3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF

The 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), Canadian Expeditionary Force was a battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force that saw service in the First World War.

The distinguishing patch of the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF.

It was created on 2 September 1914 with recruits from Toronto, primarily from the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada with additional drafts from the 10th Royal Grenadiers and the Governor General's Body Guard.

History

The mascot of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, August 1916

The battalion organized and trained at Camp Valcartier before sailing for England from Quebec City on board the SS Tunisian 25 September 1914. They arrived in England on 16 October with a strength of 42 officers and 1123 men. The battalion became part of the 1st Canadian Division, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade where it saw action at Ypres, Vimy Ridge and along the Western Front. It was later reinforced by the 12th Canadian Reserve Battalion.

In the attack on Vimy Ridge, the battalion had a relatively easy time due to very successful artillery barrages but still lost around 150 killed or wounded.[1]

286 soldiers of the 3rd Battalion were taken prisoner during the war - all but 21 during the 2nd Battle of Ypres during April and May 1915.[2]

Demobilization, re-organization and perpetuation

The battalion returned to Canada from England on the SS Olympic arriving in Halifax on 21 April 1919, then in Toronto by train and demobilizing in the afternoon of 23 April 1919. Only 40 of the original contingent from 1914 arrived back at the end of the war although others had been demobilized or taken prisoners of war. [See list below.]

With the re-organization of the Canadian Militia, it was recreated as the Toronto Regiment by General Order dated 1 May 1920. On 15 December 1936 it was amalgamated with the Royal Grenadiers to form the Royal Regiment of Toronto Grenadiers which subsequently became the known as The Royal Regiment of Canada, 11 February 1939.

Today the battalion is perpetuated by the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and The Royal Regiment of Canada.[3]

Commanding officers

All three Commanding Officers had previously served in the Canadian Militia with the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada:[4]

• August 1914 to November 1915 - Lieutenant Colonel Robert Rennie, MVO[5] (later Major General Rennie, CB, CMG, DSO, MVO, VD)
• November 1915 to October 1916 - Lieutenant Colonel William D. Allan, DSO (He died as the results of an earlier wound.)
• October 1916 to April 1919 - Lieutenant Colonel Joseph B. Rogers, CMG, DSO, MC

Battle honours

The following battle honours were awarded the regiment for service in France and Belgium (those in capital letters were authorized to be shown on the Regimental Colours):

YPRES 1915 Gravenstafel ST JULIEN FESTUBERT 1915 MOUNT SORREL SOMME 1916

Pozières Flers-Courcelette Ancre Heights Arras 1917 VIMY 1917 Arleux

Scarpe 1917 Hill 70 Ypres, 1917 PASSCHENDAELE AMIENS Arras, 1918

Scarpe 1918 DROCOURT-QUEANT Hindenberg Line CANAL DU NORD Pursuit to Mons France and Flanders 1915-18

Honours Awarded

2 Victoria Crosses (VC) 1 Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) 11 Distinguished Service Order (DSO) 2 Bars to the Distinguished Service Order 1 Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)

50 Military Crosses 11 Bars to the Military Cross 42 Distinguished Conduct Medals 235 Military Medals

23 Bars to the Military Medal 6 Meritorious Service Medals 9 Foreign Decorations 44 Mentioned in Despatches

[6]

Originals

Forty-one officers and men who left with the Regiment in August 1914 and returned with them in April 1919:[7]

Lieutenant Colonel J.B. Rogers, CMG, DSO, MC Lieutenant Colonel D.H.C. Mason, DSO, OBE Captain E.H. Minns, MC Captain A.K. Coulthard, MC, MM* Captain H.T. Lord, MC Lieutenant A.V. Noble Lieutenant D. Morrison, MM* Lieutenant J.L. Austin 9356 Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant G.R. Pollock 9068 Sergeant H.V. Spence, DCM, MM, Belgium CdeG 9306 Sergeant R.J. Clapton, MSM 9070 Sergeant N. Thorn, MSM 9265 Sergeant R.H. Williams 10153 Sergeant W.H. Minnett

9074 Corporal J. Mullen, MM 9226 Corporal R.J. Murdock 9608 Lance Corporal G. Spraggett 9889 Private W. Bennett 18171 Private J. Bodell 18761 Private J.J. Burns 9900 Private T. Clarke 9434 Private G.W. Dent 10026 Private T. Franklin 9318 Private Wm. J. Gearin 9513 Private H. Kinsley, MM 9801 Private W.J. Leathem 9463 Private W.C. Legier 18213 Private Ed Lindsay

9332 Private A.S. Lukeman 9073 Private W. Maitland 9105 Private R.G. Ottey 9748 Private S.H. Pilling 9714 Private Wm. Renfrew 9251 Private H. Sanderson 9373 Private H.F. Smith 9057 Private P.C. Stephenson 10171 Private G. Stretton, MM 9497 Private E.W. Thorne 9394 Private P.H. Theberge 9385 Private H. Webster 10079 Private G. White

*Commissioned from the ranks

References

1. Cook, Tim (7 March 2017). Vimy. Allen Lane. ISBN 0735233160.
2. http://canadianexpeditionaryforce1914-1919.blogspot.ca/2011/02/prisoners-of-war-3rd-battalion.html
3. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
4. A Brief History of the 3rd Canadian Battalion, CEF Toronto Regiment (no author or date)
5. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Rennie, MVO
6. A Brief History of the 3rd Canadian Battalion, CEF Toronto Regiment (no author or date)
7. A Brief History of the 3rd Canadian Battalion, CEF Toronto Regiment (no author or date)

External links

• Transcribed War Diaries of the 3rd Battalion, CEF 19 October 1914 to 28 February 1919
• Canadian Expeditionary Study Group - 3rd Battalion page