History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth"
Articles, war diaries, and recognition to the Men of the "Fighting 18th"
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION – 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION March 1, 1919 to 31 March 1919 Volume 43 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information Fosses I.35.75 1 Map for Reference: Namur 8 1/100,000 Battalion Training and Educational Classes as per Appendix 1. Attached. 5 O.R.s proceeded on leave this date. 1 O.R.... Continue Reading →
Baseball was a large part of battalion life. Numerous articles attest to this at this blog. The Battalion played at Folkestone[i], at a Sports Day at Hythe, and during brigade and divisional sports days, amongst other mentions. Baseball was of keen interest to the men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and the 18th Battalion. So... Continue Reading →
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* Do you remember Lorenzo Kress[iii] who soon became one of the best known men among those who were first stationed at Queens Park? He later became well known in the Battalion as Dutch Kress, a nickname acquired during his school days. Dutch was quite a man. Before... Continue Reading →
The ties between Canadians and the sea-side town of Folkestone, England go back to the First World War. A popular image was of a soldier holding a rifle with a bayonet, advancing in front of the Union Jack with the assurance: “Don’t be Alarmed, the Canadians are on guard at Folkestone”. The impression made upon... Continue Reading →
Confidential War Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION - 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION From 1st September to 30th September 1917 Volume 25 With appendicis 1 - 4 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information VILLERS AU BOIS 1 Battalion in billets at VILLERS AU BOIS (Villers Camp). Company parades and inspections. Platoon and specialists training carried... Continue Reading →
ConfidentialWar Diary of 18th CANADIAN BATTALION - 2nd CANADIAN DIVISION FROM 1st August to 31st August 1917 Volume 24 With appendicis 6 - 13 PlaceDateHourSummary of Events and InformationMap reference, 36B Edition 6, 1/40,000. BOVIGNY 1st. R.19.central.1 18th. Canadian Battalion at BOVIGNY village in billets, the Brigade being in Divisional Reserve. Owing to heavy rain,... Continue Reading →
Shoeing Smith Mills joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force March 10, 1916. His residence at 9 Elm Street in Belleville, Ontario shared some geographic similarities with his father’s home in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England. Both residences were close to water and both residences were on the west side of a water course. But, other than that... Continue Reading →
4th Brigade, which the 18th Battalion was part of, after an opportunity in early May to clean up, rest, refit, and make up equipment shortages after their last engagement in the front line moved into the Mercatel sector of the line south-west of Arras. Of note was the arrival of two United States Army officers[i]... Continue Reading →
Sometime in the early spring of 1915 a young man from Pennsylvania with gainful employment with Ingersoll-Rand as a draughtsman took a trip to Philadelphia to inquire with the British Consulate on how best to pursue an engagement with the Imperial Forces so he could participate in the war. The advice led him, with four... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 