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August 4, 1914
The United Kingdom declares war on Germany
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October 4, 1914
The first combat recruits of the newly formed Newfoundland Regiment depart St. John’s
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February 1917
The UK Government alerts Newfoundland Prime Minister Edward Morris of its interest in a forestry unit
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April 4, 1917
The terms for creating a military forestry unit are formalized and Governor Davidson issues a call for volunteers
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April 16, 1917
The name of the unit is confirmed: the Newfoundland Forestry Companies (NFC)
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April 17, 1917
Enlistment begins
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April/May 1917
Recruits train at the Catholic Cadet Corps building in St. John’s
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May 19, 1917
The first draft of 99 foresters departs St. John’s for Halifax aboard SS Florizel
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June 2, 1917
The first draft departs Halifax aboard HMS Olympic (arriving in Liverpool, England, June 9)
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June 27, 1917
The NFC begins cutting at Craigvinean Hill near Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland
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June 1918
The NFC moves to Drummond Hill, near Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland
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August 20, 1918
The Great War Veterans’ Association of Newfoundland forms to advance the interests and well-being of veterans
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November 11, 1918
The Armistice is signed and the Great War ends
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January 1919
The NFC finishes milling the remaining felled timber at Kenmore, concluding operations in Scotland
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February 1919
Most NFC soldiers return home
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August 26, 1919
The NFC is disbanded
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September 1, 1919
The Forestry Commission forms to rebuild forests in the UK harvested during the war
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July 1, 1924
The National War Memorial by the St. John’s waterfront is unveiled. It features figures of a soldier, a sailor, a mariner, and a forester
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September 3, 1939
The UK declares war on Germany
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September 1939
The UK Government and Governor Humphrey T. Walwyn of Newfoundland begin discussing the urgent need for a forestry unit to support the war effort
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November 17, 1939
Newfoundland’s Commission of Government agrees to recruit a civilian unit of 2,000 foresters for immediate deployment
In a radio broadcast, Minister of Natural Resources J. H. Gorvin calls for NOFU volunteers
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November 18, 1939
An Act Respecting the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit (1939) is passed
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December 13, 1939
The first draft of 350 foresters departs St. John’s (arriving in Liverpool, England, December 18)
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January 1940
NOFU members live at Ministry of Labour youth training camps until they build their own logging camps
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March 1940
A second recruitment effort results in 1,000 more forester recruits
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May 1940
NOFU members overseas are recruited for UK Home Guard units
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July 1940
NOFU members are issued a brass lapel pin featuring a caribou head and the official name of the unit
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May 1941
A third recruitment call results in 400 additional men for the NOFU
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September 30, 1942
The 3rd Inverness (Newfoundland) Battalion Home Guard unit is formed entirely of NOFU volunteers
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January 1944
The NOFU takes over camps previously operated by the British Honduras Forestry Unit
The NOFU starts supplying timber to some Canadian Forestry Corps
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October 1, 1944
The Newfoundland Overseas Foresters Association forms to promote the interests of NOFU members in the UK and at home
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December 31, 1944
The 3rd Inverness (Newfoundland) Battalion Home Guard unit stands down
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May 8, 1945
Victory in Europe (V-E) Day marks the end of the Second World War in Europe
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May 1945
NOFU members are asked to remain in the UK on short-term contracts until imports are rebuilt (and about a thousand agree)
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1946
The Forestry Commission begins a large-scale reforestation program to rebuild Scottish forests clear-cut during the war and many Newfoundland foresters take part
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March 31, 1946
The NOFU is disbanded
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June 8, 1946
The 3rd Inverness (Newfoundland) Battalion represents Newfoundland in the Victory Parade, London
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July 31, 1946
The last NOFU members return home by the end of the month
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April 1, 1949
Newfoundland joins Canada as its tenth province
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1962
The Government of Canada recognizes the contribution of Second World War foresters in the Civilian War Pensions and Allowances Act
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1993
The Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal Act authorizes medals for units (including NOFU) that contributed to the war effort
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May 6, 1995
A memorial is unveiled at Grand Falls-Windsor to honour members of the NOFU who died in service and are buried overseas
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October 20, 2000
Bill C-41 makes NOFU members eligible for benefits and pensions through the Pension Act, more than fifty years after the Second World War ends
