Bouvigny Huts. Bouvigny Huts. Those two words may have spelled mixed feelings with the Battalion. This would be the first time they ware billeted there but other battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force reported the conditions for this facility in the rear that “…life in the trenches was less irksome and monotonous and no more... Continue Reading →
The Attentions of Miss Mary
18th Battalion Association[i] Windsor and Detroit Branch *MEMORIES[ii]* Do you remember that just before Christmas (1915) every member of the Battalion received a nice gift package from the people of Windsor. Inside each package was a card showing the name of the donor. You were supposed to sign the card and hand it back in.... Continue Reading →
The Greatest Devotion to Duty: Casualties at Passchendaele
The 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade (4th C.I.B.) was engaged at Passchendaele in November 1917. Compared with some other Canadian Brigades and Battalions it was not as heavily engaged but the costs to the Brigade was high. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade suffered a total of 1,268 casualties (killed in action and wounded) with 73 men... Continue Reading →
September 1915 Casualties: 18th Battalion
The month of September 1915 was the first time the 18th Battalion served in the front-line and it was not until the end of the month that it suffered its first battle deaths. Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Lance Corporal FREW WILLIAM WALLACE 30/09/1915 53227 Captain HALLAM ERNEST WALTER 29/09/1915 Link Private... Continue Reading →
The Raid at Hill 70
4th Canadian Infantry Brigade Order No. 142 outlined the details of a raid on the German lines in detail. The order specifically directs the Battalion in the intention and actions during the raid and was an important preparatory step for the Battalion, and the other Battalions of the Brigade for the attach on Hill 70... Continue Reading →
August 1917 Casualties
Casualties from August 1917. Not all the soldiers died in the field or in action. Several of the soldiers listed here died in Canada after receiving wounds in action and returning. Surname Forename Rank Reg. No. AIKIN DAVID Private 880497 ALLEN HENRY Private 158529 ARNOLD MARK Private 53770 BARTLEMAN SCOTT Private 730043 BEAUDIN ELIE Private... 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 →
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 →
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 →
He was loving and kind to all…
On the 7th of May, 1915 in London, Ontario a young 21 year old Herman Aitken, reg. no. 112168 enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force with the 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles. In England he was attached to the Fort Garry Horse on January 2, 1916 and transferred to the Continent to join that unit. It... Continue Reading →
“Why, what is the news?”: Underage Soldier Dies Serving with the 18th
"Why, what is the news?" Those words probably reverberated in the vestibule of 696 Ashdale Avenue[1] in Toronto, Ontario one day in early December of 1916. It was a question posed by the mother of Private Charles Duncan Compton as a Toronto Star newspaper reporter followed up on the news of this soldier’s death. His... Continue Reading →
A Numbers Game: Curious Case of Sequential Regimental Numbers and 4 Soldiers of the 116th Overseas Battalion
There are four men represented by sequential regimental numbers that are tied by their common experience and their relationship to each other. Two men were brothers and three men were Barnardo Boys. The fourth man shared the experience of serving with them and their act of enlisting tied them together until their ultimate fates. The... Continue Reading →
March 1917 Casualties
March 1917 involved 1,036 casualties resulting in death. Of those 11 where of the 18th Battalion. Rank Surname Forename Age Date of Death Reg. No. Additional Information Corporal BUCK ARTHUR LAWRENCE 28 24/03/1917 124539 SON OF FREDERICK WILLIAM BUCK AND ELLEN BUCK, OF 6, RICHMOND TERRACE, NORTHGATE, PONTEFRACT, YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND. Private BUCKLEY JOHN... Continue Reading →
Private Skelly Joins the C.E.F. 100 Years Ago
Private Lawrence Russell Skelly, reg. no. 803015 joined the 135th Overseas Battalion in London, Ontario 100 years ago today. He was an 18 year old, 5' 7.5" lad with dark brown hair. Eventually he would transfer overseas and into the 18th Battalion where he would die in combat just over 1 year after his enlistment.... Continue Reading →
Private Goodier Died 100 Years Ago Today
On November 24th, 1915 the following entry outlines the activity of the 18th Battalion on that day: "'B' [and] 'D' Coys [companies] relieved 'a' [and] 'C' Coys in trenches. But that day was to have more import for Private Edward Goodier, reg. no. 53678. His "Circumstances of Death" card outlines what happened: At about 6.30... Continue Reading →
July 1916 Butcher’s Bill
14 soldiers of the 18th Battalion were killed in action or died of wounds in April 1916. Compare this to the 22 officers and 658 other ranks who became casualties in one action of the Newfoundland Regiment at Beaumont-Hamel on July 1, 1916. Rank Last Name First Name Age Date of Death Reg. No. Private... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill for June 1916
June 1916 was, sadly, a notable month for C.E.F. casualties. 3,334 service people were killed this month. 19 of them belonging to the 18th Battalion. Of note: 489375 Private Fred Storey was only 16 when he died. Last Name First Name Age Killed Rank Reg. No. BIRKS J 06/06/1916 Private 409544 CUNNINGHAM R, DCM 20... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill for May 1916
Of the 652 Canadian combatants that were killed in action or died of wounds 9 sacrificed their lives. Rank Surname Forename Date of Death Reg. No. Private BOUTILIER N W 10/05/1916 488677 Private CLARK W 14/05/1916 415552 Private DUDLEY WILLIAM HOWARD 10/05/1916 404827 Private GILBERT P S 11/05/1916 53233 Private HUMPHREYS JOHN 13/05/1916 413050... Continue Reading →
The Butcher’s Bill for April 1916
Of the 1,067 Canadian combatants who died during April 1916 29 were members of "The Fighting 18th." Links are the Library Archives Canada regimental number page. Some of those entries have service records at date of posting this blog post. Rank Surname Forename Decoration Date of Death Reg. No. Private DREW ALFRED HENRY 02/04/1916 402060... Continue Reading →
War Diary of the 18th Battalion: April 1916
CONFIDENTIAL WAR DIARY of 18th Canadian Battalion 2nd Canadian Division From 1st April to 30th April 1916 Volume 8 With appendices 1 -3 Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information CLYTTE April 1 10:00 AM Battalion in Divisional Reserve at LA CLYTTE. B coy and 2 platoons of D coy moved to hold trenches... Continue Reading →
