New exhibit at The Canadian Centre for the Great War... Source: News from the Frontlines
The Trench Art Mystery
An inquiry was posted regarding some trench art that was created by a "W. Collier". The inquiry was asking for assistance in finding the family of the soldier that created the trench art. This trench art is very unique. It was created by a W. Collier and has the 18th Battalion crest on it. Trench... Continue Reading →
Mitigating the Ennui of Trench Life
Romance from the trenches. Below is a story relating to one unknown member of the 18th Battalion who, with his first Christmas in the trenches in 1915, used a unique method to assuage and address his boredom and loneliness. This is related by Lieutenant Harry Anderson Secord during an interview for the CBC Radio broadcast... Continue Reading →
He has been supplied with satisfactory peg and artificial leg.
Private Arthur Wilfred Hardcastle of Chatham, Ontario, lost part of his right leg on August 28, 1918 at an action at the Sensee River. The Battalion was located on the Sensee River Line and was involved in an attack on this date. This was a particularly hard day for the 18th Battalion as the War... Continue Reading →
A Painful Duty
Form letter informing Mrs. W. Maberley that one of her sons has died. A full transcription of this letter at the end of this entry. Some time shortly after April 7th, 1917 Mrs. W. Maberley, the mother of Private Henry Kiddle, reg. no 745109, was informed of his death from pneumonia on April 2nd, 1917.... Continue Reading →
3 Boys From Blenheim
3 boys of Blenheim, Ontario, did not come home. All of them served with the 18th Battalion and one of the other connections they share is the display of their original grave markers at the Blenheim and District Freedom Library and Museum. This discovery all began with entering the data for Private James Peter Pegg,... Continue Reading →
Kern’s Comrade Writes
Sometimes things just click. While researching Private Frank Allen Kern, reg. no. 2448430 a review of this historical site for Kaukauna Area Historical Society brought me to the article below. It is well worth a read and, hopefully, I can find the author of the piece on the LAC and add him to the web... Continue Reading →
Lecture Series in Brantford, Ontario
Informing you that there is a lecture series taking place this year in Brantford, Ontario pertaining to subjects relating to World War 1. Lectures are Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM located at the Laurier Research and Academic Centre, West Wing, Room 203, 15o Dalhousie Street, Brantford, Ontario.
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: December 1916
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY WAR DIARY OF 18th Canadian Battalion – 2nd Canadian Division from 1st December to 31st December, 1916 Volume 16 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information CALONNE II 1 18th Canadian Battalion in front line at CALLONE II sector. On the night of December 1/2 a minor operation was directed against... Continue Reading →
The Elliott Brothers of Cape Croker
The Elliott brothers came for Cape Croker, in the Bruce Peninsula, and if one looks at their service records it may show the concern of an older brother over that of the younger. Daniel and Joseph Elliott joined the 160th Battalion in Cape Croker. This village was approximately 90 kilometers from the headquarters in Walkerton,... Continue Reading →
Taken Prisoner: The action at Telegraph Hill near Arras
July 1918 found the 18th Battalion in the Arras Sector. The threat of Operation Michael in March had passed and the Battalion found the first of this month in an extended stay in reserve from the 1st of July to the 14th in the Latre-St-Quentin area. During this extended period 14 officers and 150 men... Continue Reading →
2015 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog. Here's an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many... Continue Reading →
New Years Eve 100 Years Ago for Farm Labourer Lingham
Herbert Spencer Lingham was from Grays, Essex, England and had come to Canada eventually ending up as working on a farm. From is attestation address he was living on the East side of Galt near Valens. Something possessed him to heed the call of service and he joined the C.E.F. in Galt and eventually joined... Continue Reading →
News Story Puts Light on the Carthy Brothers
Pte. Eric Carthy would be the first brother to perish on December 26, 1915. Pte. Percy Carthy survived his brother only to be killed at the Somme on September 15, 1916. A recent news article by Jeff Outhit hi-lights two brothers who served with the 18th Battalion. A strongly recommended read. "'To Avenge his death.'... Continue Reading →
Updates and the Year to Come
The year 2015 has been a productive one. The database of soldiers found is at 959 records with more to come. In rough terms this blog has added and recognized 460 members of the 18th Battalion using Soldiers' Pages. Each page has information pertaining to that soldier. Approximately 100 blog posts relating to the 18th... Continue Reading →
No Liberties Were Taken: Christmas 1915 for the 18th Battalion
The Christmas of the 1915 was the second Christmas that the Battalion had experienced since it formation in the Fall of 1914. Since that Christmas in London, Ontario the Battalion had moved from Canada to England in April, 1915 where it trained and the embarked to France and thence, to Belgium for its baptism... Continue Reading →
Being a Mason Brings Biographical Pay Dirt
On researching Private Maurice Arthur Searle his involvement as a Mason helped land some quality biographical information. Often when researching the soldiers of the 18th Battalion they are lost to history. Sometimes this is not the case. This is one of those times. Private Searle survived the war and became involved in Freemasonry. He became... Continue Reading →
“Come and kiss me, mother,” she heard Morris say…
The sad story of the Searle brothers is brought into sharp relief in the news story below. Two men, far from their native land, join the Canadian Army and the eldest, William, lands in England the very day his mother leaves for Canada. It makes one wonder what the intent was? Was there a miscommunication... Continue Reading →
Another Connection with the HMHS Anglia Sinking
Another member of the 18th Battalion was on board the HMHS Anglia when she sank. Wilfred "Grit" Laurier Callander, one of the originals, was on board being transferred to England to have a case of trench foot treated. He was able to survive the sinking and the war.
A Birthday at the Front
The 18th Battalion was in the trenches near Vierstraat 1oo years ago today on December 13, 1915. The company cook for Lieutenant George Kerr did something special for him: On December 13 Lieutenant George Kerr had a special celebration in the trenches. For his twenty-first birthday the company cook scrounged all the chocolate he could... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 