Following the outbreak of the war, the Canadian Government decided to raise an initially volunteer force for service overseas, with the force to be known as the Canadian Expeditionary Force. As a unit of this force, the 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles was formed on 7 November 1914 in Brandon, Manitoba.
Part of the 1st Brigade Canadian Mounted Rifles, the unit landed in France on September 22, 1915, where the conditions of the Western Front made its mounted status more of a hindrance than a benefit. On January 1, 1916, both CMR brigades (six regiments) were dismounted, converted to infantry and reorganized as the 8th Infantry Brigade (four battalions). The 1st Regiment, CMR, became the 1st Battalion, CMR,[3] and it absorbed half the personnel of the 3rd Regiment, CMR (the other half going to the 2nd Battalion, CMR).[4] The battalion fought in most of the 3rd Canadian Division's engagements until the end of the war. The 1st CMR, along with the 4th CMR, was manning the 3rd Division's front on June 2, 1916, when the Germans launched their assault at the outset of the Battle of Mount Sorrel. Its positions were overrun, and 557 of its 692 members (80%) were killed, wounded or captured.[5]
The battalion was rebuilt over the summer, and it was one of the first Canadian Corps units to attack when the corps shifted to the Somme. On September 15, 1916, the 1st CMR was in the first wave attacking Mouquet Farm. Although the attack gained ground, the Canadians did not take the strong point, but the assault was considered a successful diversion from the main attack on Courcelette.[6]
At Vimy Ridge the 1st CMR took 350 prisoners but suffered 365 killed and wounded.[7]
Following the end of the war, and efforts of demobilisation, the battalion was disbanded on November 15, 1920.
Perpetuationedit
Perpetuation of the 1st Battalion, CMR, was initially assigned to the Manitoba Mounted Rifles and The Saskatchewan Mounted Rifles. The Manitoba Mounted Rifles converted to artillery in 1946 as the 118th Medium Battery, RCA (in Fort William, Ontario)[8][9] and this battery was virtually disbanded (see Supplementary Order of Battle) in 1965.[9] The Saskatchewan Mounted Rifles merged with the 16th Canadian Light Horse into the 16th/22nd Saskatchewan Horse in 1936, which converted to infantry in 1941 as the Battleford Light Infantry (16th/22nd Saskatchewan Horse). This regiment merged into the Prince Albert and Battleford Volunteers in 1946, which in turn became part of the North Saskatchewan Regiment (Machine Gun) in 1955. This infantry regiment (now simply "The North Saskatchewan Regiment") continues to perpetuate the battle honours and traditions of the battalion.[3]
^"Canadian Mounted Rifles" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 2014-08-07.
^. 2007-11-12. Archived from the original on 12 November 2007. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
^ ab"The North Saskatchewan Regiment". Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 2: Infantry Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. October 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
^Nicholson, G.W.L. (1964). Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914–1919 (2nd ed.). Ottawa: Duhamel, Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery. p. 550. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
^Cook, Tim (2007). At the Sharp End: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914–1916. Toronto: Penguin Group. p. 351. ISBN0-670-06734-2.
^Cook, Tim (2007). At the Sharp End: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914–1916. Toronto: Penguin Group. p. 444. ISBN0-670-06734-2.
^Cook, Tim (7 March 2017). Vimy. Allen Lane. ISBN0735233160.
^"Guide to Sources Relating to the Canadian Militia (Infantry, Cavalry, Armored)" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 2015-04-02.
^ ab"Guide to Sources Relating to the Canadian Militia (Artillery)" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 2015-11-17.
