The first duty of the R.F.C. comprised the securing of a continuous inflow of recruits, both mechanics and cadets, and while it was anticipated that difficulties would be encountered, local conditions as set forth below were such as to make the task unexpectedly arduous. The state of affairs in Canada, so far as concerns mechanics, was briefly as follows:—

The brightest point was the lively interest and very hearty coÖperation of every officer of the Department of Militia and Defence, and of every officer of the Canadian Forces throughout the Dominion. This coÖperation has been maintained throughout our work. Without it no success could have been attained. The spirit of good fellowship and help has been of inestimable value to all our recruiting officers, and later the same spirit, was encountered among the officials administering the Military Service Act, to whose work the operations of another force—engaged in recruiting men otherwise than through the Military Service Act organization, must have been a considerable trial. Instead of objections, the Corps encountered nothing but assistance.

At the end of January, 1917, recruiting offices were opened in Toronto and Hamilton, with a trade test party in each place. The latter was shortly withdrawn as being unproductive, and merged into a central test station at Toronto. Simultaneously, and owing to great distances to be travelled and to difficulties encountered in obtaining suitable accommodation and facilities for trade testing at other centres, it was decided to establish merely recruiting offices at outside stations; and offices were opened at Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver, each in charge of an experienced officer trained by ourselves, assisted by a staff of non-commissioned officers and men from England. Oral tests were conducted here, the practical examination being given after arrival in Toronto.

The question of publicity presented a problem, to solve which the following methods were employed:

This work was supplemented by addresses and recruiting meetings.

The cost of (4) was too high to be maintained, and the results of (1) and (2) were so discouraging in the first month that another scheme was evolved. As a result of a conference with the National Board, some 10,000 skilled workers who had volunteered for national service were circularized with attractive literature. From this form of publicity only 860 enlistments were obtained, extending over a period of nearly six months.

On investigation, it was found that the first method of publicity had been so long used by local Canadian Forces that the effect lacked novelty, whereas information conveyed in articles dealing with aviation always brought results. Since display advertisements, however, were a sure means of reaching the public, they were continued, inasmuch as they served to stimulate the interest of the newspaper, and thereby helped in the placing of news items.

The entry of the United States into the war made it possible to endeavour to recruit British subjects across the line. Quarters were secured in New York, and officers visited many of the larger towns, such as Chicago, Boston, Kansas City, St. Louis, Minneapolis, etc., where the British Recruiting Mission had offices, and gave every possible assistance. Occasional visits were paid to these points, except in the case of New York, where an officer was permanently stationed, and from New York came the bulk of the men enlisted in the United States. Altogether about 627 British subjects were thus enrolled.

Owing to the distances between centres and the scattered population, practically all applications for enlistment were dealt with by correspondence, whether from headquarters or out-stations. Transportation had then to be given to bring the applicant probably at least 300 miles for a Medical Board, after which, if successful in passing the oral tests, etc., he was transported to Toronto. This journey, in the case of a man enlisting in Vancouver, occupied four days and covered 2,500 miles. Sleeping accommodation was provided, also meals en route. None of these difficulties were encountered in England.

The Medical Boards placed at our disposal by the Department of Militia and Defence were accustomed to pass for military service, that is category “A.” For the purposes of the R.F.C., as it then was, men of lower category than “A” were quite suitable, as no pack had to be carried and there was little or no route marching. The composition of the brigade is, therefore, very largely of men not fit for active service, and who have been rejected time and time again by the C.E.F. At the outset, Boards absolutely refused to pass for us applicants of a lower medical category than “A,” this because the Board was held responsible for any man returned as unfit on arrival in England and charged with the cost of his transportation, etc. Further, the British practice of classifying men into “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “E” categories was not known. Each assistant director of medical service required to be acquainted with our methods and standards, causing, in consequence, considerable delay.

A further problem was that of pay. Whilst the Corps rate was 15c. higher for skilled labour than the Canadian forces for unskilled, a very high standard could not be set for trade test. The first question of each recruit was: “What is the pay?” “How much will my wife get?” and such answers as the recruiting officer could give were not very reassuring. In contrast with the Canadian overseas man, the prospect was, in truth, hardly attractive. The wife of the latter, owing to the benefactions of the Canadian Patriotic Fund (subscribed unofficially by Canadians) received $20.00 per month and $5.00 for each child, in addition to a percentage of her husband’s pay. As against this the brigade allowance looked meagre. The relief can be realized, therefore, when, a little later, the authorities of the Patriotic Fund, cognizant of the importance of R.F.C. work, and that R.F.C. recruits were principally married men, extended their generosity to the brigade as regarding men of category “A,” who were eligible for overseas service. Here, too, a tribute must be paid to R.F.C. men outside this category and unable to enjoy this special benefit. It speaks highly for the patriotism of Canadians that these mechanics carried cheerfully on, though under great personal and financial disadvantages.

In the early part of 1918, a number of category “A” men were liberated for the purpose of joining the C.E.F. and proceeded overseas, thus causing considerable shortage of labour in the Corps. Further recruiting appearing impossible, female labour was employed in the capacity of civilian subordinates. It was at first thought that these subordinates would be used only in unskilled trades and office routine, but it was soon evident that they could be trained for simpler and lighter mechanical work. A separate section being formed to handle recruiting and administration, a large number of patriotic women volunteered for duty with the Air Force, of whom 1,200 were selected. Through their work the brigade was tided over a serious shortage of labour. Unaccustomed to aeroplane work, and unacquainted with military routine, they have universally performed sterling service.

