Tag Archives: War Diaries

First World War

Vimy Ridge – 3rd Battalion War Diaries for April 9/10 1917

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During one of the most notable battles fought by Canadians during the First World War, the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force’s objective during the Battle for Vimy Ridge was to capture the Farbus Woods.  From the 1960 Regimental History by Lieutenant Colonel W.T. Barnard:

“On 9 April 1917, the famous Vimy Ridge attack took place. This had been planned and practised most carefully. The 3rd Battalion was on the extreme right of the Canadian Corps and so had the longest distance to go. Nevertheless, it took its final objective on time and captured four guns, the first to be taken by Canadians. The casualties were, for World War I, light – 6 officers and 179 men. During the next few days, the gains were extended to the flat country east of the ridge.”

Below are the 3rd Battalion’s war diary entries for April 8, 9, 10 and 11, followed by a list of casualties for all of April 9 and 10, 1917.

April 8th 1917

9.00 pm: The Colonel and Adjutant arrived at Headquarters in Battalion Assembly Area A.15.d.1½.1½.
9.13 pm: Battalion commenced to move from Brigade Assembly Area at 10-minute intervals between Companies. – Units, “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”.
9.50 pm: Lieut. RUSHER, 117th Battery, 25th Brigade, R.F.A., who is our artillery liaison officer, reported at Battalion Headquarters and was instructed to report again at ZERO.
11.15 pm: 10th Canadian Battalion passing up ELBE Trench to take up position in “jumping off trench”.
11.22 pm: 7th Canadian Battalion passing up ELBE Trench past Battalion Headquarters.
11.27 pm: Signallers reported in position at Battalion Assembly Area.
11.27 pm: Brigade put in wire in the morning, but we have been out of touch ever since.
11.34 pm: Lieut. CLIFTON reported at Battalion Headquarters. Enemy shelled his section in vicinity of ARIANE DUMP, he had no casualties.
11.47 pm: Captain A.B. McCORMICK reported at Battalion Headquarters. Scouts in position, no casualties.
11.50 pm: Lieut. W.B. WOODS reported at Battalion Headquarters. Machine Gun Section in position.
11.56 pm: Received message from “D” Company, reporting all correct.

