History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth"
Articles, war diaries, and recognition to the Men of the "Fighting 18th"
TRIGGER WARNING: This blog post relates the experiences of a combat soldier that may not be appropriate for all readers. The 18th Battalion’s role and experiences during the 15 September 1916 Battle of Flers-Courcelette are not officially well documented. The War Diary for that month is bereft of detail to the point that someone printed... Continue Reading →
The soldier sits, relaxed, on a stool. A comrade, face out of frame, leans into him as he sits. He holds a swagger stick, a common affectation of the Canadian troops of the other ranks. The photo is sadly indistinct, and we cannot see the details of his face, but he is looking directly at... Continue Reading →
Bookkeeper Walter James Buchanan of Goderich, Ontario enlisted with the 71st Battalion on 21 September 1915. At the age of 21 he had 4 years of militia experience and lived in a small Ontario town routed in its connection to Lake Huron and the surrounding farms. At the time of his enlistment he never would... Continue Reading →
This is the second in a series of posts exploring the service and life of 18th Battalion men buried in the Maritimes. The author visited the grave of a soldier in Nova Scotia during a visit to a family member and from that grew a desire to visit and honour these men, some of who... Continue Reading →
Lance-Corporal Henry James Smith. Circa 1916. A father at war. At 39-years of age he was almost too old to enlist at St. Thomas, Ontario in the winter of 1916. Married with children we can not directly derive at the reasons for his enlistment, but being British born, he perhaps had a strong patriotic streak... Continue Reading →
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 →
“On France's eternal camping groundTheir silent tents are spread.While glory guards with solemn roundThe Bivouac of the Dead.”Poem attached to Sergeant Chester P. Smiths Memorial Page. Adaptation of Bivouac of the Dead, Theodore O’Hara, 1851. There is a succinct, enigmatic entry in the pages of the 18th Battalion’s War Diary for September 1916. “NOT MUCH... Continue Reading →
Fred Young, reg. no. 53180, was a prolific letter writer to the newspapers in London and Windsor, Ontario during the war, and poet laurate of the 18th Battalion after the war. In this letter written while he was posted with the Administration Staff at Hastings with the Assistant Director of Medical Services, he outlines some... Continue Reading →
Craig Baird hosts a series of podcasts about Canadian history. In this one he reviews the Battle of St. Eloi. The 18th Battalion was involved in this battle and was their first major engagement of the war since they arrived in Belgium in September 1915. St. Eloi Craters. Kemmel in background. Canada Department of National... Continue Reading →
The Battle of St. Eloi Craters was the first "blooding" of the 18th Battalion as it took part of operations when the 2nd Canadian Division was tasked in the efforts to take possession of the craters. The Canadian Expeditionary Force Resource Group presents a video montage relating to this event. https://youtu.be/Z1udIgw3dow
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 →
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 →
Introduction One of the challenges about researching the men of the 18th Battalion is that the information on hand, though very valuable, in the form of their individual service records at the Library and Archives Canada gives a snap shot of that person’s war experience. This is more of a “photograph” of time. Each page... Continue Reading →
Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell[i] 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 →
On the night of July 26/27 men of the 18th Battalion carried out a “minor trench raid”. The weather was “Fine but dull”[i] on that day. In that raid were two men, originals with the Battalion, who both have quite different stories. Private Forrester Private Alfred Forrester, reg. no. 53648[ii] war service started out rather... Continue Reading →
Report on Minor Enterprise by 18th Cdn Battalion night of July 26/27th on German Front Line, at PICCADILLY FARM.[i] At 10.30 p.m. Party of 15 bombers and 10 scouts under Lieut. Allen (Scout Officer) and Lieut. McLinton [McClinton] (Bomb Officer) left our trenches and proceeded to a point halfway across “NO MANS LAND”. The party... Continue Reading →
This is the last of a 4-part series of the analysis of articles relating to Private Frederick Hodson, who served with the 18th Battalion. Special thanks to Annette Fulford (@avidgenie) Lizbet Tobin, and Sharon Munro for assistance with this article. Private Frederick Hodson, M.M. of the 18th Battalion. Hodson is well established in England, as his... Continue Reading →
This is the second of a 4-part series of the analysis of articles relating to Private Frederick Hodson, who served with the 18th Battalion. In the first part of this series Private Hodson gave an extensive interview that portrayed a soldier’s life while serving with the 18th Battalion from its inception but the interview focused... Continue Reading →
Above: Photos of St. Elois Craters. Captain Frederick Gilbert Newton, late of Windsor, Ontario, was an accountant that had been employed by the Canadian Bank of Commerce, now the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, may not have known that his employer would publish his letter in a pamphlet[i] for its employees and customers of the... Continue Reading →
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* While we were at La Clyte[iii] [sic], Jack Gehl[iv] and Dick Hamill[v] were assigned to a special work party with the Engineers. While they were away the rest of us went in the M. & N. trenches for our regular turn. Several days later, Dick Hamill came... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 