On the night of July 26/27th the 18th Battalion initiated a trench raid. Sadly, other then the report transcribed below, no further details, at this time, are known. The report was not signed making it uncertain who the author is but it is a valuable document. It makes mention of two private soldiers by name... Continue Reading →
“One dead German in our wire.”: Reports on a German Raid on the 18th Battalion May 1917
April 1917 had brought the Canadian Expeditionary Forces a hard won victory at Vimy Ridge and from that success the 18th Battalion held positions on the East side of Vimy Ridge through the month of May. The 2 week previous to the action in question the Battalion had been relieved on the 13th of May... Continue Reading →
Somewhere in Flanders: A letter from Captain Samuel Monteith Loghrin
This letter was written in the trenches in Flanders. The 18th Battalion had been at RIDGEWOOD in Brigade Reserve up until January 15, 1916 when it relieved the 19th Canadian Battalion at VIERSTRAAT. On the 16th of January a compatriot, Lieutenant Ambery was promoted to Captain that day but Major Sale was killed by rifle... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: June 1916
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY OF 18th Canadian Battalion - 2nd Canadian Division From 1st June to 30th June 1916 Volume 10 With appendices 1 - 2 PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and InformationBedford House1 Battalion in Brigade Reserve at BEDFORD HOUSE supporting 20th Canadian Bn ‘B’ Coy and Platoon of ‘D” Coy at BEDFORD HOUSE. 1 Platoon ‘D’ Coy... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill for June 1916
June 1916 was, sadly, a notable month for C.E.F. casualties. 3,334 service people were killed this month. 19 of them belonging to the 18th Battalion. Of note: 489375 Private Fred Storey was only 16 when he died. Last Name First Name Age Killed Rank Reg. No. BIRKS J 06/06/1916 Private 409544 CUNNINGHAM R, DCM 20... Continue Reading →
Even When Inaccurate Photo Captions Can Be Valuable
"Here are four brothers who enlisted for active service and trained in this city [London, Ontario]. They are the quartet of Hinschliffes [Hinscliffe], cousins of Mrs. Mathews [Matthews], of 286 [285] Thames street, whose husband and son, both Johns [Jack and John], are in Belgium with the 18th Battalion: From left to right they are... Continue Reading →
The Accidental Death of Lieutenant William Ormiston Brown
Warning: This post contains a graphic description of Lieutenant William Ormiston Brown's wounds and resulting death. During the First World War the statistics of accidental death or wounding resulting in death were not kept. During World War II only 7 officers serving were killed accidentally at a rate of 0.3 percent. Accidental deaths for other... Continue Reading →
Insurance for the Troops
In a previous post regarding 2nd Lieutenant L.C. Vogan the news article referenced "...he Oxford Patriotic Association, for $500 in the Imperial Life." There was a fund called the "Canadian Patriotic Fund" which assisted Canadian soldiers with benefits for those with families. The Oxford Fund was initially independent of the Canadian Patriotic Fund: CANADIAN PATRIOTIC... Continue Reading →
“This Canadian Boy Gladly Gave His Life for His Country”
Buried in plot II. A. 5. of the Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension, located in the village of Barlin, France, is 2nd Lieutenant Lindsay Clarence Vogan who was 2nd Lieutenant with the 13th Battalion of the British Middlesex Regiment. On his headstone, according to the CWGC headstone schedules a W.H. Vogan, Esq. of Manufacturers Life Insurance... Continue Reading →
Lindsay Clarence Vogan Video
Brings this 18th Battalion soldier to life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRzdQ7hz8U4
“No matter who he was or where he came from, he was a real hero and his deeds will not be forgotten.”
Private "Thomas Jones" enlisted in London, Ontario April 13, 1915. Between that date and his death on April 11, 1916 in the action around the St. Eloi Craters he made an impression on his comrades for his devotion to duty. An article in the London Free Press 16 days after his death relates some details... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: May 1916
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY OF 18th Canadian Battalion 2nd Canadian Division From 1st May to 31st May 1916 Volume 9 Place May Hour Summary of Events and Information 1 Battalion in camp. Bath and clothing Parade. CAPT C.P. Laing returned from Hospital. 1 o.r. died. Fatigue party of 350 men out during night. 2 Battalion in... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill for May 1916
Of the 652 Canadian combatants that were killed in action or died of wounds 9 sacrificed their lives. Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Private BOUTILIER N W 10/05/1916 488677 Private CLARK W 14/05/1916 415552 Private DUDLEY WILLIAM HOWARD 10/05/1916 404827 Private GILBERT P S 11/05/1916 53233 Private HUMPHREYS JOHN 13/05/1916 413050... Continue Reading →
18th Australian Infantry Battalion
Sometimes I get a bit too focused on my little world of the 18th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Forces that I cannot see the forests for the trees. In the past week this blog have been getting a nice upsurge in traffic, and me, being me, figured that it was all the fine writing and content... Continue Reading →
Updated Soldiers Pages: Digitized Service Record Link Added
Cook, Clarence William, 141649 Cooper, George, 53558 Corbould, Charles Edward Bernard Cullen, James Clifford
Report of Operations: St. Eloi
18th CANADIAN BATTALION REPORT OF OPERATIONS - - NIGHT 0F 9/10 APRIL UNDER 4TH BDE. ORDER Situation before operations: 'B' Company was holding aline as indicated by Lieut. Lawson (since killed), with about 50 men. Map reference ST. ELOI 0.2.D21/2.8 and 'C' Company with 1 Officer, 21 men, was spread along old 'Q' line 14... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill for April 1916
Of the 1,067 Canadian combatants who died during April 1916 29 were members of "The Fighting 18th." Links are the Library Archives Canada regimental number page. Some of those entries have service records at date of posting this blog post. Rank Surname Forename Decoration Date of Death Reg. No. Private DREW ALFRED HENRY 02/04/1916 402060... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: April 1916
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY of 18th Canadian Battalion 2nd Canadian Division From 1st April to 30th April 1916 Volume 8 With appendices 1 -3 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information CLYTTE April 1 10:00 AM Battalion in Divisional Reserve at LA CLYTTE. B coy and 2 platoons of D coy moved to hold trenches... Continue Reading →
Updates to Blog
Implementing a basic database has been a huge help in being organized. I have been able to systematize my workflow so that I prevent errors while being able to accurately record soldiers that have been included using Soldiers Pages and those that are waiting to be included into the blog. To date I have 383... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 