April 9th 1917

12.20 am: Lieut. GLASSFORD’s party of Stretcher Bearers reported all correct.
12.26 am: “B” Company reported all correct at midnight.
1.pm am: “A” and “C” Companies reported all correct, in position. Code word “ROGERS: sent to Brigade, timed 1.05 am. Lieut. R. BAILEY reported at Battalion Headquarters wounded in the leg, does not wish to go out but was ordered to do so.
1.07 am: Referring to entry of 11.27 pm, Brigade wire still out, there is a line, however running to the Companies which is O.K.
1.25 am: Captain R.E. PICARD (O.C. Composite Company) reported at Battalion Headquarters, reports laying of bridges not yet completed.
1.40 am: Lieut. H.K. CLIFTON returned from 2nd Brigade Signal Office, they are agreeable to take any of our messages. Our wire with Brigade still out.
2.05 am: Lieut. K.E. MICKLEBOROUGH reported at Battalion Headquarters, rather badly shaken up and slightly gassed. Returned to his company.
2.20 am: Captain PEARCE reports his two Vickers guns which are attached to us, are behind ELBE, on right of SAPPERS DUGOUTS.
3.40 am: Synchronized time received from Brigade.
3.50 am: Lieut. GARRETT reports bridging complete.
4.10 am: Lieut. NEILLONS and 8 sappers of 1st Field Company, C.E., reported at Battalion Headquarters. Their duty is to construct with “A” and “B” Companies as working parties, the Main Line of Resistance.
5.30 am: Attack commences, the volume of our artillery fire is wonderful.
5.40 am: Word received from Companies, everything O.K.
6.12 am: Attack seems to be progressing favourably, no enemy artillery fire in our area.
6.15 am: Can receive very little information from Captain McCORMICK who has established an O.P. in Fort “A”, with telephone communication with us, as the noise from our artillery is so loud that one cannot hear over the phone, however the attack seems to be going favourably.
6.22 am: 4 prisoners from 1st Bavarian Regiment passed our Headquarters and on being interrogated by Lieut. PATTERSON, state that the SWISCHEN STELLUNG is all broken in by our guns.
6.29 am: Captain A.B. McCORMICK returned from Fort “A” and reports all going well.
6.46 am: About 100 prisoners carrying stretchers are seen passing Headquarters.
6.56 am: Captain A.B. McCORMICK left for the RED Objective with 2 scouts, 5 signallers and 4 runners to establish Headquarters, as I do not think it wise to move until some definite Headquarters is ready for me. The scouts are being sent back as guides.
7.03 am: Major H.S. COOPER sent over to Battalion Assembly Area.
7.04 am: Lieut. RUSHER, R.F.A., reported for duty.
7.05 am: Brigade wire still out.
7.10 am: Word received from 2 Brigade that information received they know they have captured BLACK objective and are advancing on RED.
7.30 am: Battalion commenced to move forward in artillery formation to RED objective. All units were seen to clear the crest (old British Front Line) by 7.56 am. From the time the Battalion left the Brigade Assembly Area until they crossed over all front line, I do not think they had more than 12 casualties.
7.30 am: Captain McCORMICK arrived at Advanced Headquarters A.17.a.9.5.
7.32 am: 4th Canadian Battalion also observed moving forward on our left.
7.57 am: 2nd Canadian Battalion moved across from SUNKEN Road to vicinity of old British front line.
8.25 am: Enemy barrage slacking on old British front line he is evidently shortening his barrage to BLACK objective.
8.45 am: Battalion Headquarters moved from A.15.d.1½ .1½.
8.55 am: Enemy barrage very heavy on our old front line, he using a great many gas shells which are very irritating.
9.33 am: Arrived at Battalion Headquarters A.17.a.9.5., found all Companies O.K. and intact 120 yards in rear of RED Objective. Total casualties to date Major W.E. CURRY O.C. “A” Company, killed and 10 O.R. wounded. We are in touch with both our flanks, 4th Battalion on left and 1st Battalion on right.
10.03 am: Highlanders seen advancing on our right.
10.05 am: Our men commencing to advance on BLUE objective.
10.07 am: Lieut. NELLONS, Engineer officer, reported at Battalion Headquarters.
10.09 am: Captain McCORMICK left Battalion Headquarters with laddered line, to establish O.P. east of RED objective.
10.24 am: Enemy shelling vicinity of Battalion Headquarters and RED Objective very heavily. 2nd Canadian Division reported to be moving through THELUS by Captain McCORMICK.
