A recent post at the 18th Battalion Facebook Group pointed to a Vimeo video “The Crucified Soldier” was posted in the context that it “may be offensive and can be reported as such.” The concern, one can surmise, that the content of this video was not related to the subject matter the Facebook Group focuses... 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 →
“Freedom’s Cause Still Holds Us Here…”: A 1918 Christmas Card
The 18th Battalion experienced Christmas as a unit from 1914 to 1918. Each Christmas was a different experience for each year. The first Christmas was a gala event in London, Ontario and hosted by The Women’s Canadian Club replete with boiled ham, mashed potatoes, and green peas. The following Christmases would not be the same... Continue Reading →
Christmas 102-years Ago
Christmas 102-years ago. The 18th Battalion was stationed in the Allner region of Germany. It had arrived December 17, 1918, and with the war’s end and the approach of Christmas the men of the 18th were going to be able to celebrate their first Christmas in peace since 1913. Below is the War Diary entry... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: January 1919
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st January 1919 to 31st January 1919 Volume 41 With appendices 1 – 30 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information ALLNER 6-G.90.90 Germany 8-L 1 “New Year’s Day”---- A Most Prosperous New Year to Everyone. The Battalion continued training as per... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: December 1918
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st December, 1918 to 31st December, 1918 Volume 40 With appendices 1 – 30 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information Maps for reference: Marche 9, Germany 1 M, 1 L, 2 L. 1/160,000 attached. Appendix No. 27. 28.... Continue Reading →
Delinquent in Düren: The Tragedy of Private Sherman
Undated photograph. One of these men is Private Dauphin. Is the other Private Sherman? Source: Gathering Our Heroes "It was cold and dark. The two Canadian Privates from Chatham, Ontario stood on the rail platform momentarily and lit their cigarettes. Drawing deeply from the cigarettes the blew the smoke out and turned to walk up... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 