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Canadian Expeditionary
Force Study Group
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| Active Dates: |
August 6,1914 - September 15, 1920 |
| Theatre of Operations: |
France and Belgium |
| Major Battles /
Battle Honours: |
Ypres
1915 '17,
Gravenstafel, St. Julien, Festubert
1915, Mount Sorrel, Somme 1916, Pozières,
Flers-Courcelette, Ancre Heights, Arras 1917 '18, Vimy
1917, Arleux,
Scarpe 1917 '18, Hill 70, Passchendaele,
Amiens, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Canal
du Nord, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1915-18
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| Location of War Diaries: |
 | Library and Archives Canada (WD
Link) |
| CEFSG War Diary Transcription
(in progress = IP) |
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Background:
| Recruited in
Eastern Ontario
beginning
August 6, 1914
a component
of the First Contingent. Assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st
Canadian Division, arrived in
France
February of 1915.
First major engagement is during the
German Gas Attack at
Ypres
in April 1915. Served on the Western Front
with the First Division for the duration of the war, disbanded
September 15, 1920
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Nicholson reports on the 2nd Infantry Battalion on the
following pages (see the Matrix
Nicholson Transcriptions):
Ypres 63,66,71, 76, 78
Tor Top 153
Fresnoy 274, 276
Bois Hugo 292
Passchendaele 324
Amiens 401, 413
From
Library and Archives Canada:
The 2nd
Canadian Infantry Battalion was organized at Valcartier in
accordance with Camp Order 241 of 2 September 1914 and was
composed of recruits from Military District 3 (Eastern
Ontario). The battalion was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
David Watson.
The battalion embarked at Quebec on 3 October 1914 aboard
CASSANDRA, disembarking in England on 25 October 1914. Its
strength was 44 officers and 1083 other ranks. The battalion
arrived in France on 11 February 1915, becoming part of the
1st Division, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade. It was later
reinforced by the 6th Canadian Reserve Battalion. The
battalion returned to England on 21 March 1919, arrived in
Canada on 21 April 1919, was demobilized 24 April 1919, and
disbanded by General Order 149 of 15 September 1920.
The battalion's band, recruited from 12th Canadian Reserve
Battalion, was sent to 2nd Battalion in France. The
regimental air was `Colonel Bogey'. The mascot was a colt
named "Winnie" born in Winnizelle, France, in
March 1915. The battalion colours were deposited in St.
Paul's Church, Bowmanville in 1919.
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion was perpetuated by the
Governor General's Foot Guards and Peterborough Rangers.
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Sub-Components:
Primary References:
| Nicholson, G. W. L. 1962. Official
History of the Canadian Army in the First World War:
Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919. Queens
Printer and Controller of Stationary, Ottawa, Canada.
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| Stewart, C. H. 1970.
"Overseas" The Lineages and Insignia of the
Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914 -1919. Little &
Stewart, Mission Press, Toronto, Canada.
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| Love, D. W. 1999. "A Call to
Arms" The Organization and Administration of Canada's
Military in World War One. Bunker to Bunker Books,
Winnipeg & Calgary, Canada. |
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Secondary References:
Internet References:
| This Page Last
Updated On: |
Monday February 18, 2008 03:20:58 PM -0500
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