Building the Army’s Backbone

Building the Army’s Backbone reveals how the creation of Canada’s Second World War corps of non-commissioned officers helped the force train, fight, and win.

Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew L. Brown is an assistant professor of history at the Royal Military College of Canada. With over three decades of service in the army, he has served in a variety of positions at home and on operations abroad. His research focuses on army manpower issues in the first half of the twentieth century, especially in the Second World War.

"Overall, [Brown] presents a narrative of NCO development that is contextualised within the Canadian Army’s wider wartime activities. It is a thoroughly valuable contribution to the historiography"

John M. Hinck:

"Andrew Brown…has credibly produced a historiographic masterpiece…It is a significant read for every NCO, military leaders, instructors, and historians, and anyone who wants to know how key conditions were set for Canadian military success in the Second World War."

Roger Sarty, Wilfrid Laurier University:

"The author, a lieutenant colonel who began his military career as a non-commissioned member, brings his own professional insight in explaining the multiple roles and responsibilities of NCOs, and the increasing demands placed on them as the war progressed."

Lee Windsor, associate professor, Department of History, University of New Brunswick:

This is a critical new book on the history of raising and training effective Canadian forces.

Geoffrey Hayes, professor, Department of History, University of Waterloo:

Integrating a wide body of rich archival research with the voice of the soldier, Building the Army’s Backbone provides unprecedented insights into the army’s wartime training. This is a considerable achievement.