The First World War energized and enabled Canada to express its loyalty to the Crown and the Empire. News articles, like the one below, show the enthusiasm and support the citizenry of this new country barely 50 years old. The community of Seaforth, Ontario took considerable time and effort to acknowledge the service of the... Continue Reading →
Stuff of Legend: The Wounding of Private Dickson on Christmas Day 1915
Introduction There is no doubt that Sergeant Fred Young was an ardent supporter and chronicler of the 18th Battalion. He was very active in the 18th Battalion Association after the war, serving on its executive and being designated as its “poet laureate”. But, perhaps his enthusiasm for his Battalion allowed him to exercise some “poetic... Continue Reading →
September 1915 Casualties: 18th Battalion
The month of September 1915 was the first time the 18th Battalion served in the front-line and it was not until the end of the month that it suffered its first battle deaths. Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Lance Corporal FREW WILLIAM WALLACE 30/09/1915 53227 Captain HALLAM ERNEST WALTER 29/09/1915 Link Private... Continue Reading →
An Enthusiastic Shrapnel Slide: Private Young writes a letter full of irony.
Private Fred Young wrote a letter on February 15, 1916 relating some of his thoughts and experiences as a member of the 18th Battalion, C.E.F. This may well have been the later Sergeant Fred Young who was to become the “poet laureate” for the 18th Battalion after the war. His poetry and efforts as a... Continue Reading →
December 1915 Casualties: 18th Battalion
The month of December 1915 was the full second month of active service for the Battalion and it had come at some cost. This month seven soldiers were to perish from the actions at the front. Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Private CARTHY ERIC 26/12/1915 54209 Private GERBIG JOHN 20/12/1915 53918 Private... Continue Reading →
“We sleep in huts instead of tents…”: A Letter to a Friend.
Percy Harris was an Englishman. Born at Norwich, England on May 1, 1893 he emigrated to Canada some time before his enlistment with the 18th Battalion at Clinton, Ontario on October 23, 1914. He was all of 21 years and 5 months old and he would survive the war with the rank of Sergeant. Perhaps... Continue Reading →
Rifle Grenades Revisited
In a post entitled "The narrow escapes that some fellows have are nothing short of marvellous": A Letter from the Front the, then, Private Caldwell relates in some detail a battle between the 18th Battalion, C.E.F. and it opposite German numbers: "Our last term in the front line was rather exciting. Our bomb throwers had been... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: September 1917
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION - 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st September to 30th September 1917 Volume 25 With appendicis 1 - 4 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information VILLERS AU BOIS 1 Battalion in billets at VILLERS AU BOIS (Villers Camp). Company parades and inspections. Platoon and specialists training carried... Continue Reading →
LOOKING EVERY INCH A SOLDIER
The 18th Battalion was nearing the end of its training. As it was formed in the latter part of October 1914 from South-Western Ontario the soldiers were collected in London, Ontario for training. As the Battalion was about to leave for England via Halifax on the S.S. Grampian on April 18, 1915. Thus, the Battalion... Continue Reading →
“The narrow escapes that some fellows have are nothing short of marvellous”: A Letter from the Front
Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell was yet to earn the Military Medal for his actions at Courcelette, the Somme, when this letter was published in the Huron Expositor on March 10, 1916. He was 20-years old, just shy of his 21st birthday by 40 days. He was a combat veteran claiming to have served... Continue Reading →
3 Officers. One Action. 3 Results.
Charles Herbert Kerr had family ties in the Brussel, Ontario area and lived in Clinton until he eventually moved to Welland, Ontario. He enlisted with the C.E.F. and after being posted to the 36th Battalion in England was taken on strength with the 18th Battalion on December 14, 1915. It was during a fateful operation... Continue Reading →
Cholera Belts for the 18th Battalion
On page 4 of the Wingham Times a short article relates: “Nearly all medical men in the West Indies advise wearing of thin woolen and not cotton underwear. Many persons wear “cholera belts” of flannel.” This garment was considered important enough that Sir Adam Beck's wife, Lady Beck, contributed enough of these belts to outfit... Continue Reading →
Apparently, it is an actual hell out there at times: The Letters of Sergeant Wallace
A photograph of 18th Battalion soldiers training. These soldiers are are members of "C" Company. Sergeant John Wallace stands at the ready with a Ross Rifle and Bayonet with other members of his company. He is standing front row, 3rd from the right. Lance-Sergeant Sifton, VC, is standing to the extreme right with the tip... Continue Reading →
Faces of August 1917
The pictures of men of the 18th Battalion who perished during the month of August 1917.
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: August 1917
ConfidentialWar Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION - 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION FROM 1st August to 31st August 1917 Volume 24 With appendicis 6 - 13 PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and InformationMap reference, 36B Edition 6, 1/40,000. BOVIGNY 1st. R.19.central.1 18th. Canadian Battalion at BOVIGNY village in billets, the Brigade being in Divisional Reserve. Owing to heavy rain,... Continue Reading →
Expert Witness for the Defence: The connection between “Fatty” Arbuckle and the 18th Battalion
The front page of the December 1, 1921 of The Deseret News of Salt Lake City, Utah had numerous important news stories on that day. A British native force on the Afghan frontier was massacred, along with two of the British officers commanding it. Vienna, Austria is subject to bread riots due to the rising... Continue Reading →
What the Photographs of C.W. Boyd Tell Us
A wonderful and treasured set of photographs of Charles Wesley Boyd have been contributed to the 18th Battalion Facebook Group and they help tell this soldier’s story. Biography Charles Wesley Boyd was born on October 11, 1896 in Campbellford, Ontario. Campbellford is located on the Trent-Severn Waterway 28 kilometers north of Trenton, Ontario. His parents... Continue Reading →
The Raid at Hill 70
4th Canadian Infantry Brigade Order No. 142 outlined the details of a raid on the German lines in detail. The order specifically directs the Battalion in the intention and actions during the raid and was an important preparatory step for the Battalion, and the other Battalions of the Brigade for the attach on Hill 70... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: July 1917
Confidential 18th Canadian Battalion War Diary Original Copy July 1917 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information BARLIN 1 9 am Brigade Church Parade at HERSIN-COUPIGNY Sports ground. Divine service conducted by Maj. Gen. Simms, C.S.D. Chief Chaplain of British armies in the Field. 2 Canadian Corps sports at Camblain-le-Abbe[i]. 18th Canadian Battalion... Continue Reading →
One-Thousand Four-Hundred and Seventy Days
Walter Perry, of Highland Creek, Ontario, decided to join the Canadian Army. His previous military experience consisting of serving three-and-a-half years as a Bugler. He joined the 81st Battalion in Toronto, Ontario on September 18th, 1915 and was assigned the regimental number 157659. From this point in time he served and trained in Canada until... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 