WWII Units

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by gary_bath_jr

Hey All

I am looking for information regarding what Canadian unit/division/battalion would have been in Northern BC (or close to it) during and immediately after the construction of the Alaska highway.

The MVPA found an American unit (Northern Command) was here, picture attached, but I would like to know what Canadian unit would have been around. I know that we had western command but was there a Northern Command?
Gary

Gary;

Not quite what you looking for, but, at the time of the construction of the Alaska Highway (March to October 1942), the highway itself within BC, and the Yukon, was within Pacific Command (2 December 1940 to 23 January 1946). Western Command succeeded Pacific Command, on 23 January 1946.

When the US Army transferred the portion of the highway that went through BC and the Yukon, to Canadian control on 1 April 1946, it fell under control of the Canadian Army’s, Headquarters (Northwest Highway System) (under Western Command), with under command:

- Northwest Highway Maintenance Establishment
- No. 1 Road Maintenance Company, RCE (Northwest Highway System)
- No. 17 Engineers Service and Works Company, RCE (Northwest Highway System)
- No. 19 Company, RCASC (Northwest Highway System)
- No. 16 Company, RCEME (Northwest Highway System)
- No. 16 Detachment, RCAMC (Northwest Highway System)

these units were redesignated:

- Headquarters, Northwest Highway System
- North West Highway Maintenance Establishment (RCE)
- No. 1 Road Maintenance Company (Northwest Highway System), RCE
- No. 17 Works Company, RCE (Northwest Highway System)
- No. 19 Company (Northwest Highway System), RCASC
- No. 16 Company, RCEME (Northwest Highway System)
- No. 16 Detachment (Northwest Highway System), RCAMC

and embodied into the Canadian Army’s Post-War Permanent Force on 1 October 1946

Cheers