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 →
“UNUSUAL VIEWS OF SHORNECLIFFE”: Familiar sights to the men of the 18th
A faded article in a local paper from over 100-years ago. The fades images do not offer much in the way of information as they lack detail and definition. The text offers some information about the images, but the locale is not known to many of the residents of Galt, and yet, there would be... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: February 1919
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st February 1 1919 to 28th February 1919 Volume 42 With appendices 1 – 28 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information Fosses I.35.75 1 Map for Reference: Namur 8 1/100,000 Battalion training as per Appendix No. 1 attached. In accordance with... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: July 1918
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st July to 31st July, 1918 Volume 35 With appendices 1 - 7 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information G.H.Q. RESERVE LATERE-ST-QUENTIN. J.23, 24, 29 and 30. Bn. Hdqrs at J.25.d.80.20 1 Lorries called at 7.45 a.m. and took about 14... Continue Reading →
“Do Your Remember the Night We Left London?”: First in the Series of “MEMORIES”
Introduction The blog has come into the possession of an exciting and valuable series of documents care of Dan Moat, a member of the 18th Battalion Facebook Group. His Great Grand-Father, Lance-Corporal Charles Henry Rogers, reg. no. 123682 was an active member in the 18th Battalion Association and the Royal Canadian Legion. With is interest... Continue Reading →
Clearing Snow
The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum posted this priceless image on its Twitter feed. A group of 18th Battalion soldiers stand in a line in the barracks square at Wolsesly Barracks in London, Ontario. The men stand in a line with shovels and have to dig the snow to clear the square. There is a small... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: January 1918
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION- 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st January to 31st of January, 1918 Volume 29 With appendices 1 - 5 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information Febvin-Palfart 1 9 am to 10:30 Company parades and inspections. Physical Training until 10:30 when battalion was dismissed for the day. Being... Continue Reading →
LOOKING EVERY INCH A SOLDIER
The 18th Battalion was nearing the end of its training. As it was formed in the latter part of October 1914 from South-Western Ontario the soldiers were collected in London, Ontario for training. As the Battalion was about to leave for England via Halifax on the S.S. Grampian on April 18, 1915. Thus, the Battalion... Continue Reading →
Apparently, it is an actual hell out there at times: The Letters of Sergeant Wallace
A series of four news articles from the St. Thomas Times-Journal illuminates the career of John A. Wallace who was an original member of the 18th Battalion[i]. The articles span from November 1914 to October 1915 and offer insights into the life of Wallace, and by extension, the other non-commissioned men of the Battalion. The... Continue Reading →
Training Mistake Wounds 18th Battalion Soldier
Private James Abercrombie, reg no. 123978 enlisted in Chatham, Ontario at the age of 19 years, 6 months, enlisting with the 70th Overseas Battalion on October 1, 1915. After initial training in Canada he transited the Atlantic via the S.S. Lapland, arriving in England May 5, 1916. Over a month transpired where his whereabouts were... Continue Reading →
Sports Days for the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade
“Sports Days” were an integral part of British and Canadian Military life. In every area of operation, be it Flanders, Salonika, or Mesopotamia. For the Canadian troops, Sports Days were times of recreation and competition – a break from soldiering. Yet, the popularity of the Sports Days had a decidedly military purpose. They helped foster... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: June 1917
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY -OF- 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st June to 31th June 1917 Volume 22 With appendicies 1-3 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information 1 Map reference WILLERVAL 1/20,000 Battalion in Brigade Support with H.Qrs at T.27.d.3.5. During the night Battalion was relieved by 15th Canadian... Continue Reading →
War Diary Summary: June 1917
Battalion in the Thelus sector of Vimy Ridge May 1, 1917 and moved with the entire 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade to the RIDGE line in preparation to a month of intensive training and reinforcement of the battalions in the Brigade. Interesting note on June 3 about “2 instructors from Canadian Corps Gymnastic Staff attached to... Continue Reading →
Tank Tactics and Barbed Wire: February 1918
The tank and the creation of tank doctrine in the First World War was a process that hoped to take advantage of the use of a mechanical machine to overcome the obstacles that the Western Front with its static warfare footprint of obstacles in the form of trenches, barbed wire, and more telling, the destruction... Continue Reading →
Sergeant Austin’s Accident: The Tale of Two Emerging Modern Weapon Systems
Robert Wallace Austin reg. no. 113067 joined the Canadian Army at 8:45 a.m.[i] on July 23, 1915 in the city of Ottawa.[ii] He was just shy of one month past his twenty-first birthday when he joined the 8th Canadian Mounted Rifles (8th C.M.R.) and he was to be transported to England in October 1915 to... Continue Reading →
Our Boys Were Certainly No Angels
Introduction The role of an Assistant Provost Marshal is basically the Chief of Police for a military unit or encampment. Keeping control of the approximately 15,000 troops from all branches of the Army in the 2nd Division was a very real challenge. The “boys” being young, many far from home, but conversely many native... Continue Reading →
Updates on Sandling Camp Resource and Post
DISCOVERY Of First World War Practice Trenches: TOLSFORD HILL - SALTWOOD, KENT A previous post outlined in some detail the excellent work of Michael and Paula Dugdale of Saltwood, Kent, England. The article entitled West Sandling Camp and the Trenches of Tolsford Hill relates the work done with a perspective in regards to how it relates... Continue Reading →
TVO Program: The Forgotten Gunners of WWI
Program Description: Air Date: Feb 15, 2016 Length: 47:04 Available Until: Jul 30, 2019 About this Video The 20th series begins with an examination of what life was like for the First World War Machine Gun Corps, revealing the lost secrets of Belton House, the stately home where they were trained. Follow this LINK to... Continue Reading →
Tactical Deployment of the Lewis Gun: Updated Information
In recent post entitled Letter Home: "...the poor Germans run like a lot of mice." the end note [ii] surmised 'This reference is obscure but taken in context with the rest of the sentence it appears that Sergeant Mowatt is referring to a Lewis Gun crew. Usually of 2 men.' in reference to "I went... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: March 1917
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY OF 18th Canadian Battalion – 2nd Canadian Division From 1st March to 31st March 1917 Volume 19 7 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information Brigade Support 1 18th Battalion in Brigade Support THELUS SECTOR. Working parties out repairing and draining support and communication trenches. 2 Position same. LIEUT. Col. G.F.... Continue Reading →