From the very first, civilian female subordinates were employed at headquarters and other units in a clerical capacity. In the autumn of 1918 they might have been seen in any of the shops or camps, dressed in dusters, caps and overalls, taking down engines, grinding valves, stripping aeroplanes and doing all forms of manual labour heretofore always performed by men. At the Repair Parks alone, 135 women were employed at technical trades, while at the various camps nearly 600 were carrying on as mechanics. In the capacity of motor drivers they rendered excellent service. A large proportion of the cars throughout the brigade at the present time are driven by them.

Too much praise cannot be given to the women who have been employed in many varying capacities by the R.A.F. throughout Canada. They have given the greatest satisfaction, and done their work in the most conscientious manner possible. Furthermore, in spite of many predictions, they have caused no trouble whatsoever, and submitted themselves apparently without effort to the necessary discipline of the Force.

The following notes, re female subordinates, may be of interest, showing their distribution:—

At the time of the signing of the armistice, over 7,000 men had been recruited for the mechanical section of the Royal Air Force, Canada. Nearly fifty per cent. of these were recruited by correspondence, and as many as 15,000 applications were handled through recruiting headquarters and the various out-stations.

Cadets.

When on May 1st, 1917, the campaign was commenced, the assistance of the Aero Club of Canada was enlisted, and this society used its organization as a recruiting agency.

At the same time, endeavours were made to approach the students of public schools and universities by extensive circularization. It was estimated that about 600 cadet recruits could be handled for training for the balance of 1917, and about 1,500 in 1918, but although thirty-odd schools and colleges were thus approached, the scheme was unproductive of results. It was decided, therefore, to try out more thoroughly the idea of civilian recruiting committees, and bodies composed of about three influential, public men were organized in the following cities:—

Toronto, Ontario.
Montreal, Quebec.
Charlottetown, P. E. I.
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Regina, Saskatchewan.
Calgary, Alberta.
Vancouver, British Columbia.

These committees, being furnished with our medical standards, were empowered to interview applicants, have them examined by the local Medical Board and apply for transportation to Toronto for final test and approval. It will be understood that the committees were not active recruiting agents. They simply passed opinion on the men sent to them by the wing, all applications being made through headquarters. The Royal Flying Corps was by this time becoming known and talked about throughout Canada. Publicity was better managed, and there were received on an average twenty applications per day from the whole of Canada. Uneasiness was felt about this time as to an adequate supply of cadets being available. The demand was continually increasing. Towards the summer of 1917 it reached 300 per month. A little later in the fall it rose to 400 and 500 a month, requiring in two months what in April, 1917, had been estimated as the need for two-thirds of the whole year.

A new plan was therefore necessary. Statistical research indicated that past efforts had not reached the public except in large centres. It was, in consequence, determined to enlarge the civilian committee plan, and establish committees in every town of 10,000 inhabitants and over, throughout the whole of Canada. In places of less than 10,000, the assistance of at least one important man was sought to accomplish this, and the Dominion was completely divided into five recruiting districts with headquarters offices at Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Each district was supplied with an officer in charge, and a second officer, whose duty it was to travel continually from place to place establishing committees and advise and assist those committees already established. The scheme proved very successful. About 350 civilian committees, with a total of over 1,000 members, were established throughout Canada, and the travelling officers, by the mere fact of their presence in the different towns, stimulated interest, and through interviews with local papers obtained publicity. Coincident with this, the matter of publicity was tackled in a serious way by a campaign whereby it was hoped to bring to the notice of every man in Canada the work being done by, or at least the name of, the Royal Air Force.

About this time the Military Service Act commenced to operate and there seemed a danger of all the available material being absorbed into C.E.F. units. A reserve class “B” was therefore started, and the surplus cadets were placed on this reserve.

From this time on, committees coÖperating more fully, the number of applicants steadily increased and there has been no difficulty since then in supplying the demand for cadets.

The difficulties encountered in cadet recruiting were:—

The brigade was handicapped from the commencement by the absolutely inadequate staff provided. It has only been by most strenuous efforts in training officers and men in the work that it was carried on at all.

At the time of the signing of the armistice, 9,200 cadets had been enlisted for service, while 35,000 applications had been handled by headquarters and the various outstations.

Records and Personnel Supply

Unusually complete records of cadets and airmen enlisted were kept from the very commencement of work in Canada. Where documents were sent to officer in charge Records and the War Office, duplicates were always kept. For this reason no change in organization or administration was necessary when in September, 1917, the General Officer Commanding was appointed officer in charge Records for Canada.

The continuous growth of the Air Force in Canada has meant a corresponding growth in records. From time to time demands outgrew systems, and it became necessary to remodel, so as to conform to Imperial administration and yet dovetail with existing regulations and conditions in Canada.

All posting of mechanics and of cadets throughout their training has been carried out by this unit. The records of the training of mechanics, and their progressive history from station to station, have been maintained by the individual card system. A complete history of each cadet from the time he first made application until the time he proceeded overseas, through every stage of training and every movement, has been kept in minute detail.

New departments required organization to deal with pensions and other subjects on which there was very little information available; while the work of handling other sections, such as, discharges, was continually on the increase.

In many cases the forms called for by K. R. were not available, new forms being printed locally, also those used by the Medical Services, which, although provided by the Canadian Militia, were often not applicable to Imperial requirements.

It is found, however, on demobilization, that the records are in excellent shape, and that the information at the disposal of this office is complete.

Space does not permit of the printing of the hundreds of individual names making up the personnel of those committees in various towns to which the Corps is so greatly indebted, but to each and all, the General Officer Commanding tenders in the name of the Royal Air Force, his most sincere and hearty thanks for work, without which such progress as may be credited to the brigade could not have been achieved.