The weather a West Sandling Camp on May 7, 1915, was in the full throws of spring. The famous Kent countryside resplendent with verdant greens and the soft waving grass as the winds from the English Channel played over the lush meadows near Tolsford Hill. The land was being transformed into a camp for the... Continue Reading →
A Druggist from Hamilton
On March 30, 1916, at Hamilton, Ontario George Reginald Parke, a 27-year-old druggist, enlisted as a lieutenant with the 173rd Overseas Battalion. He had all of 4-months experience with the 91st Canadian Highlanders. Lieutenant G R Parke (HU 116591) Lieutenant G R Parke. Unit: 173rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Copyright: © IWM. Original... Continue Reading →
“I Never Want to Witness Such a Sight Again.”
Patrick Parnell Welsh was a 34-year-old clerk when he enlisted with the 186th Overseas Battalion at London, Ontario in June of 1916. A little older than average for a soldier of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he felt the need to leave the security of his job and join the army to be of service to... Continue Reading →
A Very Wonderful Man: Memories from 50 years after the war connect two Privates
After years of reading numerous books and hundreds of scholarly articles finding snippets and treasures in these sources about the 18th Battalion can be hit and miss. Sometimes they can only mystify. Sometimes, like this find, it can illuminate the lives of the soldiers involved and add an intimacy that can often be unexpected and,... Continue Reading →
La morti a tutti trova e lu munnu s’arrinova.
La morti a tutti trova e lu munnu s'arrinova. Sicilian Proverb. English: Death finds everyone and the world gets renewed. Acknowledgement With acknowledgement to Patrick M. Dennis who brought the role of conscripts and conscription into a sharper realistic relief with his presentations and excellent book, Reluctant Warriors: Canadian Conscripts in the Great War. I... Continue Reading →
Tanner’s Letter: Death of a Comrade
On August 28, 1918, the following was making news in the town of Peterborough, Ontario. The news would be of interest as this town of approximately 20,00 people had, as had many other Canadian communities big and small, given freely of its sons to the war that was currently encompassing the globe. Sergeant Percy Bertrand... Continue Reading →
Death in a Trench Bay: A Mystery
On May 13, 1916, a shell landed in a trench bay killing two men of the 18th Battalion. The Circumstances of Death Card for one of the men, Private John Humphreys, relates ‘“Killed in Action” He was with two comrades sitting in the bay of a trench in front of St. Eloi about 1 a.m.... Continue Reading →
Bombers of the 18th
A photograph from the Toronto Telegram entitled "OUT OF SOMME BATTLE" shows 6 men who are bombers with the 18th Battalion. The photograph bears a caption and identifies the men by their initials and last name. Taking this source one can get excited that these men can be identified and connected to their service numbers.... Continue Reading →
Coincidence on a Train
Coincidence. What series of events need to come together to create one? Many people attribute unseen forces to coincidence, and some dismiss that, by chance alone, there is no way a series of events or connections can occur without some unseen force conspiring to create the event that seems but impossible to have occurred. There... Continue Reading →
Three Men Stand Together
The three men stand together. Their faces are such that one cannot define emotion. Two of the men are not stoic as much, it seems, attempting to suppress laughter while being serious soldiers. The man on the left has his eyes fixed at the photographer is there is no hint of a smile, unlike the... Continue Reading →
Finances and the Private
On October 29, 1914, a 27-year-old labourer[i] enlisted with the 18th Battalion. He had 1-year experience with the 30th Wellington Rifles. He had previously enlisted with the 6th London Battery (Independent), Canadian Field Artillery (CFA), but that enlistment, for some reason, only lasted from August 12 to 29 of 1914. Now, he had permission to... Continue Reading →
A Fate Awaited Him at Home
On July 29, 1915, The London Advertiser reported, in one line, that Private Hugh Marshall, reg. no. 54266 had “Died of injuries sustained by motor car accident. Glasgow, July 22.” London Advertiser. July 29, 1915. Not much of an epitaph for a man and his life. Born in Glasgow on November 10, 1883, he was... Continue Reading →
“Love for liberty and for you is all that keeps our pluck. ” A Letter to a Priest.
Via Operation Picture Me. Wiarton Echo. February 14, 1917. Near the end of January 1917, a 24-year-old soldier from Cape Croker[i] wrote a letter to his parish priest. He was not an exceptional soldier, in that he had not earned military recognition through medals[ii], but he was exceptional as he represented a community in the... Continue Reading →
“In Ticklish Places…”: A sniper writes to his Reverend.
“In Ticklish Places…”: A sniper writes to his Reverend. On December 7, 1915, Private James Parker, reg. no. 54357, having finished having his feet inspected for trench foot, settled down to write a letter to his Reverend, H.H. Bingham while the 18th Battalion was in Divisional Reserve at La Clytte (De Klijte). Source: The London... Continue Reading →
Jolie’s Military Medal: He “was an excellent shot.”
As a civilian, the whole idea of experiencing combat is foreign to their experience. Watching intense war scenes in movies like Steven Speilberg’s Saving Private Ryan, or the gritty realism of Sam Mendes’ 1917 can capture aspect of combat, but not the visceral emotion and feeling an individual may have during engagements. War documentaries, such... Continue Reading →
He Rests In Good and Valiant Company
Private Ira William Sumner had been, in peace time, a clerk for the London Life Insurance Company. With the advent of the war in August 1914, he felt that is duty was bound to a different path and enlisted with the 18th Battalion on April 10, 1915. This was very close to the departure of... Continue Reading →
Three “Boys” from Walkerton Through the War
Three buddies, aged 25, 27, and 31-years old, from Walkerton joined the 18th Battalion on the last two days of October 1914. They were from Walkerton, Ontario, and they would be distinguished as being three of the few “Originals” to serve the entire war with the Battalion. We have a unique perspective of their war... Continue Reading →
“He was crucified on the iron cross of Kaiser Wilhelm II. …”: The Funeral of Captain Sale
Captain Frederick George Newton was an original member of the 18th Battalion when it was formed in the fall of 1914. His records indicate he joined the Battalion on December 28, 1914 and served with the Battalion until he was assigned to the 4th Field Company on October 21, 1917. During his service with the... Continue Reading →
Mute But Not Retarded: The Case of Private Russell
With special thanks to Kristen Den Hartog who made me aware of this soldier. She is currently researching this soldier. Please reach out to her if you can assist her. The impact of physical and psychological injuries to the soldiers that served with the 18th Battalion will never be fully understood. These injuries were, however,... Continue Reading →
The McDermids/MacDermids of Glammis Ontario
In a letter written in the fall by Private Joseph Edgar McAfee, regimental number 651738 the news that Neil McDermid[i] late of Glamis [Glammis], Ontario was wounded made its way across the Atlantic to find its way into the Paisley Advocate as “news from the front.” In the letter, Private McAfee relates that a fellow... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 