Thanks to Library and Archives Canada, the War Diaries
of the Canadian Expeditionary Force have been placed online
and available to all. The provided War Diaries files, however,
have one small complication. The Archives have provided
digital scans of the War Diary pages, which has resulted in a
resource that is not searchable. The Library and Archives
Canada site for searching the online War Diaries can be found here.
Through the efforts of Capt Michael O'Leary, the
Regimental Adjutant (2005 - ??), the War Diaries for The RCR
are undergoing a transcription process in order to make them
more accessible and easier to search for relevant information.
RHQ is looking for volunteers to help verify the
transcription, see details in the War Diary section here.
Reproduced from the Regimental War Diary;
July 1917. This brief history would have been used for the
instruction of reinforcements during the Regiment's stay in a
rest area.
The Royal Canadian Regiment was born on the 21st
December, 1883 and was christened the Infantry School Corps.
It was originally intended to instruct the Canadian
Citizens Forces in that branch of the Service, which it
continued to do until about the 30th July 1914 when we were
ordered to our War Stations.
After this war (Boer War) we returned to CANADA and in
1905 we took over the defences at HALIFAX from the 5th ROYAL
GARRISON REGIMENT. Our establishment being
augmented we then had six Companies in Halifax and four in
depots.
On the 16th September 1914 we were sent to BERMUDA to
relieve the 2ND Battalion of the LINCOLNS.
We all thought we should only be there for a month or
two, but instead of which, to our great dismay we were kept
there until the 13th August 1915, when we embarked for FRANCE
via HALIFAX and PLYMOUTH. We remained in ENGLAND
undergoing training in TRENCH WARFARE etc. until the 31st of
October 1915., on which date we embarked for FRANCE. On
arrival in FRANCE we were Corps Troops for some time but were
shortly BRIGADED with the PRINCESS PATRICIA'S CANADIAN LIGHT
INFANTRY, 42nd BATTALION (Royal Highlanders of Canada), 49th
BATTALION (Edmonton Regiment), the whole forming the 7TH
CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE. and were posted to the 3rd Canadian
Division.
All our reinforcements now come from the 26th Canadian
Reserve Battalion, Bramshott, which is under the Command of
Major A.W.P. WESTON, formerly 25th Canadian Battalion, 2nd
Canadian Division. The reserve battalion is also known as the
NOVA SCOTIA Battalion, as all their men come from Nova Scotia.
In addition to reinforcing us the reserve battalion reinforces
the 25th Canadian Battalion.
