On 5 April 1912 at Chatham, Ontario a young couple began their life together. The former bachelor was 21 years old, and his new bride was all of 19. The former was of the Presbyterian faith while the latter was Methodist. Both resided in Chatham at the time of their betrothal and would make their... Continue Reading →
Overview of Private Albert Jean Julien
Albert Jean Julien, reg no. 189764, enlisted with the 91st Overseas Battalion at St. Thomas, Ontario on 3 January 1916. He was married to Katherine[i]. He listed his trade as a tailor and as his wife was shown to live at 30 King Street. He had two sons, Albert Michael Leo Julian (1907-1999) and Glen... Continue Reading →
The Life of William Frederick Routly
This is a transcription of a biography written by this man’s daughter, Barbara Joan (Routly) Spruce. The original document is typewritten and was scanned and accessed at Family Search. The document scan is deprecated and difficult to read in some places. An attempt has been made to be faithful to the author’s version so... Continue Reading →
The “Rawleigh Man”
Witley Camp. January 1918. It had just snowed 4 inches and Private Charles Arthur Reed (reg. no. 651593), formerly of Eden Grove, Ontario was responding to a letter from his mother. Letter dates 14 January 1918 from Private Reed to his mother, Isabella Ann (McNaugthon) Reed (1871-1953) His primary concern at the beginning of the... Continue Reading →
Private Sherwood’s Loss
This is the first of a series of blog posts investigating the service and experiences of 18th Battalion soldiers from the Maritmes. As the 18th Battalion was a Western Ontario battalion it generally received replacements from battalions raised in the same geographic region. The author is presently visiting such graves of the men he has... Continue Reading →
A Stop in the Chaudière-Appalaches Region of Quebec
September9, 2022 Motel MagistralSaint-Raphaël, QCChaudière-Appalaches Administrative/Tourist Region Today was a long day. I wish I had access to the train service in 1915 as I may have made better progress. The Canada of today is so different from that of my grandfather’s time when he enlisted in the 18th Battalion in October of 1914. There... Continue Reading →
Lieutenant G.G. Brackin: “He was the most popular and nicest Junior Officer he had the pleasure of serving with.”
In November of 1915 a 32-year-old single man enlisted with the 91st Battalion. With the help of a biography written in 1971 we can fill in the blanks of this long dead officer of the 18th Battalion. Lieutenant G.G. Brackin. Circa 1916. Garnet Garfield Brackin came from an established middle class Canadian family. His brother,... 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 →
Captain Ed Shuttleworth’s Recollections (1969)
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 →
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 →
What’s In a Name?
History and memory can be tenuous. As time passes and the source of history - the people who experienced the events - fade with each death. With each passing year after an event, be it small or world shaping, there is a loss of the source of information about the event. There are books, archives,... Continue Reading →
Two Men. Two Scouts. One Raid.
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 →
A “Soldier of Fortune” Returns…
Private Gordon Wellington Wilder, regimental no. 54265[i] of the 18th Battalion, CEF is an enigma. From his attestation papers on his enlistment he was a 30-year old Anglo-Irish British subject that indicated prior military experience with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and had served 2-years in the Sudan; 3-years in South Africa; and 13-months in China.... Continue Reading →
Tattoos on the Grampian
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES* In the mid-thirties, Bobby Watson and I were strolling along Ouellete Avenue when we noticed a small crowd gathered in front of the vacant lot just south of the Tunnel[ii] entrance. Bobby was in the First Battalion. When we arrived, we found they were watching some workmen... Continue Reading →
The Drummer-Sergeant
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES*[ii] One of the best-known, best liked, and friendliest men in the ranks of the Eighteenth was a late George Thomas[iii] who started out as a member of our Platoon but ended up as the Bandmaster of the Battalion Band. I still remember the wet day late in... Continue Reading →
“He would bear himself like a soldier…” : The Service for Sergeant Swainsbury of Chatham, Ontario
Christ Church, Chatham, Ontario. Source: http://christchurchchatham.ca/ An article written in a local Chatham newspaper relates the service at Christ Church in honour of two local men who were killed in action gives us insight into the attitudes of the citizens through the address of Canon Howard. The date that this event transpired was after the... Continue Reading →
Her Cup of Sorrow Was Well Filled
Private Frank Edward Wrightsell sits in an ornate chair. He looks at the camera and it appears his body is tight and tense. Perhaps he is trying to portray stern confidence that a soldier newly minted from his enlistment with the 186th Battalion would have. He enlisted on March 9, 1916 at Chatham, Ontario. He... Continue Reading →
His Parents Must Have Known…
Percy Scanlan enlisted with the 91st Battalion at Chatham, Ontario on December 6, 1915. He was one of many eager recruits joining the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the second year of the war. Even the news of the Canadian experience at 2nd Ypres and the use of gas by the Germans did not dissuade him... Continue Reading →
Stuff of Legend: The Wounding of Private Dickson on Christmas Day 1915
Introduction There is no doubt that Sergeant Fred Young was an ardent supporter and chronicler of the 18th Battalion. He was very active in the 18th Battalion Association after the war, serving on its executive and being designated as its “poet laureate”. But, perhaps his enthusiasm for his Battalion allowed him to exercise some “poetic... Continue Reading →
“The narrow escapes that some fellows have are nothing short of marvellous”: A Letter from the Front
Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell 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 →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 