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emblem or field patch |
Canadian Expeditionary
Force Study Group
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| Component: |
87th Battalion |
| Active Dates: |
August 15, 1915 - September 15, 1920 |
| Theatre of Operations: |
France and Flanders |
Major Battles /
Battle Honours: |
Ypres 1915, 1917; Festubert 1915;
Mount Sorrel; Somme 1916; Arras 1917, 1918; Vimy 1917; Hill 70;
Passchendaele; Amiens; Scarpe 1918; Drocourt-Quéant; Hindenburg
Line; Canal de Nord; Valenciennes; Sambre
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| Location of War Diaries: |
 | Library and Archives Canada (WD
Link) |
| CEFSG War Diary Transcription
(in progress = IP) |
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Background:
| The 87th Infantry Battalion
served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force 4th Division, 11th
Infantry Brigade. Stewart reports initial strength was
1,026 men, organized in St. John Quebec. The 87th is
perpetuated by the Canadian Grenadier Guards of the Canadian
Militia. Love reports that the units
regimental numbers were 177001-18000.
Library and Archives Canada reports as
follows:
The battalion embarked at Halifax on 25 April 1916
aboard EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, disembarking in England on 5 May
1916. Its strength was 36 officers and 1026 other ranks. The
battalion arrived in France on 11 August 1916, becoming part
of the 4th Canadian Division, 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade.
It was later reinforced by the 22nd Canadian Reserve Battalion
and, after 8 May 1917, by 23rd Canadian Reserve Battalion. The
battalion returned to England on 3 May 1919, disembarked in
Canada on 6 June 1919, was demobilized on 8 June 1919, and was
disbanded by General Order 149 of 15 September 1920.
Nicholson contains references to the 87th
Battalion at:
| Somme (pages 190, 196) - October
21, 1916 at 3 p.m. the 87th on the right reported having
successfully blocked Regina trench about 200 yards east of
the Courcelette-Pys Road. |
| Hill 145 (259-260) - At Vimy
Ridge, the 11th Brigade was directed against Hill 145.
Machine gun fire cut down half the 87th's leading wave. |
| Amiens (410, 419) |
| involvement in raids (189,
281). |
Other references are reported as well
(134, 446, 451, 452, 468, 477). The position of the
87th is shown on Nicholson Sketch 34 and Sketch 36 in the Battle
of Ancre Heights. Their position at Hill 145 April 9-12,
1917 is depicted in Map 7. Nicholson's Map 11 shows their
position at Le Quesnel, the Battle of Amiens in August 1918. |
Sub-Components:
| no information currently available |
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Primary References:
Secondary References:
| 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. |
Internet References:
| This Page Last
Updated On: |
Tuesday January 29, 2008 01:16:58 PM -0800
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