116th Battalion (Ontario County), CEF

The distinguishing patch of the 116th Battalion (Ontario County), CEF

The 116th Battalion (Ontario County), CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War.

History

The battalion was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 23 July 1916. From October to December 1916 it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps. On 11 February 1917 it disembarked in France, where it fought with the 9th Canadian Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.^[1]

The 116th Battalion recruited in Ontario County and was mobilized at Uxbridge, Ontario.^[2]

The battalion had four Officers Commanding:

Lt.-Col. S.S. Sharpe, DSO, 23 July 1916 – 28 December 1917
Lt.-Col. G.R. Pearkes, VC, DSO, MC, 28 December 1917 – 17 September 1918
Lt.-Col. D. Carmichael, DSO, MC, 18 September 1918 – 26 November 1918
Lt.-Col. G.R. Pearkes, VC, DSO, MC, 25 November 1918-Demobilization^[2]

The twice-Officer Commanding the Battalion, Lt.-Col. George R. Pearkes, would go on to a distinguished military and political career. He retired from the Canadian Army in 1945 as a Major-General, served as a Member of Parliament, including as the Minister of National Defence from 1957 to 1960 and as the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia from 1960 to 1968.

Battle honours

The 116th Battalion was awarded the following battle honours:

Arras, 1917–18
VIMY 1917
HILL 70
YPRES 1917
PASSCHENDAELE
AMIENS
Scarpe, 1918
DROCOURT-QUEANT
HINDENBURG LINE
CANAL DU NORD
CAMBRAI 1918
Valenciennes
FRANCE and FLANDERS 1917-18^[2]

Perpetuation

The 116th Battalion is perpetuated by The Ontario Regiment (RCAC).^[1]

References

1 2 Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
1 2 3 Meek, John F. (1971). Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War. Orangeville, Ont.: Self-published. ISBN 0906158109.

Works cited

Allen, E. P. S. (1921). The 116th Battalion in France. Toronto: Hunter-Rose Company.
Nicholson, Col. G.W.L., CD (1962). Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919. Ottawa: Queen's Printer.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[A-DH-267-003-1] 1 2 Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.

[Meek-2] 1 2 3 Meek, John F. (1971). Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War. Orangeville, Ont.: Self-published. ISBN 0906158109.

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