10.32 am: Message received from Major REID that it is impossible to advance on account of our own barrage. The trouble seems to be that the barrage is left wheeling about A.18.a.1.5. from 166 minutes to 290 minutes (1 barrage line), so I acquainted Major REID with what I thought the trouble was.
10:50 am: Captain McCORMICK reports our troops advancing on BLUE objective. Message sent to Captain PICARD to bring up bombs.
10.54 am: Message received from Capt. McCORMICK timed 10.50 am that 2nd Division have taken THELUS and Hill 135 to East of THELUS.
10.55 am: Message received from Captain McCORMICK that we have taken BLUE objective.
11.03 am: From observations, 4th Battalion appear to have captured BLUE objective.
11.12 am: Major CUNNINGHAM, Brigade Staff, reported to Battalion Headquarters.
11.14 am: Message received from Captain McCORMICK that right flank is joined up with troops on that flank, also that ground flares are being shown at BLUE Objective.
11.17 am: Message received from Captain McCORMICK that 2nd Battalion are moving up SWISCHEN STELLUNG.
11.21 am: Major CUNNINGHAM left Battalion Headquarters.
11.30 am: Message received from O.C. “B” Company that everything is O.K. in BLUE objective, left flank being connected with 4th Battalion on right and “A” Company on left. This Company has only had 2 casualties since the commencement of the operation. Enemy artillery fire on BLUE objective is heavy.
11.47 am: Message received from O.C. “C” Company that everything is O.K. Casualties light and that he is in touch with B Company on the right and 4th Battalion on left.
12.01 pm: Left Headquarters at A.17.a.9.5. Major COOPER remaining behind to guide a carrying party up.
12.10 pm: Met Brigadier-General GRIESBACH whilst we were moving across country.
12.21 pm: Arrived at Headquarters at LEON WEG A.12.c.2.1.
12.26 pm: Our troops commence to advance on BROWN objective.
12.47 pm: TIRED Trench carried by our troops.
1.06 pm: Our artillery fire very heavy and seems to be very effective.
1.14 pm: Phoned by Brigade Major notifying us that 2nd Canadian Division are being counter-attacked in vicinity of HEROES WOOD and GOULET WOOD, also that a squadron of cavalry is being pushed through to WOLLERVAL as soon as the barrage dies down. Also informed that we are the only Battalion in the Brigade who they are in touch with.
2.05 pm: Enemy artillery forming barrage on RED objective.
2.20 pm: Definite news received of the capture of the BROWN objective from “C” Company, who are in touch with 4th Battalion on their left, have dug in and are pushing patrols forward through FARBUS WOOD.
2.27 pm: Major REID, O.C. “D” Company reports that he has pushed patrols into FARBUS WOOD, but that the 4th Gordons have not come up, so he instructed O.C. “B” Company to form a defensive flank along the SUNKEN Road running S.E. from COMMANDANTS HOUSE. I approved of Major Reid’s orders. Major REID also reports work is in progress digging Main Line of Resistance.
2.40 pm: In conversation over the phone, Major Reid informed me he had no definite reports from his platoons in the wood.
3.40 pm: Major FOSS, 1st Division Staff called at Battalion Headquarters. Situation not quite clear.
4.20 pm: Situation now clear, my “C” and “D” Companies have firmly established themselves in the wood, capturing a battery of enemy guns and 35 of the personnel, including 3 officers. “C” and “D” Companies have pushed out patrols to eastern edge of FARBUS WOOD.
5.10 pm: Major COOPER arrived at Battalion Headquarters.
5.45 pm: Battalion Headquarters moved from A.12.d.2.1., to B.7.c.2.1.
6.05 pm: From information received from wounded men it would seem as though it is going to be very difficult to get the guns out of FARBUS WOOD.
6.35 pm: Enemy shelling FARBUS WOOD with great intensity.
6.50 pm: Major REID again reports that Gordons are nowhere to be seen on right flank, the position is quite serious as our flank is left absolutely in the air.
7.10 pm: Major FOSS and Major McLAUGHLIN 2nd Canadian Battalion called, giving us dispositions of 1st Brigade. Major FOSS suggested that we use the company of the 2nd Canadian Battalion, but I do not think it is necessary to call on them, so I did not.
7.43 pm: Another scare of a counter-attack and our barrage opened up.
8.33 pm: Major COOPER reported at Battalion Headquarters with dispositions, they being exactly in accordance with O.O. 65.
12 midnight: Night fairly quiet, estimated casualties 150.

