Life after war

Demobilizing and Recivilizing

“I have been thinking hard lately what I will do when I get back and wonder if I will be able to get work soon after I arrive ... I cannot really believe that we are all going home. It seems as if I have done nothing else but soldier all my life.”

It would still be many months after the fighting was over before the first Canadians came home. The 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions immediately made their way to England to await repatriation in demobilization camps. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions, originally part of the occupying force in Germany, joined their compatriots in England to await the journey home in January 1919.

The actual policies of demobilization were fraught with contrasting opinions. Soldiers, interested in seeing justice done, wanted a "first one in, first one out" policy for those who had been overseas the longest. The Government was interested in bringing back skilled workers first in order to avoid a recession during the transition to a peace-time economy. General Currie wanted battalions to be sent home as a whole to maintain order and a sense of unity. Eventually, a compromise was reached: complete units from the four divisions would be sent home to the tune of 100,000 men, less than half the total number of soldiers overseas. The remainder of the CEF would be organized into waves and their return would be staggered over a period of months.

Original copy of typed government document; blanks filled in with handwritten cursive. Document is brown and aged. — Discharge Certificate for Signaller Horace Dibblee

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Each man was given a certificate of discharge to prove they had served during the war and were no longer a member of the military. The certificate's declaration that Signaller Hubert Forster Dibblee signed in May 1919 is transcribed below. A physical description of Signaller Dibblee, similar to that recorded when he enlisted, is also included.
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Once the policy governing who would return when was settled, the issue of transportation became the next concern. The only ports open where Halifax and St. John, and their operational efficacy was compromised by the Spanish Flu; additionally, Halifax was still in the process of rebuilding following the Halifax explosion the previous year. The suitability of ships for transport and the capacity of railroads back home also caused difficulties and delays.

During the waiting period, keeping the soldiers occupied became crucial. The men rapidly grew bored and frustrated with the delays. Sports, hunting, and theatre were all ways to pass the time until the men could be shipped home. The Khaki University, created in 1917 to give enlisted men an introductory university education, expanded its program. 50,000 Canadians took courses to fill their idle hours. Despite these efforts to keep them occupied, complaints of drunk and disorderly behaviour were frequently raised against the Canadians.

Before boarding their ships, the Canadians were officially demobilized. They filled out forms, and underwent medical and dental examinations to determine their eligibility for a disability pension. Most of the Corps returned home in spring of 1919, with the last soldiers returning by August 1919. Once in Canada the men ended their military careers at the dispersal station, where they received their final cheques, war badge, and a discharge certificate before proceeding home.

Awaiting the returning soldiers were both Government and public support systems. In 1918, the Canadian Government created the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment to provide healthcare and pensions for the returning veterans. The goal of the Department was to help soldiers successfully reintegrate into Canadian society and become self-sufficient. Injuries sustained by many men prohibited them from returning to work. Unfortunately, many men were denied their deserved pensions and benefits due to unclear administrative policies and lack of education about mental health and chronic illness on the part of the Department.

Black and white newspaper article. — <em>Toronto Star</em>, 26 November 1925

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Although the Great War Veterans Association was the largest veterans' association in Canada, there were many other small ones. They all amalgamated on 25 November 1925, to better organize their lobbying power. The headlines declare news of the union, noting that Canadian "war heroes" had chosen to follow the advice of Field Marshall Haig. The full text of the brief article in the *Toronto Star* about the amalgamation is transcribed below.
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Toronto Star newspaper reporting about the pension rates for war veterans. — <em>Toronto Star</em>, 2 February 1919

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The Federal Government had set pension rates for each kind of disability: a primary purpose of the Great War Veterans' Association was to lobby for these rates to be raised, so veterans could live off their pension more comfortably. A *Toronto Star* article outlining the GWVA's proposed amendments to the government rates is transcribed below.
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Black and white photograph. Men, some in full uniform and some without shirts, sit around tables in a large room. The windows are open wide to let in light and air. Some of the men look at the camera. — Demobilization

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Black and white photograph. Nurses and soldiers sit on chairs or on the ground near a large tree. They ware weaving baskets. — Learning New Skills

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Black and white photograph. Women wave handkerchiefs on a dock while men board a ship. — S.S. Olympic

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Black and white photograph. Hundreds of men in military kilts walk beside a train, disembarking. The tracks run in between two grass hills ending in a cement wall; a reporter stands on the wall taking notes or a photograph. — De-training

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Of the 15 veterans associations in Canada, the Great War Veterans Association (GWVA) was the largest. Any person who had seen active service was eligible for membership. Founded in 1917, the Association's main goal was to perpetuate the ties formed by servicemen during the war, ensure their remembrance, and provided aid to needy veterans. After the war, the Association argued for more compensation for returned veterans.

In the mid-1920s the GWVA faced declining membership due to many other rival groups. Field Marshal Earl Haig, in a visit to Canada in 1925, encouraged Canadian veterans to amalgamate into one group. This recommendation resulted in the creation of the Canadian Legion, which grew steadily throughout the interwar period and after the Second World War. In 1960 the organization was granted Royal designation and became the Royal Canadian Legion.