ConfidentialWar Diaryof18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st June to 30th June, 1918 Volume 34With appendices as listed PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and InformationSupport Line. 4/17.a.30.40 to M.15.c.60.301 Maps for reference 51c S.E. 51b N.W 1/20000 51c 1/40000 Battalion in Brigade Support. Left sub-sector, NEUVILLE VITASSE frontage. Situation quiet, with nothing unusual to report.... Continue Reading →
Loyal to the End: The Passing of “Billy” Dewar
William Robb Dewar was Canadian. He was Scottish. He was subject of the British Empire and after living in Canada for three years upon landing in Canada he achieved the status of being a Canadian citizen. This was his right under The Immigration Act, S.C. 1910, c. 27. He earned that right fully with his... Continue Reading →
June 1918 Casualties
TEXT Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Private ALLSOP GEORGE HENRY 10/06/1918 3130373 Private BRADDOCK SYLVESTER 07/06/1918 53065 Private McCALMONT A 11/06/1918 880093 Private PIERSON H 28/06/1918 213415 Lieutenant SCULLY HAROLD LEO 07/06/1918 Link Private TURNEY W 28/06/1918 802279
A Splendid Officer: Captain E.H. Shuttleworth
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* I would like to pay a special tribute to Capt. Dick Shuttleworth, another of our splendid officers who never forgot the men who served with him in France and Belgium, many under his own command. When some of our members go to Westminster, they often call and... Continue Reading →
“…of a roving nature.”: Private Archie Turner
Friend after friend departs; Who hath not lost a friend? There is no union of hearts That finds not here an end. Part of a hymn[i] laments for the death of Private Archie Turner. His sister-in-law selected this hymn to reflect on her brother-in-law’s passing. Private Turner enlisted in St. Thomas, Ontario October 23, 1914... Continue Reading →
With All His Failings: The Story of “Jimmy” McLennan
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* Some time ago, we read of the passing of an 82 year old woman named Lahoud. We remembered her as the operator of a large rooming house at the corner of Windsor Avenue and Chatham Street during the first war. Among her roomers were Andy Galbraith, Jock... Continue Reading →
A Quiet Christmas 1915
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* How good in your memory? Do you remember the first Christmas Day (1915) we spent in Flanders? Two of our Companies were in M. & N. front line trenches while the other two companies were in reserve at Ridgewood and Vierstraat, which were about a half mile... Continue Reading →
February 1916 Casualties
RankSurnameForenameDate of DeathReg. NoPrivateBRODIEJAMES BENJAMIN25/02/191653776PrivateCOLVIND24/02/191654223PrivateHADLEYJ28/02/1916412764
“Oh, to hell with it.”: Memories of Passchendaele
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* On the night of November 5th[iii], 1917, our “A” Company was rushed into the line to relieve a company of a battalion of the 4th Division, who had been severely mauled and had suffered many casualties. Our own Company was only at half strength with four Officers... Continue Reading →
April 1918 Casualties
Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. BROWN A E 05/04/1918 455391 ADIE ARCHIBALD WILLIAM 10/04/1918 851119 AVEY H 04/04/1918 540036 BEVEL THOMAS J. 22/04/1918 454031 BONE F S 04/04/1918 880120 BUCKMAN W 04/04/1918 769631 CLIMO F C 06/04/1918 675537 COMBOYE J W 02/04/1918 880476 COURTNEY WILLIAM JOHN 05/04/1918 928802 COWLEY A V 22/04/1918... Continue Reading →
The “Twilight” and a Chance Meeting
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* Several years after the War, I was coming back from Chicago on the “Twilight” which was then one of the better trains operated by the New York Central Railway as it was solid chair car and excess fare. As soon as the train left the station in... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: May 1918
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st May to 31st May, 1918 Volume 33 With appendices 1 – 9 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information Bretencourt 1 MAPS for Reference 51b sheet 2 51c [illegible] 2 Battalion in reserve billets at Bretencourt r.26.d. Company Parades... Continue Reading →
May 1918 Casualties
TEXT Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Private COLLINS THOMAS 30/05/1918 189517 Private DIXON CHARLES EDWARD 28/05/1918 675497 Private ELLIOTT DANIEL 31/05/1918 651389 Private HOBEN LEVI D. 24/05/1918 488881 Private KILLORAN J 01/05/1918 409370 Private McMULLIN LEONARD CALVIN 25/05/1918 844831 Corporal TICHBOURNE A W 26/05/1918 802004 Private WILSON HUGH ROBERTSON 26/05/1918 213122 Private... 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 →
Private Aikenhead and the “Younger Set”
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES* Every time we meet Harold Aikenhead[ii], the general and competent Secretary of our London Branch, it always brings back memories of our first or second trip into the Front Line. I don’t recall where it was but Harold claims it was B & C trenches and he... Continue Reading →
One of the Best Looking Men: Lieut. Clarke at St. Eloi
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES* At one of our Reunion Dinners some years ago, one of he speakers mentioned Lieut. John Clarke[ii], but placed him in the wrong Company. Lieut. Clarke was the Officer in charge of Thirteen Platoon. The other “D” Company Officers were Lieut’s Ambery, McIntosh, and Dillon. Lieut. Clarke,... 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 →
“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 →
Rest Easy Uncle John
You look like you filled out and put on weight in your uniform in the picture. You stand slightly cocked to one side beside your brother, which makes you appear shorter than your brother more than the 2 and ¾ inches between you. Perhaps a year’s worth of training allowed your 19-year frame to grow... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 