1st Canadian Division in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

1st Canadian Division

   1st Canadian Division 1914-1918
On 1st of August 1914, three days before Britain declared war, the Governor-General of Canada offered help should war break out. On 7th August Lord Kitchener responded that the Canadians might form a Division. An Expeditionary Force soon began to assemble at Valcartier (Quebec). The Division sailed on 3rd of October 1914 and arrived in England eleven days later. Training re-commenced on Salisbury Plain and the Division embarked for St Nazaire in early February 1915. It arrived in the Hazebrouck -Strazeele area on 15th of February and thereafter the Division fought in many of the major actions of the war.
1915

The Second Battle of Ypres
The Battle of Festubert
The Second Action of Givenchy

1916

The Battle of Mount Sorrel
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette - Somme
The Battle of Thiepval - Somme
The Battle of Le Transloy - Somme
The Battle of the Ancre Heights - Somme

1917

The Battle of Vimy
The Battle of Arleux
The Third Battle of the Scarpe and the capture of Fresnoy
Operations towards Lens
The Second Battle of Passchendaele

1918
The Canadian Divisions were not affected by the restructuring of the army to having three brigades per Division, that took place in the British Divisions in February 1918. They were also fortunate in avoiding the defensive fighting against the German offensives of spring 1918.

The Battle of Amiens and actions around Damery
The Battle of the Scarpe - Arras
The Battle of Drocourt-Queant - Arras
The Battle of the Canal du Nord - Hindenburg Line
The Battle of Cambrai - Hindenburg Line

The Division was selected to advance into Germany but demobilisation commenced in late 1918.
The Divisional Order of Battle of the 1st Canadian Division
1st Canadian Brigade

1st Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Western Ontario)
2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Eastern Ontario)
3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Toronto)
4th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Central Ontario)
1st Canadian Machine Gun Company formed January 1916, left to move into 1st Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
1st Canadian Trench Mortar Battery formed May 1916

2nd Canadian Brigade

5th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Western Cavalry)
6th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Fort Garry Horse) left December 1914
7th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (1st British Columbia)
8th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (90th Rifles)
10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force joined December 1914
2nd Canadian Machine Gun Company formed February 1916, left to move into 1st Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
2nd Canadian Trench Mortar Battery formed April 1916

3rd Canadian Brigade

13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Royal Highlanders)
14th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Royal Montreal)
15th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (48th Highlanders)
16th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Canadian Scottish)
3rd Canadian Machine Gun Company formed March 1916, left to move into 1st Canadian MG Battalion February 1918
3rd Canadian Trench Mortar Battery formed April 1916

4th Canadian Brigade - broken up by January 1915

9th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force - moved to 1st Brigade in December 1914
11th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
12th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Divisional Troops - under direct command of Divisional HQ

17th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (Nova Scotia Highlanders) left January 1915, became reserve unit
18th Battalion - disbanded September 1914
Newfoundland Contingent - left December 1914, later formed complete Battalion
1st Canadian Pioneer Battalion formed march 1916
13th Canadian Machine Gun Company joined January 1917, left to move into 1st Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
1st Canadian Machine Gun Battalion formed March 1918
1st Canadian Divisional Train ASC later titled 437, 438, 439 and 440 Companies
1st Canadian Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
1st Canadian Divisional Employment Company joined June 1917

Divisional Mounted Troops - under direct command of Divisional HQ

Service Sqn, the 19th Alberta Dragoons left May 1916
1st Canadian Cyclist Company left May 1916
Royal Canadian Dragoons joined October 1914, left February 1915
Strathcona's Horse joined October 1914, left February 1915
Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No 1 left February 1915

Divisional Artillery

1st Canadian Brigade, RFA
2nd Canadian Brigade, RFA
3rd Canadian Brigade, RFA left May 1917
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery RHA joined September 1914, left February 1915
1st Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column
CXVIII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA British unit. Joined February 1915, left June 1916
22nd Canadian Brigade, RFA formed June 1916, disbanded March 1917
W.1.C Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA joined June 1916, retitled as V.1.C in 1918
X.1.C, Y.1.C and Z.1.C Medium Mortar Batteries RFA formed March 1916; in February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each

