Canadian Expeditionary Force (20) Canadian Ordnance Corps

Canadian Ordnance Corps

(Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

1997.28.391. 1997.28.600.

Canadian Ordnance Corps

The Canadian Ordnance Corps served as a component of the Quarter-Master General’s Branch. The duties of the Ordnance Corps were to provide clothing, rifles, guns, equipment and ammunition and to maintain supplies of the same; and to provide the personnel to maintain the efficiency of equipment in the field. The Permanent Force component of the Corps was authorized 1 July 1903 under the designation Ordnance Stores Corp. Badges were authorized under General Order 30 of 1904 which reads in part ‘Collar: Gilt or gilding metal, The Ordnance Arms surmounted by the Beaver; height, 17/8-inches; width, 1 ¼-inches. On Puggaree and cloth Forage cap. Same as for collar badge, with a scroll below inscribed “Ordnance.” Height 1-5/8, width 1 ¼-inches. The title was changed to ‘The’ Canadian Ordnance Corps 2 December 1907. A Militia component was authorized 1 April 1912 as the Canadian Ordnance Corps this with three detachments No. 1 at London, No. 2 at Toronto and No. 3 at Kingston.

Thirty two all ranks of the (PF) Canadian Ordnance Corps sailed for England with the first contingent in October 1914, where an Ordnance Depot was established at Ashford in Kent, in the spring of 1915. The C.O.C. personnel were attested into the C.E.F. at Salisbury in England in February 1915. The only other listed numbers block is for No. 9 Detachment from Halifax in1918 these troops remaining in Canada. The establishment in England rose to 118 all ranks by September 1915. Overseas the maximum number of C.O.C. personnel serving with the C.E.F. was 25 Officers and 1,291 other ranks this in August 1917 by 31 December 1918 this number had been reduced to 20 Officers and 642 other ranks. An Ordnance Armourer Sergeant served with each infantry battalion and an Ordnance Armament Artificer with each artillery brigade. In the field each division was assigned a C.O.C. Armourer Sergeant Major, each infantry brigade an Armourer Quarter-Master Sergeant and each battalion an Armourer Staff-Sergeant. For the Canadian Artillery, the C.O.C. maintained two Light and one Medium Ordnance Mobile Workshops, which were attached to the Canadian Corps. In addition each battery of Heavy or Siege Artillery was assigned a C.O.C. Armament Officer. In the field, equipment that became unfit for use was returned to an Ordnance Corps Depot for repair. In the field, minor repairs were performed by Ordnance Mobile Workshops. The personnel of the Ordnance Workshops at the base depots comprised of armourers, wheelwrights, tailors, cobblers, carpenters etc. These men being selected from other units and trained for their special duties.

Canadian Arms Inspection Department

On arrival in England in 1915 a small repair shop the Canadian Arms Inspection and Repair Depot(C.A.I.R.D.) was established this small unit wearing its own distinctive badges these being authorized 31 October 1915.

(Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

1997.28.391. 1997.28.599.

‍