|
Canadian Expeditionary
Force Study Group
|
Cap Badge Logo |
| Component: |
5th Canadian Mounted Rifles |
| Active Dates: |
1915 - 1919 |
| Theatre of Operations: |
France and Flanders |
| Major Battles / Battle Honours: |
Mount Sorrel; Somme 1916;
Flers-Courcelette; Ancre Heights; Arras 1917, 1918; Vimy 1917;
Hill 70; Ypres 1917; Passchendaele; Amiens, Scarpe 1918;
Hindenburg Line; Canal du Nord; Cambrai 1918; Valenciennes. |
| Location of War Diaries: |
- Library and Archives Canada (WD
Link)
- CEFSG War Diary Transcription
(in progress = IP)
|
Background:
Love reports the 5th Regiment Canadian Mounted
Rifles was raised in Sherbrooke from the 7th Hussars and the 11th
Hussars.
Stewart reports they served with the 2nd Mounted
Rifle Brigade from September 21, 1915 until January 1, 1916 when it was
reorganized and redesignated the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifle Battalion of
the 8th Brigade.
Library and Archives Canada:
The 5th
Canadian Mounted Rifle Battalion was organized initially as a regiment
in November 1914 under authorization published in General Order 36 of
15 March 1915. The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel G.H.
Baker. It was mobilized in Sherbrooke and recruited in the Eastern
Townships.
The regiment embarked at Quebec on 18 July 1915 aboard HESPERIAN,
disembarking in England on 27 July 1915. Its strength was 35 officers
and 601 other ranks. The regiment arrived in France on 24 October
1915, becoming part of the 2nd Brigade, Canadian Mounted Rifles. Its
designation was changed from a regiment to a battalion on the
formation of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade on 1 January 1916. The
battalion returned to Canada on 17 March 1919, was demobilized on 18
March 1919, and was disbanded by General Order 207 of 15 November
1920.
The battalion supported both a brass and bugle band. The battalion
colours were presented at Bramshott in March 1919 by Sir George Perley
on behalf of the people of the Eastern Townships.
The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifle Battalion was perpetuated by the x
Mounted Rifles which was converted to artillery in 1936.
Nicholson reports on the 1st Infantry Battalion on
the following pages (see the Matrix
Nicholson Transcriptions):
 | Regina Trench 182 |
| Passchendaele 321-323 |
| Bouchoir 413 |
| The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were properly
known as the 5th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles. Originally
when recruited as mounted rifles, all units were known as
"x" Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles. The name
change, for all C.M.R. units came in December 1915 when these
units were redesignated as infantry which necessitated their
complement of men being increased to that of an infantry
battalion. Accordingly, two C.M.R. Regiments were dissolved (3rd
and 6th), the men being separated between units; in the case of
the 5th C.M.R., they received men from the 6th C.M.R. (the 4th
C.M.R. received the other half). The C.M.R. battalions ended up
being formed into the 8th Infantry Brigade, commanded by
Brigadier-General V.A.S. Williams who was subsequently wounded
and captured at Mont Sorrel in June 1916. (Chris Wight, CEFSG
March 12, 2006) |
Sub-Components:
Primary References:
| Nicholson, G. W. L. 1962. Official
History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian
Expeditionary Force 1914-1919. Queens Printer and Controller
of Stationary, Ottawa, Canada.
|
| Stewart, C. H. 1970. "Overseas" The
Lineages and Insignia of the Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914
-1919. Little & Stewart, Mission Press, Toronto, Canada.
|
| Love, D. W. 1999. "A Call to Arms"
The Organization and Administration of Canada's Military in World
War One. Bunker to Bunker Books, Winnipeg & Calgary,
Canada.
|
| Livesay, J. F. B. 1919. Canada's Hundred
Days: With the Canadian Corps from Amiens to Mons, Aug. 8 - Nov. 11,
1918. Thomas Allen, Toronto. (Available
on the Internet as an Archive Download) |
Secondary References:
Internet References:
| This Page Last
Updated On: |
Tuesday January 29, 2008 01:16:55 PM -0800
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