Editing 1st Canadian Division (section)

==First World War==
[[File:Canadian field comforts commission.jpg|thumb|left|Canadian field comforts commission insert found in "With the First Canadian Contingent", Canadian Government publication from 1915.]]

The First Contingent of the [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] was raised in August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of [[the Great War]], concentrated at [[CFB Valcartier|Valcartier Camp]] in Quebec, and set off for England in the largest trans-Atlantic convoy to date two months later. Training and reorganization commenced upon arrival in the United Kingdom in October 1914, and it was not until 26 January 1915 that the division was officially organized, under the command of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Edwin Alderson]], a [[British Army]] [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]]. Several units under command of the First Contingent were excluded from the divisional organization, including the 17th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), 18th Battalion, and several companies of Newfoundland soldiers (later formed into the [[Royal Newfoundland Regiment|Newfoundland Regiment]] and assigned to the [[29th Division (United Kingdom)|29th Division]]).

The division consisted originally of a cavalry squadron, cyclist company, four infantry brigades, three artillery brigades (equivalent in terms of numbers to the regiments used in the Second World War and after) armed with [[QF 18-pounder gun|18-pounders]], and divisional engineers, with supporting troops of the [[Canadian Army Service Corps]] and [[Canadian Army Medical Corps]]. The strength of the division was placed at 17,873 all ranks, with 4,943 horses. The 4th Brigade was broken up in January 1915, with one battalion (the 10th) going to the 2nd Brigade, and the other three battalions being used to form the Canadian Training Depot, ultimately being re-designated as "Reserve" Battalions. The 10th Battalion replaced the 6th Battalion (Fort Garrys), which left the 2nd Brigade to become a cavalry unit, later serving in the Canadian Cavalry Brigade.

Pioneer units were added later in the war, including the 1st Canadian Pioneer Battalion from March 1916 to February 1917, when they became the 9th Canadian Railway Battalion. The 107th Canadian Pioneer Battalion also came under command between March 1917 and May 1918, before being absorbed by the 1st Canadian Engineer Brigade.

Lieutenant-General Alderson was selected and appointed in October 1914 to command the new Canadian Division, as it was known at that time, making him the highest ranking divisional commander in the British Army. He was selected — to the relief of many — in lieu of Sir [[Sam Hughes]], who was promoted at this time by the prime minister to the rank of Major-General. It had been Hughes's wish to command the Canadians in action. Alderson, who had commanded Canadian units before, won out over three prospective Canadian appointees, who, while serving with the British Army, were still considered too inexperienced. Alderson, meanwhile, had first seen action against the Boers in 1881, and thereafter fought in [[Egypt]], the [[Sudan]] (he served with a [[Camel Corps (Gordon Relief Expedition)|Camel Corps]] in the [[Nile Expedition]] of 1884–1885) and [[Mashonaland]]. He also served throughout the [[Second Boer War|South African War]] of 1899–1902, in which he had Canadian mounted troops under his command.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Training in the winter of 1914 was rigorous, and conditions on [[Salisbury Plain]] were harsh due to cold and rain. Alderson rejected the "shoddy" kit that was supplied from Canada including the [[Ross Rifle]] which had been adopted due to the slow rate of supply of the Lee–Enfield and which was seen as an example of Canadian nationalism.<ref>Hayes, Geoffrey; Iarocci, Andrew; and Bechthold, Mike, editors; ''Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment'', Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2007, p. 38</ref> A royal inspection of the division early in 1915 foretold a move to France.

