1916 Photograph of 186th Battalion: Stories Behind the Faces

A relatively obscure photograph of a group of men from 1916/1917 brings to life the men of that image.

It is a photograph of a group of men from the 186th Overseas Battalion, raised from men in the Chatham and St. Thomas areas. Though primarily recruiting from Kent County, many men of the 91st Battalion were transferred into it.

In this case, all the men are 186th Battalion recruits, and the photograph is taken in Canada. This is because several of the men did not serve overseas, as their service took place wholly in Canada. A possible deduction about where the photograph was taken can be made by the inclusion of the Lewis Guns in the photograph. This probably places the photograph as originating in or near Camp Borden, near present-day Barrie, Ontario.

There are names written in the lower portion of the photograph, and when paired with the nominal roll of the 186th Battalion, we can place the faces of the men with their service records.

The men are as follows (click on the links to get more information):

Baker, Robert Frank: 189417 – 18th Battalion +
Ball, Walter Grice: 880560 – 18th Battalion
Randall, Karl: 880089 – 18th Battalion
Reissner, Arthur 880545 – 18th Battalion
Kirkup, Earl Gardiner 189840 – 18th Battalion
Ould, Norman Oliver 880091 – 18th Battalion
Hogan, Michael 880768 – 18th Battalion
Tuddenham, John 880102 – 18th Battalion +
Wilkinson, S. 880070 – 186th Battalion
Mowatt, William 880100 – 18th Battalion b
Adams, William Boyden LT – 1st Battalion
Good, Frank 189424 – 18th Battalion
Mowatt, Frank 880853 – 18th Battalion b
Hunter, J. 880448 – 18th Battalion
Purdon, Frank Jordan 189766 – CAMC
Lidlow, H. E. 880042 – 18th Battalion
Causgrove, James 880534 – Canada Only

Of the men in the photograph, two were killed in action (denoted by the + symbol), and many of the other soldiers suffered physical wounds. The Mowatts (b) were brothers.

They all returned and began their lives again, and some of the Soldier’s Pages have news clippings showing how they lived. Many simply have a brief obituary, and others were more “newsworthy,” being involved in politics, religion, cribbage, crime, or subject to arson, to state a few.

The photograph is a springboard to understand, just a bit more, the lives of the men who sacrificed so much.

The value of social media in identifying and recording the history and personnel of the 18th Battalion has been invaluable. Many members of the 18th Battalion Group have contributed, and I hope I have sung their praises and recognized all those who have helped bring the history of the 18th Battalion CEF to life. Thanks particularly to David Archer for his post of this photograph and the other members of the Group who helped with the interpretation of the names and reading the cursive writing to allow an accurate accounting of the men in the photograph.