The British War Office emphasized to Canadian Military Headquarters that its recruits for CANLOAN be drawn from volunteers in the Canadian Army. Conversely, Canadian Military Headquarters emphasized the need for a portion of officers selected to be French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
. Both sides largely acquiesced to the other request, although French Canadian officers selected for CANLOAN were required to be proficient in the English language.
In total, 673 officers from the Canadian Army, including 623 infantry officers and 50 ordnance officers served with the British Army under the CANLOAN program.[ The majority of volunteers were ]lieutenants
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
, with the program averaging seven lieutenants for every captain that volunteered.[ Although CANLOAN involved mostly junior officers, several ]majors
Jonathan Michael Majors (born September 7, 1989)Majors in is an American actor. He rose to prominence after starring in the independent feature film ''The Last Black Man in San Francisco'' (2019). In 2020, he garnered wider notice for portraying ...
from the Canadian Army also volunteered for the program. There were 160 members of the CANLOAN program that previously held an enlisted rank
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States m ...
before receiving their officers' commission and joining the CANLOAN program.
Several military decorations were awarded to CANLOAN officers, with CANLOAN officers accruing 41 Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC i ...
es (one with bar), one Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
, and one Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
while serving with a British regiment.[ CANLOAN officers were also awarded foreign military decorations, including four ]Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
from France, one Bronze Lion
The Bronze Lion ( nl, Bronzen Leeuw) is a high Royal Dutch award, intended for servicemen who have shown extreme bravery and leadership in battle favouring The Netherlands; in some special cases it can be awarded to Dutch or foreign civilians. It ...
from the Netherlands, and one Silver Star
The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
from the United States.[
]
Casualties
The CANLOAN program sustained a high casualty rate of 69 per cent;[ with 128 officers killed in action or died of wounds from combat, 310 officers wounded in action, and 27 officers were captured.][ Several officers that sustained wounds returned to active duty with new regiments through the British Army's reinforcement stream.][ The majority of the deaths sustained by CANLOAN occurred during ]Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...
, with 75 officers killed by the end of August 1944.
Legacy
On 3 June 1961, the CANLOAN Memorial was unveiled by Georges Vanier
Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position.
Vanier was born and ...
, the Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...
, in Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, situated near the Ottawa River
The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...
and Sussex Drive
Sussex Drive (french: Promenade Sussex), also known as Ottawa Regional Road93, is an arterial road in Ottawa, Ontario, the capital of Canada. It is one of the city's main ceremonial and institutional routes. Travelling roughly parallel to the Ott ...
. Funds for the memorial were collected from the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom, British Army units that included CANLOAN officers, and the CANLOAN Army Officers' Association.[ The CANLOAN Army Officers’ Association was an association made up of former CANLOAN officer formed after the Second World War; with Milton Fowler Gregg named the association's first honorary president.][ Since the memorial was erected, ceremonies have been held at the memorial annually on 6 June, to commemorate of the Normandy landings; and on 11 November for ]Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
. In 2005, a plaque and tree were installed on the grounds of Earnscliffe
Earnscliffe is a Victorian manor in Ottawa, Ontario, built in the Gothic Revival style. During the late 19th century, it was home to Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. Since 1930, it has served as the residence of the Brit ...
, the residence for the British High Commissioner to Canada
The high commissioner of the United Kingdom to Canada is the United Kingdom's foremost Diplomat, diplomatic representative in Canada and is in charge of the British High Commission, Ottawa, British diplomatic mission to Canada.
As fellow members ...
, in honour of the CANLOAN program and its participants.
In 1968, former CANLOAN officers undertook a 22-day "pilgrimage" to the United Kingdom, and were received and honoured by the Royal Family in St. James Palace, their former regiments, and officials from the City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
and other European governments.
Several items from CANLOAN officers are held in the collections of the Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum (french: link=no, Musée canadien de la guerre; CWM) is a national museum on the country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military history, in a ...
; including the beret
A beret ( or ; ; eu, txapela, ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre.
Mass production of berets began in 19th century France and Spain, and the beret remains ...
s of two CANLOAN officers while they were with British airborne units.[
]
See also
* Exchange officer An exchange officer is a commissioned officer in a country's armed forces who is temporarily seconded either to a unit of the armed forces of another country or to another branch of the armed forces of their own country.
The exchange officer will u ...
*
* Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II
The military history of the United Kingdom in World War II covers the Second World War against the Axis powers, starting on 3 September 1939 with the declaration of war by the United Kingdom and France, followed by the UK's Dominions and Cr ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
* {{cite book, title=Code Word CANLOAN, year=1992, publisher=University of Michigan Press, isbn=9781550021677, last=Smith, first=Wilfred I.
External links
The "CANLOAN" Scheme, 1943 to July 1945, Canadian Military Headquarters (CMHQ) Reports 1940-1948
Military history of the British Empire and Commonwealth in World War II
Military history of Canada during World War II
Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II