January 01, 1970
battalion, canadian, mounted, rifles, this, article, about, first, world, unit, boer, unit, royal, canadian, dragoons, infantry, battalion, canadian, army, raised, service, during, first, world, part, canadian, expeditionary, force, formed, november, 1914, bra. This article is about the First World War unit For the Boer War unit see The Royal Canadian Dragoons The 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Army Raised for service during the First World War as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force CEF it was formed in November 1914 in Brandon Manitoba Originally a mounted infantry unit named the 1st Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles CEF which was expanded following its rerolling and dismounting as an infantry unit by absorbing other units of the Canadian Mounted Rifles CMR 1 2 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles CEFActive1914 1920CountryCanadaBranchCanadian Expeditionary ForceTypeMounted InfantryRoleMounted Infantry InfantrySizeOne Regiment One BattalionPart of8th Canadian Infantry BrigadeBattle honoursMount Sorrel Somme 1916 Flers Courcelette Ancre Heights Arras 1917 18 Vimy 1917 Hill 70 Ypres 1917 Passchendaele Amiens Scarpe 1918 Hindenburg Line Canal du Nord Cambrai 1918 Valenciennes France and Flanders 1915 18InsigniaBattle patch Contents 1 History 1 1 Perpetuation 2 Battle Honours 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Canadian Mounted Rifles recruitment poster Following the outbreak of the war the Canadian Government decided to raise an initially volunteer force for service overseas with the force to be known as the Canadian Expeditionary Force As a unit of this force the 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles was formed on 7 November 1914 in Brandon Manitoba Part of the 1st Brigade Canadian Mounted Rifles the unit landed in France on September 22 1915 where the conditions of the Western Front made its mounted status more of a hindrance than a benefit On January 1 1916 both CMR brigades six regiments were dismounted converted to infantry and reorganized as the 8th Infantry Brigade four battalions The 1st Regiment CMR became the 1st Battalion CMR 3 and it absorbed half the personnel of the 3rd Regiment CMR the other half going to the 2nd Battalion CMR 4 The battalion fought in most of the 3rd Canadian Division s engagements until the end of the war The 1st CMR along with the 4th CMR was manning the 3rd Division s front on June 2 1916 when the Germans launched their assault at the outset of the Battle of Mount Sorrel Its positions were overrun and 557 of its 692 members 80 were killed wounded or captured 5 The battalion was rebuilt over the summer and it was one of the first Canadian Corps units to attack when the corps shifted to the Somme On September 15 1916 the 1st CMR was in the first wave attacking Mouquet Farm Although the attack gained ground the Canadians did not take the strong point but the assault was considered a successful diversion from the main attack on Courcelette 6 At Vimy Ridge the 1st CMR took 350 prisoners but suffered 365 killed and wounded 7 Following the end of the war and efforts of demobilisation the battalion was disbanded on November 15 1920 Perpetuation edit Perpetuation of the 1st Battalion CMR was initially assigned to the Manitoba Mounted Rifles and The Saskatchewan Mounted Rifles The Manitoba Mounted Rifles converted to artillery in 1946 as the 118th Medium Battery RCA in Fort William Ontario 8 9 and this battery was virtually disbanded see Supplementary Order of Battle in 1965 9 The Saskatchewan Mounted Rifles merged with the 16th Canadian Light Horse into the 16th 22nd Saskatchewan Horse in 1936 which converted to infantry in 1941 as the Battleford Light Infantry 16th 22nd Saskatchewan Horse This regiment merged into the Prince Albert and Battleford Volunteers in 1946 which in turn became part of the North Saskatchewan Regiment Machine Gun in 1955 This infantry regiment now simply The North Saskatchewan Regiment continues to perpetuate the battle honours and traditions of the battalion 3 Battle Honours editMOUNT SORREL SOMME 1916 Flers Courcelette Ancre Heights ARRAS 1917 18 Vimy 1917 HILL 70 Ypres 1917 Passchendaele AMIENS Scarpe 1918 Hindenburg Line Canal du Nord Cambrai 1918 Valenciennes FRANCE AND FLANDERS 1915 18See also editList of mounted regiments in the Canadian Expeditionary Force List of infantry battalions in the Canadian Expeditionary ForceReferences edit Canadian Mounted Rifles PDF Archived PDF from the original on 2014 08 07 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles CEF 2007 11 12 Archived from the original on 12 November 2007 Retrieved 2022 06 13 a b The North Saskatchewan Regiment Official Lineages Volume 3 Part 2 Infantry Regiments Directorate of History and Heritage October 2010 Retrieved December 29 2011 Nicholson G W L 1964 Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914 1919 2nd ed Ottawa Duhamel Queen s Printer and Controller of Stationery p 550 Retrieved December 29 2011 Cook Tim 2007 At the Sharp End Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914 1916 Toronto Penguin Group p 351 ISBN 0 670 06734 2 Cook Tim 2007 At the Sharp End Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914 1916 Toronto Penguin Group p 444 ISBN 0 670 06734 2 Cook Tim 7 March 2017 Vimy Allen Lane ISBN 0735233160 Guide to Sources Relating to the Canadian Militia Infantry Cavalry Armored PDF Archived PDF from the original on 2015 04 02 a b Guide to Sources Relating to the Canadian Militia Artillery PDF Archived PDF from the original on 2015 11 17 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles CEF amp oldid 1135636646, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
