The Canadians Join the Fray

5th Canadian Battalion cap badge

Sunday 28th February 1915: The Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion tells us that the Canadians have arrived at the Front Line. On 1st August last, three days before this country declared war, the Governor General of our gallant Dominion, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (Queen Victoria's third son) and Lord Kitchener requested that Canada form an infantry division for war service on 7th August. The division arrived in France on 15th of this month and is now being introduced into the trenches.

The 2nd Battalion are currently in front line trenches south-west of Fleurbaix. Officers of the 5th (Western Cavalry) and 7th (1st British Columbia) Canadian Infantry Battalions were shown round the billets and the four company commanders of each battalion went into the trenches to familiarise themselves with them. No doubt when it comes time for the regiment's own service battalions, currently training in England, to go to France later this year they will go through the same procedure.

Source: X550/3/wd