# Canadian Scottish Regiment ww2



## cantankerous (8 May 2008)

I'm trying to gather some information on my Fathers Regiment in WW2. All I know is his regiment was call Canadian Scottish Regiment he lived in Toronto at the time, I was hoping to find out some of the battles he and his unit fought. Also can someone directed me a government office that can give me some information on my father? I would be forever grateful.


----------



## Michael OLeary (9 May 2008)

You can order his service records from the Library and Archives Canada:

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogie/022-909.007-e.html

Battle honours for the regiment can be found here (http://regimentalrogue.com/battlehonours/bathnrinf/46-csr.htm), but this will not be an all-inclusive list of every action the regiment fought.  You will also need his file to confirm exactly when he was with the unit in the field.


----------



## dangerboy (9 May 2008)

In Toronto there is "The Toronto Scottish Regiment". The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) is located in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay, British Columbia. But there is no reason why a Toronto resident would not be in a BC regiment. For history of the Canadian Scottish try this link.

http://www.army.gc.ca/canadian_scottish/


----------



## angiem28 (26 May 2008)

cantankerous said:
			
		

> I'm trying to gather some information on my Fathers Regiment in WW2. All I know is his regiment was call Canadian Scottish Regiment he lived in Toronto at the time, I was hoping to find out some of the battles he and his unit fought. Also can someone directed me a government office that can give me some information on my father? I would be forever grateful.




I too am searching for information on a Pte that served in this regiment Charlie Patterson, he's my Great Uncle and ive been searching for around  yrs for info on him.  Canadian restrictions make it quite difficult tho does anyone have any suggestions plz? 
Thank u in advance
Angie
xx


----------



## armyvern (26 May 2008)

Angie,

Did you really just blow kisses to us all!!??  

Thanks.  

It is hard to find information on individuals on the internet, especially "official" information, facts, data due to privacy concerns covered under the Privacy Act.

As suggested below, a request through Freedom of Information will likely garner you the best results in obtaining "official" information and records data.


----------



## angiem28 (26 May 2008)

:-* why of course I did  ;D lol

Thank u im going to try the sites above tho I must say it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack   :-\


----------



## 3rd Herd (27 May 2008)

angiem28 said:
			
		

> :-* why of course I did  ;D lol
> 
> Thank u im going to try the sites above tho I must say it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack   :-\



Special Collections 


Military Collections 


The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) 
An Inventory of Regimental Records
Prepared by Kim Willey
Victoria, British Columbia
University of Victoria Special Collections
1999
Introduction

The records of the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) were donated to the University of Victoria Special Collections between 1976 and 1999. They document the Regiment's activities from the First World War onwards. They will be of special interest to researchers studying military history, and complement many other military records housed at the University of Victoria Archives/Special Collections. Researchers may, in particular, wish to consult the finding aids of the records of Dr. Reginald Roy, as well as the records of the Canadian Army. Finding aids for these fonds can be found in the University of Victoria Special Collections. In addition, a photograph index has been created for all the photographs located within the records of Canadian Scottish Regiment and related organizations and individuals. This index can also be found in the University of Victoria Special Collections.

Main Entry: Canada. Army. Canadian Scottish Regiment.

Title: The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) fonds.

Dates: 1920 - 1991.

Extent: 4.5 metres of textual records. -- 290 photographs. -- 181 maps.

http://gateway.uvic.ca/spcoll/Mil/canscots.html#Ser%20II


----------



## angiem28 (27 May 2008)

Oh wow ty so very much 3rd herd  :-*   

I wonder if any one can answer this for me plz  did Canada hae national call up into the army like britain used to?  if so when did that end? and also how old would someone be to be called up?  ty


----------



## 3rd Herd (28 May 2008)

angiem28 said:
			
		

> I wonder if any one can answer this for me plz  did Canada hae national call up into the army like britain used to?  if so when did that end? and also how old would someone be to be called up?  ty



The simple answer:

"CONSCRIPTION
1939-1945
In 1944, Ottawa imposed limited conscription for overseas service.
When the war broke out, the main federal political parties agreed there would be no conscription for overseas service. Following the defeat of France in June 1940, Parliament passed the National Resources Mobilization Act, which introduced conscription for service in Canada only. In April 1942, the federal government held a national plebiscite asking Canadians to release it from its “no conscription” pledge if, in the future, Ottawa decided conscripts were needed overseas. While across Canada more than 70% of Canadians voted “yes”, four-fifths of Quebecers voted “no”. As in 1917-1918, the nation divided along linguistic lines.