Early in 1915, it was evident that the Canadians would soon be going to France. The division paraded in drill order for an inspection by His Majesty [[George V|King George V]]; thereafter, units boarded troop ships at [[Avonmouth Docks|Avonmouth]] and during mid-February, the entire division crossed the rough [[English Channel|Channel]] to [[Saint-Nazaire|St. Nazaire]]. After a brief period in reserve near [[Hazebrouck]], the Canadians relieved the [[7th British Division]] in the [[Fleurbaix]] sector near [[Armentières]] on 1–3 March. General Alderson then became responsible for {{convert|6400|yd|m}} of front line on the left flank of the [[First Army (United Kingdom)|First Army]] (General Sir [[Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig|Douglas Haig]]).{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The division moved to the [[Ypres Salient]] in April, and faced its first real test during the defence of St. Julien beginning on 22 April. The Canadians withstood German attack — aided, for the first time on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]], by the use of [[Chemical weapons in World War I|poison gas]] — and finally retired to secondary positions on 26 April, where they held on until 4 May. The [[Second Battle of Ypres]], as the overall action came to be known, cost the infantry brigades some 5,506 men.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Two weeks later, the division was in action again at [[Festubert]]. Aiding in a diversionary offensive by the British armies, the Canadians suffered 2,204 casualties for gains of only {{convert|600|yd|m}}. Another futile attack was launched at [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] in June 1915, after which the division moved to [[Ploegsteert]].

The Canadians began a long period of static warfare which would last them throughout the winter. In September, the arrival of the [[2nd Canadian Division]] meant that a national corps headquarters could take to the field to command the division. [[Major general|Major-General]] [[Arthur Currie]] took command of the division in September. Active operations resumed again in the spring of 1916, participating in the [[Battle of Mount Sorrel]], and then restoring the situation at Sanctuary Wood.

The [[Battle of the Somme]] opened on 1 July 1916, the [[First day on the Somme|costliest day]] in the [[history of the British Army]], with over 19,000 British soldiers killed and 38,000 wounded. The Canadian part in the battle, which was to last through to November, did not begin until September at [[Battle of Pozières]] and lasted through to October. It was on the Somme that the red patch was first worn as an identifying device—two inches by three inches and worn on both sleeves, this rectangle identified the wearer as belonging to the 1st Division. The insignia was also painted on [[Brodie helmet|steel trench helmets]], and adorned with geometric shapes of different colours to further identify the soldier's specific battery, brigade, battalion or other subunit.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The division began to prepare for the historic assault on [[Vimy Ridge]], and took the time-honoured position of right of the line on 9 April 1917 when the corps took the ridge. Other gains were made in the days following the successful assault on the ridge, and the division participated in the battle of [[Hill 70]] in August 1917. The [[Battle of Passchendaele|Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele)]] followed in mid-October, and fighting continued into November. The division served under Major-General [[Archibald Cameron Macdonell]] beginning in May; his command persisted until [[Armistice Day]].

[[File:Battle of the Canal Du Nord, 27 September - 1 October 1918 CO3289.jpg|thumb|right|Men of the 16th Infantry Battalion (Canadian Scottish) moving up to the front line near Inchy during the Canadian Corps crossing of the Canal du Nord, 27 September 1918.]]

Massive [[German spring offensive|German offensives]] came in the spring of 1918, but the [[Canadian Corps]]—now considered crack assault troops—were held in reserve for the inevitable counter-offensives. "[[Canada's Hundred Days]]"—the last 100 days of the war—were marked by several Canadian successes, at [[Battle of Amiens (1918)|Amiens]], [[Battle of Arras (1918)|Arras]] (which included the [[Drocourt-Quéant Line]]), [[Battle of the Canal du Nord|Canal du Nord]] and the [[Hundred Days Offensive|Pursuit to Mons]]. The [[armistice of 11 November 1918]] finally brought the Great War to an end.

===Infantry units===
'''1st Canadian Brigade:'''
* [[1st Canadian Battalion (Ontario Regiment), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918;
* [[2nd Canadian Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918;
* [[3rd Canadian Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918;
* [[4th (Central Ontario) Battalion, CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918.

'''2nd Canadian Brigade:'''
* [[5th Battalion (Western Cavalry), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918;
* [[6th Battalion (Fort Garrys), CEF]]. August 1914 – December 1914 (Became Canadian Cavalry Depot);
* [[7th Canadian Battalion (1st British Columbia), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918;
* [[8th Canadian Infantry Battalion (90th Regiment), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918;
* [[10th Battalion (Canadians), CEF]]. January 1915 – 11 November 1918.

