Prior to the beginning of the Second World War, the state of the Military Police in Canada was similar to that before the First World War: a few locally appointed Regimental and Garrison Police. The Canadian Army mobilisation plan envisioned a single infantry division for overseas service and allotted a Provost Company for the division. Even prior to Canada's declaration of war, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were applying to their Commissioner for release, in order to join the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF). Shortly after the Declaration of War, authority was granted by the Government to recruit a maximum of 120 volunteers from the RCMP . The new unit would be titled No.1 Provost Company (RCMP). Initially, 116 members of the RCMP were accepted for service. With over half of it's members eventually being commissioned, No. 1 Provost Company became the nucleus of a truly elite branch of the Canadian military. Due to the number of RCMP members requesting discharge in order to join the CASF, the Commissioner forbid further transfers in late 1940. Many Mounted Policemen joined the Canadian military during the war, upon the expiration of their RCMP contracts. Ultimately, 215 members of the RCMP served with No. 1 Provost Company.
As the Canadian Army expanded, so did the requirement for Military Police. The Canadian Provost Corps was formed on June 15th, 1940, under the authority of Privy Council Order 67/3030. It originally consisted of No.1 Company (RCMP) and No. 2 Provost Company which was formed in early 1940 as a unit of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. Additional Provost Companies soon followed. The unit establishments of the period closely followed that of the British Army. Divisions were allotted Provost Companies, and there were additional Companies as well as independant Provost Sections at Corps and Army levels. As well as overseas Companies, a large number of Home War Establishment Provost Companies were formed in Canada.
Primary training for members of the Canadian Provost Corps took place at No. A32 Provost Training School at Camp Borden Ontario. Training consisted of classes in military law, traffic control, driving, unarmed combat( Judo and Defendo), first aid and general police procedures. Advanced specialist training such as investigation techniques and fingerprinting were offered to qualified NCOs. Provost training generally took 8 to 10 weeks. Trained Provost were initially appointed to the rank of Lance-Corporal, which gave them Non Comissioned Officer status and thus the power to arrest any soldier other than a Comissioned Officer. Army, Navy and Air Force policemen enjoyed reciprocal powers of arrest as defined in General Order 195 of 1943:
DISCIPLINE-POWERS OF PROVOST SERVICES (NAVY, ARMY, AND R.,C.A.F.)
His Excellency, the Governor General in Council, by Order in Council P.C. 3056 dated the 15th April, 1943, has been pleased to revoke Order in Council P.C. 609 dated the 6th January, 1942 promulgated in General Order 114 of 1942), and to make the following regulations:-
(a) Staff Officers for Naval Shore Patrols are hereby authorized to exercise the powers of Army Provost Marshals in relation to persons subject to Military Law and Air Force Provost Marshals in relation to persons subject to Air Force Law.
(b) Army Provost Marshals are hereby authorized to exercise the powers of Staff Officers for Naval Shore Patrols in relation to persons subject to the Naval Discipline Act and of Air Force Provost Marshals in relation to persons subject to the Air Force Act.
(c) Air Force Provost Marshals are hereby authorized to exercise the powers of Staff Officers for Naval Shore Patrols in relation to persons subject to the Naval Discipline Act and of Army Provost Marshals in relation to persons subject to Military Law.
(d) The Powers conferred by or under these Regulations on any Staff Officer for Naval Shore Patrols or provost Marshal are exercisable also by his assistants and by any Officer Or seaman, soldier or airman as the case may be, legally exercising authority under him or, on his behalf except that no Officer can be arrested or detained, otherwise than on the order of another Officer.
(e) The above powers may be exercised in the area comprising the Dominion of Canada and Newfoundland.
2. General Order 114 of 1942 is hereby cancelled.
H.Q. 54-27-97-1, f.d.t
P.C. 3056 of 15-Apr-43