Link to November 1916 War Diary Transcription November found the 18th Battalion approximately 50 kilometers from the hell that was the Somme. Now located in the Lens Sector in the vicinity of Bully-Grenay the Battalion was able to find relative rest and recuperation after the actions of September and October. The first part of the... Continue Reading →
The Luff Brothers of Chatham
The Luff Brothers[i] of Chatham, Ontario took the approximate 115-kilometer trip to St. Thomas, Ontario to enlist in the 91st Battalion. They joined on the same day on December 6, 1915 and were give sequential regimental numbers. George was the oldest by one year over Harry and had obtained the age of 20 years and... Continue Reading →
The Hallam Brothers
The Hallam brothers were from Grantham, Lincolnshire, England and were born 6 years apart. The eldest, Ernest had amassed a wealth of life experience having served in the Imperial Army in South Africa, the Sudan and Egypt and then taking is fortunes to the colonies and establishing himself in Port Arthur, Ontario where he continued... Continue Reading →
Soldiers of Windsor: The Windsor Star
Two news articles give some context to the experiences of soldiers from the Windsor area. The 18th Battalion had been in the line as of the latter part of September 1915 and had experience its first Christmas on the Continent. The Battalion had experienced light casualties, in regards to men killed, with 34 men who... Continue Reading →
“Gallant Gentlemen”
“GALLANT GENTLEMEN.” BISHOP’S TRIBUTE TO CANADIANS. In a speech at the annual meeting of the British Columbia and Yukon Aid Society[i] at Church House, Westminster, yesterday, the Bishop of London[ii] [The Right Reverend Arthur Winnington-Ingram] spoke of the great debt of gratitude which the country owed to the men from[iii] Canada, and said that one... Continue Reading →
“Nerves” in War-Time: A contemporary view of Shell Shock, German Propaganda and the cure to all this: Optimism
The understanding of what we would not call PTSD during the First World War was minimal and fraught with a range of mostly inappropriate connotations about a person's mental and moral upbringing. Many of this blog's posts reference shell shock and one may find this article from the Daily Telegraph recorded in the June 5,... 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 →
A Mother Found
Private Robert Mitchell Armitage was a little out of his element when he was transferred to the 18th Battalion. Private Armitage enlisted in London, Ontario but was originally born in Montreal, Quebec and listed his “current address” upon attestation as Charlestown, Ohio. This Canadian man who joined initially the 1st Depot Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment... Continue Reading →
October 1916 Casualties
October 1916 finds the 18th Battalion still engaged at the Somme. October 3rd was a particularly bad day for the Battalion. Rank Surname Forename Age Date Reg. No. Private BARTON ALBERT 34 10/10/1916 415134 Private BROCK H E 27/10/1916 54003 Private BURTON SIDNEY 33 02/10/1916 157097 Private CLARKE ARTHUR RAYMOND 03/10/1916 124362 Private DANIEL... Continue Reading →
Report: Norm Christie’s “Masters of War, the development of the CEF” at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum. Hosted by G.W.C.A.
On September 27, 2016 I had the pleasure to attend a talk given by Norm Christie entitled: "Masters of War, the development of the CEF" . The event was hosted by the Great War Centennial Association (G.W.C.A.). Before I get into the meat of the report two shout outs are warranted. Canadian Military Heritage Museum... Continue Reading →
The Bryant/Drouillard Wedding Mystery Solved
With the help of many great people the background and circumstances of The Bryant/Drouillard Wedding can be brought to bear. It only adds more to the mystery in that the circumstances of the marriage of Private Bryant, reg. no. 320 of the Canadian Expeditionary Force to Miss Elizabeth Drouillard. The initial mystery was created partially... Continue Reading →
The Bryant/Drouillard Wedding Mystery
Doing research, I stumbled on this article[i]: Apparently whirlwind romances happen just before a soldier leaves for the battlefield. “The London Advertiser” has a piece dated November 12, 1914 on a wedding in London, Ontario of Private Sydney Wetherell Bryant to Elizabeth Drouillard. Both were from Windsor. 'About 1000 people went to the barracks this morning... Continue Reading →
April 1917 Casualties
April 1917 is a historical focal point in Canadian history. The Battle of Vimy Ridge is lauded over every year as a seminal moment in Canada's history and from this author's point of view the attention is well deserved. The battle was effectively fought and realized its aims with dash and elan. There were problems... Continue Reading →
Blog Updates for September 2016
This past month a focus on the activities of the 18th Battalion with its involvement in the actions that occurred 100 years ago at the Somme was made. Several posts outlining with more detail the events that affected the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade offered some insight into the actions of the 18th Battalion on that... Continue Reading →
Norm Christie to Present at Brantford, Ontario on September 27, 2016
Norm Christie, well-known Canadian historian, will be giving a talk entitled Masters of War, The Development of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Below is the event information. Source
Flers-Courcelette: the battlefield.
Stark reminders of the horror of war. Photographs from Lt.William Ivor Castle, Canadian Official Photographer.
Battle of Courcelette: Communications Record for September 15, 1916
Introduction The record below is a transcription of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade's appendices numbered 80 to 150. The appendices records the communications between the various units involved in the battle for Courcelette and relates to the units in the 4th C.I.B. as well as peripheral units attached or adjacent to the Brigade during the... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill: 18th Battalion Killed in Action, September 1916
September 1916 was a particularly bloody month of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. During the 30 days of September 1916 the Canadian Army suffered 4,759 deaths. The Canadian Army was transferred to the Somme and took part in that battle. Of the 4,759 Canadian soldiers killed in action 111 of them were from the 18th Battalion.... Continue Reading →
West Sandling Camp and the Trenches of Tolsford Hill
Michael and Paula Dugdale, residents of Saltwood, Kent, England has written a document that brought an important location for the 18th Battalion to life[i]. Background The 18th Battalion was formed in South Western Ontario, primarily from Windsor, Chatham, London, Woodstock, and Galt, Ontario during the autumn of 1914 and was part of the 2nd Contingent... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 