Evening star., 1940-06-26

men, by terms OF their enlistments,
are solely for service within the bor-
ders Of their own countries. Today
II one Of the regulars is included
in an overseas detachment he must
voluntarily re-enlist. Canada's army
is one of citizen soldiers led by citi-
zen officers. The commander in
chief, Maj. Gen. A. G. L. McNaugh-
ton, who is now with the 1st Over
seas Division in England, is q scien-
tist and head of the Canadian Re-
search Council in civilian life-al-
though he is described as zone of
the frst artillerymen in the en-
pire." His brigadiers. colonels and
majors likewise are civilians mer-
chants, lawyers, doctors who have
rushed to arms at the menace of
Hitler, destroying the way of life
OF which they consider their own
country to be a supreme example.
Commanded BY Heroes.
1t is an army commanded by
heroes. Nearly every one of its
of1cers now overseas was decorated
for bravery in action during the
first World War and a good many
OF them served in the ranks. Can
ada has hardly trace of an officer
class-men born to the tradition of
command.
Within a few weeks of the start
OF this war about $500 veterans of
the first World War were clamoring
to Join up" in any capacity from
buck private to major general, and
the officers now overseas were
among these. Others who held COM
missions in the last war are serving
in the ranks.
The biographical list Of officers
OF the 1st Division gives a vivid
impression of the citizen" char
acter of the troops Canada will
hurl against Hitler. Take Gen. Nc
Naughton, the Dominion's "Persh-
Ing" He was a militia officer at
the start OF the first World War.
Twice he was wounded in action and
three times mentioned in orders. In
command of the artillery, of this di-
vision, is Col. c. v. Stockwell, an
other World War militia officer
twice wounded and three times
mentioned in dispatches.
All Have Experience.
Col. c. S. l.. Hertzberg, comman-
Ger OF the division engineers. start
ed his career as an enlisted man in
a militia company, was severely
wounded in 1915 and is a veteran
OF the Siberian Expeditionarv Force
Commanders of two infantry b,a-
gades served in the ranks as pri-
Yates. Brigadier G. r. Pearkes was
an enlisted man in the British Armv
VINO came to Canada and ioined
the Royal Northwest Mounted Police
shortly before the Great War. when
ne again enlisted as private. He
was commissioned from the ranks
IN France. Five times he was wound
ed In action. At Passchendaele he
won the Victoria Cross, highest of
all British military decorations, and
the citation stressed his supreme
contempt OF danger" Also COM
mandlng an infantry brigade is
Col. c. B. Price, Montreal business
man, who started his military career
IN the last war as private in the
canadian militia and was COM
mlssloned only after winning the
Distinguished Service Medal at the
second battle of Ypres. He also
carries three bullet wounds from
his service in Flanders.
Ithaca ORC ay,lx,
on the list but they are a fair SAM
pie OF all. Canada is sending over
seas IN command of her troops
with very few exceptions men from
civilian life who themselves have
marched in the ranks, who are ex-
perlenced Hun fighters" and near
ly all OF whom have carried for 20
years scars of old bullet or shrapnel
wounds.
Want to Go Again.
There are plenty more like them
among the $500 veterans of the
Flanders battlefields who are clam
orlng for another crack at the re-
Vlved enemy of civilization. About
o,o00 OF them have been accepted
for home defense service and are
now guarding strategic points, such
as Niagara Falls, and various pro-
ouction plants where there is fear
OF flfth column activities.
In the first 10 months of the pres
ent war a total of 1858 have gone
into the army, navy and air force.
Four divisions, each with its auxil-
liary troops to consist of about 20
600 men, are being built I'D around