|
 |
| 12 January |
10th Battalion
ordered to join the 2nd Brigade when the 6th Battalion is reorganized as a
cavalry reinforcement unit. |
| 20 January |
10th Battalion
moves from Sling Plantation to the winter quarters of the Second Brigade
at Lark Hill. |
|
One of the few dry days during the 10th
Battalion's stay in the United Kingdom; the battalion passes Stonehenge in
1914.
(Library and Archives Canada photo) |
| 21 January
|
Battalion
reorganized again into four companies; the unit would keep this
organization for the rest of the war. |
| 25 January |
Battalion
formally comes under command of the 2nd Canadian Brigade |
| 26 January |
First field
exercise as unit of the 2nd Brigade |
| January |
After two months
of discussion, the band of the 6th Battalion - originally belonging to the
106th Winnipeg Light Infantry - is transferred to the 10th Battalion. |
| 4 February |
Second royal
review of the 10th Battalion; entire Division inspected by His Majesty
King George V, Her Majesty Queen Mary, and Lord Kitchener, Secretary of
State for War. |
| 7 February |
Battalion
ordered to move to France |
| 9 February |
All Canadian
issued infantry equipment replaced with British pattern; battalion still
using Canadian uniforms and Ross Rifles. |
| 10 February |
Battalion moves
by train to Avonmouth, then boards the steamer Kingstonian |
| 11 February |
Kingstonian
sails for France. |
| 14 February |
Kingstonian
- after run aground on a sandbar - finally drifts free and arrives in St.
Nazaire |
| 15 February |
10th Battalion
disembarks and begins 43 hour journey to Borre, in French Flanders, by way
of Lemans and Hazebrouck |
| 20 February |
Inspection by
Sir John French, Commander in Chief of the British Expeditionary Force.
First Canadian Division assigned to III Corps of Second Army. |
| 21-28 February |
Second Brigade
attached to British 4th Division near Armentieres and Ploegsteert |
| 25 February |
First fatal
casualty occurs when 39 year old Private Wilson Davis is killed in action;
the first of more than 4500 battle casualties to be suffered by the
Battalion during the war. |
| 1 March |
Move to
Armentieres and billets at Bac-Saint-Maur |
| 2 March |
Address by
General Officer Commanding the Canadian Division, General Alderson,
advising the division that it would soon be joining IV Corps in the First
Army. Battalion moved to billets in Fleurbaix. |
| 5-6 March |
First tour in
front-line trenches, near La Boutillarie. |
| 10 March |
Battalion stands
to arms as British launch their first major offensive of the war, at Neuve
Chapelle. |
| 14 March |
10th Battalion
relieved by the 8th Battalion. Move to rest area at Fleurbaix for four
days. |
| 18 March |
Return to front
line positions for another four-day tour. |
| 22 March |
Move to billets
in Fleurbaix. |
| 24 March |
Move to
Estaires. |
| 30 March |
Intensive
training programme begun in entrenching, route marches, physical training,
and practice attacks. |
| 5 April |
Battalion leaves
Estaires to Abelle, in Belgian Flanders. |
| 10 April |
Inspection by
both GOC of Canadian Division, and General Smith Dorrien, commander of the
British Second Army. Canadian Division now moving to relived French 11th
Corps and move to the left flank of the V Corps. |
| 14 April |
Battalion moves
into the Ypres Salient, moving by bus into Vlamertinghe then marching
through Ypres and into the front lines near St. Julien and Wieltje. |
| 15 April |
First full day
in the line. |
| 17 April |
General Alderson
formally takes command of the sector manned by the Canadian Division. |
| 19-20 April |
10th Battalion
relieved in front line positions by 5th Battalion, marches to Ypres to
become brigade reserve. |
| 20 April |
Ypres shelled. |
| 21 April |
Battalion moves
to a farm on northern outskirts of Ypres as shelling of town continues. |
| 22 April |
Massive German
attack on Ypres Salient; two French Divisions routed. First Canadian
Division called to seal gap; 10th and 16th Battalions launch
counter-attack on Kitchener's Wood in the first Canadian offensive action
of the war. |
| 23 April |
Lieutenant
Colonel Boyle wounded in attack on Kitchener's Wood. Heavy fighting and
German counter-attacks. |
| 24-27 April |
Continuous
fighting and German attacks on the Canadian line from St. Julien to
Gravenstafel. |
| 25 April |
Lieutenant
Colonel Boyle dies in hospital. |
| 27 April |
Battalion
withdraws across the Canal l'Yser. Some 718 officers and men became
casualties, of 816 men to cross the start line on 22 April - 1/6 of the
battalion's total casualties for the entire war. |
| 28 April |
Battalion
rebuilt with large draft of over 350 officers and men from England, as
well as two hundred men originally left out of battle. Battalion
assigned to guard duty on the Canal l'Yser. |
| 5 May |
Battalion leaves
the Ypres Salient for billets in Baileul and absorbs another large draft
of reinforcements. |
| 7 May |
Some 149
veterans of the battalion, who had armed themselves with British Lee
Enfields, are re-equipped once more with the controversial Ross rifle. |
| 9 May |
Inspection by
General Alderson. French attack but fail to seize Vimy Ridge. British
attack Festubert. |
| 11 May |
Training
resumes. |
| 14 May |
Battalion
marches to Robecq. |
| 17 May |
Battalion moves