vimymap
Map showing the Canadian Corps positions and lines of attack at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 9th and 10th, 1917.

APRIL 10th 1917
5.00 am: The 4th Gordons were to recommence their attack at 5.00 am but it is very quiet and there is no sign of them.
4.45 am: Messages received from Brigade “B.M.33” and “G.554”, timed 4.45 pm April 9th, ordering us to put 2 companies on eastern edge of FARBUS WOOD
5.30 am: “C” and “D” Companies instructed to shove out 6 sentry groups of 5 men each to eastern edge of FARBUS WOOD, the orders referred to in Paragraph timed 4.45 pm being impracticable as the wood can be better held from the trench running through the centre of the wood on the slope of the hill, and also the enemy would have inflicted a great many casualties on 2 companies moving across this ground in broad daylight.
5.45 pm: Spoke to Major REID, no sign of attacking troops on our right, Enemy shelling FARBUS WOOD very heavily.
5.59 am: Received orders to push out patrols to WILLERVAL,organized parties of scouts, but to me it seems very impracticable as I have reason to believe the enemy are in large numbers in the railway cutting about half way between the wood and the cutting.
6.59 am: Major REID phoned and asked that stretcher party be sent to his company as he had a number of his own men and also some R.C.D., who were waiting to be evacuated.
7.16 am: Captain McCORMICK reports his patrols active throughout the night but says that there are still a number of Germans in FARBUS WOOD, hiding in dugouts.
7.33 am: Lieut. PATTERSON reported at Battalion Headquarters he is taking out a patrol and Sergeant GREEN is taking out another to endeavour to gain contact with the enemy.
9.00 am: The Brigade Major called at Battalion Headquarters and says the Brigade’s position is an excellent one but the whole operation is imperiled by the Gordons not coming up on our flank.
10.35 am: Lieut. PATTERSON reported back from the patrol and his information definitely fixes the German line at the Railway.
11.40 am: I called Colonel RAE up and we decided it was not possible to push any further ahead as his patrols had also run into considerable resistance from the railway.
12.30 pm: Lieut. D. COTTON, 1st Canadian Trench Mortar Battery reported.
1.05 pm: Lieut. A. GLASSFORD reported to Battalion Headquarters he has cleared all the wounded out of the Battalion area.
1.40 pm: Word was received in the morning that the 4th Gordons had established a post at B.14.a.9.3., so I sent Lieut. PATTERSON out to investigate, but he reports that the enemy occupy this point.
3.20 pm: Battery Commander, 117th Battery called at Battalion Headquarters and explained barrage.
3.43 pm: Major W.B. CROWTHER reports enemy digging in on his front in vicinity of railway from B.M. 772 south. Heavy barrage put on this line for 10 minutes.
6.07 pm: Brigade Major informed us that we would be relieved tonight by 2nd Canadian Battalion and move back to Main Resistance Line and to the BLUE Objective. All units immediately informed as the men are very much tuckered out.
6.20 pm: Ration party under Lieut. GARRETT arrived.
7.22 pm: Major REID reports that enemy are concentrating in BAILLEUL and moving up trench B.14.d.
7.26 pm: Phoned Brigade Major giving him above information, he informs me that 4th Gordons will recommence their attack very shortly.
9.00 pm: The 4th Gordons and the 7th Black Watch commenced to attack enemys line. Results not clear.
11.00 pm: Enemy shelling vicinity of COMMANDANTS HOUSE very heavily.

APRIL 11th 1917
2.00 am: O.C. 2nd Battalion arrived with his Headquarters.
4.42 am: Relief complete reported.
6.10 am: All units in position in Brigade Support Area. “A” and “B” Companies remained in the Main Resistance Line, the only difference being that “A” Company took over 250 yards more trench on account of Brigade extending its front to HEROES WOOD. “C” and “D” Companies moved back to BLUE Objective with Battalion Headquarters at Junction LOEN WEG at MUNCHEN GRABEN.
9.00 am: Colonel RAE called at our Headquarters and I went up with him to the Main Line of Resistance to absolutely determine the boundary between our two battalions, it was fixed at B.7.d.1½.8.
11.00 am: Captain A.B. McCORMICK reported missing; he was last seen reconnoitering over right flank about 7am, April 10th. He was accompanied by no one, and it is possible he may have lost his direction and walked into enemy trenches; this was very easy on account of our right flank being in the air.
11.07 am: Our own artillery shooting short, shells dropping near “C” and “D” Companies, about 2000 yards from our front line.
2.50 pm: Sergeant GREEN of Scouts reports that the Highlanders are at last advancing on our right and that they expect to be established in the BROWN objective shortly.
4.05 pm: Very heavy artillery fire on our right.
4.20 pm: Officers of 2nd Brigade called at Battalion Headquarters they expect to come in tomorrow night.
9.45 pm: Lieut. BLACKEY is reported wounded still at duty.
12 midnight: Night passed quietly

Casualties for April 9 and 10, 1917

Killed April 9

Major Curry, W. E.
23219 Sgt. Hall, T.C.
139082 B/Cpl. France, L.
766994 Pte. Bullock, A.D.
427656 Pte. Quinn, W.
183261 Pte. Henderson, T.
201648 Pte. Morrison, J.
201182 Pte. Hamilton, W.
201192 Pte. Hollingshead, R.H.
787669 Pte. Horn, H.L.
766862 Pte. Kidd, W.M.
784561 Pte. James, R.A.
201126 L/Cpl. Bullock, W.E.
63268 Pte. Davidson, G.
766406 Pte. Jennings, F.L.
39755 Pte. Macauley, W.H.
201685 Pte. Robertson, E.
405441 Pte. Taylor, M.
210490 Pte. King, E.
201907 Cpl. Smith, N.Mc.
438072 Cpl. Stingle, C.C.

