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Canadian Officers Training Corps fonds

With the outbreak of World War I, the University Council appointed a Committee on Military Instruction which authorized the teaching of military science and tactics. A university corps was organized in the fall semester of the 1914-1915 year with 64 students taking extra classes to qualify as officers. On March 1, 1915, the Canadian Officers Training Corps (C.O.T.C.) of the University of Manitoba was established. Eight companies of 60 men of all ranks were formed with Professor E.P. Fetherstonhaugh as captain and adjutant. In 1915, the Western Universities Battalion was formed with the University of Manitoba contributing one company and one platoon. With the introduction of conscription legislation in 1917, military training was made compulsory for all male students. After the First World War, the C.O.T.C. program was reorganized, in 1920, by Lt. Col. N.B. Maclean, but it continued in relative obscurity for almost twenty years.

With the outbreak of World War II, the C.O.T.C. was quickly revitalized and its membership mushroomed, from its peace time level of 150 to 800. The Senate also passed regulations relating to academic credits or bonuses for students who joined the C.O.T.C. By 1942, all male students were once again required to enlist in a compulsory programme of military training. The C.O.T.C. continued the work of military training on a voluntary basis after World War II with new modernized and attractive programmes, but with the return of peace its popularity rapidly declined.

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: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people greeting each other at a Tri-Service ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people greeting each other at a Tri-Service ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people greeting each other at a Tri-Service ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people shaking hands at a Tri-Service ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people shaking hands at a Tri-Service ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of the resident staff officers of the University of Manitoba COTC and their wives. Left to right: R. J. Burnett, commanding officer; Donaleen Greenfield; F. J. McGilly; Joyce Irwin; F. G. Baxter, and Mrs. F. G. Baxter.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people in a receving line at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of the commanding officers of the University ROTC and their wives. Left to right: Ruth Bellan, Ruben C. Bellan, Mary Bennett, Lawrence Bennett, Rosa Robinson, and Arthur G. Robinson.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people walking around a buffet table at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people seated on couches and talking at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people in a receving line at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of six students at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people standing in a receiving line at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people in a receiving line at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of people in a receiving line at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC members in Air Force control tower; A photograph of four COTC members being shown the operations of a Royal Canadian Air Force control tower.

: COTC members in training; A photograph, from above, of a group of COTC members gathered around a machine gun during a training session.

: COTC members in training; A photograph of COTC members looking on and laughing as a machine gun is shown at a training session.

: COTC members in training; A photograph of COTC members looking on as they are taught to load a large gun.

: COTC members in training; A photograph of COTC members loading or unloading a truck in a training session.

: COTC members in training; A photograph of COTC members loading or unloading a truck during training.

: COTC members in uniform; A photograph of COTC members during training, arranged in three rows. A staff officer, next to a gun, is seated in front of the students.

: COTC members outdoors; A candid photograph of three unidentified University of Manitoba COTC members outdoors in winter.

: COTC members outdoors; A candid photograph of four unidentified University of Manitoba COTC members outdoors in winter.

: COTC members outdoors at training camp, 1945; A photograph of a group of COTC members outdoors while at training camp in 1945. They are carrying rifles and wearing backpacks.

: COTC members working on salvage drive; A photograph of University of Manitoba COTC members outdoors in winter, collecting metal for a salvage drive.

: COTC members working on salvage drive; A photograph of three unidentified University of Manitoba COTC members outdoors in winter, collecting metal for a salvage drive.

: COTC officer; A photograph of an unidentified COTC officer in uniform.

: COTC officer; A photograph of an unidentified COTC officer in uniform. This black-and-white portrait depicts the man sitting at a desk with a logbook of some sort.

: COTC officers and cadets; A photograph of a group of COTC officers and cadets, arranged in three rows.

: COTC officers in conversation; A candid photograph of four unidentified COTC officers having a conversation outdoors.

: COTC staff officers; A photograph of COTC staff officers. This black-and-white photograph depicts the officers in two rows outdoors. Some are identified. Back row, left to right: Ridgeway, Foreman. Front row, left to right: Murray, Riedel, Buxton, Middleton, Millward, Carscallen, Martyn, Porter, Solin, Herbert, Fraser.

: COTC staff officers & wives at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of six college students at a COTC Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC staff officers & wives at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of officers of the University of Manitoba COTC and their wives. Left to right: Rosa Robinson, Arthur Robinson, Mrs. J. B. Rollit, Joyce McKay, R. Parr, and Donna McKay.

: COTC staff officers & wives at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of three COTC staff officers and their wives at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC staff officers & wives at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of four COTC staff officers and their wives at a Tri-Service Ball.

: COTC staff officers & wives in receiving line at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of three COTC staff officers and their wives in a receiving line at a Tri-Service Ball. Several unidentified students are in line to greet them.

: COTC staff officers & wives in reception line at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of officers of the University of Manitoba COTC and their wives. In the reception line, left to right: Mrs. L. C. Olien, L. C. Olien, Rosa Robinson, Arthur Robinson, Mrs. J. B. Rollit, Mary Bennett, Lawrence Bennett, Ruth Bellan, and Ruben Bellan. In the other line, left to right: Mrs. G. H. Booth, G. H. Booth, Joyce Irwin, and F. J. McGilly.

: COTC staff officers & wives in reception line at Tri-Service Ball; A photograph of COTC staff officers and their wives in a receiving line at a Tri-Service Ball. Left to right: Mrs. L. C. Olien, L. C. Olien, Rosa Robinson, Arthur Robinson, Mrs. J. B. Rollit, Mary Bennett, and G. E. Mainman.

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Canadian Officers Training Corps fonds

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