The Minister of Overseas Military Forces was established in November 1916 to administer Canadian forces in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

during

World War I 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 ...

, and abolished in 1920. The position was largely to act as the communications channel between the

Department of Militia and Defence The Department of Militia and Defence was the department responsible for military land forces in Canada from 1906 to 1921. The Minister of Militia and Defence was in charge of this department. The department was created in 1906 when the Briti ...

, 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 ...

, and the

Canadian Corps The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December ...

Formation

When the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

went overseas in 1914, no provision had been made for its administration. Numerous individuals including Minister of Militia and Defence

Sam Hughes Sir Samuel Hughes, (January 8, 1853 – August 23, 1921) was the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I. He was notable for being the last Liberal-Conservative cabinet minister, until he was dismissed from his cabinet post ...

, acting

High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift ...

George Perley, and

Max Aitken William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), generally known as Lord Beaverbrook, was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics o ...

, Canadian military representative at the front were involved in Canadian Expeditionary Force affairs. To end confusion, Prime Minister

Robert Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World War I. Borde ...

planned to reorganize the Militia Department and establish a military council in England headed by a new ministry. Hughes while overseas in England responded by establishing an Acting Sub-Militia Council which would provide him greater latitude outside of parliamentary overview. Borden expressly told Hughes to detail his intended changes so they could be first reviewed and agreed to before being formalized in an Order in Council. Instead, Borden learned of the creation of the Acting Sub-Militia Council via the press and in response Borden recalled Hughes back to Canada. The council presided by Major-General John Wallace Carson, to which Hughes appointed his own son-in-law as secretary, began meeting weekly and formulating changes in policy. Criticism from

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Douglas Haig Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army. During the First World War, he commanded the British Expeditionar ...

, King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

and from within his own party gradually forced Borden to tighten control over Hughes. Dickson, 43 Hughes vigorously opposed the creation of the new ministry and when it became clear the new ministry would be created Hughes sought to have Max Aitken appointed to the new post instead of Perley. Borden stayed the course and

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 ...

P.C. 2651 of 1916 created the Minister of Overseas Military Forces position on 28 October 1916. Borden subsequently appointed Perley as Minister of Overseas Military Forces on 31 October 1916. Hughes after refusing to compromise subsequently berated Borden in a letter, after which point Hughes was forced to resign his ministerial post. With the resignation of Hughes, the Acting Sub-Militia Council lost its source of authourty, and less than a week into Perley's term as minister the council members submitted their resignation which were accepted. Albert Edward Kemp succeeded Perley in October 1917. With the end of conflict in Europe, the repatriation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force the final settlement of financial arrangements with the British government, the office was abolished on 8 June 1920 via Order of Council P.C. 1705 of 1920.

Role and organization

The Overseas Minister conducted all negotiations between the Canadian and British Governments concerning Canada's overseas forces and was assisted by an advisory council. The office of the new headquarters (including the General Staff, Adjutant General and Quartermaster General) was established in London at Argyll House, in Regent Street. The Adjutant General Branch was divided in four principal duties : Organization, Establishments, Mobilization and Demobilization; Supply of Military Personnel for the maintenance of the Forces in the field; Casualties and Invaliding; Personal Services, Discipline, Personal questions regarding Officers and Other Ranks, Records, Issuing and editing of Adjutant General's Orders, etc. The Medical, Dental, Chaplain and Record Services came under the Adjutant General's Department for general administration.

Ministers

References

Bibliography

* * * Overseas Military Forces Canada in World War I {{Canada-gov-stub

Formation

Role and organization

Ministers

See also

References

Bibliography