S-8 c.a.t.s.

Jholl72 · #1 29-04-09, 02:06

Hi guys,

I picked up a grouping and the vet was assigned to S-8 CATS. Is it possible to find out where this school was located and what trades they were teaching?

Mark W. Tonner · #2 29-04-09, 15:48

Serial 1231 - S 8 Canadian Army Trade School was located at Hamilton, Ontario.

Serial 1231 - S 24 Army Trade School was authorized under General Order Number 250 of 1941, effective 15 January 1941 and was re-designated Serial 1231 - S 8 Canadian Army Trade School under General Order Number 29 of 1943, effective 1 November 1942. Serial 1231 - S 8 Canadian Army Trade School was disbanded under General Order Number 198 of 1946, effective 29 April 1946.

The school opened in May 1941 and was designed to instruct 2000 soldiers at a time in a variety of trades: welder, electrician, carpenter, driver mechanic, bricklayer, blacksmith, clerk, armourer, equipment repairer, fitter, machinist, cook, coppersmith, motor mechanic and instrument mechanic. Personnel of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps also under went training at the school.

The War Diaries for the school can be found at Library & Archives Canada (Ottawa) under the File Title: S8 Army Trades School, Hamilton (Serial: 1231, Access code: 90, Finding Aid number: 24-60), the references for which are:

Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16897 (1941/02-1941/10)
Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16898 (1941/11-1942/04)
Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16899 (1942/05-1942/08)
Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16900 (1942/09-1943/05)
Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16901 (1943/06-1944/05)
Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16902 (1944/06-1945/05)
Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-3, Volume 16903 (1945/06-1946/04)

If you know Hamilton, the school was located on the east side of Kenilworth Avenue, just north of the Canadian National railway overpass on Kenilworth Avenue North (slightly north of the intersection of Barton Street & Kenilworth)

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Jholl72 · #3 04-05-09, 03:39

Hi Mark,
Thanks for taking the time to help me out. That information is exactly what I was looking for.
Is that information available on the Archives website? I did the usual forum searches and internet searches and didn't find that. I will have to check out the files you mentioned.
Thanks again for your help.

Mark W. Tonner · #4 04-05-09, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jholl72

Is that information available on the Archives website?

The file references for the school War Diary are available on the Archives website. The information concerning the ‘authorization’, ‘re-designation’ and ‘disbandment’ dates under General Orders is from my publication On Active Service, published by Service Publications; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located here: http://www.servicepub.com/. The rest of the information is from my own (ongoing) research notes concerning the Canadian Army during the period of August 1939 to September 1947.

Cheers

Jholl72 · #5 04-05-09, 22:17

All right, I will order a copy of your book from service pub. I just ordered some books from there and didn't see your title. It showed up on a search of the website just now.
I appreciate you sharing the fruits of your research and hard work.

Mark W. Tonner · #6 04-05-09, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jholl72

All right, I will order a copy of your book from service pub. I just ordered some books from there and didn't see your title. It showed up on a search of the website just now.
I appreciate you sharing the fruits of your research and hard work.

I was about to edit my post ... but you replied already

I had forgot to add that the file references for the school War Diary are located here: http://data4.collectionscanada.gc.ca...e.html&r=0&f=S, on the Library and Archives Canada website.

I'm getting slow I guess ...

Cheers

servicepub (RIP) · #7 04-05-09, 23:22

Mark,

I bemoan your lack of specificity in your initial reply and sincerely hope that in the future you will provide some detail in your responses.

Mark W. Tonner · #8 05-05-09, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by servicepub

Mark,

I bemoan your lack of specificity in your initial reply and sincerely hope that in the future you will provide some detail in your responses.

... picky, picky, picky ...

... I guess I should have included the following finer details:

1. - Upon authorization, Serial 1231 - S 24 Army Trade School (later re-designated S 8 Canadian Army Trade School) was established on Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/1, which was authorized effective 15 January 1941 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1941, dated 25 March 1941, under General Order Number 84 of 1941 (H.Q.S. 70-5-72D; P.C. 34/2056 of 25-3-41).

2. - Amendment No. 1 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/1 was authorized effective 1 November 1941 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1941, dated 14 November 1941, under General Order Number 256 of 1941(H.Q.S. 70-5-226A; P.C. 43/86000 of 5-11-41).

3. - Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/1 was superceded by Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/2 - effective 31 December 1941 and Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/2 - Amendment No. 1 was authorized effective 1 January 1942 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1942, dated 24 February 1942, under General Order Number 61 of 1942 (H.Q.S. 70-5-72D F.D.9; P.C. 38/1249 of 16-2-42).

4. - Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/2 was superceded by Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/3 - authorized effective 1 May 1942 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1942, dated 23 June 1942, under General Order Number 246 of 1942 (H.Q.S. 70-5-226A, f.d. 4; P.C. 24/5095 of 15-6-42).

5. - Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/1940/226A/3 was superceded by Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 - authorized effective 1 November 1942 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1942, dated 31 December 1942, under General Order Number 491 of 1942 (H.Q.S. 70-5-226A, f.d. 4; P.C. 67/11590 of 23 Dec 42).

6. - Amendment No. 1 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 1 June 1943 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1943, dated 19 June 1943, under General Order Number 255 of 1943 (H.Q.S. 70-W-1-M, F.D. 11; M.N.D.).

7. - Amendment No. 2 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 1 June 1943 and was published in Part “A” General Orders 1943, dated 25 August 1943, under General Order Number 356 of 1943 (H.Q.S. 70-W-1-M, F.D. 13; M.N.D.).

8. - Amendment No. 3 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 15 August 1943 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1943, dated 22 September 1943, under General Order Number 383 of 1943 (H.Q.S. 70-W-1-M, f.d. 14; M.N.D.).

9. - Amendment No. 4 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 1 October 1943 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1943, dated 20 November 1943, under General Order Number 466 of 1943 (H.Q.S. 70-W-1-AC, f.d. 5; M.N.D.).

10. - Amendment No. 5 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 15 February 1944 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1944, dated 27 May 1944, under General Order Number 254 of 1944 (H.Q.S. 70-W-1-M; M.N.D.).

11. - Amendment No. 6 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 15 June 1944 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1944, dated 11 August 1944, under General Order Number 363 of 1944 (H.Q.S. 70-5-226A, f.d. 14; M.N.D.).

12. - Amendment No. 9 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 31 May 1944 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1944, dated 25 October 1944, under General Order Number 481 of 1944 (H.Q.C. 70-5-598; H.Q.C. 20-1, f.d. 324; P.C. 74/7934 of 14 Oct 44).

13. - Amendment No. 10 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 15 November 1944 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1945, dated 20 January 1945, under General Order Number 19 of 1945 (H.Q.C. 70-W-1-M; M.N.D.).

14. - Amendment No. 11 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 1 January 1945 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1945, dated 24 February 1945, under General Order Number 61 of 1945 (H.Q.C. 70-W-1-M; M.N.D.).

15. - Amendment No. 12 to Home War Establishment - ‘A Canadian Army Trades School’ - Cdn. V/226A/4 was authorized effective 30 August 1945 and was published in Part “B” General Orders 1945, dated 8 November 1945, under General Order Number 380 of 1945 (H.Q.C. 70-5-629, f.d. 1; P.C. 134/6637 of 24 Oct 45).

... and I guess I should have included

... that the ‘Inspector General’ reports for the School (Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-1, Reel C-4985) can be found here:
http://data4.collectionscanada.gc.ca/netacgi/nph-brs?s1=File%3A+8328-645&s2=&s9=RG24&l=20&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESOFF&Sec t4=AND&Sect5=FINDPEN&Sect6=HITOFF&d=FIND&p=1&u=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2Farchiviane t%2F02010502_e.html&r=0&f=S on the Library & Archives Canada website

... and that the reports of the ‘District Officer Commanding’ for the School (Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-1, Reel C-4995) can be found here: http://data4.collectionscanada.gc.ca...e.html&r=0&f=S on the Library & Archives Canada website

... and that the file pertaining to the ‘Provision of Equipment’ for the School (Reference: RG24, National Defence, Series C-1, Reel C-5261) can be found here: http://data4.collectionscanada.gc.ca...e.html&r=0&f=S on the Library & Archives Canada website

... details, details, details ...

...

P.S. why are you reading the forum anyways ... should you not be working or something along those lines ...

... in my day, the only contact we had with the rest of the world while on mission was through Astra, Ontario ... or by ham radio from Camp Maple Leaf ... how things have changed ...

servicepub (RIP) · #9 05-05-09, 23:29

Quote:

P.S. why are you reading the forum anyways ... should you not be working or something along those lines ...

Oh oh, nailed.

Someone has to keep an eye on the home front in order to ensure that the standards are maintained

Quote:

... in my day, the only contact we had with the rest of the world while on mission was through Astra, Ontario ... or by ham radio from Camp Maple Leaf ... how things have changed ...

Yes, but the world has evolved since you were a legionnaire conquering Gaul and the land of the Huns