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Britain’s
declaration of war did not automatically
commit Canada, as had been the case in
1914. But there was never serious doubt
about Canada’s response: the government
and people were united in support of
Britain and France. After Parliament
debated the matter, Canada declared war
on Germany on 10 September. Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King promised
that only volunteers would serve overseas.
Canada
was unprepared for war. The regular army
of 4500 men, augmented by 51,000 partly-trained
reservists, possessed virtually no modern
equipment. The air force had fewer than
20 modern combat aircraft while the navy’s
combat potential consisted of only six
destroyers, the smallest class of ocean-going
warships. It was a modest beginning.
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