'''3rd Canadian Brigade:'''
* [[13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918.
* [[14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918.
* [[15th Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918.
* [[16th Canadian Battalion (The Canadian Scottish), CEF]]. August 1914 – 11 November 1918.

'''4th Canadian Brigade:'''
* The brigade was dispersed in January 1915.
* [[9th Battalion, CEF]]. August 1914 – January 1915. To the [[Canadian Training Depot]].
* [[10th Battalion (Canadians), CEF]]. August 1914 – January 1915. To the 2nd Canadian Brigade.
* [[11th Battalion, CEF]]. August 1914 – January 1915. To the [[Canadian Training Depot]].
* [[12th Battalion, CEF]]. August 1914 – January 1915. To the [[Canadian Training Depot]].

'''[[Pioneer (military)|Pioneers]]:'''
* [[1st Canadian Pioneer Battalion]]. March 1916 – February 1917. Became the [[9th Canadian Railway Battalion]].
* [[107th Battalion (Winnipeg), CEF|107th Canadian Pioneer Battalion]]. March 1917 – May 1918. Absorbed by the [[1st Canadian Engineer Brigade]].

'''Attached troops:'''
* [[17th Battalion, CEF]]. August 1914 – January 1915. To the [[Canadian Training Depot]].
* [[18th Battalion, CEF|18th Battalion Canadian Infantry]]. August 1914 – September 1914. Disbanded.
* Newfoundland Companies. October 1914 – December 1914. Left the division and was made up to battalion strength. The [[Newfoundland Regiment]] then joined the [[British 29th Division]] in September 1915.

===Battles and engagements on the Western Front===
;1915
* [[Second Battle of Ypres]]
** [[Battle of Gravenstafel]] — 22–23 April
** [[Battle of St. Julien|Battle of Saint Julien]] —24 April – 4 May (see also [[Saint Julien Memorial]])
* [[Battle of Festubert]] — 15–25 May
* [[Second Battle of Givenchy]] — 15–16 June

'''1916:'''
* [[Mount Sorrel|Battle of Mount Sorrel]] — 2–13 June
* [[Battle of the Somme]]
** [[Battle of Flers-Courcelette]] — 15–22 September
** [[Battle of Thiepval]] — 26–28 September
** [[Battle of Le Transloy]] — 1–18 October
** [[Battle of the Ancre Heights]] — 1 October – 11 November

'''1917:'''
* [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] — 9–12 April
* [[Battle of Arleux]] — 28–29 April
* [[Third Battle of the Scarpe]] — 3–4 May (including the capture of [[Fresnoy]])
* [[Battle of Hill 70]] — 15–25 August
* [[Battle of Passchendaele|Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele)]] — 26 October – 10 November

'''1918:'''
* [[Battle of Amiens (1918)|Battle of Amiens]] — 8–11 August
* [[Actions round Damery]] — 15–17 August
* [[Battle of the Scarpe (1918)|Battle of the Scarpe]] — 26–30 August
* [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]] — 21 August – 3 September
* [[Drocourt-Quéant|Battle of Drocourt-Quéant]] — 2–3 September
* [[Battle of the Canal du Nord]] — 27 September – 1 October
* [[Battle of Cambrai (1918)|Battle of Cambrai]] — 8–9 October
* [[Hundred Days Offensive|Pursuit to Mons]] — 10 October – 11 November
After the cessation of hostilities on 11 November 1918, the 1st Division was selected to form part of the occupation forces on the right bank of the [[Rhine]], and General [[Archibald Hayes Macdonell|MacDonnell]] took the salute on 13 December when his veterans crossed the bridge at [[Cologne]] with fixed bayonets. During April 1919, the troops embarked and returned to Canada for demobilization. The total casualties of the infantry battalions were 52,559, of which 15,055 (nearly the original strength of the entire division) were fatal.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} Twenty-four soldiers of the division were awarded the [[Victoria Cross]].