1st Canadian Forestry Group, La Roche-en-Ardennes, 1944

[Mike Cecil]

The Forestry Units that served in the UK from Commonwealth armies (Canada, New Zealand and Australia) were (in most cases) raised and allocated to Britain at British government request. All personnel had to have forestry experience, and the number of units requested from each country by Britain was proportional to the size of the civilian forestry industry in the immediate pre-war era, hence Canada provided the largest number of units, with Australia and then NZ following along way behind in numbers.

Aust raised four units: three forestry operations units (2/1, 2/2, 2/3 Aust Forestry) and an overseeing organizational Headquarters unit.

Mike C

[John McGillivray]

Here is a link to the CMHQ Report 029 dealing with the Canadian Forestry Corps for the period 1939 to 1941.

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-...hq/CMHQ-29.pdf

from 1941 to 1943

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-...hq/cmhq097.pdf

1943 to 1944

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-...hq/CMHQ117.pdf

and 1944 to 1945

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-...hq/cmhq151.pdf

[John McGillivray]

British Pathe films are now on YouTube. Here is a piece on the Canadian Forestry Corps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HqG-QMyTZk