Source: May 1917 War Diary first page.
Later captain. Awarded Military Cross.
Resource: The letters of Lt. V.C. Eastwood are transcribed and available at Letters from Vincent transcribed by his Great Grand-Son Michael Ritchie.
Vincent McCarter EASTWOOD age 27 bond salesman Peterborough 610 George Street same s/o Vincent EASTWOOD (born Ontario) and wife Isabelle McCARTER to Margaret McKee NEILL age 28 Peterborough 359 Hunter Street same d/o Robert McKee NEILL (born Ohio USA) and wife Agnes MERCER witnesses: Jean EASTWOOD and Robert NEILL both of Peterborough
source: Ontario Vital Statistics 16887-1924
Military Cross Citation, London Gazette. No. 30095.Page 5186.
Lt. Vincent McCarter Eastwood, Can. Infy.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a raiding party. He carried out several valuable reconnaissances previous to the raid. During the operations, he, with a few men, entered the enemy’s trenches, personally show two of the enemy, and bombed his way along their front line, inflicting several casualties before withdrawing.
London Gazette. No. 30095.Page 5186.
Telegram from The Lord Chamberlain to King George V requesting Lieutenant Eastwood’s attendance to Buckingham Palace to be invested with his Military Cross. Source: Michael Ritchie.
Lieutenant Eastwood’s Military Cross, a treasured family heirloom. Source: Michael Ritchie.
Summary of Service for Eastwood, Vincent McCarter, Lieutenant, Military Cross
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| January 4 1897 | Born | Born to Mr. Vincent Eastwood and Mrs. Isabelle McCarter Eastwood at Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. |
| April 6, 1916 | Enlisted | Enlisted with the 93rd Battalion at Peterborough. He was 19-years of age and had three years of experience in the Militia with the 57th Regiment. The Officer’s Attestation Paper was signed by his Uncle, Major J. H. Eastwood. He also had a cousin, John Hubert Eastwood who served in the 93rd March 8, 1916. |
| May 27, 1916 | On Command | On Command at Ottawa, Ontario re. Daily Orders 133 of June 3, 1916. |
| June 14, 1916 | Off Command | Off Command at Ottawa re. Daily Orders 143 of June 15, 1916. |
| June 30, 1916 | Anti-Typhoid Inoculation | |
| July 1, 1916 | Assigns Pay | Assigns pay at the rate of $20.00 per month to his father, Major Vincent Eastwood. |
| July 3, 1916 | Anti-Typhoid Inoculation | |
| July 6, 1916 | Writes Letter | Letter to parents. References the inoculation. |
| July 10, 1916 | Vaccinated | |
| July 13, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Writes on train on way to embarkation in Halifax on way to England. |
| July 15, 1916 | Unit Sails | 93rd Battalion sails from Halifax. |
| June 28, 1916 | Unit Arrives | |
| August 20, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Interesting observations about women working during the war. |
| September 12, 1916 | Writes Letter | To Margaret Eastwood, his sister. Mentions Lieutenant Arthur Ross Ackerman of the 2nd Battalion. |
| September 13, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. |
| September 19, 1916 | Posted | Posted to permanent cadre, 93rd Battalion. |
| September 22, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. The Battalion is down to 250 men and most of the officers have been posted overseas. |
| September 26, 1916 | Writes Letter | To father. Interesting reference to a “breast plate”. A piece of personal armour that “Stevenson” had also purchased and was designed against shrapnel and could protect against bullets and bayonets. |
| October 6, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to 39th Battalion and then overseas to 18th Battalion. |
| October 7, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Writes letter day after posting to 39th Battalion. He may know he is due overseas soon. Relates about leave in London and one soldier who goes crazy. |
| October 11, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Relates that leave was extended 3 days when he got posted to the 18th Battalion. The Canadian involvement at the Somme occurred almost a month prior. |
