War Diary of the 18th Battalion: August 1916

CONFIDENTIAL

WAR DIARY

18th Canadian Battalion – 2nd Canadian Division

From 1st August to 31st August 1916

Volume 12

With appendices 1

[1] Corrected from CRYOTA to CHRYSTAL. Original transcription was incorrect.

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
ALBERTA CAMP	1		Battalion in reserve at ALBERTA CAMP. Pay and Bath parades. 20 o.r.s arrived as reinforcements. 16 o.r.s returned from Base hospital.
ALBERTA CAMP	2		Routine. Clothing parade. 2 o.r.s admitted to hospital. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital. Lieut. D.S. WIGLE S.O.S. of this Battalion on being invalided to England 30-7-16.
ALBERTA CAMP	3		Battalion route marching in heavy order. Sgt. W.J. MORRIS granted a commission as Temp. Lieut. 1 sick admitted to hospital.
ALBERTA CAMP	4		Routine. Company parades. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital.
ALBERTA CAMP	5		Brigade on Route March and maneuvers. MAJORS BARBER, FAIRBANK and CAPT. GANDER arrived as reinforcements. Lieut. RAYWARD proceeded on leave. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital.
ALBERTA CAMP	6		Battalion Church parade 10 AM. Part II order #30 dated 31-7-16 shows 1 officer and 20 o.r.s struck of strength of the Battalion. 3 o.r.s returned from hospital.
ALBERTA CAMP	7		LIEUT. W.H. WILLARD returned from hospital. LIEUT. B.J. BATES and H.W. SMITH arrived as reinforcements. 2 o.r.s discharged unfit and sent to Base. 3 o.r.s returned from hospital.
	8		The 4^th Canadian Infantry Brigade relieved the 5^th Canadian Infantry Brigade in VIERSTRAAT sector. 18^th Canadian Battalion moved into Brigade Reserve at LACLYTTE. LIEUT. W.O. BROWN accidently killed. 14 o.r.s wounded.
LACLYTTE	9		Company parades. General inspection by MAJOR GEN. TURNER and BRIG. GEN. RENNIE.
LACLYTTE	10		Position as yesterday. 20 o.r.s arrived as reinforcements. 2 o.r.s admitted to hospital. 1 o.r. returned from hospital.
LACLYTTE	11		Battalion Pay parade. Part II order #31 shows 30 o.r.s struck off strength of Battalion. LIEUT. H.D. DUNNETT admitted to hospital sick. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital. LIEUTS. J.P. CHRYSTAL [1] and A.E. COOK arrived as reinforcements.[NOTE: Need to find these officers.]
LACLYTTE	12		Battalion Pay and Bath parades. 3 o.r.s returned from hospital. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. D.R.O. #2648 shows 6 o.r.s appointed to Commissions from 18^th Can. Bn.
LACLYTTE	13		Battalion in Reserve. 3 o.r.s admitted to hospital. Extract from London Gazette;- LIEUTS. J.A. McINTOSH and D.E.A. RISPIN [to] be Temp. CAPTAINS. 1 o.r. returned from hospital.
LACLYTTE	14		Routine. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. 3 o.r.s returned from hospital.
	15		18^th Battalion relieved the 19^th Battalion in the line. ‘C’ and ‘D’ Coys in trenches M and N. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Coys in Battalion reserve at VIERSTRAAT. 1 o.r. arrived as reinforcement.
TRENCHES	16		Position quiet. 4 o.r.s to Base, considered unfit by A.D.M.S., 2^nd CAN. DIV. 1 o.r. sick admitted to hospital. 1 o.r. returned from hospital. 1 o.r. “Killed in Action.”
	17		Position as yesterday. Enemy artillery active. 53648 Pte. A. FORRESTER awarded the Military Medal. 4 o.r.s sick admitted to hospital.
	18		Position as yesterday. Part II orders #32 shows 8 o.r.s S.O.S. 18^th Battn.
	19		‘A’ and ‘B’ Coys relieved ‘C’ and ‘D’ Coys in front line. LIEUT. W.J. MORRIS proceeded on leave. LIEUT. T. KIRKHAM admitted to hospital. 5 o.r.s returned from hospital.
	20		Position as yesterday. MAJOR H.L. MILLIGAN granted permission to wear badges of rank of LIEUT. COL. LIEUT. A.S. ALLEN awarded MILITARY CROSS. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital.
	21		Position as yesterday. 2 o.r.s admitted to hospital. 30 o.r.s arrived as reinforcements. Nothing unusual.
	22		18^th Canadian Battn. relieved by 46^th Can. Battn. 18^th Can. Bn. moved into Kenora Camp.
KENORA CAMP	23		Battn. resting. Bath and clothing parades. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital. 2 o.r.s admitted to hospital. Commanding Officer’s parade.
	24	5 AM	Battalion parade full marching order for march to STEENVOORDE. 4^th Canadian Brigade group move as a whole. Arrived at Billets 10.30 a.m. Battalion resting.
STEENVOORDE	25		Battalion in billets. Commanding Officer’s parade and inspection. Full marching order. Part II #33 shows 22 o.r.s S.O.S. of Battalion.
	26		Reveille 3.30 a.m. Battalion marched through CASSEL to Billets in NOORDPEENE.
	27		Battalion marched to Billets at MILLAIN. 2 o.r.s admitted to hospital.
	28		“Fall in” 6.30 a.m. Marched to billets at TOURNEHEM through WATTEN and NORDASQUES. LIEUT. R.H. MARTIN S.O.S. from 24-8-16 posted to R.F.C.
TOURNEHEM	29		Battalion on Route march and maneuvers. 24 o.r.s arrived as reinforcements. LIEUT. W.F. COLE admitted to hospital while on course. 1 o.r. returned from hospital. Pay parade.
	30		Battalion issued with LEE-ENFIELD rifles in place of ROSS MARK III. Battalion Pay parades completed. “WATTEN” placed “Out of Bounds” for troops of 2^nd Can. Division.
	31	8 am	Battalion parade for training as per Brigade orders.