Missing April 9

458050 Pte. Morrison, J. (later confirmed dead).
787613 Pte. Moston, R.
784935 Pte. Petch, L.C.
766463 Pte. O’Brien, F.J.
201148 Pte. Cowie, W.
63596 Pte. Mason, A.
201244 Pte. Patsons,
785017 Pte. Allen, J.A.
788282 Pte. Charbonneau, M.T.G. (later confirmed dead)
201533 Pte. Baker, W.A. (later confirmed dead)
201612 Pte. Hendry, R.
171661 Pte. Ware, W.L.
788511 Pte. Barlow, T.P.

Wounded April 9

785056 Pte. Axford, J.A. (Died of wounds 10 Apr 1917)
Lieut. Bailey, R. (Killed in action 8 Aug 1918)
853052 Cpl. Pretley, A.
A4148 L/Cpl. Mangham, M
138551 Pte. Coburn, W.G.
427293 L/Cpl. Hewer, F.N. (Died of wounds 9 Apr 1917)
404213 Pte. Stickley, F.C.  (Died 10 Aug 1918)
201261 Pte. Ryan, R.
211211 Pte. Garr, H.H.
785313 Pte. French, S.T. (Died of wounds 13 Apr 1917)
138767 Pte. Switzer, P.E.D.
784888 Pte. VanDuzer, H.N.
183913 Pte. McIsaac, A.
210090 Pte. Brown, G.H.
175154 Pte. Flaherty, P.
139150 Pte. Hood, R.E. (Died 9 Aug 1918)
766108 Pte. Maxwell, J.
201201 Pte. Jones, C.F.
784925 Pte. Sheeler, W.W.
785056 Pte. Grime, J.
201662 Pte. Pearce, C.
139522 Pte. Bateman, R.A. (Died 6 Nov 1917)
787928 Pte. Cummings, E.B.
A4172 Pte. O’Neill, G.
785132 Pte. Armstrong, A.H.
125819 L/Sgt Josselin, F.
463280 L/Cpl. George, A.W.
172363 L/Cpl. Strong, A. (Died 22 Apr 1917)
416387 Pte. Leblanc, R.
201754 Pte. Caldwell, W.M.
9787 Cpl. Gamey, O.A.
139569 Pte. Reynolds, T.E.
201323 Pte. Byron, F.G.
460864 Pte. Taylor, F.E.
A4179 Cpl. Purser, D.E.
460864 Cpl. Stevenson, A.
201806 Pte. Grave, A.
172204 Pte. Hamilton, W.C.
210357 Pte. Shoebridge, F.T.
210267 Pte. Dobbie, T.
766836 Pte. Gurney, W. (Died 6 Nov 1917)
457418 Pte. Hughes, T.
210553 Pte. Lucy, G.B.
766519 Pte. Wilde, W.L.
139542 Pte. Murray, T.D.
485556 Pte. Marshall, H.  (Died 11 Apr 1917)
785154 Pte. McConnell, R.
201092 Sgt. Roche, O.C.
172085 Pte. Adams, H.G.
171418 Pte. Tarbot, G.E.
457609 Pte. Livesey, J.
426076 Pte. Aucoin, W.L.
785104 Pte. Cooper, R.E.
201021 Pte. Cecil, C.
427845 Pte. McKay, A.
63627 Pte. McCoy, D. (Died 10 Apr 1917)
201448 Pte. Minty, C.F.
787076 Pte. Horn, A. (Died 24 Apr 1917)
669024 Pte. Begg, J.
201142 Pte. Comins, F.
767202 Pte. Meddings, J.
210932 Pte. Vizor, V.
201107 Pte. Arnold, S.C.
138684 Pte. Ricketts, H.J. (Died 14 Apr 1917)
787020 Pte. Dickson, R.J.  (Died 12 Apr 1917)

Killed April 10

141750 Pte. Perrin, A.J.
138552 Pte. Couperthwaite, G.
788954 Pte. Lavelly, P.
784941 Pte. Swayze, C.W.
784922 Pte. Frost, W.W.
202183 Pte. Stevenson, J.
766525 Pte. Wright, J.E.

Missing April 10

171713 Pte. Wolfe, J.
457411 Pte. Coady, W.
486587 Pte. Stephenson, J.
A/Captain McCormick, A.B. (Confirmed dead 10 Apr 1917)
144154 Pte. Ouelette, O.

