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The 3rd
Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit
raised for service in the First World War.
History
The 3rd
Canadian Infantry Battalion organized at Valcartier under
Camp Order 241 dated 2 September 1914.
The battalion was
raised from recruits raised in Toronto.1
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.
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3rd
Battalion, CEF |
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Organized: 6
August 1914
Initial Strength: 1,101
Service: Component of the 1st Infantry
Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and
Flanders.
Disbanded: G.O. 149/1920 eff 15 September 1920
Perpetuated by: The Queen's Own Rifles of
Canada and The Royal Regiment of Canada |
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The 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion was
organized at Valcartier under Camp Order 241 of 2 September 1914 and
was composed of recruits from Toronto.
Commanding
Officers included Lieutenant-Colonel
R. Rennie,
followed by Lieutenant Colonel
W.D. Allen DSO,
and Lieutenant Colonel
J.B. Rogers DSO, MC.
Corporal Colin
Barron and Lieutenant George Kerr, MC, MM were both awarded the
Victoria Cross.
The battalion sailed for the UK from Quebec on 25 September 1914
aboard S.S. Tunisian, disembarking on 16 October 1914
with a strength of 42 officers and 1123 other ranks. The battalion
went to France on 11 February 1915 as a component of the Canadian
Division (later 1st Canadian Division), serving in the 1st Infantry
Brigade. The battalion moved to England from France on 23 March
1919, disembarked in Canada on 21 April 1919, demobilized on
23 April 1919, and officially disbanded by General Order 149 of 15
September 1920. As part of the Otter Committee recommendations, the
battalion was officially
perpetuated by The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and The Toronto
Regiment. The latter unit was amalgamated in 1936 (with The Royal
Grenadiers) to become The Royal Regiment of Canada.2
The battalion organized a brass band in September 1915; for a unit
march-past a medley of
`The March of the Buffs', `British Grenadiers' and `Men of Harlech'
was used.
A stand of regimental colours were
purchased in 1919.
Stewart lists the battalion as
being affiliated with the 124th, 170th and 204th Battalions,
and the battalion was
eventually reinforced by the 12th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
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."3
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 3rd Battalion was further distinguished by a green triangle
worn above the rectangle, the green indicating the 1st Brigade, and
the triangle indicating the third 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.2 and some information
from Library and Archives Canada and the
CEF Matrix
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Love, p.274
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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)