| October 16, 1916 | In Transit | In transit “overseas” to unit. |
| October 17, 1916 | Taken on Strength | TOS 18th Battalion. |
| October 17, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Reference to Lt. Norman Campbell Hatton, reg. no. 454823. |
| October 20, 1916 | Arrives | Battalion in service in Bully Grenay and Hersin sector. War Diary states:
“Position as yesterday. LIEUTS. V.M. EASTWOOD, J. Mc. WATT, and P.G. MIGHT arrived as reinforcements. LIEUT. H.W. McBRIDE admitted to hospital.” |
| October 21, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Arrives at front and meets “Steve Stevenson”, battalion unknown. |
| October 30, 1916 | Writes Letter. | To parents. He is reunited with Lts. Might, Watt, and Worth, all formerly of the 93rd Battalion. |
| November 8, 1916 | Writes Letter | To parents. Attending a machine gun school and references indigenous soldiers from the 93rd Battalion being in his [D] Company. |
| May 26, 1917 | Awarded Military Cross | Per London Gazette, number 30095, page 5186. Citation reads:
“Lt. Vincent McCarter Eastwood, Can. Infy. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a raiding party. He carried out several valuable reconnaissances previous to the raid. During the operations, he, with a few men, entered the enemy’s trenches, personally shot two of the enemy, and bombed his way along their front line, inflicting several casualties before withdrawing.” |
| August 23, 1917 | Granted Leave | Granted 10 days leave to England. |
| September 6, 1917 | Granted Leave Extension | Granted extension to leave. |
| October 28, 1917 | Appointed Acting Captain | Appointed A/Captain per London Gazette. No. 30524. |
| November 10, 1917 | Wounded | Reported wounded. GSW back. Severe. Wounded at Passchendaele. War Diary entry states:
“During the whole of this tour the Officers and men held this part of the line under the most severe conditions possible. Great difficulty was experienced in the evacuating of casualties from the front line to R.A.P.s and dressing stations. Front line trenches were subjected to frequent barrages and the rear country [area] was also heavily shelled and bombed. The supports on this front were reached by a series of tracks, being trench mat walks, and rations had to be carried by mules up these tracks. Each track being subjected to continual shellfire, the transport and ration parties where fortunate in escaping with the loss of 3 men killed and 1 mule which fell off the duckboard track and owing to the depth of the mud had to be shot. Splendid work was done by the Battalion Stretcher bearers in tending and evacuating the wounded.” |
| November 11, 1917 | Admitted Hospital | Duchess of Westminster Hospital, Le. Torquet. |
| December 5, 1917 | Reported Dangerously Ill | |
| February 2, 1918 | Removed from Dangerously Ill List | GSW, Back. Fractured right scapula. Severe. |
| February 21, 1918 | Transferred | Via hospital ship transferred to 2nd West General Hospital, Manchester. |
| April 4, 1918 | Transferred | Perkins Bull Hospital, Heath. |
| April 28, 1918 | Transferred | Granville Canadian Special Hospital, Buxton. |
| May 6, 1918 | To Canada | To Canada via Hospital Ship No. 56 via Avonmouth. |
| May 16, 1918 | Arrives Canada | Arrives Canada at Halifax. Transits Atlantic aboard the Llandrovery Castle. |
| May 23, 1918 | Base Toronto | GSW right shoulder. |
| July 29, 1918 | Admitted Base Hospital, Toronto | Admitted with ankylosis, right shoulder. Boarded “D3” and issued with 2-months sick leave. |
| August 5, 1918 | Discharged Base Hospital Toronto | |
| October 2, 1918 | Admitted Spadina Military Hospital | Admitted with GSW, right shoulder and reports “Good movement of clavicle and scapula. Muscular strength in arm good. Received “B2”. |
| January 31, 1919 | Demobilized |
Listed with Phi Delta Theta Fraternity in the University of Toronto Torontonensis, 1921.
Pingback: 18th Battalion War Diary: October 1916 | War Diary of the 18th Battalion CEF