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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Canadian Battalion


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Would like comment on this diagram I completed after finding some material on the internet ... Numbers on a red background represent about the numbers in each unit ... for example were secondary unitsgrouped into  a support company which was evident in world war 2 organization.

Screen Shot 2019-02-24 at 1.41.26 PM.png

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Hello Blems, and welcome to the Forum!

 

In WW1 an infantry battalion did not have a support company, nor a "HQ Company" as such. There was a "Battalion HQ" which contained many of the specialists.

 

The following is the breakdown of a British infantry battalion in 1914. Canadian battalions conformed to this organisation. The special categorisation of infantry sections into rifle, rifle-bomber, Lewis gun and bomber sections was not introduced until 1917.

 

Infantry Battalion
(HQ, machine gun section and four companies)
HQ:    Lt-Col commanding, Major, Adjutant, Quartermaster, (Transport Officer is one of the company subalterns), Medical Officer.
Serjeant-Major, Quartermaster-Serjeant, Orderly Room Clerk, Serjeant-Drummer, Serjeant-Cook, Transport-Serjeant, Serjeant-Shoemaker, Pioneer-Serjeant, Signaller-Serjeant, Armourer-Serjeant AOC.
11 Drivers, 6 Batmen, 10 Pioneers, 16 Signallers (incl 1 Corporal),
16 Stretcher Bearers, 2 Orderlies for MO, 1 Cpl & 4 Ptes RAMC.
M/Gun Section:    Subaltern.
1 Serjeant, 1 Corporal, 12 Privates, 2 Drivers, 1 Batman.
Four Companies, each:    Major or Captain cdg, Captain 2i/c, 4 Subalterns,
CSM, CQMS, 8 Serjeants, 10 Corporals, 188 Privates, 3 Drivers,
4 Drummers, 6 Batmen.
    Establishment includes 8 Lance-Sjts (2 per co) and 49 Lance-Cpls (12 per co and one of MO's Orderlies)
 

The unit transport consisted of 13 riding horses, 26 draught horses, 8 heavy draught horses and 9 pack horses, with one one-horse cart, 8 two-horse carts, 7 two-horse wagons and 9 bicycles.

 

Ron

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Thanks Ron  .... so looking at it from an org chart point of view ..... Battalion HQ with all units other then rifle companies under command and a Battalion HQ line to the four rifle companies  ... so something like this ... would this new diagram be more accurate ... This is a 1917 chart so platoons are two rifle. one bomber and 1

Screen Shot 2019-02-24 at 9.22.34 PM.png

Edited by Guest
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It would be better, as far as the first half of the war is concerned, to omit the Admin Sec, Provost Sec and Intelligence Sec. The Vickers Sec and Medical Sec were the only ones commanded by an officer. The Signals Sec was mostly distributed among the companies.

 

Ron

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Good Morning Gentlemen...…

 

There is a book called "A CALL TO ARMS, The Organization and Administration of Canada's Military in World War One" by David W. Love, which is the bible on the organization of the CEF.....   

 

If you get a chance to find a copy I strongly suggest you do so as I am sure it will answer all your questions.....

 

Mike

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