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The 8th
Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit
raised for service in the First World War.
History
The 8th
Canadian Infantry Battalion organized at Valcartier in
September 1914 under
Camp Order 241 dated 2 September 1914.
The battalion was raised from
Winnipeg area soldiers (Military District 10) including men
from the 90th Regiment, Winnipeg Rifles and troops from the
96th Lake Superior Regiment.1
The battalion was
originally commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel L.J. Lipsett.
Three
soldiers of the battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross:
Company Sergeant Major William Hall, for actions at Ypres on
24 April 1915; Corporal Alexander Brereton, for actions at
Amiens on 9 August 1918; and Corporal Frederick George
Coppins, for actions near Beaufort Wood, also on 9 August
1918.2 |
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8th
Battalion, CEF |
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Organized: 6
August 1914
Initial Strength: 1,085
Service: Component of the 2nd Infantry
Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and
Flanders.
Disbanded: G.O. 149/1920 eff 15 September 1920
Perpetuated by: The Royal Winnipeg Rifles |
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The battalion
embarked at Quebec on 1 October 1914 aboard S.S. Franconia,
disembarking in England on 14 October 1914. Its strength was 47
officers and 1106 other ranks. The battalion disembarked in France
on 13 February 1915, becoming part of the 1st Canadian Division, 2nd
Canadian Infantry Brigade. The battalion returned to England on 23
March 1919, disembarked in Canada on 4 May 1919, was demobilized on
8 May1919, and was disbanded by General Order 149 of 15 September
1920.
As part of the Otter Committee recommendations after the war, the battalion
was officially perpetuated
by The Royal Winnipeg Rifles.3
Stewart lists the battalion as
being affiliated with the 90th, 144th, 190th and 203rd Battalions,
and was eventually reinforced by the 18th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
Insignia
In 1914, there had been little time to
adopt distinctive unit badges for the hastily assembled battalions
of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. As many battalions were drawn
from men from several of the pre-war Militia regiments, there was a
desire to avoid using existing badges and forming associations with
those existing units, in favour of creating new identities - the
General Officer Commanding the 1st Canadian Contingent (later 1st
Canadian Division) is quoted as saying sometime in October or
November of 1914 "there must be distinctive badges for each unit."4
Until unit badges were approved and issued, a mixture of
pre-war Militia badges and maple-leaf pattern General Service badges
were seen.
Metal cap and collar badges were also
worn on service dress.
 In
mid-1916, cloth "battle-patches" were added to the sleeves of the
Service Dress and greatcoat. The 1st Division was distinguished by a
red rectangle, 3 inches wide by 2 inches tall, worn on each upper
arm. The 8th Battalion was further distinguished by a red triangle
worn above the rectangle, the red indicating the 2nd Brigade, and
the triangle indicating the third senior
battalion in the brigade. More information on formation patches can
be found in the article on the
organization of the division.
Metal cap and collar badges were also
worn on service dress.
Battle Honours
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Ypres 1915, 17
St. Julien
Mount Sorrel
Thiepval
Arras 1917, '18
Arleux
Passchendaele
Scarpe, 1918
Hindenburg Line
Pursuit to Mons |
Gravenstafel
Festubert, 1915
Somme, 1916
Ancre Heights
Vimy, 1917
Hill 70
Amiens
Drocourt-Quéant
Canal du Nord
France and Flanders, 1915-18 |
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Notes
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The Regiments and Corps of the
Canadian Army (Queen's Printer, Ottawa, 1964), p.197 and
Love, p.139
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Regiments and Corps,
Ibid, and Stewart p.4. Stewart claims the battalion's nickname
"Black Devils" was bestowed by the Germans, but the 90th
Regiment had previously been known as "The Little Black Devils"
after service against the Metis in 1885.
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Surviving
copies may be found in the Borden papers (file OL 81), and at
Library and Archives Canada (RG24, Vol. 20, 294, file 934.009).
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Harper, Joseph A Source of
Pride: Regimental Badges and Titles in the Canadian
Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 (Service Publications,
Ottawa, ON, 1999) ISBN 0-9699845-8-8 p.5
References
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Love, David W.
A Call to Arms: The Organization and Administration of
Canada's Military in World War One (Bunker to Bunker
Books, Calgary, AB, 1999) ISBN 1894255-03-8
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Stewart, Charles
H. Overseas: The Lineages and Insignia of the Canadian
Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 (Little & Stewart,
Toronto, ON, 1970)
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