Canadian Expeditionary Force (5) Machine Gun Corps

Canadian Machine Gun Corps

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

1997.28.395.

Canadian Machine-Gun Corps

(DND Photo)

Canadian Machine Gun crew with gas masks and .303 Vickers machine gun.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

1997.28.44.

The Canadian Machine Gun Corps (CMGC) was an administrative corps of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) and of the Canadian Militia.  It was part of the CEF sent to France during the First World War. The Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was organized in the Permanent Force on 16 April 1917. The Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was redesignated the Royal Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade on 16 June 1921. The Royal Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was disbanded on 1 November 1923. The Non-Permanent Active Militia component of the CMGC continued to serve until it was disbanded as part of the 1936 Canadian Militia reorganization, and its roles were transferred to the newly formed infantry (machine gun) battalions. The CMGC donated a wall plaque at St. George's Church in Ypres. (C.S. Grafton.  The Canadian Emma Gees; a history of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. (London, Ontario: The Canadian Machine Gun Corps Association, 1938)

The Canadian Machine Gun Corps was formed on 16 April 1917 and the official publication of the formation occurred in the Canadians' Routine Order 558 of 22 February 1917. It was initially composed of: Machine Gun Squadron, Canadian Cavalry Brigade, Machine gun companies, 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade and motor machine gun batteries, A depot organized in England on 4 January 1917 (authorized by Canadians' Routine Order 150 of same date). During the Battle of Vimy Ridge the CMGC, with some British units, used a total of 362 Vickers guns. 104 guns went forward with the infantry while 258 were used in the indirect barrage role. Nearly 5 million rounds of ammunition were allocated for the barrage. Lieutenant Hugh McKenzie was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 30 October 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele. This unit was allied with the Machine Gun Corps of the British Army.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

1997.28.63. CMGC collar dog.

CEF Canadian Machine Gun units

Three different machine gun elements were to serve in the CEF during the war. The Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron, the Motor Machine Gun squadrons, (later brigades), and infantry machine gun sections, these later being augmented with brigade machine gun companies and eventually divisional machine gun brigades under command of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps.

1st Canadian Machine Gun Squadron

The Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron was formed at Tully in France from the machine gun sections of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (RC), and the Fort Gary Horse under command of Captain W.T. Lawless (Permanent Force) on 20 February 1916 but command passed to Major W.R. Walker on 5 March 1916 and later on the same day to Major J.H. Boulter. The Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron was equipped with the .303-inch Lewis light machine gun. The designation being altered to the 1st Canadian Machine Gun Squadron on 4 April 1917.

(Privat Collection Photo)

The Eaton Machine Gun Battery was mobilized on 1 January 1915, under the patronage of Sir John Craig Eaton and arrived in England on 15 June. In January 1916, the name was changed to the Eaton Motor Machine Gun Battery. When the battery arrived in France on 26 February, it served as part of the 3rd Canadian Division. From July 1916 to June 1918, it was transferred to the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade as D Battery, and the troops were allowed to wear their own badges. In June 1918, the battery was absorbed into the 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Battery as B Battery.

“A”, “B”, Borden, Eaton, Yukon Batteries

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th Machine-Gun Companies

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The Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade

Independent Motor Machine Gun Companies

Although prior to the War the Canadian Government was slow to adopt the Machine Gun some far sighted individuals saw that in any future conflict this weapon would hold a decisive role. Major Raymond Bruitinel persuaded a number of wealthy Canadian Businessmen to defray the cost of purchasing the equipment for an armoured car battery. Eight armoured cars, each with two colt machine guns, 12 unarmored trucks , four cars, 18 motorcycles (scouts) and a motor ambulance. On 29 August 1914 Sir Clifford Sifton’s offer was accepted and Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1 was formed with a compliment of nine Officers and 114 other ranks. The armoured cars being built by the Autocar Company of Ardmore, Pennsylvania to Bruitinel design.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3395368)

Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade Carrier, France, April 1918.

‍Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1

(The Canadian) Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1, or Sifton’s Battery, was formed under General Order 150 of 15 September 1914 and sailed for England with the 1st Contingent in October 1914, where it was located at Bustard Camp. The AMGB was joined in England by the ‘Houghton Detachment’. This was a group of 2 Officers and 55 OR’s who enlisted at Winnipeg and Port Arthur as a machine gun section for the Fort Garry Horse, though not part of the battalion establishment. One officer and 15 OR‘s sailed with the 6th Battalion (FGH) on 3 October 1914. The rest of the detachment, one officer and 40 OR‘s arrived too late to sail as part of the 1st Contingent and sailed in civilian clothes at their own expense to Scotland where the British Army arranged their transport to join the rest of the detachment on Salisbury Plains, where the unit became part of the Automobile Machine Gun Brigade. The Automobile Machine Gun Brigade did not sail for France with the 1st Division but remained in England attached to the British South Eastern Mounted Brigade at Ashford in Kent on a Home Defence role until June 1915. The brass ‘AMGB’ over a Colt machine gun ‘regimental’ shoulder title is believed to be a post war pattern.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3623108)

Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade Carrier, Amiens, France, 8 August 1918.

The Independent Machine gun Batteries

After the 1st Automobile Motor Machine Gun Corps had been raised and proceeded to England with the first Contingent three other machine gun batteries, two of them motorized, were raised with financing from private funds. All three proceeded to England with the 2nd Division although the War Office had advised against their inclusion, and they sailed without equipment or vehicles.

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Borden’s Armoured Battery

Borden’s Armoured Battery, named for the Prime Minister Robert Borden, was raised in Ottawa and Northern Ontario under General Order 86 of 1 July 1914, the first members of the unit, two officers and 16 OR‘s, having been taken on strength by 31 December 1914. Legend on the collar badges reads ‘Borden’s Armoured Battery’.

Notes

The Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade was formed, overseas, in 1916 by the amalgamation of 5 units: The 1st Battery of Automobile MG brigade became Battery A; The 2nd Battery of Automobile MG brigade became Battery B; The Borden's Motor MG Battery became Battery C; Eatons Motor MG Battery became Battery D; and Boyle's Yukon Motor MG battery became Battery E.

(York Sunbury Historical Society, Fredericton Region Museum Collection, Author Photo)

1997.28.

In 1917 the Canadian Machine Gun Corps was created with the following units: 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade; 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 3rd Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 4th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 5th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 6th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 7th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 8th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 9th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 10th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 11th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 12th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 13th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 14th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; 15th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company; and 16th Canadian Motor Machine Gun company.