| 1 January |
Lieutenant Colonel Rattray
awarded the Distinguished Service Order. |
| 2 January |
10 man patrol
loses Private Robert Green captured by the enemy. |
| 3 January |
10th Battalion
relieved, goes into Divisional reserve at Bulford Camp, begins planning
its first raid. |
| 5 January |
Belated
Christmas dinner for half the Battalion from regimental funds. |
| 6 January |
Belated
Christmas dinner for remaining half of the Battalion. |
| 9 January |
Return to the
line. |
| 15 January |
End of six-day
tour, withdrawn to Brigade reserve near Hill 63. |
| 21 January |
Return to the
line, relieve 7th Battalion. |
| 27 January |
Withdrawn to
Divisional reserve at Bulford Camp. Rehearsals for first battalion raid. |
| 2 February |
Return to
line. |
| 4-5 February |
10th Battalion
launches first raid; four men are killed and seventeen wounded. Forty-five
Germans were estimated killed or injured. The Battalion received its first
Military Crosses for the action - to five participants. The first Canadian
soldier in the First World War to be awarded the bar to the DCM was also
so decorated for his participation in this raid. |
| 8 February |
Relieved and
moved to Brigade reserve. |
| 14 February |
Return to line
to relieve 7th Battalion. |
| 19 February |
Withdrawn to
Divisional reserve. |
| 23 February |
Inoculations
for typhoid and paratyphoid. |
| 25 February |
Inspection by
Corps commander, General Alderson. |
| 26 February |
Return to
line. |
| 2 March |
1st Canadian
Division participates in diversionary action to assist British V Corps in
attack on "the Bluff" north of the Ypres-Comines Canal. 10th Battalion
assisted by igniting smoke bombs forward of their listening posts, firing
rifle grenades, catapulting bombs, firing machine guns, launching rafts
with explosives, and attempting to light petrol fires. |
| 4 March |
Relieved, to
Brigade reserve. |
| 9 March |
Return to
line. |
| 15 March |
Withdrawn to
divisional reserve; losses for the six-day tour had been three dead and
seven wounded. |
| 16 March |
Inspection by
Major-General Arthur Currie, General Officer Commanding, 1st Canadian
Division. |
| 19 March |
Corps
commander General Alderson presents decorations to three officers and five
other ranks. |
| 21 March |
Return to
line. |
| 27 March |
Relieved, to
Brigade reserve. |
| 29 March |
Moved to Corps
reserve near Godeswaersvalde. |
| 2 April |
Church parade
and address by Corps commander to 8th and 10th Battalions. |
| 4 April |
8th and 10th
Battalions march to Poperinghe, where Canadian Corps was taking over new
sector. 10th moves to divisional reserve. |
| 8 April |
Return to
line, near Hill 60. |
| 9 April |
Relief of 14th
Battalion in front line complete. |
| 12 April |
Explosion of
camouflet in No Man's Land to defeat enemy mine. First operation in which
the 10th Battalion wore steel helmets into battle. |
| 16 April |
Move to
Brigade reserve at Dickebusch. |
| 24 April |
Move to
Divisional reserve at Scottish Lines. |
| 28 April |
Inspection by
General Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force. |
| 2 May |
Return to
line. |
| 10 May |
Move to
Brigade reserve at Bedford House. |
|
10th Battalion at morning ablutions in rest
camp. May 1916.
(Library and Archives Canada photo)
10th Battalion field kitchens. May 1916.
(Library and Archives Canada photo) |
| 18 May |
Move to
Divisional reserve at Connaught Lines. |
| 21 May |
Inspection by
General Currie. |
| 26 May |
Return to
line. |
| 31 May |
Relieved by
5th Battalion, moved to Brigade reserve near GHQ Line. |
| 2 June |
Major German
attack on the 3rd Canadian Division, newly arrived to the front. 10th
Battalion ordered to counter-attack GHQ Line. |
| 3 June |
Counter-attack
fails owing to lack of co-ordination and confusion. Casualties for the day
run to 149 all ranks, though only one company was actively engaged. |
| 4 June |
10th Battalion
withdrawn to Dickebusch Huts. |
| 5 June |
Relieved 5th
Battalion in the line. |
| 10 June |
Relieved after
further action on Hill 60, holding ground while the remainder of the
Division prepared counter-attacks on other ground lost on 2 June. Into
reserve. |
| 13 June |
Counter-attacks on Mount Sorrel a success, 10th Battalion sent into line
afterwards. |
| 14 June |
Relieved by
the 24th and 26th Battalions. Total losses for Mount Sorrel amount to 274
all ranks for the 10th Battalion, who moves to Corps reserve at Camp E. |
| 17 June |
Brigadier
Lipsett, promoted to command 3rd Canadian Division, inspects Battalion. |
| 18 June |
Corps command,
General Julian Byng, inspects 10th Battalion for first time. |
| 29 June |
Return to
line, relieve 13th Battalion north of Mount Sorrel. |
|
Major-General Arthur Currie, GOC 1st Canadian
Division, third from left, escorts Canadian senators on an inspection.