Royal Engineers
Field Companies formed into a Brigade in June 1918

1st Canadian Field Company
2nd Canadian Field Company
3rd Canadian Field Company
1st Canadian Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

1st Canadian Field Ambulance
2nd Canadian Field Ambulance
3rd Canadian Field Ambulance

22nd Apr 1915 Gas

23rd Apr 1915 Artillery in Action

24th Apr 1915 Artillery in Action

26th of April 1915 Report on St. Julien

26th Apr 1915 In Action

26th Apr 1915 In Action  Report on the action at St Julien on Monday 26th April 1915
Reference Belgium sheet 28 1/40,000
1. On the morning of the 26th April 1915 the Northumberland Brigade (4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers) were concentrated at Wieltje and placed under the orders of the 1st Canadian Division as Reserve. At 10.15 am General Riddell commanding the Northumberland Brigade received orders from the G.O.C 10th Sub Brigade to verify a report received from the 28th Division that the enemy were breaking through the first line trucks in D 13 c & d and to counter attack with whatever force he considered necessary. The 5th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers was directed at 10.45 AM to send forward an officers patrol to verify the report & to proceed with his Battalion to Fortuin with a view to counter attacking if the enemy were discovered breaking through. By 12 noon the officer commanding this Battalion was satisfied that no attempt was being made by the enemy to break through at the place indicated and so his battalion has being heavily shelled to proceed to dig in and remained in the position he had reached and consequently took no part in the subsequent operations.
2 At 1.30 pm operation orders from the 1st Canadian division were received. It will be seen from these orders that the Brigade was to attack St Julien in cooperation with the Lahore Division and one battalion of the 10th Infantry Brigade and that the assault was to take place at 2.5 pm.
The distance from Wieltje to St Julien is approximately 1 3/4 miles and the ground had not previously been reconnoitered by the staff or any of the officers of the Brigade. No information was received or could be obtained as to the actual position of either our own or the enemys trenches nor was it known that the G.H.Q line was strongly wired and that there were only certain places through which the troops would be able to pass.
No communication was ever made with the artillery and no artillery officer got in any way into touch with the Brigade. The time was short, the order to attack being received at 1.30 pm. Nevertheless considering that any failure to attack on the part of the Brigade might seriously hamper the operations General Riddell decided to carry out the orders he had received impossible as they seemed.
By 1.50 pm the Battalions were on the move the 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers attacking with the right Wieltje - St Julien road and the 4th battalion Northumberland Fusiliers with their left on the road. The 7th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers was ordered to follow the 4th bn in the second line.
At 2.5 pm the leading battalions reached the G.H.Q in C22b and C23c and came under very heavy shell and rifle fire. The Battalions deployed on both sides of the Wieltje - St Julien and lost very heavily by not having reconnoitered the openings to the wire entanglements in front of the line of trenches.
However they found places and the advance towards St Julien continued steadily both battalions in the front line suffering heavily from machine gun fire apparently coming from the wood in C17 A on their left flank.
By 2.45 pm both of the leading Battalions had reached the front line of our trenches in C17b and the 7th Battalion had been absorbed in the attack.
At 3.10pm isolated parties of the 6th Northumberlands on the left of the road pushed forward about 250 yards in front of our first line trench and occupied some small trenches from which the enemy had apparently retreated. The 4th and 7th Northumberlands were unable to make any advance. During the whole of this period no signs of the Lahore Division or the battalion of the 10th Brigade had been observed and it was subsequently ascertained that the movement of this battalion had been cancelled although no verification has been sent to the Northumberland Brigade. The culminating point in the advance of the 6th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers was reached at about 3.45pm when unsupported on their left flank and heavily shelled with high explosive shells they were compelled to dig themselves in and remained in possession of the ground they had gained until dusk when they returned to the first line trenches.
At 3.30pm Bigadier general Riddell accompanied by his Brigade Officer left his HQ in C23a and proceeded towards Farm Vanchule in C17d for the purpose of getting into closer touch with his battalion Commanders and was shot through the head 150yards to the south of the farm at 3.45pm. The command devolved to Colonel Foster 4th Northumberland Fusiliers, the senior officer present with the battalions and a message was sent to Col Coles CMS DSO commanding t he 5th Northumberlands informing him of General Riddell's death and that the command of the Brigade had devolved to him.
The position of Colonel Cole's HQ was not actually known and it was not until about 7pm that he arrived at Brigade HQ. Orders had however been issued by Colonel Foster for the battalion to remain where they were until dusk and at 7.30pm Col Coles having ascertained that the services of the Brigade in the first line trench were not required, ordered the troops to return to bivouac at Wieltje.
149th Brigade war diary

