Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 65 continued ... The soldiers of No. 2 Construction Battalion who remained in England were soon assigned to reserve infantry battalions where they conducted infantry training and menial labour while awaiting the call to serve at La Joux. In total, 67 became reinforcements for the company at La Joux; one group of 50 arrived in April and another of 17 in June. Most of the remainder went on to serve with Canadian Forestry Corps companies in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. Demobilization With the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the Forestry Corps was no longer required. To get a head start on repatriating soldiers to Canada before the planned departure of combat troops, Canadian Forestry Corps companies were returned to England. The first men of the CFC and No. 2 Construction Company began their return on 2 December 1918. A large group of soldiers from No. 2 Construction Battalion arrived in Kinmel Park in Wales in late December to await transport to Canada. On 7 January 1919, some of the men were attacked by white soldiers after the battalion’s (Black) sergeant tried to arrest a white soldier for insolence. The white soldiers refused to accept the rank and authority of the Black sergeant despite all of them being in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In the effort to quickly return soldiers to Canada, members of the battalion were put onto the first available ships. These included the RMS Aquitania, RMS Empress of Britain and RMS Olympic. When these troop ships arrived in Halifax in January 1919, the soldiers from outside Nova Scotia were placed on trains to be taken back to their province of enlistment. The majority of the battalion's soldiers returned on these three ships and were discharged by the end of February. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920 as Militia Headquarters dissolved the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Significance and Commemoration The men of No. 2 Construction Battalion showed the dedication of Black communities across Canada towards their country. It was the largest Black unit in the history of Canada and played an essential role in the lumber operations of the Canadian Forestry Corps in Jura and Alençon. Facing rejection and racism, Black men successfully pushed for recognition and an active role in the war. This success demonstrated that Black communities across the country had a political voice. No. 2 Construction Battalion (courtesy Museum Windsor/P6110) continued ... Robert Jamerson and Columbus Bowen
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