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The 2nd
Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit
raised for service in the First World War.
History
The 2nd Battalion, CEF was
raised from drafts of the Governor General's Foot Guards, an
Ottawa unit1,
and other men raised in Military District 3 (Eastern
Ontario). The battalion was officially perpetuated after the war by
The Governor General's Foot Guards.
Stewart lists the battalion as
being affiliated with the 77th Battalion, who also are
perpetuated by The Governor General's Foot Guards.
The battalion, along with the
others of the original Canadian contingent, formed at
Valcartier, trained on Salisbury Plain, and then saw action
in every major Canadian battle of the war in France and
Flanders. Acting Corporal Leo Clarke and Acting Major O'Kill
Massey Learmonth, MC were both recipients of the Victoria
Cross.
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2nd
Battalion, CEF |
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Organized: 6
August 1914
Initial Strength: 1,108
Service: Component of the 1st Infantry
Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and
Flanders.
Disbanded: 15 September 1920
Perpetuated by: The Governor General's Foot
Guards |
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Insignia
In 1914, there had been little time to
adopt distinctive unit badges for the hastily assembled battalions
of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. As many battalions were drawn
from men from several of the pre-war Militia regiments, there was a
desire to avoid using existing badges and forming associations with
those existing units, in favour of creating new identities - the
General Officer Commanding the 1st Canadian Contingent (later 1st
Canadian Division) is quoted as saying sometime in October or
November of 1914 "there must be distinctive badges for each unit."2
Until unit badges were approved and issued, a mixture of
pre-war Militia badges and maple-leaf pattern General Service badges
were seen.
Metal cap and collar badges were also
worn on service dress.
 In mid-1916, cloth "battle-patches" were
added to the sleeves of the Service Dress and greatcoat. The 1st
Division was distinguished by a red rectangle, 3 inches wide by 2
inches tall, worn on each upper arm. The 2nd Battalion was further
distinguished by a green half-circle worn above the rectangle, the green
indicating the 1st brigade, and the half-circle indicating the
second senior
battalion in the brigade. More information on formation patches can
be found in the article on the
organization of the division.
Battle Honours
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Ypres 1915, 17
St. Julien
Mount Sorrel
Pozieres
Ancre Heights
Vimy, 1917
Scarpe, 1917, 18
Passchendaele
Drocourt-Quéant
Canal du Nord |
Gravenstafel
Festubert, 1915
Somme, 1916
Flers-Courcelette
Arras 1917, '18
Arleux
Hill 70
Amiens
Hindenburg Line
Pursuit to Mons |
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France and Flanders, 1915-18 |
Notes
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Stewart, p.1
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Harper, Joseph A Source of
Pride: Regimental Badges and Titles in the Canadian
Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 (Service Publications,
Ottawa, ON, 1999) ISBN 0-9699845-8-8 p.5
References
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Love, David W.
A Call to Arms: The Organization and Administration of
Canada's Military in World War One (Bunker to Bunker
Books, Calgary, AB, 1999) ISBN 1894255-03-8
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Stewart, Charles
H. Overseas: The Lineages and Insignia of the Canadian
Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 (Little & Stewart,
Toronto, ON, 1970)
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