Sometime before Christmas 1914 the men of the 18th Battalion stationed at the Wolseley Barracks at London, Ontario began the mental and physical preparations for the upcoming celebrations.
One man would put pen to paper and acknowledge this event in a unique manner.
Private Ernest Pullen, late of Windsor, Ontario and now a member of the 18th Battalion commemorated that year’s Christmas with a unique drawing that appears to be in the form of a card or poster.
It shows a British Bulldog with the name of “Boss” advancing forwards with a body cover emblazoned with the words “18th Battalion C.E.F. London Ontario with the Canadian Standard fluttering behind. The words “Wishing You the Compliments of the Season” infer its reference to Christmas and jut below the jaw of “Boss” the words “Touch it if you dare” with a representation of maple leaves below those words.
At the bottom left the design is attributed to No. [53]273 E. Pullen of “B” Company.
This graphic includes several elements characteristic of those times. The attribution of a British Bulldog indicates the influence of, and the strong social, political, and economic influence of the British Empire in Canada at that time. The use of a bulldog to represent the stubborn and tough resolve of the Empire was widely used internationally and the dog’s forward leaning stance symbolizes motion towards a threat with the national flag safely behind the dog’s object of protection.
It is a simple and direct drawing, and its existence and purpose is not fully known.
The author came to discover this graphic over 10 years ago and recently acquired a copy of the poster. The format is large, approximately 16” h X 11” W, but it is unknown if this is the original size or an enlargement of a smaller document.
One theory for this graphic document’s existence is that it was printed and sold to local businesses and citizens to raise money for the 18th Battalion as it came up to strength and trained towards to goal of military preparation. The funds may have been directed to a range of services, such as a benevolent fund supporting the families of the soldiers of the Battalion.
Other purposes may exist for this graphic but there is no concrete purpose known for this document.
Another facet that is a mystery of this poster it there is no known record of a dog being a mascot of the 18th Battalion, though a cat named “Bum” is pictured in a news clipping from the 5 July 1915 sharing its adventures as the battalion mascot.
It is unique, and though its true history and purpose is not known, it highlights the talents of a private soldier in the 18th Battalion.
Private Pullen was a recent immigrant to Canada arriving approximately 1911, shortly after participating in the 1911 Census in England. He was a grocer from Windsor and had a talent for drawing which became the poster we see today.
He, unlike his brother, Private Francis “Frank” Pullen, survived the war to marry and have three daughters. His loyalty to his Battalion extended past his war service as he was involved with the Legion as well as his local church and was an avid gardener.
The image is a reminder of another time and place in Canada’s history and its connection to the community is tenuous but not fully lost to time.
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History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 
An delightful story. Thank you for sharing this poster and the story behind it.