Wounded April 10

201270 Pte. Smith, J.P.
769516 Pte. Maxwell, A.C.
201259 Pte. Rose, A.H.
403298 Pte. Williams, H.
201328 Pte. Brown, J.
201304 Pte. Yates, W.
201133 Pte. Calhoun, H.G.
403311 Cpl. Tucker, A.
447895 Pte. Gatich, D. (Died 5 Nov 1917)
766852 Pte. Hutt, F.
Major Crowther, W. B. (Died 3 May 1917)
171796 Pte. Kings, J.G.
416853 Pte. Ladouceur, A.

Archives, WWII

QOR WWII War Diaries Now Completely Online

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Our museum is extremely lucky in having original copies (i.e. one of three copies made when then were first typed) of the World War II war diaries for what would become the 1st Battalion, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada (CASF).

These documents provide a wealth of information about the regiment’s participation and progress throughout the war – from the efforts to form the battalion in June 1940, through duties in Newfoundland, training in New Brunswick and England, the successful but devastating landing on D-Day, the continued fight through Europe, to finally to the German surrender on 8 May 1945.

We are also very lucky to have most of the Routine Orders issued during the war and while often administrative in nature, they help to fill in some of the gaps left by the war diaries – particularly in regards to personnel postings and casualties within the battalion.

Unfortunately the original documents are fragile and not particularly user friendly as there is no way to easily search through them.  So in order to protect them, and at the same time make them more accessible, we have undertake to transcribe and post on our website all these war diaries. We’ve also scanned all of the routine orders and posted them into the war diaries at the appropriate places.

And if that wasn’t enough, we added maps to help illustrate where the battalion was at various times and where it was headed, and inserted photos from our collection into the appropriate location in the timelines. These photos add some amazing sense of place and time. Lastly we added links to more detailed profiles on our website for many of the key soldiers mentioned in the diaries by name.

Now when I say we, I really mean one of our curatorial assistants, Sgt Graham Humphrey and more recently, with the help of Kate Becker. Graham and Kate have spent literally hundreds of hours on this project over the past three and a half years – scanning, transcribing, creating maps, and inserting photos. The result though is a spectacular resource that serves to both protect our archival documents while sharing them with the world.  Even without any official announcements, these page have been viewed over 16,000 times to date.

And the importance of making this information available today is even more critical as fewer and fewer WWII soldiers are left to share their stories first hand.

Bravo Zulu to Graham and Kate on their outstanding work to see this project through to the end, and I strongly encourage you to take some time read through this important story of some of our regiment’s finest hours:

Combat, Events, General, Remembrance, Riflemen, Second World War, Uniforms

D-Day Rifleman

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Here is a visual of what a Rifleman would have looked like on D-Day.

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Field Service Marching Order with respirator slung. Gas cape rolled on Belt. Veil camouflage around neck. Shell dressing under netting of helmet. Emergency rations in hip pocket.

A.V. Battle dress will be worn, patches, (Canada & QOR), sewn on, when other collected.

The A.V. Battle dress will be worn for a minimum of 48 hrs, as soon as possible. If any effects on body are noticed, they will be reported immediately.

HAVERSACK

  • Mess tins
  • Holdall (towel, soap, razor, etc.)
  • Knife, fork and spoon
  • 24 hour rations
  • Cardigan
  • Beret
  • Boot laces
  • 4 x 2
  • Cigarettes
  • Pair of socks
  • Brown mug

LARGE PACK

  • Leather jerkin
  • Boots (anklets if required)
  • Cap comforter
  • Towel
  • Boot brush, dubbin & polish
  • Canvas shoes
  • Shirt, Angola
  • Boot laces
  • Drawers, Celular
  • Writing kit
  • Vest, Summer
  • 3 pairs socks
  • Housewife
  • Cigarettes
  • Greatcoat packed on outside of pack, held on by kicking straps

Other

  • Respirator of Assault marching personnel only attached to pack.
  • G-1018 blanket, folded as for kit layout rolled in ground sheet, strongly lied and properly labelled. (This makes a roll about 2 ½ feet long.)
  • All packs, Haversacks, Greatcoats (inside belt), ground sheet, to be marked with Rank, Name, Number and Coy mark.
  • Assault troops are all that land on “D” day.
  • 1 suit of denim to be collected at a later date.
  • Serge suit for all assault personnel, both riding & marching, less those with coys, will be turned in when notified to coy stores. They will be marked as laid down. They will be returned after “D” day.
  • Serge suit for those on follow up vehicles will be put in their Blanket rolls.

