13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF

January 2023 April 2022 March 2016 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF 1914-1919 Canada Canadian Expeditionary Force Infantry One Battalion 3rd Canadian Brigade, 1st Canadian Division Montreal, Quebec First World War Ypres and along the Western Front. The 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was an active service battalion during the First World War.CEF Infantry Battalions https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/Documents/infantry%20battalions.pdfwww.canadiansoldiers.com https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/regiments/cef/013battalion.htm 2022-02-20 www.canadiansoldiers.com History thumb|Victoria Cross recipient Frederick Fisher The battalion was formed from volunteers from the 5th Regiment "Royal Highlanders of Canada", a militia regiment based in Montreal, as well as men from other militia regiments. Sent to England as part of the First Contingent in September 1914, the 13th Battalion became part of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Canadian Division. The 3rd Brigade consisted of the 13th Battalion (the Royal Highlanders of Canada), the 14th Battalion (the Royal Montreal Regiment), the 15th Battalion (the 48th Highlanders of Canada) and the 16th Battalion (the Canadian Scottish). The battalion's first commander was Lieutenant Colonel (later Major-General) Frederick Loomis. The 1st Canadian Division served on the Western Front from April 1915 until the armistice in November 1918. Its baptism of fire occurred at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915, when the German Army used chlorine gas for the first time in war. Neighbouring French divisions fled in terror from the new weapon, but the Canadians held the line at tremendous cost. The 1st Canadian Division fought in every major engagement involving the Canadian Corps, including the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, the Somme in 1916, Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele in 1917, and the Pursuit to Mons in 1918. Three members of the 13th Battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross. The first, Frederick Fisher, awarded for his action on 23 April 1915 at St. Julien during the Second Battle of Ypres. Two other members, Herman James Good and John Bernard Croak, were awarded their crosses for action on 8 August 1918 at Hangard Wood, near Amiens in France. Croak's award was posthumous. After the armistice, the 13th Battalion returned to Canada and was disbanded in April, 1919. On December 1, 1920, the 13th Battalion was perpetuated by the 1st Battalion of the newly reorganised the Royal Highlanders of Canada. A wooden cross memorial originally erected at Vimy Ridge but later erected at the Canadian War Museum is dedicated to the 13th Canadian Battalion the Royal Highlanders of Canada killed in action Vimy Ridge April 1917.http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=6634 Vimy Cross 2014-05-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20140517120603/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/nic-inm/sm-rm/mdsr-rdr-eng.asp?PID=6634 2014-05-17 dead Battle honours In 1929, the battalion was awarded the following battle honours.Appendix to General Order No. 110 of 1929, p. 21 1 Ypres, 1915, '17selected Selected to be borne on colours and appointments Gravenstafel St. Julien Festubert, 1915selected Mount Sorrelselected Somme, 1916selected Pozières Thiepval Ancre Heights Arras, 1917, '18 Vimy, 1917selected Arleux Scarpe, 1917, '18 Hill 70selected Passchendaele Amiensselected Drocourt–Quéantselected Hindenburg Line Canal du Nordselected Pursuit to Mons France and Flanders, 1915–18selected Notes See also List of infantry battalions in the Canadian Expeditionary Force References 30em Further reading Fetherstonhaugh R. C. (Robert Collier) The 13th Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada, 1914–1919 1925 The 13th Battalion, Royal Highlanders of Canada Toronto 404 https://archive.org/details/royalhighlanders00fethuoft 15 October 2015 Martin Stuart The Story of the Thirteenth Battalion The Royal Highlanders of Canada 1914 -1917 http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/writing/13th.htm Canadian Great War Project 15 October 2015 External links 13th Battalion CEF at Regiments.org 013 Category:Military units and formations established in 1914 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1919 Category:Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada