Canadian Military Engineers

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The Canadian Military Engineers (CME) is the military engineering branch of the Canadian Forces.

Canadian Military Engineers
Canadian Military Engineers

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The mission of the Canadian Military Engineers is to contribute to the survival, mobility, and combat effectiveness of the Canadian Forces. Their roles are to conduct combat operations, support the Canadian Forces in war and peace, support national development, provide assistance to civil authorities, and support international aid programs. Engineers serve wherever the need arises.

Military engineers’ responsibilities encompass the use of demolitions and land mines, the design, construction and maintenance of defensive works and fortifications, lines of communications, and bridges. They also provide water, power and other utilities, provide fire, aircraft crash and rescue services, hazardous material operations, and develop maps and other engineering intelligence. In addition, military engineers are experts in deception and concealment, as well as the design and development of equipment necessary to carry out these operations.

Following the Boer War the Canadian Government realized that the defence of Canada required more than just a single infantry battalion and a few artillery batteries as part of the permanent defence force. In 1903 The Royal Canadian Engineers were founded as the basis of the permanent military engineers, while the militia had the Canadian Engineer Corps created.

One of the first tasks completed by the engineers after the declaration of war upon Germany in 1914 was for the rapid development of the Valcartier training site in Quebec. At its peak size 30,000 men where stationed here before the 1st Canadian Division was deployed to England.

When the 1st Division arrived on the front in Belgium they were accompanied by field companies of the Canadian Engineer Corps (men recruited into the service after the start of the war were part of the Militia branch and not the regulars). These troops were responsible for construction of defences, sanitation systems, water supplies, bridging, and assisting with trench raids.

One of the most important functions of the Sappers during the war was to dig tunnels underneath enemy trenches, with which to plant explosives to destroy them. At the Battle of Vimy Ridge, several such mines were used to win the battle.

During the war the only Victoria Cross the Royal Canadian Engineers ever received was earned by Captain C. N. Mitchell for actions on 8 October 1918.

In total, more than 40 000 Canadians served as Engineers during the war, 14 000 on the front on the last day of the war.

Upon demoblization, the permanent force of Engineers was changed to 38 officers and 249 other ranks.

On 29 April 1936, the Milita and Permanent components were joined to form the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers. On this date the Militia adopted the cap badge used by the regulars.

On 1 February 1968 The Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force were official unified as the Canadian Armed forces (now Canadian Forces). As such the Royal Canadian Engineers, Royal Canadian Navy Civil Engineers and Royal Canadian Air Force Construction Division were amalgamated. However, the new branch went under the name Royal Canadian Engineers until 1973. At that point the branch was officially named as the Canadian Military Engineers.

The role of the Canadian Military Engineers has been expanding. The regular force component has been expanding the size of their units, due to the current missions of the Canadian Forces.

As well, the reserve component of the CME is about to begin a reorganization. The Current plan is that each reserve Brigade will have a single "Combat Engineer Regiment" like their regular force components. This was first done for 31 Canadian Brigade Group when The Elgin Regiment (RCAC) was converted to Engineers as 31 Combat Engineer Regiment. 3 of the 2 of the Field Engineer Regiments have been converted already with the last, 8 Field Engineer Regiment to be changed within a year. Two Field Engineer Squadrons, 56 FES and 45 FES, are to be renamed as "Engineer Squadrons" but retain their numbering. The renaming Field Engineer Squadrons are to emagulated under new or recreated Regiments. [1]

HM Queen Elizabeth II is the Colonel-in-Chief of the CME. She had previously been Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Engineers unit unification in 1967. On the occasion of her Silver Jubilee she was re-affirmed as Colonel-in-Chief. King George V, Edward VIII (albeit briefly), and George VI have all served as previous Colonels-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Engineers.

Due to their associate with the Royal Engineers, King George V granted the RCE the same mottos as the Royal Engineers.

Ubique (Latin, "Everywhere") serves as a substitution for the battle honours the Corps would have obtained if they were a line regiment.

Quo fas et gloria ducunt (Latin, "Whither right and glory lead")

From shortly after their creation until 1967, the Royal Canadian Engineers had a nearly identical cap badge as that of the Royal Engineers. This consisted of the Cipher of the Reigning monarch, surrounded by the Garter, surrmounted by the crown with the words Royal Canadian Engineers on the scroll at the bottom, and surrounded by maple leaves instead of laurels.

The current cap badge came to its current form after unification. Since the Royal Canadian Engineer cap badge was representative only of the army, a new one was developed. In bilingual format, the words Engineers and Genie appear on the current cap badge indicating the bilingual nature of the CME. The word Ubique also appears, confirming that the Engineers are present everywhere the Canadian Forces goes.

The CME greeting, toast and battlecry is "CHIMO" - pronounced CHEE-mo. This expression is also often used as a closing on correspondence between Engineers. The word itself is derived from the Inuktitut greeting saimo, and rought translates as "hello," "goodbye," "peace be with you". The current spelling and pronunciation is based on a Caucasian adaptation of the native language. The greeting was introduced during the time of unification to create a common tradition to the CME. As well, the corps was also heavy involved with the development of Canada's North at the time. [2]

The Engineer Prayer was created for 2 Field Engineer Regiment by Major Hugh Macdonald, the unit's Padre. It goes as follows:

Almighty God, we pray thee to bless the Canadian Military Engineers. May our bridges always stand, and our charges never fail, our members be ever loyal, and our officers worthy of their loyalty. May we work diligently in all our purposes and be skilled in our trades; steadfast for Queen and Country everywhere. Amen. [3]

The Canadian Military Engineers have no patron saint but Engineers often participate in artillery celebrations honouring St. Barbara, the patron saint of the artillery. Engineers, along with the Artillery and miners, celebrate her feast day on December 4th.

Preceded by:
Royal Canadian Artillery		 Canadian Military Engineers Succeeded by:
Communications and Electronics Branch


 
Canadian Forces Personnel Branches
Air Operations Branch | Band Branch | Cadet Instructors Cadre | Canadian Forces Medical Service | Canadian Forces Military Police | Canadian Military Engineers | Chaplain Branch | Communications and Electronics Branch | Dental Branch | Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch | Intelligence Branch | Legal Branch | Logistics Branch | Naval Operations Branch | Personnel Selection Branch | Public Affairs Branch | Royal Canadian Armoured Corps | Royal Canadian Infantry Corps | Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery | Training Development Branch
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Military_Engineers"
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