Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Veterans' Civil Security Corps
- GA 101
- Primary Agency
- 1940-1945
In June 1940, the province of Saskatchewan held meetings with Col. C.D. La Nauze of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and representatives of veterans organizations (the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League, Army and Navy Veterans in Canada, Canadian Corps, Amputation Association of the Great War, Imperial Veterans in Canada, and Old Contemptibles) for the purposes of establishing a security force that would mediate and control anti-British activities. The discussions were inspired by a shared perception that the Federal government was taking insufficient steps to deal with peace and order at home. It was also believed that establishing an organization to identify "true" threats would reduce public paranoia and suspicion of persons of "enemy origin and those believed to have never fully assimilated into the traditions and loyalties of Canada. As a result, there would be less persecution and boycotting of innocent persons, businesses, and groups. Since the province was not eligible to establish military forces, the government instead provided an order in council on June 8, 1940 for the development of the Saskatchewan Veterans' Civil Security Corps (SVCSC). This organization comprised of volunteers with military backgrounds would support and cooperate with law enforcement agencies and civil governments to ensure the security and safety of the state and the public. The Corps did not advocate for the protection of veterans' rights nor function as "Home Guards" or veterans' reserve companies attached to established military units.
The Corps organized itself along military lines so that if the Government of Canada required an expansion of home defence, the Corps could be readily adapted for that purpose. The Corps established two battalions each in Saskatoon and Regina, and single battalions in North Battleford, Prince Albert, Yorkton, Moose Jaw-Swift Current, and Weyburn. The battalions followed the territorial divisions of the RCMP to better facilitate cooperation with that agency - and in the hopes of establishing a parallel presence in every community with an RCMP detachment. Under each battalion were companies, platoons, and sections. A corps headquarters was set up in Regina.
The Corps was administered by a Commandant (who also served as a Honourary Commissioner of the Provincial Police) and by a General Staff Officer. Brigadier-General Alex Ross served as the first Corps Commandant from 1940 until August 20, 1943 when he took the position in Ottawa of Director Civil Air Raid Precautions in Canada. Colonel Alfred Gaviller Styles, appointed Commandant by order in council 952/43 (August 20, 1943), succeeded him. Styles served in that capacity until 1945. The only other paid staff member was Captain J.F. McKay, who was retained as General Staff Officer of the Corps with order in council 787/40 (June 28, 1940). The Corps headquarters was responsible for activities such as administering expense claims of the battalion, coordinating further investigation by the RCMP and other law enforcement agencies including drawing in the assistance of Department of National Defence; producing and distributing orders, circulars and newsletters to battalions and other interested parties; providing updates on changes to officers (appointments, promotions, resignations); summarizing intelligence/information gathering activities of battalions and companies, and liaising with similar organizations. The Commandant was responsible for appointing battalion and subdivision commanding officers, who, in turn, selected the company commanders. All appointments were subject to approval of the immediate superior office and had to be confirmed by the Corps' headquarters. Officers commanding subdivisions and battalions were, as much as possible, persons holding commissioned rank either in the Canadian Militia or in the British Forces. Each battalion headquarters had an intelligence officer who was responsible for providing intelligence assignments and for liaison with the local subdivision officer of the RCMP. Individual battalions were responsible for the detection of activities that were prohibited by the Defence of Canada Regulations, conducting patrols, submitting strength returns, investigating charges of subversive activities, clearing innocent persons from false accusation of disloyalty, detecting the circulation of subversive literature, establishing intelligence gathering posts and allocating sufficient resources for complete geographic coverage, and coordinating training opportunities in marksmanship, fire fighting, first aid, air raid precautions, map reading, and counter-espionage.
General membership of the Corps was comprised of volunteers sworn in as special constables (as authorized by order in council 734/40) who were forbidden from acting as special constables. Initial membership in the Corps was confined to those persons who had seen active service in British or Commonwealth forces or with the RCMP, but the Corps later permitted associate membership for those persons who were over military age and/or were unable to participate in military service. Recruitment of members often proceeded with the assistance of local veterans organizations that were empowered to verify that applicants were of "good character and responsibility." Although members were volunteers, officers in the Corps were reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in operating the Corps.
On February 10, 1945 the Corps Commandant gave verbal orders to all subdivision and battalion commanders to stand down. The Province ceased funding to the Corps on April 30, 1945.