July 1916.
(Library and Archives Canada photo) |
| 4 July |
Relieved by
1st Battalion. |
| 10 July |
Inspection by
Brigadier-General Loomis. |
| 18 July |
Inspection by
Corps commander. |
| 19 July |
Inspection by
Brigadier-General Loomis. |
| 25 July |
Stand-to-arms
for two hours when German mine is exploded under "the Bluff." 7th
Battalion fights off German attack with no further need of assistance. |
| 7 August |
Return to
line. |
| 11 August |
Relieved, to
Divisional reserve. |
|
Private Fox of the 10th Battalion competes in
a 2nd Brigade sports competition. August 1916.
(Library and Archives Canada photo) |
| 27 August |
After period
of intensive training, battalion begins march with rest of Canadian Corps
towards the battlefields of the Somme. |
| 4 September |
Battalion
arrives at Albert. |
| 8 September |
Lieutenant
Colonel Rattray leaves Battalion, promoted to Brigadier-General and sent
to a training brigade in the UK. Replaced temporarily by Major Alexander
Thomson. |
| 9 September |
Relieves the
8th Battalion in trenches near La Boisselle and the Chalk Pits. |
| 11 September |
Relieved by
2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles; two days in the trenches cost the Battalion
55 casualties. Moved to billets at Albert. |
| 13 September |
Moved to
Rubrempré via Warloy into army reserve. |
| 16 September |
Return to
Albert. |
| 22 September |
Relieved 52nd
Battalion in the line. |
| 23 September |
Relieved by
7th and 13th Battalions, withdrew to 2nd Brigade support positions in the
Chalk Pits, having suffered 52 casualties in a single day, including two
company commanders. |
| 26 September |
10th
Battalion, under new commanding officer, Major Dan Ormond, supports two
attacks behind creeping barrage onto Thiepval Ridge. Battle remains fluid. |
| 27 September |
10th Battalion
companies and platoons fight scattered actions with 5th, 7th and 8th
Battalions. |
| 28 September |
2nd Brigade
relieved by 1st and 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles. 10th Battalion suffered
241 casualties in 36 hours of fighting at Thiepval Ridge. |
| 1 October |
10th Battalion
visited by Brigadier-General Loomis and Major-General Currie. |
| 7 October |
After staged
move to Albert lasting a week, final elements of Battalion arrive. |
| 10 October |
Return to line
to relieve 1st Battalion. |
| 11 October |
Relieved by
44th Battalion of 4th Canadian Division. Returned to Albert. |
| 15 October |
Returned to
line northeast of Courcelette for last tour of duty on the Somme,
relieving 8th Battalion. |
| 16-17 October |
Relieved by
47th Battalion, marched to Albert. |
| 22 October |
Marched from
Mezerolles to Dernier. |
| 28 October |
Moved to
Estrée Cauchie. |
| 30 October |
Guard of
Honour provided for former Governor General , the Duke of Connaught,
visiting Major-General Currie's headquarters. |
| 2 November |
Move to 2nd
Brigade support near Carency in new sector between Arras and Lens. |
| 6 November |
Move to front
lines in the Vimy sector. |
| 10 November |
Out of front
line. |
| 14 November |
Return to
line. |
| 18 November |
Relief and
move to divisional reserve at Estrée Cauchie. Issue of new small box
respirator type gas masks. |
| 26 November |
Move to
Berthnoval to 2nd Brigade support. |
| 4 December |
To trenches
for final tour of 1916, relieving 7th Battalion. |
| 12 December |
Relieved by 15
Battalion, moved to divisional reserve at Estrée Cauchie. |
| 18 December |
Moved to
Divion to corps reserve, where the Battalion remained until the second
half of January. |