to Locon to crowded billets. |
| 18 May |
Move to Le
Touret. Canadian 3rd Brigade attacks Canadian Orchard as part of Festubert battle. |
| 19 May |
10th Battalion,
with rest of 2nd Brigade, moves into the line next to the 3rd
Brigade. |
| 20 May |
Second Brigade
ordered to attack K.5 (German strongpoint) on short notice. Attack by
10th Battalion costly and ineffective. |
| 21 May |
10th Battalion
ordered into second attack on K.5. Half of battalion attack successful in
clearing Germans out of defences. |
| 22 May |
Germans launch
four separate counterattacks. |
| 25 May |
After four days
in the German trenches, Battalion relieved by dismounted soldiers of the
Canadian Cavalry Brigade and moves to Le Hamel for six days of rest. |
| 28 May |
Major Dan Ormond
assumes temporary command of the Battalion. |
| 29 May |
Inspection by
General Currie |
| 1 June |
Battalion
relieves a battalion of the 17th City of London Regiment in front line
positions near Givenchy, spends five days in the trenches. |
| 2 June |
Lieutenant
Colonel Rattray assumes command of the Battalion. |
| 6 June |
Move to billets
in Hinges. During the week, the battalion traded in the Ross Rifles for
British Lee Enfields. |
| 14 June |
Inspection by
General Alderson. |
| 17 June |
Move to La
Preol. |
| 19 June |
Relieved the 2nd
Royal Warwickshires in the vicinity of Givenchy. |
| 24 June |
Relieved from
trench duty, but instead of resting, the Battalion marched for three days
to Ploegsteert, from Bethune to Estaires on the night 24/25 June to Stangy
on 25/26 June. Into reserve trenches at Hill 63. |
| 30 June |
Two companies
into the front lines; most of July would be spent in these positions. |
| July |
Most of month
spent in trenches. |
| 31 July |
Battalion has
spend 44 days without rest, either working behind the lines, or occupying
front line trenches. Only 14 casualties for the month but stress from
shelling and constant exposure having its toll. |
| 6 August |
Battalion
finally relieved. |
| 7 August
|
Battalion
numbers only 429 men of all ranks; many losses due to sickness. A draft
of 212 men posted to the battalion the same day. Three days of rest. |
| 10 August |
Battalion back
into the trenches for a five day tour. |
| 15 August |
Out of
trenches. During period between tours, units of Second Brigade inspected
by the French Minister of War, Etienne Alexandre Millerand, including two
companies of the 10th Battalion. |
| 20 August |
Back to trenches
for five day tour. |
| 25 August |
Out of trenches. |
| 30 August |
Return to the
trenches. |
| 4 September |
Battalion
relieved in the trenches; first front-line trench tour since arrival in
France in February in which not a single casualty was suffered. Battalion
moved to rest area. |
| 7 September |
Inspection by
General Sir Herbert Plumer, commander of the Second Army.
|
| 10 September |
Back to
trenches. |
| 13 September |
For the first
time in history, a Canadian Corps headquarters is activated in the field,
with the arrival in France of the 2nd Canadian Division. Major shakeup
in command positions of 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, and the Canadian
Corps itself is taken over by General Alderson, former commander of the
1st Division. |
| 14 September |
Relieved in
front line trenches. |
| 19 September |
Return to front
line trenches. |
| 24 September |
Relief from
front line trenches, move to rear for five days for rest and working
parties. |
| 29 September |
Return to front
line trenches. |
| 4 October
|
Relieved, moved
to brigade reserve and both day and night working parties. |
| 9 October |
Back to front
line trenches. |
| 13 October |
Battalion takes
part in demonstration mounted along front of entire Second Army, involving
use of smoke bombs to simulate an attack to gauge German reaction. |
| 14 October |
Relieved, moved
to divisional reserve and two days of rest. |
| 16 October |
Intensive
training period, practice on assaulting trenches. |
| 19 October |
Return to front
line trenches for five day tour. |
| 24 October |
Battalion
relieved in heavy mist, moved to Brigade reserve. |
| 27 October |
King George V
inspects the Canadian Corps; 50 men and 3 officers selected to represent
the 10th Battalion. |
| 29 October |
Return to front
line trenches. |
| 3 November |
Relieved, four
days of rest. |
| 7 November |
Battalion
parades to Divisional baths at Bulford Camp for showers and delousing. |
| 8 November |
Return to front
line trenches. |
| 13 November |
Relief by 7th
Battalion. |
| 18 November |
To front line
trenches to relieve 7th Battalion. |
| 23 November |
Relieved and
moved from front line trenches for almost a month. |
| 24 November |
Move from
Divisional to Corps Reserve. Depart Bulford Camp and move to Bailleul. |
| 26 November |
Training ongoing
until 7 December includes PT, section, platoon and company drill, route
marches, and practicing company attacks. |
| 11 December |
Return to 1st
Division's Bulford Camp. |
| 16 December |
Return to front
line trenches. Five day tours are now extended to six days. |
| 22 December |
Relieved by 7th
Battalion, moved to brigade reserve. |
| 27 December |
Baths, followed by return to
trenches. |
| 31 December |
Attempts by German soldiers to
fraternize on New Year's Eve rebuffed. |