28th of April 1915 Messages

28th April 1915 Recce

28th April 1915 Recce  149 Brigade Hq reports from Wieltje:
"11.30am. Orders received from 1st Canadian Division for the Brigade to take over the GHQ line in C29 and C23.
11.45am. Cap't North 5th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers ordered to reconnoitre the extent of the line allotted to the Brigade and to report as to the numbers required to hold it.
1.30pm. Cap't North reported that the line was about 700 yards long and would require 3 companies to hold it. It extended from about the second 'E' in Wieltje C29(a) to the 'E' in Route C23c. The 4th Cavalry Bde. occupied the line south of the 'E' in WieltjE, but there appeared to be no troops occupying the trenches to the north of the 'E' in Route C23c.
2.15pm Colonel Feildy went to the HQ 10th Infantry Bde. and was informed that troops would occupy the trenches during the night of 28th/29th.
? pm. Orders issued to 5th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers to occupy the section of the GHQ line allotted to the Brigade & for the other Bde's to remain in their present positions.
7.5pm. Aeroplane Taube passed over the lines occupied by the Brigade & was brought down by rifle fire just outside the GHQ line. Pilot and observer both wounded and captured by the 2nd Cav. Brigade.
7.30pm. Orders Received form Canadian Div. that the portion of the Brigade not required in the GHQ line may be placed in the dug-outs previously occupied by the Brigade. Day and night both fine."
149th Brigade war diary

28th of April 1915 Report

2nd May 1915 On Stand by

2nd May 1915 On Stand by  149th Brigade HQ reports from Menin Rd.
11.30am. Message from Canadian Division saying that working party ordered to Bellewaard Chateau last night had not arrived & asking for explanation.
1.5pm. Explanation sent to Canadian Div.
2.30pm. Orders received for the Brigade to move to Poperinghe via railway line to I14c thence along road to level crossing I20a - Kruisstraat thence by H16a & H14b & main road to Poperinghe.
3.30pm. Orders issued. 7.30pm. Orders received from Gen. Kavanagh commanding 3rd Cav. Division that the Brigade was to stand by until further order. The Germans have made use of asphyxiating gas & driven out some of our troops from the front line of trenches at St Julien. Information also received that the O.C. 4th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers had been ordered at Weiltje to send forward his Batt. in support of the 3rd Cav. Brigade who had been sent to the front line to replace the troops driven out by poisonous gas.
7.45pm. Units ordered to stand by.
10.50pm. The Germans not apparently advancing, the Brigade was ordered to carry out the movement ordered at 2.30pm.
11pm. Orders issued for the movement. 11.45pm. March to Poperinghe commenced and staff Captain was sent to Weiltje to conduct 4th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers to Poperinghe via St Jean and Ypres.
149th Brigade war diary

15th May 1915 Orders

29th May 1915 Line Advanced

29th May 1915 Instructions

30th May 1915 47th Division RFA prepare to Move  Arrangements were made for the 47th Divisional Artillery to move further south, and to be replaced by the Canadian Divisional Artillery. Accordingly one section of each battery were withdrawn to the Battery Wagon Line.
War Diaries

