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When Your Number's Up: The Canadian Soldier in the First World War
Regardless of ancestry, background or status, almost every Canadian had a relative in the First World War. Yet very few of us realize what it was like or what exactly the Canadians were asked to do for country and king. How were these men trained? What was it like tin the trenches? Why did the early disasters of 1915 and 1916 end in the victories of 1918? How did soldiers find the courage to face death and terrible wounds? When your Number's Up is unique in that it deals directly with the lives of these soldiers; it is an upclose, personal view of a very terrible war.
The book begins with the "Old Originals" of 1914, describes recruiting, training, battle tactics, even the fate of Canadian prisoners of war. It tells of men who had very little understanding of what they had to brutal conditions, disease, mustard gas, trench warfare, and years away from home. Desmond Morton gets behind the battles and the generals and the politicians to give us fresh insight into the people who really make history.
The book begins with the "Old Originals" of 1914, describes recruiting, training, battle tactics, even the fate of Canadian prisoners of war. It tells of men who had very little understanding of what they had to brutal conditions, disease, mustard gas, trench warfare, and years away from home. Desmond Morton gets behind the battles and the generals and the politicians to give us fresh insight into the people who really make history.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 31, 2011
Excellent social history of the Canadian soldier in the First World War; also covers much ground in the area of tactics, organization, technology, weapons, and the experiences of prisoners of war, wounded soldiers, and returning veterans. Great source of information and extremely readable.
December 30, 2025
Published in 1993 and read by me in 2025, this book tells what The Great War was really like for the men in the trenches. Why did they join? What did they learn that transformed them into soldiers? Who were their officers? How did they fight and how in the end did they reach victory? What happened to the wounded and captured? What became of those who returned home? Morton covers the whole range of activities faced by an almost 100% civilian army. He covers how they volunteered, training camps in Canada and Great Britain, the trenches and battlefields and how they fought; initially and later. He also reminds us of the wars fought in the 19th century and early 20th century. This, of course, introduces nation-state activity and the ability to tax and conscript. The money is needed for automatic weapons, rapid fire artillery and poison gas; not to mention the tens and hundreds of thousands of soldiers in units and individual battles.
The vast numbers of wounded died with rudimentary medical care, resulting in families, farmers, factories and businesses all complaining over loved ones and young workers. Canada first tasted this during the Boer War at the turn of the 19th to 20th century. The numbers were small, and more died of disease than war.
Initially Canadians expected this war to be “over by Christmas” with earliest units to be back for New Year’s unless it was Christmas. Quickly, soldiers started dying and quickly the numbers grew. Numbers of dead, physically or psychologically damaged resulted in medical costs and pensions not significant in prior wars.
Morton covers the first and second contingencies to arrive through UK to France. Canada was responsible for equipment and clothing however little was available in Canada, and the quality was not up to standard. Soldiers in the first battles faced challenges such as shoes made of paper and rifles that stopped working when soldiers shot too quickly. Artillery was rationed to four to six shots per day per gun and officers were as ignorant as other ranks. He also covers the uniquely Canadian conflict between volunteer only, versus high percentage conscription. In preparation for the 1917 election, the government ensured that all soldiers, soldiers’ mothers, wives, and war widows were given the voting franchise some years before women were universally given the franchise. Training of soldiers and officers was also looked at with the good and the not so good.
The two strongest chapters titled “Up the Line”, and “Officers and Gentlemen” cover the war from mid 1916 to the end in 1918. During this period training and leadership has strengthened considerably. Morton covers the training, what is missing and how improvements begin to have impacts. By April 1917, Vimy, broader range of infantry equipment, improved artillery ammunition and usage, and improved air reconnaissance are all advanced. Perhaps the best improvement is perhaps infantry tactics, distribution of maps, visual training using models of target areas, and mostly passing responsibility down to all unit officers and NCOs. Nobody can say they don’t know what the objective is as everybody is taught. Loss of an officer no longer meant time to sit down.
Canadian prisoners of war, POWs, are rarely discussed however, Morton includes their treatment. Often, they were cold and hungry; decent food often came only with Red Cross packages. He also covers how morale is maintained in the Canadian Corps and how the wounded are moved around, and ultimately treated by medics, nurses and doctors. Of course, most are treated in France and returned to battle. The more seriously injured are moved to the UK and if necessary, returned to Canada. Both the permanently damaged, psychological and all rest are ultimately returned to Canada and released. Most of the soldiers returning to Canada, regardless of permanent damage or not, face a hard life. They have trouble keeping jobs if they can find them and many families are careful not to trigger what we now call PTSN symptoms. The great depression reduces family wealth of these men. The challenges forming a nation Legion represent the lack of any continuity of their post-war attitudes.
This book would interest people searching how Canadian soldiers were treated during the Great War. It tells how many different situations were faced by soldiers and how the army treats them. Highly recommended for Canadians. Morton is a good writer however, some of the material in this book related to soldiers’ families, widows and the permanently damaged is also included in other of his books. Readers can skip through these areas and focus on the soldiers and their situation during and after their battles. Four stars.
The vast numbers of wounded died with rudimentary medical care, resulting in families, farmers, factories and businesses all complaining over loved ones and young workers. Canada first tasted this during the Boer War at the turn of the 19th to 20th century. The numbers were small, and more died of disease than war.
