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The 13th
Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a unit
raised for service in the First World War.
History
The 13th
Canadian Infantry Battalion organized at Valcartier in
September 1914 under
Camp Order 241 dated 2 September 1914.
The battalion was raised from
Montreal soldiers (Military District 4).1
The battalion was
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel F.O.W. Loomis, and embarked
for the United Kingdom on 25 September 1914 at Quebec City
aboard S.S. Alaunia, arriving in England on 16
October 1914 with a strength of 25 officers and 1110 other
ranks.
The unit
moved to France on 16 February 1915 as the senior battalion
of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade in the Canadian
Division (later 1st Canadian Division). The unit remained a
component of the division for the remainder of the war. It
eventually drew reinforcements from the 20th Canadian
Reserve Battalion.
Three
soldiers of the battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross:
Lance Corporal Frederick Fisher, for actions near St. Julien
on 23 April 1915; Private John Bernard Croak for actions at
Amiens on 8 August 1918; and Corporal Herman Good for
actions at Hangard Wood, also on 8 August 1918.
The unit
returned to England on 17 March 1919, and arrived back in
Canada on 18 April 1919, demobilizing on 20 April. The unit
was officially disbanded by General Order 159 dated 15
September 1920. |
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13th
Battalion, CEF |
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Organized: 6
August 1914
Initial Strength: 25 officers, 1110 other
ranks
Service: Component of the 3rd Infantry
Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and
Flanders.
Disbanded: G.O. 149/1920 eff 15 September 1920
Perpetuated by: The Black Watch (Royal
Highland Regiment) of Canada |
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The unit
was unique in taking overseas the identity and traditions of
one of the prewar Militia units, notably the 5th Regiment,
Royal Highlanders of Canada. The unit wore the Government
(Black Watch) Tartan, and had its own pipe band of 24 pipers
and 12 drummers, with pipers clad in the Royal Stewart
tartan.2
The
battalion adopted a goat mascot named Flora Stewart upon
arrival in France. A stand of colours were presented, and
deposited in St. Paul's Church in Montreal.
Following the war the battalion was perpetuated by The Black
Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, the successor
unit to the 5th Regiment, Royal Highlanders of Canada
following the Otter Committee reorganizations.
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 13th Battalion was further distinguished by a blue circle
worn above the rectangle, the blue indicating the 3rd Brigade, and
the circle indicating the senior
battalion in the brigade. More information on formation patches can
be found in the article on the
organization of the division.
Metal cap and collar badges were also
worn on service dress.
Battle Honours
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Ypres 1915, 17
St. Julien
Mount Sorrel
Pozieres
Ancre Heights
Vimy, 1917
Scarpe, 1918
Drocourt-Quéant
Canal du Nord |
Gravenstafel
Festubert, 1915
Somme, 1916
Thiepval
Arras 1917, '18
Arleux
Amiens
Hindenburg Line
Pursuit to Mons |
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France and Flanders, 1915-18 |
Notes
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Guide to Sources,
p.72,
Love, p.137, and Stewart p.7
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Guide to Sources cites a band
strength of 24 pipers while Stewart gives a number of 18
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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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Guide to Sources Relating to
Units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Infantry Battalions (Library
and Archives Canada, Ottawa, ON, 2012)
Archival Holdings
The following holdings at Library and
Archives Canada may be useful for further research on this unit:
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War diary, 13 Oct. 1914 -20 April
1919
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Affiliation with 5th Royal
Highlanders
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Badges
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Demobilization
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History
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Appointment of officers
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Organization
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RG 9, III-C-7, vol. 4490, file
4D, 48-13-1
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DHS file
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Manitoba’s contribution to
battalion.
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13th Battalion
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13th Battalion
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Overseas Ministry file, 1915 - 1916
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Records of personnel
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Accounts
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Promotions
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Promotions, appointments
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Clothing and equipment, 1915 - 1916
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RG 9, III-C-1, vol. 3877, folder
10, file 3
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Pte G.R. Barrie’s statement re
crucifixion of Canadian soldier, 12 Feb. 1916
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RG 9, III-C-1, vol. 3879, folder
13, file 7
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Machine guns claimed by battalion
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RG 9, III-C-1, vol. 3890, folder
46, file 11
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Operations, Festubert, 20 May 1915
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RG 9, III-C-3, vol. 4011, folder
15, file 8
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Report on minor operations, 1 Dec.
1916
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RG 9, III-C-3, vol. 4017, folder
35, file 21
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Operation orders, 30 Jan. 1918
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RG 9, III-C-3, vol. 4067, folder
6, file 4
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Operation orders, 30 May - 10 Oct.
1917
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RG 9, III-C-3, vol. 4077, folder
4, file 18
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Order, March 1917, Badges
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, file 22
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Historical record
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, file 21
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Honours and awards
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, file 23
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Operations. St Eloi, 1916
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, files 25-27
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Operations. Mount Sorrel, June 1916
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, files 28-29
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Operations. Arras, 2 Sept. 1918
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, file 30
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Photographs
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RG 9, III-D-1, vol. 4691, folder
49, file 24
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Nominal roll on embarkation, 1914
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Promotions, appointments
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Purchase of kilts
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Colt guns
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Alphabetical lists of NCOs men
invalided and transferred, 1 Jan. 1917 - 1 March 1919, killed or
fatally wounded, 1 Jan. 1917 -
11 Nov. 1918
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Daily Orders
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