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EastCoastLobster
Forum Posting: Details
on 105th Battalion
The 105th Battalion
was recruited chiefly through the 82nd Regiment (Abegweit
Light Infantry), with Headquarters at Charlottetown,
P.E.I.
From the outbreak of the War until September, 1915, no
distinctively P.E.I. infantry unit had been raised,
although small detachments had been sent to be
incorporated in units raised elsewhere.
On the 3rd September, 1915, Lieut.-Colonel J.R. Allan,
of the 82nd Regiment, was authorized to prepare a
draft for overseas service, consisting of 5 Officers
and 248 other ranks. This draft was recruited up to
strength by November 20th and was known as Infantry
Reinforcement Company, P.E.I., C.E.F.
It was then considered possible to form a Prince
Edward Island Infantry battalion and authority was
therefore asked for and obtained to raise such a
battalion, the Reinforcement Company being retained as
the nucleus of the new unit.
Mobilization was authorized by H.Q. Ottawa on 3rd
December, 1915, and by 15th march, 1916, was
completed. Of the 1,548 recruits who offered 260 were
rejected. The men were quartered in Charlottetown,
Summerside, Georgetown, and Souris.
On 20th April, 1916, the unit received its full
designation and was then known as the 105th Canadian
Infantry battalion (Prince Edward Island Highlanders).
The men were armed with Ross rifles, supplied with
Oliver equipment, and dressed in the regulation khaki
serge uniform.
On 13th June, 1916, the Battalion was transferred from
P.E.I. to Valcartier Camp, Quebec, for one month's
training, leaving Valcartier on 13th July en route to
England. The Battalion sailed from Halifax on board
S.S. "Empress of Britain" on 16th July,
1916, arrived at Liverpool on 25th July and proceeded
immediately to Schorncliffe where it was attached to
the 1st Training Brigade; being moved to Witley Camp,
Surrey, on Nov. 7th and attached to the 10th Training
Brigade, and on Jan 8th, 1917, to the 11th Training
Brigade.
The strength of the 105th Battalion leaving Canada was
37 Officers, 1,107 other ranks, commanded by Lieut.
Col. A.E. Ings, who returned from France where he had
been second in command of the 6th Canadian Mounted
Rifles.
While in England the Battalion was used as a
reinforcing unit, becoming gradually depleted until on
24th January, 1917, with a strength of 25 Officers, 2
Warrant Officers and 611 other ranks, it was
amalgamated with the 104th Battalion, Lt. Col. Ings
taking over command of the 104th. On that date the
105th Battalion ceased to exist. The 104th Battalion
was absorbed by the 13th Reserve Battalion on 16th February, 1918.
The 105th Battalion sent the following drafts to units
in France on the dates shown:-
140 Other Ranks to 13th Battalion on November 28th,
1916
60 Other Ranks to 25th Battalion on November 28th,
1916
120 Other Ranks to 14th Battalion on December 5th,
1916
The following is the distribution of other ranks,
105th Battalion, in France:-
C.E.F. Unit in France:- Total number taken:---On
Strength
------------------------:- on Strength in France:--at
Nov 11, 1918
13th Battalion----------176-------------------------31
14th Battalion----------149-------------------------20
25th
Battalion----------85---------------------------15
x26th
Battalion---------554-------------------------120
-------------------------------------------------------------
Totals-------------------964--------------------------186
Sent to France after the amalgamation on 24th January,
1917. The larger totals in the second chart are
explained by the fact that occasional individuals and
returned casualties were sent to units in France after
the drafts were dispatched.
Other ranks, originally of the 105th Battalion, were
present at the following battles to the number shown,
while serving in the C.E.F. Battalions named above:-
Vimy, 1917 (9-14 April, 1917) : 282
Arleux (28-29 April, 1917) : 212
Scarpe, 1917 (3-4 May, 1917) : 219
Hill 70 (15-25 August, 1917) : 222
Ypres, 1917 (Passchendaele), (26 October - 10
November) : 254
Arras, 1918 (28 March 1918) : 220
Amiens (8-11 August, 1918) : 509
Damery (15-17 August, 1918) : 84
Scarpe, 1918 (26-30 August, 1918) : 393
Drocourt-Queant (2-3 Septermber, 1918) : 143
Canal du Nord (27 September - 1 October, 1918) : 294
Cambrai, 1918 (8-9 October, 1918) : 165
The 105th Battalion is perpetuated in the Canadian
Militia by 1st Battalion, The Prince Edward Island
Regiment.
After the departure of 105th Battalion from Canada,
the 82nd Regiment continued recruiting reinforcements.
One officer and 50 other ranks were enrolled at
Charlottetown and one officer and 50 other ranks at
Summerside. This detachment was sent to the Reserve
Battalion in England, sailing from Halifax, N.S., on
S.S. "Olympic" 2nd June, 1917. |