Here are some Pre Invasion photos from our Archives:

May 1944 - QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 – QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 - QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 – QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 - QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 – QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 - QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 – QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 - QOR Museum’s Photo
May 1944 – QOR Museum’s Photo
Pioneer Cpl 1944 - QOR Museum’s Photo
Pioneer Cpl 1944 – QOR Museum’s Photo

To see the War Diaries for Pre and Invasion visit the link below

War Diaries 1944

Cheers,

MCpl Graham Humphrey

3rd Battalion, First World War

3rd Bn CEF War Diaries Online

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Perhaps not surprisingly, as the centenary of the First World War approaches, some of the most popular pages on our website are the transcribed war diaries of the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Libraries and Archives Canada had scanned several hundred pages of these diaries and posted them on to their website as jpeg photos. As valuable as this was, they were impossible to search and the way they were listed on their site made it a challenge to find a particular date quickly.

First entries in the 3rd Battalion, CEF War Diaries
First entries in the 3rd Battalion, CEF War Diaries

So in the Fall of 2012, we undertook to crowd-source the transcriptions of these pages and were very pleasantly surprised by the results! Within just eleven weeks, 27 volunteers all recruited online and some from the far corners of the world, had transcribed 53 months of diaries and they were posted on our website! This has also allowed us to link to other information on our website such as specific soldier profiles and to include photos of relevant artifacts. We continue to add to these pages as we can.

I highly encourage you to check them out if you have not already done so because they give, in concise military way, a chilling perspective on this horrible war.

We’ve received some positive feedback on this resource but I was particularly pleased to see the recent comment reprinted below, from a US Army Lieutenant Colonel whose Scottish grandfather crossed the border from US to join the 255th Battalion, CEF. He eventually see combat with the 3rd Battalion. His story also illustrates how the war continued to impact families long after it had ended.

Folks,

Thanks for transcribing the 3rd Bn war diaries. In August 1913, my grandfather, John Denning Wallace, immigrated from Paisley, Scotland to Kearny, New Jersey. In April 1918, he crossed the border and joined the Toronto Regiment to fight with the CEF in WWI. He served with the 3rd Bn on the front lines near Arras, France, from November 1917 until July 15, 1918, when he sustained a gunshot wound in the left arm. In February 1919, he was medically discharged for the “GSW left arm” and for “trench exposure.” A few years later, he died from the trench exposure at age 30 [1926].

On review of my grandfather’s CEF discharge certificate and military records, they did not reveal how he sustained his combat wound, and for many years I often wondered. Thankfully, the 3rd Bn war diaries provided me with some background. The 3rd Bn war diaries for July 14-16 1918, and the 3rd Bn end of month casualty report for July 1918, reveal that my grandfather, “Wallace, J.D.”, and three other 3rd Bn soldiers were wounded by machine gun fire whilst “laying wire ” near Post 7 in the Fampough sector near Arras. The next day, one had died from his wounds.

Now I know.

Thanks.
Wayne S. Wallace,
LTC, U.S. Army

3rd Battalion

Update on our Transcription Project for 3rd Bn War Diaries

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You may recall in that on September 3rd we launched an appeal on our website, Facebook Page and Twitter account for volunteers to assist with our project to transcribe scanned versions of the 3rd Battalion, CEF war diaries which were available online at the Library and Archives Canada website. The diaries consisted of 53 months of entries from October 19, 1914 when the battalion landed in England, to February 28th, 1919.

Today I’m pleased to announce that we received the final month’s of transcription which is now posted on our site! You can find them on our timeline or link to them directly: 1914 — 1915 — 1916 — 1917 — 1918 — 1919.

Twenty-seven people from around the world, volunteered to help with the project – especially after we posted our project on the “micro-volunteering” site Sparked (with many thanks to friend of the museum, Mr. Matthew Cutler for that suggestion!) International volunteers came from Chile, Australia, France and across the USA in Oklahoma, New York City, Pennsylvania, California, District of Columbia, Washington State, Colorado, and North Carolina. Many of Canadian volunteers come through the Museum Management and Curatorship Program at Sir Sanford Fleming College in Peterborough. Only two of the volunteers are involved with the military!

