Blog Updates for September 2016

This past month a focus on the activities of the 18th Battalion with its involvement in the actions that occurred 100 years ago at the Somme was made. Several posts outlining with more detail the events that affected the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade offered some insight into the actions of the 18th Battalion on that month of action, one which accounted for a significant share of monthly casualties in killed and wounded. More work will be done in the future of this oft forgotten action but it is time to continue on with another major effort.

Somme Post/Pages

Flers-Courcelette: the battlefield. A pictorial representation of the battlefield with photographs from the Imperial War Museum

Battle of Courcelette: Communications Record for September 15, 1916. A transcription of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade’s communication record for September 15, 1916, the date of the attack on Courcelette.

The Butcher’s Bill: 18th Battalion Killed in Action, September 1916. The soldiers who were killed in action, died of wounds, or died of disease during the month of September. A significant number of 18th Battalion soldiers fell on  September 15, 1916.

18th Battalion War Diary: September 1916. The war diary transcription of the 18th Battalion’s involvement at the Somme that month. As noted previously the war diary is “Not much help to a historian.”

“Brickfields” and Death: The Battle of Fler-Courcelette, The Somme, September 1916. A summary of the battle with map, photo and soldier listed who died in combat.

Operations of 4th CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE at the SOMME, SEPTEMBER 10th to 17th, 1916. A page dedicated to the summary written after-action by the 4th C.I.B. giving a good summary of the Brigades actions during those days. This page has images only, no transcription.

Next Projects

Where to start? With the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge a concerted effort is starting to transcribe the war diary and record all the fallen soldiers of the 18th Battalion. Selective work will be done using the 4th C.I.B. War Diary as a source for two reasons. First, there is a significant body of literature about the battle. Second, time and resources may not allow an adequate effort at this time. With the need to move forward and a commitment to list all the soldiers who died on the service of the 18th Battalion (and the various side projects in process and that will inevitably show up) the blog will work to the goal of giving insight of this important month of operations from the perspective of the 18th Battalion.

1. Database entry of April 1917 casualties and Soldier Page creation. 64 soldiers died that month.
2. War Diary Transcription of April 1917. Nine pages to transcribe in addition to any relevant appendices and notes.
3. Review of 4th C.I.B. April 1917 War Diary and appendices. Transcription of selected entries.
4. Add soldiers who were killed in action, died of wounds, or died of disease in the database.
5. Add other soldiers as found during review of service records and from other sources.
6. Search and work on other projects.

The next month will be busy but full of valuable insights and information about the men of the 18th Battalion.