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- 4th Canadian Division during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

4th Canadian Division



   4th Canadian Division was formed in England in April 1916, the Division assembled at Bramshott and crossed to France in August 1916. As with other Canadian Divisions, a lack of artillery was the constraint and the Division was initially joined by the former artillery of 3rd (Lahore) Division, recently attached to 3rd Canadian Division. Once overseas the Division fought in many of the major actions of the war.

1916

    The Battle of Le Transloy - Somme The Battle of the Ancre Heights - Somme The Battle of the Ancre - Somme

1917

  • The Battle of Vimy - Arras Offensive
  • Operations towards Lens - Arras Offensive
  • The affairs south of Souchez river - Arras Offensive
  • The capture of Avion - Arras Offensive
  • The Battle of Hill 70 - Arras Offensive
  • The Second Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres)

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 not involved in the defensive fighting against the German attack in spring 1918.

  • The Battle of Amiens and actions around Damery
  • The Battle of Drocourt-Queant (Arras)
  • The Battle of the Canal du Nord and the capture of Bourlon Wood (Hindenburg Line)
  • The Battle of Valenciennes and the capture of Mont Houy
  • The Battle of the Sambre and the passage of the Grand Honelle

The Division was not selected to advance into Germany and demobilisation commenced in late 1918. Most elements crossed to England in March 1919 and home soon after.

The Divisional Order of Battle of the 4th Canadian Division

10th Canadian Brigade

  • 44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba)
  • 46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (S Saskatchewan)
  • 47th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia)
  • 50th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Calgary)
  • 10th Canadian Machine Gun Company formed August 1916, left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
  • 10th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery joined October 1916

11th Canadian Brigade

  • 54th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Kootenay)
  • 75th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Mississauga)
  • 87th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Grenadier Guards) joined June 1916
  • 102nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (N British Columbia)
  • 11th Canadian Machine Gun Company formed August 1916, left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
  • 11th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery joined October 1916

12th Canadian Brigade

  • 38th Battalion, Canadian Infntry (Ottawa)
  • 51st Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Edmonton) left 3 November 1916
  • 72nd Battalion, Canadian Inf (Seaforth Highlanders)
  • 73rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Royal Highlanders)
  • 78th Battalion, Canadian Inf (Winnipeg Grenadiers)
  • 87th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Grenadier Guards) left June 1916
  • 12th Canadian Machine Gun Company formed August 1916, left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
  • 12th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery formed October 1916

Divisional Troops - under direct command of Divisional HQ

  • 4th Canadian Pioneer Battalion retitled from 67th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Western Scots), disbanded April 1917
  • 124th Canadian Pioneer Battalion joined March 1917, retitled from Governor-General's Bodyguard, moved into Engineer Brigade June 1918
  • 16th Canadian Machine Gun Company joined December 1916, left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918
  • 4th Canadian Machine Gun Battalion formed March 1918
  • 4th Canadian Divisional Train ASC later titled 784, 795, 796, 797 Companies
  • 4th Canadian Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
  • 4th Canadian Divisional Employment Company joined June 1917

Divisional Mounted Troops - under direct command of Divisional HQ

  • 4th Canadian Cyclist Company joined April 1916, left May 1916
  • Yukon Detachment (Machine Gun) joined April 1916, left August 1916

Divisional Artillery

  • V Brigade, RFA (British). Joined September 1916, left July 1917
  • XI Brigade, RFA (British). Joined April 1916, left July 1917
  • XVIII Brigade, RFA (British). Joined September 1916, left July 1917
  • 3rd Canadian Brigade, RFA joined May 1917
  • 4th Canadian Brigade, RFA joined May 1917
  • 4th Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column
  • W.4.C Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA joined June 1916, retitled as V.4.C in 1918
  • X.4.C, Y.4.C and Z.4.C Medium Mortar Batteries RFA formed June 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 4th Brigade in June 1918

  • 10th Canadian Field Company
  • 11th Canadian Field Company
  • 12th Canadian Field Company
  • 4th Canadian Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

  • 11th Canadian Field Ambulance
  • 12th Canadian Field Ambulance
  • 13th Canadian Field Ambulance


3rd of September 1916 A Gas Alarm  location map

27th of March 1917 In Corps Reserve  location map

2nd of April 1917  Positions  location map

3rd of April 1917 Training and Orders

6th of April 1917 Orders Received

9th of April 1917 At the Ready  location map

9th Apr 1917 In Action  location map

10th Apr 1917 In Action  location map

11th Apr 1917 Bombardment  location map

12th of April 1917 Orders and Reliefs  location map

13th of April 1917  A Push Forward  location map

20th of April 1917 Orders to Attack  location map

22nd of April 1917 Warning Order Received  location map

23rd of April 1917 Reliefs Complete  location map

24th of April 1917 35 Minute Bombardment  location map

25th of April 1917 Canadians Take Over Front  location map

27th September 1917 Report on Operations.  location map

12th July 1918 Preparing to depart to Chan

8th August 1918 Assault

8th August 1918 Assault  location map

8th August 1918 Progress

8th August 1918 Attack Made  location map

9th August 1918 Attack Made

26th September 1918 The C.O. visited Tanks

24th of November 1918  An Advance Planned

31st December 1918 The Final Battles.

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Want to know more about 4th Canadian Division?


There are:26 items tagged 4th Canadian Division available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

4th Canadian Division

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Ardagh Victor Roland. Pte. 84th Btn.
  • Delmage George Reuben. Pte.
  • Thomson George. A/Sgt.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List


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263127

Pte. Victor Roland Ardagh 84th Btn. Canadian Expeditionary Force

Victor Ardagh served with the 84th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Mhairi Kerr




262091

A/Sgt. George Thomson 73rd (Royal Highlanders of Canada) Btn.

George Thomson served with the 73rd Battalion, whihc became part of the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916 and participated in the final phase of the Battle of the Somme in the autumn of 1916, and in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

Martyn Cooper








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