When we think of the two World Wars, we think mostly of the men on the front-lines moving from location to location through barbed wire, trenches, and dusty villages trying to gain the upper hand. We forget sometimes, that there had to be someone (or many someone’s) behind their movement. The war was a highly organized operation with many levels and purposes of military personnel. But who was in charge of the reconnaissance and information? Turns out it was the Canadian Intelligence Corps and the Thunder Bay Museum has a uniform from this military corps in its collection.
When I came across this uniform while I was cataloguing I was instantly intrigued. I had already seen plenty of uniforms from combat soldiers, but here was someone involved behind the scenes. The motto of the corps, as indicated on the collar pins, was “Action from Knowledge” and that struck me as both profound and unique. Also, unlike many of the uniforms in the collection, this one retains many of its original wearers’ insignia and medals. Frequently, they are removed from the uniform before they are donated to the Museum but not so with this uniform. This makes it rife with opportunity to learn more about the wearer. We will start at the top and work our way down to see what we can discover about this uniform.
What is the Canadian Intelligence Corps?
The “C Int C” was the administrative corps overseeing Canadian military intelligence units from 1942 until it merged with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy to form the Security and Intelligence Branch of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968.[i]
The origin of the C Int C began in 1903 when the Canadian Corps of Guides was created. The Corps’ job was to gather detailed and accurate information on an area of combat in the event of a war. During the First World War, members of the Canadian Corps of Guides participated in analyzing and interpreting data which had been gathered from observations as well as from prisoners of war. They were also involved in the Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion which was involved in reconnaissance during the war. [ii]
During the Second World War it was obvious that expertise of Canadian intelligence officers would once again be required and so the C Int C was established. Their work throughout the War was essential to many of the Canadian Army’s and Allies’ successes and their expertise was provided during every major battle during the War. [iii]
Today, the duties of a Canadian Intelligence officer are listed as the following on the recruitment website:
“Intelligence Officers provide military intelligence support in operations, planning and decision-making. Their work has an impact on military and national security, and the political and public relations of the government.
The primary responsibilities of Intelligence Officers are to:
- Recognize and analyze information which is likely to affect military operations, national policies and objectives
- Command, direct and control an intelligence unit, section or team
- Operate and manage information technology systems
- Advise and plan employment of sophisticated intelligence collection and surveillance systems
- Safeguard highly classified material”[iv]
What do we know about the owner of this uniform?
Name: Lt. D. B. Clark – So far, I have run a number of searches but have not yet found any records matching this name.
Issued: November 29, 1951
Created by: Ben Flesher
Flesher’s was a Civil and Military tailor in Ottawa, Ontario. The shop was originally opened by Ben’s father, Joseph, who emigrated from Kiev, Russia (born there in 1876) to Ottawa in 1904. Joseph was a member of the Ottawa Hebrew Benefit Society until his death on January 10, 1955. It seems that his son Ben had taken over his father’s business prior to his death. [v] Flesher’s continued to operate in Ottawa until at least 1969.
What can we learn from this uniform?
1) Clark eventually moved up through the ranks from Lieutenant to Captain as indicated by the stars present on the shoulder straps.[vi]
2) Despite this uniform being issued in 1951, there is evidence that Clark served overseas during the Second World War nearly a decade earlier.
The bars above the left breast pocket indicate a series of medals which were issued during the Second World War. It is likely that the medals themselves were kept by the family before the uniform was donated to the Museum. Their meanings are as follows:
- Far left at top (3 equal stripes of blue, red, and pale blue): 1939 – 1945 star – Issued between 2 September 1939 and 8 May 1945 for 6 months service on active operations in the Army[vii]
- Top Right (5 equal stripes of blue, white, red, white, and blue): The France and Germany star was awarded for one or more days of active service in France, Belgium, Holland, or Germany between 6 June 1944 (D Day) and 8 May 1945.[viii]
- Bottom left (green, black and orange): Defence Medal - the following is a direct quote:
“Although the medal was usually awarded to Canadians for six months’ service in Britain between 03 September 1939 and 08 May 1945, the exact terms were: Service in the forces in non-operational areas subjected to air attack or closely threatened, providing such service lasted for three or more years. Service overseas or outside the country of residence, providing that such service lasted for one year, except in territories threatened by the enemy or subject to bomb attacks, in which case it was six months prior to 02 September 1945.”[ix]
- Middle bottom (green, red, and blue with maple leaf): Canadian Volunteer Service Medal: This medal was awarded to those who voluntarily served in any rank of the Army, Navy, or Air force and honorably completed eighteen months voluntary service between 3 September 1939 and 1 march 1947. [x]
- Bottom right (red, blue, and white): War Medal 1939 – 1945 – this medal was awarded to full time Armed Forces personnel who served 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945[xi]
3) Clark remained in the C Int C until at least 1956 as that was when the forage cap with the green band as seen here was issued.
Conclusion
What all of this means, as best as I can decipher, is that based on his rank of lieutenant in 1951 when this uniform was issued to him, and based on his military service as identified by his medals, he was most likely a second lieutenant or lower during the Second World War. What I would guess, is that Capt. Clark originally volunteered to join the war sometime after 1942 and was selected to join the Canadian Intelligence Corps. Likely, he was trained for sometime by the intelligence corps before beginning active duty. While C Int C active duty was often non-combat, it does not mean that he was safe from the perils of war and many C Int C officers were lost during the war.
Based on his France and Germany star and the absence of an Italy star, it would seem that he served during the Allied army’s advance through north west Europe in 1944 – 45. And, it is possible, that he remained in Europe after the war to assist with the liquidation of the German Intelligence Offices.
The Canadian Intelligence Corps was responsible for all of the collection of information. They would be the people who interrogated prisoners, analyzed photographs, assessed reports from combat personnel for important details, deciphered Axis code sent over the radio, and were generally in contact with the most classified information of the entire war. Their work was essential to the Allies’ victory and hopefully one day we will know even more about who Capt. D. B. Clark was and how his uniform came to be included in the collection at the Thunder Bay Museum.
[i] https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/corpsbranches/intelligencecorps.htm [ii] http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/news-publications/national-news-details-no-menu.page?doc=canadian-intelligence-corps-name-reinstated/j92z82ls [iii] http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/news-publications/national-news-details-no-menu.page?doc=canadian-intelligence-corps-name-reinstated/j92z82ls [iv] https://forces.ca/en/career/intelligence-officer/ [v] https://www.newspapers.com/clip/291952/the-ottawa-journal/ [vi] https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/insignia/rankandappointmentinsignia.htm [vii] https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/11 [viii] https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/19 [ix] https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/20 [x] https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/21 [xi] https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/23