In November 1944, after heavy losses in front-line infantry units serving in Northwest Europe and Italy, Ottawa authorized the dispatch of 16,000 home defence conscripts overseas. Beginning in January 1945, 13,000 proceeded to Britain, but only a few thousand entered combat in Europe before the war ended. Canada’s war overseas was almost entirely a volunteer effort. "http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/chrono/1931conscription_e.html

Politics and Government: Conscription

"Conscription, or compulsory military service, divided the nation in the Second World War and threatened the survival of political leaders. In 1939 Prime Minister Mackenzie King, conscious of the opposition of French-speaking Quebec to conscription in the First World War, promised that there would be no conscription for overseas service. By mid-1940, however, there was enormous pressure from English Canada for total mobilization of manpower. King introduced the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA), which called for a national registration of eligible men and authorized conscription for home defence. From April 1941 the young men called up were required to serve for the rest of the war on home defence duties.

But this was not enough for some in English-Canada, which provided the bulk of the volunteers for the armed forces. They had an uncomplimentary name for the NRMA conscripts, calling them "zombies" - the living dead, only half human, who peopled horror movies. Increasingly, there was pressure on the "zombies" to volunteer for overseas service.

With the entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 came further demands for overseas conscription. In a plebiscite of April 1942, King asked Canadians to release him from his 1939 promise. Overall, the "Yes" side won, with 64%, but Quebeckers voted 73% against and many other non-English-Canadians were also opposed. The NRMA was amended to allow conscription for overseas service, but for now King went no further because there were sufficient volunteers still available.

Fighting in Normandy after D-Day led to high casualty rates among the infantry. J.L. Ralston, Minister of National Defence, was convinced that it was essential to send conscripts overseas as reinforcements. When his Cabinet colleagues could not agree, King forced him to resign and turned to General A.G.L. McNaughton as the new Minister in a last-ditch effort to avoid conscription. But McNaughton too, despite his great prestige, was unable to find enough NRMA men willing to volunteer. On November 22, 1944, King was forced to reverse his position and order conscripts overseas.

Some 13,000 NRMA men eventually left Canada, but only 2,463 reached units in the field before the end of the fighting. 69 died in battle.

Related Newspaper Articles
The Conscription Issue
The Globe and Mail, 19/09/1939
  
Canada Hesitates Over Wider Draft
The New York Times, 11/01/1942
  
A Plebiscite!
The Globe and Mail, 23/01/1942
  
Justifies His Stand
The Hamilton Spectator, 27/01/1942
  
Canada Holding War Plebiscite
The New York Times, 25/04/1942
  
Canada Keeps the Faith
The Hamilton Spectator, 28/04/1942
  
Girls Refuse to Work Under 'Zombie' CSM
The Globe And Mail, 22/08/1944
  
The Conscription Question Must Be Settled Now
The Toronto Telegram, 02/11/1944
  
Armed Violence Threat Holds Unit in Camp
The Globe And Mail, 29/11/1944
  
Reveal 12,000 N.R.M.A. Troops Went Overseas
The Hamilton Spectator, 09/07/1945 "

http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/newspapers/canadawar/conscription_e.html


----------



## angiem28 (28 May 2008)

Thank you 3rd Herd god that is so sad ((((  fancy calling them zombies :-[  

Now I know why although I am vey proud and grateful  of my Granfathers  Uncles & All you army guys  for fighting these  wars I do so hate them  :'(  

This venture into past times is sure hard to swallow   but thank you for giving me an insight 

Angie
xx


----------



## cantankerous (14 Jun 2010)

It's been awhile but I have sent for mt father record as was suggested here, I was told it would be at least 7 to 8 months wait but hey I waited for 60 years another year won't hurt.

I just wanted  to thank everyone here for all the help.


----------

