|
|
In 1914 only three thousand
men were on the roster of the regular Canadian army. An appeal
was immediately launched for recruits to join the Canadian Expeditionary
Force and, as in Britain, large numbers joined up during the euphoria
of the first months of the war.
|
High unemployment, newly arrived
British immigrants and the promise of regular pay, along with
pride, honour and glory, stimulated recruitment. Prime Minister
Borden was committed to avoiding conscription and, as the numbers
of volunteers swelled, it seemed that he would be able to keep
to his word.
Poster production was generally financed locally appealing to
the men to join their district battalions, that way they could
be together with others they knew from their community.
Click
to see a larger image (330K)
Here's Your Chance - It's Men We Want
[Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-200
Archives of Ontario, I0016180 |
![War Poster - Recruitment: Here's Your Chance - It's Men We Want [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16180_your_chance_270.jpg) |
![](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/pics/blue_dot.gif) |
In the early days of
the war the recruitment message was fairly passive, even jovial
and appealed to the pride of the prospective volunteers. But,
as the war progressed the posters became more forceful calling
on men to do their duty and used appropriate imagery to reinforce
the message. |
![War Poster - Recruitment: 'Send More Men' - Won't You Answer the Call [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16181_send_more_men_270.jpg)
Click to
see a larger image (428K)
'Send More Men' - Won't You Answer the Call
[Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-203
Archives of Ontario, I0016181
|
![War Poster - Recruitment: You Are No Exception - Join Now [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16179_no_exception_270.jpg)
Click to
see a larger image (262K)
You Are No Exception - Join Now
[Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-199
Archives of Ontario, I0016179 |
![](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/pics/blue_dot.gif) |
![War Poster - Recruitment: To the Women of Canada [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16138_plea_to_women_270.jpg) |
Other posters were designed to simply
shame men into doing their duty or targeted women who were asked
to use their influence to get their men folk to the recruiting
station.
Click to
see a larger image (178K)
To the Women of Canada [Canada],
[between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-263
Archives of Ontario, I0016138
|
![](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/pics/blue_dot.gif) |
Battalions were also created that encouraged men who had specialized
skills to enlist. For example, the recruitment poster for the
224th Canadian Forestry Battalion appealed to those with logging
and sawmill experience. In 1916 the British government requested
that a forestry battalion be raised in Canada for overseas service,
as forestry skills were in short supply in Britain and France.
Over 1,600 men were recruited in 6 weeks, mainly from Eastern
Ontario. The 224th, along with some other infantry battalions,
was absorbed into the Canadian Forestry Corps in 1916. Their
task was to clear airfields, prepare railway ties and produce
lumber for the building of trenches, barracks and hospitals.
Click
to see a larger image (444K)
Bushmen and Sawmill Hands Wanted
[Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-196
Archives of Ontario, I0016176 |
![War Poster - Recruitment: Bushmen and Sawmill Hands Wanted [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16176_bushmen_270.jpg)
|
![](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/pics/blue_dot.gif) |
As the war continued
the number of volunteers willing to serve overseas started to
dwindle and, as casualties increased, recruitment became more
and more urgent. In 1915, the Borden government bowed to pressure
from patriotic groups and allowed any civilian or community organization,
even individuals who could bear the expense, to raise their own
infantry battalion for overseas duty. By the end of 1915, over
300,000 men had volunteered for the armed forces. |
Posters appealed to various ethnic
and religious groups and encouraged men of Irish and Scottish
descent to join battalions made up of others from the same background
such as the Scottish 236th Kilties Battalion or the Sportsman’s
Company of the Irish Canadian Rangers.
Poster appeals were also made to French Canadians in an attempt
to encourage their participation but recruitment in Quebec met
with less success compared to the rest of the country. During
the War, 257 infantry battalions were raised throughout Canada.
Click
to see a larger image (271K)
All in One with the Irish Canadian Rangers
[Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-198
Archives of Ontario, I0016178 |
![War Poster - Recruitment: All in One with the Irish Canadian Rangers [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16178_all_in_one_270.jpg) |
![](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/pics/blue_dot.gif) |
![War Poster - Recruitment: Canadiens Canadiens français [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16177_mont_royal_270.jpg)
Click to
see a larger image (380K)
Canadiens français [Canada]
[between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-197
Archives of Ontario, I0016177 |
![War Poster - Recruitment: 5th Pioneer Battalion [Canada], [ca. 1915]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16183_5th_pioneers_270.jpg)
Click to
see a larger image (376K)
5th Pioneer Battalion [Canada], [ca. 1915]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-211
Archives of Ontario, I0016183 |
![](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/pics/blue_dot.gif) |
![War Poster - Recruitment: The Thin Khaki Line [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]](/web/20061219081056im_/http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/posters/pics/16184_thin_khaki_line_520.jpg)
Click to
see a larger image (170K)
The Thin Khaki Line [Canada], [between 1914 and 1918]
Creator unknown
Archives of Ontario War Poster Collection
Reference Code: C 233-2-0-4-267
Archives of Ontario, I0016184 |
During the four years of
the war, 628,000 Canadians would serve in the armed forces. By the
end of the war, 66,573 had been killed, and 138,166 wounded, a high
price to pay in relation to the country’s small population. |
|