30th May 1915 Order Received

31st May 1915 Reliefs

31st May 1915 Orders

12th of June 1915

10th of July 1915

12th of July 1915

13th of July 1915

13th of July 1915

14th of July 1915

16th of July 1915

16th of July 1915

23rd of July 1915

23rd of July 1915

8th Aug 1915 Training

23rd September 1915 Orders

30th September 1915 Orders

15th Oct 1915 Instruction

18th Oct 1915 Instruction

19th Oct 1915 Shelling

21st Oct 1915 Funerals

13th of March 1916 Aircraft Active

16th of March 1916 Bombardment

22nd of March 1916 Orders

28th of March 1916 Reliefs

28th of March 1916 Orders

30th of March 1916 Reliefs Complete

31st of March 1916 Orders

28th of March 1916 Orders

1st of April 1916 Reliefs

3rd of April 1916 Orders

3rd of April 1916 Reliefs

7th Sep 1916 Orders Received

9th Sep 1916 Objectives Taken

10th of September 1916 Orders

10th Sep 1916 Enemy Counter Attack

21st of September 1916 Operational Orders

25th Sep 1916 The Battle of Thiepval Ridge

1st of April 1916

2nd of April 1916

27th of March 1917 In Corps Reserve

31st Mar 1917 Communication Trenches

3rd of April 1917 Training and Orders

4th of April 1917 Orders for Moves

6th of April 1917 Orders Received

9th of April 1917 At the Ready

16th of April 1917 Heavies Bombard Wire

1st of May 1917 Warning of Relief

2nd of May 1917 13th Inf Bde Moves

5th of May 1917 Wood Shelled

6th of May 1917 Enemy Guns Active

10th of July 1917 A Raid Ordered

13th of July 1917 Front Extended

27th September 1917 Report on Operations.

1st March 1918 Training with 1st Canadian Division

3rd March 1918 Training with 1st Canadian Division

7th March 1918 Laison with 1st Canadian Division

2nd May 1918 Operational Order No.18

12th July 1918 Preparing to depart to Chan

8th August 1918 Assault

8th August 1918 In Action

9th August 1918 Advance Continues

13th August 1918 Special Order

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Those known to have served with
1st Canadian Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Cochrane Samuel Henry. Pte.
Fielding John William. Pte. (d.15th Aug 1917)
Marley William Edward. Pte. 3rd Field Company
Nelson Charles. Cpl.

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264309

Cpl. Charles Nelson 35th Battalion

Charles Nelson was wounded and taken prisoner on 8th of August 1918 on the first day of The Battle of Amiens. He had been shot in the neck. However it was not too bad and he recovered with just a scar. He was released and returned on 12th of December 1918, returning home shortly after that in February 1919. He was a tough individual right up to his death and worked as a bridge builder for Canadian National Railway before and after the war

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264286

Pte. William Edward Marley 3rd Field Company Canadian Engineers

William Marley was my grandfather. He emigrated to Canada in late 1913. When WWI broke out he joined the CEF in Sept 1914 and was in the first contingent of 1st Division to go to England in Oct 1914 and then on to France and Belgium in early 1915. He was hospitalized at North Midlands CCS in early or mid 1916

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260146

Pte. Samuel Henry Cochrane 15th Battalion

Samuel Cochrane was wounded at Vimy Ridge on the 9th or 10th of April 1917 and admitted to hospital on on 15th April 15th.
Barry Cochrane

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220861

Pte. John William Fielding 10th Btn. (Alberta) (d.15th Aug 1917)

John Fielding served with the 10th (Alberta) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force during WW1 and was killed in action on the 15th August 1917. He is buried in Loos British Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens, France.
John was born on the 30th October 1888 in Salford, Lancashire and emigrated to Canada on the 28th October 1910. He married Ruth Wild in Edmonton on the 14th October 1911. He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force on the 6th July 1915. He was killed by a sniper whilst on guard duty in trench near Loos-en-Gohelle, France 15th August 1917.
Derek Fielding

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- 1st Canadian Division during the Great War -

1st Canadian Division

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The Wartime Memories Project - 1st Canadian Division during the Great War -

1st Canadian Division

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Those known to have served with1st Canadian Divisionduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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Announcements

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The Wartime Memories Project
- 1st Canadian Division during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
1st Canadian Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.