Initially Canadians expected this war to be “over by Christmas” with earliest units to be back for New Year’s unless it was Christmas. Quickly, soldiers started dying and quickly the numbers grew. Numbers of dead, physically or psychologically damaged resulted in medical costs and pensions not significant in prior wars.
Morton covers the first and second contingencies to arrive through UK to France. Canada was responsible for equipment and clothing however little was available in Canada, and the quality was not up to standard. Soldiers in the first battles faced challenges such as shoes made of paper and rifles that stopped working when soldiers shot too quickly. Artillery was rationed to four to six shots per day per gun and officers were as ignorant as other ranks. He also covers the uniquely Canadian conflict between volunteer only, versus high percentage conscription. In preparation for the 1917 election, the government ensured that all soldiers, soldiers’ mothers, wives, and war widows were given the voting franchise some years before women were universally given the franchise. Training of soldiers and officers was also looked at with the good and the not so good.
The two strongest chapters titled “Up the Line”, and “Officers and Gentlemen” cover the war from mid 1916 to the end in 1918. During this period training and leadership has strengthened considerably. Morton covers the training, what is missing and how improvements begin to have impacts. By April 1917, Vimy, broader range of infantry equipment, improved artillery ammunition and usage, and improved air reconnaissance are all advanced. Perhaps the best improvement is perhaps infantry tactics, distribution of maps, visual training using models of target areas, and mostly passing responsibility down to all unit officers and NCOs. Nobody can say they don’t know what the objective is as everybody is taught. Loss of an officer no longer meant time to sit down.
Canadian prisoners of war, POWs, are rarely discussed however, Morton includes their treatment. Often, they were cold and hungry; decent food often came only with Red Cross packages. He also covers how morale is maintained in the Canadian Corps and how the wounded are moved around, and ultimately treated by medics, nurses and doctors. Of course, most are treated in France and returned to battle. The more seriously injured are moved to the UK and if necessary, returned to Canada. Both the permanently damaged, psychological and all rest are ultimately returned to Canada and released. Most of the soldiers returning to Canada, regardless of permanent damage or not, face a hard life. They have trouble keeping jobs if they can find them and many families are careful not to trigger what we now call PTSN symptoms. The great depression reduces family wealth of these men. The challenges forming a nation Legion represent the lack of any continuity of their post-war attitudes.
This book would interest people searching how Canadian soldiers were treated during the Great War. It tells how many different situations were faced by soldiers and how the army treats them. Highly recommended for Canadians. Morton is a good writer however, some of the material in this book related to soldiers’ families, widows and the permanently damaged is also included in other of his books. Readers can skip through these areas and focus on the soldiers and their situation during and after their battles. Four stars.
March 31, 2018
I don't know about warfare. I'm very vague as to World War One, other than it lasted from August 1914 to November 11, 1918 and that Vimy Ridge was a decisive battle in Canadian History. This book is not so much about battles and tactics, though generals do figure in it. It does not whoop with patriotic fervor, for which I'm thankful since I am a Mennonite and my conscientious objector's mindset would put up barriers to understanding "What were they like?", "What did they go through?", and "Why is it important to know about what happened to them and because of them a hundred years ago?" My heart is with the medical corpsmen and nurses and my sympathy with the soldiers who had to obey orders and suffer from wounds, gas, boredom, fear and trench-foot.
That's why I liked this book and why I recommend it. No cant. No purple prose about the glory of bleeding and dying for Canada. Not a lot of maps and arrows. The people involved in the First World War did demanding tasks and saw and experienced horrors. I can respect them and laugh and make sounds of shock when I read their stories. Mr. Morton is not against them or what they had to do. He's one of Canada's foremost military historians, so he would not write against war. But he lets us see that it was not all wonderful and not all horrible all the time. These guys then are like young guys now. Similar drives and desires and hates and longing for decent grub, clean sheets, mail from loved ones and to go home as soon as they can. That's what makes the wreaths and poppies and the two minutes of silence on Remembrance Day meaningful to me, and why we've got to become sane and humane as a species. All that bravery then is wasted if we don't teach and work for peace.
That's why I liked this book and why I recommend it. No cant. No purple prose about the glory of bleeding and dying for Canada. Not a lot of maps and arrows. The people involved in the First World War did demanding tasks and saw and experienced horrors. I can respect them and laugh and make sounds of shock when I read their stories. Mr. Morton is not against them or what they had to do. He's one of Canada's foremost military historians, so he would not write against war. But he lets us see that it was not all wonderful and not all horrible all the time. These guys then are like young guys now. Similar drives and desires and hates and longing for decent grub, clean sheets, mail from loved ones and to go home as soon as they can. That's what makes the wreaths and poppies and the two minutes of silence on Remembrance Day meaningful to me, and why we've got to become sane and humane as a species. All that bravery then is wasted if we don't teach and work for peace.
January 7, 2021
At first I was mainly annoyed by the seemingly disjointed structure. Like, several French quotes with no English translations were frustrating. By the midway point I tried to ignore these and found there was good information in it.
I was impressed with the follow up to the lives of returning soldiers at the end of the book but overall felt it should have been edited a little more vigorously.
I was impressed with the follow up to the lives of returning soldiers at the end of the book but overall felt it should have been edited a little more vigorously.
June 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this look at Canadians in the First World War. This is not an attempt to whitewash the experience but rather a sober account of Canada's participation, including all of the problems.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews