guelph ontario men of the great war.

[sheekster2]

hello all, i am from Guelph Ontario, and i was wondering if anyone can help me out in finding and aquiring any great war photo's, cap badges or medals for my collection of the men who fought in the great war from Guelph. I guess i might be able to find some stuff around here but i'm not quite sure what to look for as far as battalion numbers or specifically numbered units. Is anyone able to give me any information on the boys from Guelph?

[birchp]

hello all, i am from Guelph Ontario, and i was wondering if anyone can help me out in finding and aquiring any great war photo's, cap badges or medals for my collection of the men who fought in the great war from Guelph. I guess i might be able to find some stuff around here but i'm not quite sure what to look for as far as battalion numbers or specifically numbered units. Is anyone able to give me any information on the boys from Guelph?

Guelph Heeds the Call, 1914-1918 A total of 5,610 men and women enlisted at the Guelph Armoury during the war. Of this total 3,328 men and women were accepted. Guelph mobilized two battalions and five infantry battery units for operations in Canada and Europe. The first battery of men from Guelph was sent overseas in the early spring of 1915. The recruits who joined in Guelph saw action at the Front at the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele and many other battles. The exhibit will also highlight the lives of some of the individuals who risked their lives to fight for their country. George Drew, Frederick Bond, Reginald Rose and Dr. C.R Young are some of the young men who fought with bravery and valour.

Guelph’s war work was not just military in nature. Guelph citizens donated money to such causes as the Canadian Patriotic Fund. Local committees were formed to make socks, bandages and gift items for the soldiers. The Ontario Reformatory was used as a military hospital. Speedwell, as it became known, provided convalescent care for the wounded soldiers as well as vocational training for returned soldiers. In total Guelph lost 281 soldiers and one nursing sister in World War I. Commemoration for these soldiers was held in July of 1927 when the War Memorial was unveiled at the corner of Woolwich Street and Eramosa Road.

In 1911, Canada re-organized its militia in response to overseas tensions, seeking to create more cavalry and artillery units. Guelph had the only artillery-equipped militia regiment at that time although they were only antiquated five-inch howitzers. The brigade was renamed the 1st (Howitzer) Brigade, Canadian Artillery in 1913. When war broke out in 1914, new mobilization plans were devised and names were changed again.

Five batteries were raised in Guelph during WW I. The entire 16th mobilized under Major W. Simpson with its militia personnel intact. It proceeded to England in May 1915, where it formed part of the 2nd Canadian Divisional Artillery.

Strangely, new formations were created while many existing units such as the 11th Battery of Guelph sat idle or were disbanded. The new 29th Battery was mobilized in Guelph 1915, with virtually all of its trained members from the 11th. That same year the 43rd mobilized under the command of Major David McCrae. On Feb. 26th, 1916, both batteries went overseas to form the 11th (Howitzer) Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.

The 55th and 56th Batteries were recruited in Guelph in 1916. Later the 63rd and 64th Batteries were created. The gas attack at Ypres, the battles of the Somme, Passchendaele, Amiens Arras and Cambrai and Mons mark the road trodden by these gunners, but in no battle did they stand more gloriously than at Vimy Ridge. The brigade fought at all the major battles during the static trench warfare of France.

After the war, the Guelph units were re-designated the 11th Brigade. The 19th Battery absorbed the 11th, and the 16th, 43rd and 63rd Batteries formed the balance of the brigade. The 43rd and 63rd eventually became paper organizations with declining enrolment. In 1925, the brigade was renamed the 11th Field Brigade, Canadian Artillery.

Guelph sending off the troops. Circa 1916

one to look at:- http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm...17/003_complete

and Ebay Canada:- http://search.ebay.ca/Canadian-Artillery_W...gZ1QQsofocusZbs

Paul

[sheekster2]

Wow, thank you for all of this great information.

[Ken S.]

hello all, i am from Guelph Ontario, and i was wondering if anyone can help me out in finding and aquiring any great war photo's, cap badges or medals for my collection of the men who fought in the great war from Guelph. I guess i might be able to find some stuff around here but i'm not quite sure what to look for as far as battalion numbers or specifically numbered units. Is anyone able to give me any information on the boys from Guelph?

There will probably be a list or lists of men who joined the First Contingent in the local newspaper(s) for August/September 1914.

As far as I know, two infantry battalions were raised in Guelph:

*34th Battalion

*153rd Battalion

It's likely that there would be men in units from surrounding districts, such as the 111th Battalion from Galt, and the 118th from Waterloo.

Guelph was in Military District 2 (M.D. 2), so men would have found there way into the numerous other non-combat, draft etc. units raised in the district.

Beginning in 1918, the recruiting scheme was changed and men were recruited/drafted through Depot Battalions; I'm not sure off-hand in which men from Guelph are most likely to be found, so in M.D. 2 there were:

*1st Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment

*2nd Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment

*1st Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment

*2nd Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment

For regimental numbers for these units:

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivi...1042-140-e.html

I wouldn't be surprised if there is little or no information about local recruiting at the local library, so your best bet will likely be researching the local newspaper for the WWI period; it's time-consuming, but well worth the effort.