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 →
Tank Battle at Iwuy: More Information
An amazing piece of work about the battle at Iwuy involving the possible last use by the Germans of the A7V. I recommend reading this article for a more detailed analysis of the battle. This post was instigated by Michel Lespagnol, a resident of Iwuy who is working to commemorate the battle. Below is a... Continue Reading →
Battling Tanks at Iwuy: The last German use of tanks in World War 1
Iwuy is a small commune in France, South East of Vimy and North East of Cambria. On October 11, 1918 the 18th Battalion was involved in an operation where they were able to repulse 3 German tanks. This action has the significance of being possibly the last action in World War 1 were the Germans... Continue Reading →
The Christmases of the 18th Battalion
The 18th Battalion's formation began in the latter part if 1914 after the 1st Canadian Contingent set sail. 3 days after the 1st Canadian Contingent set sail the then Governor General of Canada, H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught, sent a telegram to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and offer by the Dominion of... Continue Reading →
A Scratching on a Wall in France
Private Archibald Leonard Cater joined the 18th Battalion on March 31, 1916 and served with the Battalion in France until the day he died 1 day after being wounded on October 1, 1918 in the Arras sector. At sometime before his death he left a stark reminder of his existence: an inscription on what appears... Continue Reading →
He Loved Honour More Than He Feared Death
In a church’s Honour Roll from a church that no long exists in Sarnia, Ontario, 16 names are listed of the dead. This church of community and love honoured the fallen. But now the church is gone and it is up to use, as a legacy to those that have passed to continue to honour... Continue Reading →
Curious Grave Marker
The We Are The Dead ( @WeAreTheDead ) Twitter account unfailingly posts the names of Canadian Service Men and Women who gave the ultimate sacrifice. One such tweet got my attention as I check any of the tweets with Western Ontario Regiment to see if any of these soldier commemorated are from the 18th. In... Continue Reading →
Christmas Truces: “…our German friends were quite friendly.”
A recent viewing of the movie Joyeux Noël made me curious as to the involvement of Canadian troops in the Christmas truces that sprung up after the well documented truces that occurred in 1914. Since the First Canadian Contingent did not arrive in the theater of operations until February 1915 they were not involved in... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 