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The 1st
Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit
raised for service in the First World War.
History
The 1st
Canadian Infantry Battalion organized at Valcartier under
Camp Order 241 dated 2 September 1914.
The battalion was
raised from recruits raised in Military District 1.1
The battalion, along with the
others of the original Canadian contingent, formed at
Valcartier, trained on Salisbury Plain, and then saw action
in every major Canadian battle of the war in France and
Flanders.
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1st
Battalion, CEF |
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Organized: 6
August 1914
Initial Strength: 1,106
Service: Component of the 1st Infantry
Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and
Flanders.
Disbanded: G.O. 149/1920 eff 15 September 1920
Perpetuated by: 4th Battalion, The Royal
Canadian Regiment |
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Commanding
Officers included Lieutenant-Colonel F.W. Hill, followed by
Lieutenant Colonel F. A. Creighton (24 January 1916), and Lieutenant
Colonel G.C. Hodson (27 June 1916).
The battalion sailed for the UK from Quebec on 25 September 1914
aboard S.S. Laurentic, disembarking on 14 October 1914
with a strength of 45 officers and 1121 other ranks. The battalion
went to France on 11 February 1915 as a component of the Canadian
Division (later 1st Canadian Division), serving in the 1st Infantry
Brigade. The battalion moved to England from France on 26 March
1919, disembarked in Canada on 21 April 1919, demobilized on
24 April 1919, and officially disbanded by General Order 149 of 15
September 1920.
As part of the Otter Committee recommendations, the
battalion was officially
perpetuated by The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)2, whom
underwent several identity changes following the war,
eventually becoming 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment in 1989.
The battalion formed a brass band from the "John Peel" bugle band. A
stand of regimental colours that had been purchased in England were
handed over to the General Officer Commanding Military District 1 on
demobilization and were deposited in St. Paul`s Cathedral, London,
Ontario.
Stewart lists the battalion as
being affiliated with the 33rd and 142nd Battalions, and the
battalion was
eventually reinforced by the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
Lieutenant Fred Campbell was
awarded the Victoria Cross for valour at Givenchy on 15 June 1915.
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 1st Battalion was further
distinguished by a green circle worn above the rectangle, the green
indicating the 1st brigade, and the circle indicating the senior
battalion in the brigade. More information on formation patches can
be found in the article on the
organization of the division.
Battle Honours
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Ypres 1915, 17
St. Julien
Mount Sorrel
Pozieres
Ancre Heights
Vimy, 1917
Scarpe, 1917, 18
Passchendaele
Drocourt-Quéant
Canal du Nord |
Gravenstafel
Festubert, 1915
Somme, 1916
Flers-Courcelette
Arras 1917, '18
Arleux
Hill 70
Amiens
Hindenburg Line
Pursuit to Mons |
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France and Flanders, 1915-18 |
Notes
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Stewart, p.1 and some information
from Library and Archives Canada and the
CEF Matrix
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Love, p.274
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Annex 1B to A-AD-267-000/AF-003,
also viewable online at Directorate of History and Heritage
list of lineages.
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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)
