17th Reserve Battalion

The 17th Reserve Battalion was formed from the 17th Infantry Battalion and therefore information is provided in the following text to track this unit from conception.

17th Canadian Infantry Battalion

The 17th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) was authorized under P.C.O.2067 dated August 6, 1914 and raised in Nova Scotia, mobilization being authorized on September 22, 1914 at Camp Valcartier, Quebec, Military District No.5. The 17th were issued number block 46001-48000, and would get the additional block of 169001-171000. Over 600 men would be raised from Nova Scotia militia units. 

The battalion embarked for England on September 29, 1914 and sailed on October 3, 1914 aboard the S.S. Ruthenia with a compliment of 39 officers and 717 other ranks, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel S.G. Robertson. They arrived at Plymouth October 14, 1914 and disembarked at Devonport on October 21. The 17th Battalion proceeded to Salisbury Plain and camped there from October 22, 1914 to January 15, 1915. On January 18th the decision had been made to disband the 4th Brigade. The 9th, 11th, 12th and 17th Battalions would join the 6th and form the Canadian Training Depot based at Tidworth Barracks, Salisbury Plain under the command of Colonel W.R.W. James.

On March 8, after the arrival of additional reserve battalions, consisting of the 23rd, 30th and 32nd Battalions, the training depot was moved to the Shorncliff area. The decision was made to reorganize the reserve battalion structure and the General Base Depot, Infantry Base Depot and the Training Depot were disbanded and the Canadian Training Division was formed with Major-General J.M. Babington in command. The battalion proceeded to Shorncliffe on March 15, 1915.

On April 29, 1915 the battalion was officially re-designated the 17th Reserve Battalion under the authority of C.R.O. 450.

17th Reserve Battalion (April 29, 1915- January 4, 1917)

There appears to be some confusion regarding the dates in which the following officers commanded the 17th Reserve Battalion. Appendix I in Volume XII of Canada in the Great War provides a listing of all C.E.F. units in WWI as well as their commanding officers. It has been directly quoted by Meek and others when referring to the officers and dates of command. The administrative history of the 17th Battalion also provides the same information but there is a significant difference in the dates. For now I will list both sources. 

Officers Commanding; 17th Reserve Battalion:

	Lieutenant-Colonel S.G. Robertson September 22, 1914 to March 15, 1915, as per administrative history September 22, 1914 to January 30, 1915, appendix 1, Canada and the Great War
	Lieutenant-Colonel E.B. Worthington March 15, 1915 to August 4, 1915, as per administrative history January 30, 1915 to September 1, 1915, appendix 1, Canada and the Great War
	Lieutenant-Colonel D.D. Cameron August 4, 1915 to January 4, 1917, as per administrative history September 1, 1915 to January 4, 1917, appendix 1, Canada and the Great War

In the period from April 1915 to January 1917 the 17th Reserve Battalion supplied reinforcements to 6 battalions. They are as follows: 

	Reinforced the 13th Battalion from January 1915 to July 19, 1915 and again from September 9, 1915 to April 29, 1916
	Reinforced the 15th Battalion from January 1, 1915 to July 19, 1915 and again from September 16, 1915 to July 9, 1916
	Reinforced the 16th Battalion from January 1, 1915 to July 19, 1915 and again from July 9, 1916 to December 31, 1916
	Reinforced the 25th Battalion from July 19, 1915 to July 9, 1916
	Reinforced the 42nd Battalion from September 15, 1915 to April 29, 1916
	Reinforced the 43rd battalion from April 1, 1916 to January 1, 1917
	Reinforced the 50th Battalion from August 1, 1916 to January 1, 1917

During the same period the 17th Reserve Battalion absorbed 5 battalions. 

The 79th Battalion mobilized at Brandon, Manitoba and sailed with 37 officers and 1095 other ranks. They has been in use as a reinforcing unit since their arrival at East Sandling Camp on May 5, 1916, and had supplied a total of 24 officers and 351 other ranks to the 16th, 27th, 43rd and 54th Battalions, before being absorbed on July 12, 1916. 

