16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), CEF | |
---|---|
Active | 1914–1920 |
Disbanded | 1920 |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Type | Infantry |
Part of | 3rd Brigade, CEF |
Battle honours |
|
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | LCol Cyrus Wesley Peck |
The 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), CEF was a unit of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force. It was organized at Valcartier on 2 September 1914 in response to the Great War and was composed of recruits from the 91st Regiment Canadian Highlanders, the 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada, the 72nd Regiment "Seaforth Highlanders of Canada", and the 50th Regiment "Highlanders". [1] [2] [3]
The 16th Battalion served in the 3rd Canadian Brigade of the 1st Canadian Division. Since its early beginnings, the battalion had a high standard of conduct on the battlefield and was commanded by outstanding leaders. One such was Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, KCMG, who rose to command the Canadian Corps during the Great War. Currie was a master tactician whose skills led the Canadians to victory at Vimy Ridge and Amiens. [3] Lieutenant-Colonel Cyrus Wesley Peck commanded the battalion for many months in the trenches.
Four members of the 16th Battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross: Piper James Cleland Richardson, Private William Johnstone Milne, [4] Lance-Corporal William Henry Metcalf, and Lieutenant-Colonel Cyrus Peck. [3] Piper James Richardson was just 18 years old when he enlisted, and was killed during the Battle of the Somme shortly after having played his company through No Man's Land. He disappeared in shellfire after going back to retrieve the bagpipes he laid aside to bring back a wounded comrade. [3]
The battalion fought on the northern flank of the 3rd Brigade during the attack on Vimy Ridge. Several German positions survived the pre-attack artillery barrage and, though the 16th achieved its objectives, it paid a heavy price with 333 killed and wounded. [5]
The Canadian historian René Chartrand noted that despite the fact that black Canadians were only supposed to serve in construction units, one of the soldiers in the painting The Conquerors is a black man, suggesting that at least some black Canadians served as infantrymen in World War I. [6]
The battalion returned to England on 27 March 1919, disembarked in Canada on 4 May 1919, was demobilized on 8 May 1919, and was disbanded by General Order 149 of 15 September 1920. [3]
The 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), CEF is perpetuated by The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's). [7]
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916. The organization of a 5th Canadian Division began in February 1917 but it was still not fully formed when it was broken up in February 1918 and its men used to reinforce the other four divisions.
The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The regiment is a part-time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, itself part of 3rd Canadian Division, one of four region-based Canadian Army divisions. The regiment is one of only two regiments in the Canadian Forces to wear an honorary distinction on their uniform, commemorating the counterattack at Kitcheners' Wood. On 9 January 2015, the regiment was recognized with the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation for outstanding contributions to the war in Afghanistan.
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
The 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was an active service battalion during the First World War.
The 31st Battalion (Alberta), CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The battalion recruited in Alberta and was mobilized at Calgary. The battalion was authorized in November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 17 May 1915. On 18 September 1915 it disembarked in France, where it fought with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded in August 1920.
Major-General Sir David Watson, was a Canadian journalist, newspaper owner, and general.
The 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), specifically in the 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to 1919. The battalion participated in every major Canadian battle of the First World War, and set a record for the most decorations earned by a Canadian unit in a single battle at Hill 70. The unit was known to its contemporaries simply as The Fighting Tenth.
The 50th Battalion (Calgary), CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 50th Battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 27 October 1915. The battalion disembarked in France on 11 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division, in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.
4th Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion raised as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force for service during the First World War. Raised in Canada in September 1914, the battalion sailed to the United Kingdom within weeks of its establishment. After a short period of training it was committed to the fighting on the Western Front, remaining in France and Belgium until the war ended. It returned to Canada in mid-1919 and after its personnel had been demobilized, the battalion was subsequently disbanded in 1920.
The 5th Battalion, CEF, known as "Tuxford's Dandys," was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The 28th Battalion (Northwest), CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The 8th Battalion, CEF, also known by the nickname of The Little Black Devils of Canada, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The battalion was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 1 October 1914. It disembarked in France on 13 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 2nd Canadian Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.
The 42nd Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The 43rd Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The 49th Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The 72nd Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I, and recruited throughout the province of British Columbia.
The 73rd Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 73rd Battalion organized in June 1915, initially commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Peers Davidson, was placed on 'Active Service' as an 'Overseas Battalion, on 10 July 1915, as authorized in Militia General Orders.
The 15th Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 15th Battalion was authorized on 1 September 1914, embarked for Britain on 26 September 1914 and arrived in France on 15 February 1915. The battalion fought as part of the 3rd Canadian Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders throughout the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.
The 113th Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Great War Canadian Expeditionary Force. The 113th Battalion was authorized on 22 December 1915 as part of a recruiting drive in which men from the same region could enlist and serve together.
Canadian pipers in World War I were soldiers who contributed to the First World War by playing the bagpipes as they marched the troops to the front. These men were often members of a pipe band, that chose to enlist at the outbreak of World War I to assist with the Canadian war effort. Although most of the pipers were trained to fight, many of them played the bagpipes throughout the war as a way to encourage the troops as they walked into battle.