The No. 2 Construction Battalion, formed July 5, 1916 during WWI, was the first and only all-Black battalion in Canadian military history. This battalion was created because Black volunteers were initially rejected from serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Created as a segregated non-combatant all-Black unit to support the Canadian Expeditionary Force, it consisted of over 600 volunteers, mostly from Canada, the US, and the Caribbean. They faced severe racism but served with distinction, primarily performing forestry work, building roads, and maintaining infrastructure in France.
The battalion was organized in Nova Scotia and shipped to France in 1917. Their commanding officers were white but their Chaplain, Reverend Captain William Andrew White was black. This battalion was not allowed to carry weapons.
Following the end of the First World War, the unit was officially disbanded on September 15, 1920, without ceremony or recognition for their service or sacrifices on behalf of Canada.
In 2022, the Canadian Armed Forces awarded the battalion the “France and Flanders, 1917-18” Battle Honour, and Prime Minister Trudeau offered an official apology for the discrimination they faced and acknowledged the contributions and sacrifices of the members of No. 2 Construction Battalion and their families at an official ceremony held in Truro, Nova Scotia.
Today the 4 Engineer Support Regiment located at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, is the CAF entity responsible for the perpetuation of the No. 2 Construction Battalion.
Currently, the Department is taking steps to implement the recommendations from the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination. The Advisory Panel report will guide our future work to eliminate racism and discrimination in all forms.
The CAF takes every opportunity to learn from the past and build a better, more inclusive Canada for all. As we continue, as a country, to confront systemic racism, discrimination, and xenophobia in all its forms, the No. 2 Construction Battalion story will play an important role in ensuring this injustice never happens again.