The 101st Battalion (Winnipeg Rifles) sailed with 36 officers and 1025 other ranks and arrived at East Sandling Camp July 5, 1916. Eight days later on July 13, 1916 the battalion was absorbed into the 17th Reserve Battalion. 

The 94th Battalion mobilized at Port Arthur, Ontario and sailed with 36 officers and 1099 other ranks. On July 13, 1916, 6 officers and 262 other ranks were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion with the remainder of the battalion going to the 32nd Reserve Battalion. 

The 113th Battalion (Lethbridge Highlanders) had arrived at East Sandling Camp on October 7, 1916 with 30 officers and 883 other ranks. They were absorbed the following day, on October 8, 1916.

The 179th Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) mobilized in Winnipeg and sailed with 32 officers and 890 other ranks. They were absorbed a week after arriving at East Sandling on October 21, 1916. Some would only spend a couple months in the 17th Reserve Battalion as 9 officers and 478 other ranks of original 179th Battalion were used as the nucleus to from the 14th Reserve Battalion on January 4, 1917.

With the casualties suffered in the spring of 1915 and the slow arrival of new battalions, a decision had been made requiring battalions still forming in Canada to supply one or more drafts to the reserve battalions overseas. The 17th Reserve Battalion would receive 7 of those drafts from the following battalions. 

The 40th Battalion sent their second draft, consisting of 5 officers and 250 other ranks, which sailed on the Missanabie from Montreal October 9, 1915 arriving at Plymouth October 25, 1915. 

A draft of 5 officers and 250 other ranks from 41st Battalion sailed on the Scandinavian June 17, 1915 and arrived at Plymouth June 28, 1915. 
The 61st Battalion sent their only draft of 5 officers and 252 other ranks, which sailed on the Metagama, November 9, 1915. 

The 63rd Battalion sent their first draft, consisting of 5 officers and 250 other ranks, which sailed from Montreal aboard the S.S. Metagama, September 11, 1915. 
The 92nd Battalion sent their draft of 5 officers and 250 other ranks aboard the S.S. Lapland on November 27, 1915, arriving at Plymouth December 4, 1915. The 63rd Battalion sent their second draft January 22, 1916. The draft consisted of 3 officers and 100 other ranks. The 63rd Battalions final draft of 3 officers and 100 other ranks left on March 2, 1916. 

On January 23, 1917 the ranks of the 17th Reserve battalion were absorbed into the new 17th Reserve Battalion and the affairs of what had originally been the 17th Infantry Battalion was wound up. The battalion was disbanded under P.C.O. 1366 dated May 21, 1917 and published in G.O. 63-1917. 

17th Reserve Battalion (January 4, 1917-September 15, 1920)

The new 17th Reserve Battalion was formed January 4, 1917. The battalion was created by the amalgamation of the old 17th Reserve Battalion, the 193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) and the 219th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). The 193rd battalion had been acting in a reinforcing capacity since their arrival at Witley Camp October 19, 1916. The 193rd had sailed with 33 officers and 1024 other ranks before their amalgamation under C.R.O. 271, and joined the 17th on January 23, 1917. The 219th Battalion had sailed with 33 officers and 997 other ranks and arrived at Witley the same day as the 193rd and had also been used in a reinforcing role. 

