Canadian Forestry Corps The Canadian Forestry Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army with its own cap badge , and other insignia and traditions . The Canadian Forestry Corps was created 14 Nov 1916 . The badge of the Canadian Forestry Corps consists of a circle , with a beaver on top , superimposed on a pair of crossed axes , with the text " Canadian Forestry Corps " around the edge . At the center of the circle is a maple leaf with a King ' s Crown . The Canadian Forestry Corps was disbanded in 1920 . It was reformed in 1940 then disbanded again in 1945 . First World War . The Forestry Corps was created during the First World War when it was discovered that huge quantities of wood were needed for use on the Western Front . Duckboards , shoring timbers , crates — anything that needed wood had to be provided . The British government concluded that there was nobody more experienced or qualified in the British Empire to harvest timber than the Canadians . At first the idea was to harvest the trees from Canada ' s abundant forests and bring them overseas . But space aboard merchant ships was at a premium , so rather than stuff ships ' holds with timber , it was decided to use the Canadians over in Europe , cutting down forests in the UK and France . Several regiments originally slated for the front lines became military lumberjack units instead . Canadian troops with their coniferous - tree cap badges identifying them as the Canadian Forestry Corps cut trees in forests in England , Scotland and France , where the timber was squared , sawed and transported . The CFC also built aerodromes in France for the ever - burgeoning Royal Flying Corps . Altogether , some 35 , 000 Canadians served in the Forestry Corps — which eventually was composed of dozens of companies ( each composed of several hundred workers ) . Although individual troops in emergency situations were sent to fight on the front lines the CFC usually served well back of the fighting . Occasionally , Forestry Corps units were employed as labour units for the Canadian Corps on the front lines with duties such as stockpiling artillery ammunition , assisting in the quick construction of rail and road systems in the wake of attacking troops , or in helping to evacuate the wounded . Towards the final two years of the war , more and more Canadian soldiers volunteered for the Forestry Corps , as it was viewed by many as a way to serve the country without facing the German Army in direct conflict . Many members were also underaged volunteers — who had lied about their age to be accepted for overseas service , but were strongly suspected to be under the age of 19 and not legally allowed to service in combat . The Corps was not without casualties however , accidents like those which would occur in a forestry camp in Canada were not uncommon : power saws , machinery and transport all took lives . Additionally , particularly during the last 100 days of the War , the Forestry Corps was repeatedly combed for volunteers for transfer into the infantry . War artist Alfred Munnings was invited by the Corps to tour work camps , and he produced drawings , watercolors and paintings , including " Draft Horses , Lumber Mill in the Forest of Dreux " in France in 1918 . This painting , amongst others , was amongst the forty - five canvasses which were shown at the " Canadian War Records Exhibition " at the Royal Academy after war ' s end . Second World War . The disbanded Forestry Corps was reinstated for service in the Second World War . Canadian National War Memorial . The Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa has a statue figure of a member of the Canadian Forestry Corps upon it near the back of the memorial . The CFC is largely forgotten today but played an important role in the eventual Allied victory in World War I . Newfoundland . Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949 but was at the time a separate Dominion of the British Empire and had its own wartime forestry unit . During World War I the Newfoundland Forestry Battalion was formed on Apr 2 1917 , comprising about 500 men . During World War II a unit was formed known as the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit ( or NOFU ) .