Help with Uncles Service Records

[Interestednephew]

I was hoping someone would know what the Interim force was? My Uncle was a paratrooper in the 1st Canadian Parachute battalion and after the war on his service records it indicates that he was accepted into the Interim force. I have been unable to find out what that is or what it means. Thanks.
Ive sent an attachment of the service record that shows this entry.

Interim Force on service record?

Interim Force.jpg (74.68 KiB) Viewed 1909 times

[Temujin]

Welcome to our website…..you have his records, it may help me decipher if I could see the info before and after what you posted.

I’ve done research on hundreds of Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen, and I have not seen this before in a service record……

I “think” it means that he may have been accepted for the CAOF (Canadian Army Occupation Force) which took over ‘occupation’ duties of Germany…….but I could be wrong. What I’m looking for is anything that tells me “where and what unit he was assigned to before this note in his records” AND which unit, or what happened to him AFTER this record.

So anything additional would help me confirm what the records is telling us.

Also, if you would like to share his name (up to you of course) I might be able to search for info with that

Again, thank you for joining our site, and we’ll do all we can to help you

Cheers

[Temujin]

Did a little digging, and I was “incorrect” in my assumption in my first post to you.

The “Interim Force” was a name given and used during the re-organization of the Canadian Army after WW2. So this tells me he was accepted to remain in the Canadian Army “Interim Force” in Canada. The name was finally dropped later. Here’s a quick article on this

In the spring of 1946, the last contingents of Canadian soldiers returned from overseas. The federal government, concentrating on demobilization and re-integration of discharged military personnel, was intent on collecting the peace dividend. Military preparedness and planning were put on the back burner, but questions as to the composition and role of the post-war army had to be addressed. The focus was on home defence, and Interim Force, a plan implemented in 1946, proposed a small permanent force and a reserve army of six divisions and several independent armoured brigades, with a heavy emphasis on air defence against the perceived Soviet threat.

Source: https://milart.blog/2022/11/26/from-iso ... 1946-1968/

[Temujin]

Did a little digging, and I was “incorrect” in my assumption in my first post to you.

The “Interim Force” was a name given and used during the re-organization of the Canadian Army after WW2. So this tells me he was accepted to remain in the Canadian Army “Interim Force” in Canada. The name was finally dropped later. Here’s a quick article on this

In the spring of 1946, the last contingents of Canadian soldiers returned from overseas. The federal government, concentrating on demobilization and re-integration of discharged military personnel, was intent on collecting the peace dividend. Military preparedness and planning were put on the back burner, but questions as to the composition and role of the post-war army had to be addressed. The focus was on home defence, and Interim Force, a plan implemented in 1946, proposed a small permanent force and a reserve army of six divisions and several independent armoured brigades, with a heavy emphasis on air defence against the perceived Soviet threat.

Another bit of info:

The Canadian Army (Overseas) was dissolved in 1945 and 1946, and an "Interim Force" was created while deciding how to structure the postwar Permament Force. When this was decided, it was designated the Canadian Army Active Force. The Canadian Army (Reserve) was retitled the Canadian Army Reserve Force.
Source: https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/organi ... anarmy.htm

And, another source

In 1946, the “Interim Force” was gradually abolished in order to reconstitute the Canadian Army Active Force. Once the wartime battalion was stood down, the “Second Battalion” prefix was dropped.

The Regiment moved from Camp Shilo to Camp MacDonald, MB in January 1946.

Source: https://ppcli.com/ppcli-museum-descript ... -post-war/


So, from what I’ve read, it looks like the name “Interim Force” was a “temporary name given to the Peace Time (after 1945) Canadian Army until the government and Army HQ’s decided on the permanent make up of the Canadian Forces after the war.

[Interestednephew]

This is all great stuff. His name is Arthur Wellington Hodge Regimental number A-11289 and was part of the 1st Canadian Parachute Training Company but that named changed to the 1st Canadian Parachute Training Battalion. He received his wings and was in the UK but he did not have to fight in any of the battles. It appears that after the bn. was disbanded from Niagara-on-the-lake, he ended up in Woodstock at the S5 Driving and Mechanic School. At that time he was accepted for the Interim Force although im not sure if he was in Woodstock for just a month or until he was discharged. The records still show him as being paid as a paratrooper. My undersanding is that he had signed up to enter the japan war but of course didnt have to go ( family members had told me this). His Regimental number also changed when he was accepted into the Interim Force. Just another Letter attached in front of his number. There are also entries concerning his medical and an Awol item that has been blocked out. I am confused why and who blocked it out but i guess i can understand if it was done on purpose at the time. Thanks again guys. I have attached more service records.