Under the regimental designation the Nova Scotia Regiment the battalion would receive its reinforcements from the 1st Depot Battalion, Nova Scotia Regiment; Military District No.6 in Canada. The Canadian Depot would send 9 drafts to either the 17th Reserve or 26th Reserve Battalions. These drafts are listed as follows: 

	6 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada April 17, 1918
	2 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada April 17, 1918
	6 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada May 16, 1918
	62 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada June 25, 1918
	26 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada June 25, 1918
	102 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada August 3, 1918
	62 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada August 3, 1918
	162 Reinforcing Draft, sailed from Canada September 28, 1918
	62 Reinforcing Draft, sailing date unknown

The 17th Reserve Battalion would have two commanding officers. They are as follows:

	Lieutenant-Colonel D. D. Cameron, January 4, 1917 to February 12, 1917
	Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Muirhead, February 12, 1917 to demobilization

The 17th Reserve Battalion would reinforce three battalions in the field, and one designated for the 5th Canadian Division. They were: 

	Reinforced the 25th Battalion from October 16, 1917 to demobilization
	Reinforced the 85th Battalion January 1, 1917 to demobilization
	Reinforced the Royal Canadian Regiment October 15, 1917 to demobilization
	Reinforced the 185th Battalion January 1, 1917 to February 15, 1918, as the battalion was designated for the 15th Brigade, 5th Canadian Division

Aside from the 193rd Battalion and 219th Battalion, which were absorbed upon the formation of the 17th Reserve Battalion, the battalion would absorb 2 more infantry battalions in 1917 and 1918 as well as another reserve battalion. They are listed as follows: 

The 246th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) had been raised in Nova Scotia from surplus men of the 85th, 185th, 193rd and 219th Battalions with the aim of providing a reinforcing battalion to the Nova Scotia highland Brigade. The 246th Battalion sailed from Canada in two parties, the first consisting of 2 officers and 100 other ranks sailed on March 28, 1917 aboard the S.S. Metagama and arrived at Liverpool on April 7. The sailing list refers to this group as a reinforcing draft while the administrative history considers it an advance party. The second part of the battalion consisting of 14 officers and 233 other ranks sailed from Halifax aboard the S.S. Olympic on June 2, 1917, arriving at Liverpool on June 9, 1917.

Regardless of whether they sailed as a battalion and draft, or two parts of the same battalion, they were reunited on June 10, 1917 and absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion under C.R.O. 1462. 

The 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders) were originally assigned to the 13th Brigade, 5th Canadian Division and were reinforced by the 17th Reserve Battalion until February 15, 1918. The dissolution of the 5th Division resulted in their absorption on that date. 

On October 15, 1917 the 26th Reserve Battalion which had been created in January of that year, was absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion. As of this date the 17th Reserve Battalion became the sole reinforcing unit of the Nova Scotia Regiment. 
The 17th Reserve Battalion would make a final move from Bramshott to South Ripon on January 23, 1919. (1)The battalion was disbanded under G.O. 149, dated September 15, 1920. 

The 17th Battalion was perpetuated by the 1st Battalion, Pictou Highlanders, later amended to The Pictou Highlanders and is currently perpetuated by The Nova Scotia Highlanders

Notes:

(1) Report of the Department of the General Staff of O.M.F. of C. for the month of January 1919 
Reference RG9, Militia and Defense Series III-D-3, Volume 5055, Reel T10949 File 953 

Bibliography: 

Love, David W. A Call to Arms; The Organization and Administration of Canada’s Military in World War One, Bunker to Bunker Books, Winnipeg and Calgary, 1999 

Colonel G.W.L. Nicholson, C.D. Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, Queens Printer Ottawa, 1938 

Duguid, Official History of the Canadian Forces in the Great War 1914-1919: General Series Volume I, Ottawa: King's Printer, 1938 

Canada in the Great War Vol. VI, United Publishers Of Canada Ltd. Toronto, 1921, Appendix I, Commanding Officers Overseas, pgs 315-372 

Administrative History, 17th Battalion, Canada, Department of National Defence, Directorate of History, reference number unknown 

Administrative Histories; C.E.F. Battalions 1-260, Canada, Department of National Defence, Directorate of History, reference number unknown. 

CEF Study Group, Matrix Utility, Stonetown Drafts 

Perpetuation of the CEF, http://regimentalrogue.com/, 

17th Reserve Battalion, War Diary.