Although there were some challenges in interpreting handwriting or imperfectly scanned documents, many of the participants indicated how interesting (and in many cases sad) this project was and how it gave them a better understanding of day to day life in an allied infantry battalion of the First World War.

There is still a bit of tidying up to do on the pages and more links and a few map images to add but this now searchable transcription will definitely serve as a valuable research tool.

A big thanks to all those who volunteered:

  1. Captain Rita Arendz
  2. Catherine Caughell
  3. Shawn Mingo
  4. Private Michael McLean
  5. Tanya Probert
  6. Kathleen Watt
  7. Meg Dallett
  8. Katy Shaw-Kiso
  9. Meggan Green
  10. Emily White
  11. Elizabeth Harless
  12. Chauncey M. J.
  13. Emily Hamilton
  14. Leah-Ann Logel
  15. Hilary Lister
  16. Briar Sutherland
  17. Sarah McGall
  18. Bethany Kearsley
  19. Megan White
  20. Zoe Reilly-Ansons
  21. Ruth O’Connell
  22. Alison Dingledine
  23. Ruth Marie O’Connell
  24. Caylanne Lyall
  25. Filomena Pingiaro
  26. Ceci Leung
  27. Geraldine R.
3rd Battalion

3rd Battalion CEF War Diaries Transcription Project

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Help Needed!

We’re looking for assistance in transcribing digitized copies of the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Forces War Diaries for posting on this site. The 3rd Battalion, known as the Toronto Regiment, is perpetuated jointly by the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada and the Royal Regiment of Canada. Transcribing the diaries allows us to easily search them and link to specific names and events in the battalions history.

How this works:

  1. Review the list of scanned pages on our 3rd Battalion War Diaries Transcription Project Page. Pages in italics indicate that someone has already committed to transcribe them. Pages that have been completed will be removed from the list.
  2. Note that the diaries up until April 30, 1915 have already been transcribed by the Canadian Great War Project and are in the process of being posted onto our site.
  3. It is not necessary for everyone to transcribe chronological order – if there is a time period you are interested in feel free to take that on – however to keep things simple, please complete the transcription for at least a complete month at one time.
  4. We DO want to transcribe all pages entitled WAR DIARY. For this stage of the project we DON’T need to transcribe all appendices. “Messages” generally should be transcribed – Operations Orders should not – however please reference untranscribed appendices so that we can provide links to them.
  5. It is NOT necessary to transcribe index pages – We’ll try to remove them from this list when we have time.
  6. Send an email to museum@qormuseum.org to tell us you are interested in participating. In your email indicated which months/year you will be working on so we update our list and avoid duplication of effort.
  7. Please send you transcription in text format (not tables). You use Word or simply paste them into the text of your email. See the format to be used in this example for November 11, 1918. Please make sure you review or better yet, have someone else review your transcription for accuracy. Typed entries are pretty easy to copy but transcribing handwriting entries can sometimes be tricky!
  8. You do not need to save up all your transcriptions and send in at once. If you finish a month, please send them to us. We’ll try to post as quickly as possible.
  9. If you have any questions, please email us at museum@qormuseum.org and we’ll do our best to respond as quickly as possible with the caveat that we too, are all volunteers!

Thanks in advance for assisting us with this exciting project!!

Major John Stephens, CD (Ret)
Curator

3rd Battalion, Combat, Riflemen

3rd Battalion at Vimy Ridge April 9, 1917

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“On April 9, 1917, the famous Vimy Ridge attack took place. This had been planned and practised most carefully. The 3rd Battalion was on the extreme right of the Canadian Corps and so had the longest distance to go. Nevertheless it took its first objective on time and captured four guns, the first to be taken by Canadians. The casualties were, for World War I, light – 6 officers and 179 men. During the new few days the gains were extended to the flat country east of the ridge.”

From Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, 1860-1960: One Hundred Years of Canada,
by Lieutenant Colonel W. T. Barnard, ED, CD – 1960

Major W. E. Curry of the Queen’s Own Rifles was one of the six officers killed in action on June 9th.

See also the appendices to the April War diaries – 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion for Orders and reports during the Battle for Vimy Ridge.