Building the Army's Backbone: Canadian Non-Commissioned Officers in the Second World War

Canada's army expanded rapidly in September 1939, and senior leadership created a corps of skilled non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to help the force train, fight, and win. This innovative book uncovers the army's two-track NCO-production system, which included locally organized training programs and centralized training and talent-distribution programs. The army circulated its best-trained NCOs between operational forces, the reinforcement pool, and the training system to bring coherence to the approach.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 04 February 2022
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press

Canada's small army underwent a remarkable expansion in September 1939, transforming into a wartime force of nearly half a million soldiers. However, the army's success depended on the backbone of skilled non-commissioned officers (NCOs), including corporals, sergeants, and warrant officers. To create this backbone, senior leadership implemented a two-track NCO-production system. Locally organized training programs were run by units and formations, while centralized training and talent-distribution programs were overseen by the army. Additionally, the army circulated its best-trained NCOs between operational forces, the reinforcement pool, and the training system, ensuring that the corps of NCOs possessed the necessary skills in leadership, tactics, and instruction to help the army succeed in battle. Building the Army's Backbone is an innovative book that uncovers the army's two-track NCO-production system and its impact on the army's success.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780774866965