2nd Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF

Last updated

2nd (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Battalion, CEF
2nd Bn CEF.svg
The distinguishing patch of the 2nd Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF.
Active1914-1919
CountryCanadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg  Canada
Branch Canadian Expeditionary Force
Type Infantry
Size Battalion
Part of 1st Canadian Brigade, 1st Canadian Division
Engagements First World War
Battle honours Ypres and along the Western Front.

The 2nd Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), Canadian Expeditionary Force was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Army created in response to outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. The battalion comprised local militia from many regions of Ontario (and even from Quebec City). Men came from as far away as Sault Ste. Marie to join in Canada's military endeavour. Local militia gathered at Valcartier, in August 1914 and became part of the 2nd Battalion. [1] [2]

Contents

Recruitment

The original officers were drawn from the various regiments that recruited for the battalion, including the Governor General's Foot Guards of Ottawa, the 16th Prince Edward Regiment, the 40th Northumberland Regiment, the 41st Brockville Rifles, and the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Regiment, among others.

The battalion boarded the S.S. Cassandra from Quebec City on 22 September 1914, but sailed only as far as the Gaspé Basin, where more troops were collected. The battalion finally left the Gaspé Basin on 3 October as part of a convoy of at least 30 other ships, carrying a combined 32,000 Canadian soldiers, which would be the first of the Canadian infantry contributions to the war.

The Cassandra landed at Plymouth on 25 October, where the battalion disembarked and began rigorous training for the European battlefield.

World War I

On 8 February 1915, the battalion was mobilized for war. They sailed out of England aboard the S.S. Blackwell, bound for France. The battalion's first taste of battle came later that month, on 19 February, when they entered the trench system at Armentières.

Their first battle was the Second Battle of Ypres, in April 1915. When the battalion pulled out of the battle, on 29 April, the final count included 6 officers and 68 other ranks killed, 4 officers and 158 other ranks wounded, and 5 officers and 302 other ranks missing, for a combined loss of 543 men.

The 2nd Battalion also fought at the battles of Ypres, St. Julien, Festubert, Pozières, Vimy (1917), Arleux, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, and Canal du Nord, to name only a few. By the end of the war, 242 officers and 5,084 other ranks had fought with the battalion. Of those, 52 officers and 1,227 other ranks were killed in action, accidentally killed, or died of their injuries.

Demobilization

At 8:30 on the morning of 24 April 1919, the 2nd Battalion was officially demobilized at Kingston, Ontario.

The Colours of the 2nd Battalion, consisting of the King's Colour (presented by His Majesty King George V) and the Regimental Colour (presented by Mr. Charles Band), were kept by the congregation of St. Paul's Church in Bowmanville, Ontario, from 1921 to 1942. In 1942, it was decided the Colours should be moved due to decay, and were entrusted to Dr. Gustave Lanctot, Dominion Archivist. When the Military Museum was completed, the Colours held a place of honour for all to see, never again to be moved.

The 2nd Battalion is perpetuated by the Governor General's Foot Guards and the 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales Rangers), RCA, currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle. [3]

Battle honours

Machine Gun Section, 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, at Scottish Lines near Poperinhge, not far from Ypres, after fighting at Sanctuary Wood and Maple Copse, July 16, 1916 MachinegunSection2ndBattalionCEF1916.jpg
Machine Gun Section, 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, at Scottish Lines near Poperinhge, not far from Ypres, after fighting at Sanctuary Wood and Maple Copse, July 16, 1916

The battalion was awarded 25 battle honours [4] (those listed with multiple years separated by commas count as two honours each).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor General's Foot Guards</span> Infantry regiment in the Canadian Army Primary Reserve based in Ottawa

The Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) is the senior reserve infantry regiment in the Canadian Army. Located in Ottawa at the Cartier Square Drill Hall, the regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry unit, and the members are part-time soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">31st Battalion (Alberta), CEF</span> Military unit

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), CEF</span> Military unit during WWI (1914–1920)

The 16th Battalion, 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">22nd Battalion (French Canadian), CEF</span> Canadian unit in the First World War

The 22nd Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10th Battalion (Canadians), CEF</span> Unit of the WWI Canadian Expeditionary Force

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CEF</span> Battalion of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force

The 14th Battalion, CEF was a battalion of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Battalion (1st British Columbia), CEF</span> Military unit

The 7th Battalion, CEF was a battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force that saw service in the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Battalion (Central Ontario), CEF</span> Military unit

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Battalion (Western Cavalry), CEF</span> Military unit

The 5th Battalion, CEF, known as "Tuxford's Dandys," was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Battalion, CEF</span> Military unit

The 11th Battalion, CEF, an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 30 September 1914. It was redesignated as the 11th Reserve Infantry Battalion, CEF, on 29 April 1915, to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field. On 4 January 1917, its personnel, along with the personnel of the 100th Battalion, CEF, were absorbed by a new 11th Reserve Battalion (Manitoba), CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 12 October 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Battalion (Ontario Regiment), CEF</span> Military unit

The 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion was a battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force that saw service in the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">24th Battalion (Victoria Rifles), CEF</span> Military unit

The 24th Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">26th Battalion (New Brunswick), CEF</span>

The 26th Battalion CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I. The 26th Battalion recruited throughout New Brunswick and was mobilized at Saint John, New Brunswick. The 26th Battalion, CEF, is perpetuated by The Royal New Brunswick Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Battalion (90th Winnipeg Rifles), CEF</span> Military unit

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF</span> Military unit

The 42nd Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.

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 Peterborough Rangers was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. In 1936, the regiment was amalgamated with the 3rd Prince of Wales' Canadian Dragoons to form The Prince of Wales Rangers.

The Dufferin Rifles of Canada was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Non-Permanent Active Militia 1866-1936.

The Toronto Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. The regiment was formed in 1920 when the war-raised 3rd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was incorporated after the First World War into the post-war Canadian Militia. In 1936, the regiment was amalgamated with The Royal Grenadiers to form The Royal Regiment of Toronto Grenadiers.

The Royal Grenadiers was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. The regiment was unique in its history as it was only one of two regiments in the Canadian Army to be designated as a grenadier regiment. In 1936, the regiment was amalgamated with The Toronto Regiment to form The Royal Regiment of Toronto Grenadiers.

References

  1. "CEF Infantry Battalions" (PDF).
  2. 1 2 "2nd Battalion, CEF". www.canadiansoldiers.com. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  3. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  4. The Regimental Rogue. "Battle Honours - Governor General's Foot Guards" . Retrieved 24 September 2010.