Introduction I had the honour and pleasure of speaking at an event held at the Mill Pond Gallery at Cargill, Ontario. The event was to acknowledge the service of the veterans of this proud town by hosting an event that had several speakers talking about the military heritage of Cargill. I was one of those... Continue Reading →
Discovering the Taylor Brothers: Inscribed Memories
In a churchyard in north-eastern France, there are inscriptions left by soldiers from the First World War. English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian. One person has been diligently photographing and documenting these inscriptions, and there are several 18th Battalion men whose inscriptions live on because of his work. It puts a soldier... Continue Reading →
Not Forgotten in Tillsonburg
On 18 July 2025 Lieutenant Raymond Earl Rouse MM MC grave was visited. This man served with the 18th Battalion, earning two decorations for valour, one as an enlisted man, and one as an officer. His military service started with his enlistment with the 18th Battalion on 27 October 1914, at Woodstock, Ontario. He was... Continue Reading →
He Kissed His Mother Before He Died: The Death of Private Douglas
The Circumstances of Death Card for Private Douglas, reg. no. 54153 starkly relates that he “Killed in Action” in the vicinity of Courcelette on 16 September 1916 at the 18th Battalion’s first engagement at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The main attack occurred on the prior day and is noted in history for the first use... Continue Reading →
Remembering John Turner: His Service and Sacrifice
On 10 May 2025, my son and I visited this man's grave and presented a Canadian flag and a Remembrance "Lest We Forget" flag in recognition of his service to Canada in the First World War. His obituary gives some sense of his life and service. "TURNER — John MacDonald, passed away peacefully September 21,... Continue Reading →
1916 Photograph of 186th Battalion: Stories Behind the Faces
A relatively obscure photograph of a group of men from 1916/1917 brings to life the men of that image. It is a photograph of a group of men from the 186th Overseas Battalion, raised from men in the Chatham and St. Thomas areas. Though primarily recruiting from Kent County, many men of the 91st Battalion... Continue Reading →
The Mystery Behind Historical War Photographs
A recent query at the 18th Battalion Facebook Group regarding two photographs asked if two men in two separate photographs could be identified. The common denominator in each photograph is the presence of Private Alexander McCalmont (reg. no. 880093) who died of wounds received in action at No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital. Photographs of soldiers... Continue Reading →
The Unique Christmas Poster of Private Ernest Pullen
Sometime before Christmas 1914 the men of the 18th Battalion stationed at the Wolseley Barracks at London, Ontario began the mental and physical preparations for the upcoming celebrations. One man would put pen to paper and acknowledge this event in a unique manner. Private Ernest Pullen, late of Windsor, Ontario and now a member of... Continue Reading →
Frank Oraszek: From Berlin to the Frontlines
November 2, 1914… The Berlin News Record, of the named city of Berlin (now Kitchener) Ontario, headline proclaims: “Turkey Jumps Into the Frying Pan” For, on 29 October 1914 the Turkish Fleet bombards Russian bases in Sevastopol, Feodosia, Yalta, Odessa and Novorossiysk and from that operation Russia declared war on Turkey effective 2 November 1914.[i]... Continue Reading →
50th Anniversary of 18th Battalion Reunion in Windsor, Ontario
The 18th Battalion Association was an outcrop of the creation of the Great War Veterans Association, later to become the Royal Canadian Legion. The member ship was active and had reunions at their various chapters.[i] One such reunion occurred on 22 October of 1964 recognizing the 50th anniversary of the start of the Great War.... Continue Reading →
Private Berry’s Voyage to War: Insights and Anecdotes
With thanks to the family member who shared the diaries of Ernest Berry, this article would not have been possible. Gainfully employed with a newborn baby boy barely one year old were not deterrents to Ernest Berry,[i] a bookbinder from Toronto, from enlisting for war. He loved his only son, calling his son Walter “Birdie”... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 