The 31st Battalion (Alberta), CEF, was an infantrybattalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The battalion recruited in Alberta and was mobilized at Calgary. The battalion was authorized in November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 17 May 1915. On 18 September 1915 it disembarked in France, where it fought with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded in August 1920.
The battalion captured a Siberian pony from the Germans, which apparently had been captured from the Russians earlier in the war. The Canadians named this pony Heinie, and it became the 31st Battalion's mascot. After the war the 31st brought Heinie to Alberta, where it worked until at least the late 1920s for the Dominion Parks Branch near Banff, Alberta.[3]
The bulk of the battalion returned to Canada on SS Cedric on 27 May 1919, and to Calgary on 1 June 1919, with the unit's disbandment occurring on 30 August 1920.[2]
Through the course of the First World War, the 31st Battalion suffered losses of 941 dead, and an additional 2,312 non-fatal casualties. A total of 4,487 men served in the battalion.
Perpetuationedit
The 31st Battalion (Alberta), CEF, is perpetuated by the South Alberta Light Horse. Perpetuation of the 31st Battalion was assigned to The Alberta Regiment in 1920. When this regiment split in 1924, both the South Alberta Regiment and the North Alberta Regiment carried the perpetuation. The North Albertas disbanded in 1936. The South Alberta Regiment merged into the South Alberta Light Horse (29th Armoured Regiment) in 1954.[2]
Commanding Officersedit
The 31st battalion had three Officers Commanding:
Lieutenant-Colonel A.H. Bell, DSO, 29 May 1915 – 23 April 1918
Lieutenant-Colonel E.S. Doughty, DSO, 23 April 1918 – 6 October 1918
Lieutenant-Colonel N. Spencer, DSO, 6 October 1918-Demobilization[1]
Battle honoursedit
The 31st Battalion was awarded the following honours:[1]
^ abcMeek, John F. (1971). Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War. Orangeville, Ontario: The Author. ISBN0906158109.
^ abcd. Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 1: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments - Armour Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
^"Banff's WWI trophy had four legs and a saddle - Rocky Mountain Outlook". Rocky Mountain Outlook. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
Sourcesedit
Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 by Col. G.W.L. Nicholson, CD, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Ontario, 1962
Singer, Major Horace C. (Ed. Darrell Knight) History of the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion C.E.F. . (Calgary: Detselig Publishing, 2006). ISBN1-55059-316-1.
December 15, 2023
31st, battalion, alberta, infantry, battalion, canadian, expeditionary, force, during, great, battalion, recruited, alberta, mobilized, calgary, battalion, authorized, november, 1914, embarked, britain, 1915, september, 1915, disembarked, france, where, fought. The 31st Battalion Alberta CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War The battalion recruited in Alberta and was mobilized at Calgary The battalion was authorized in November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 17 May 1915 On 18 September 1915 it disembarked in France where it fought with the 6th Infantry Brigade 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war The battalion was disbanded in August 1920 31st Battalion CEFDistinguishing patchActive17 November 1914 15 September 1920Disbanded15 September 1920CountryCanadaBranchCanadian Expeditionary ForceTypeInfantrySize1 030 soldiersPart of6th Brigade 2nd Canadian DivisionMobilization headquartersCalgaryNickname s Bell s Bulldogs Mascot s Heinie Russian pony EngagementsSt Eloi Craters Ypres Vierstraat The Somme Vimy Ridge Lens Passchendaele Amiens Arras Cambrai Valencienne MonsBattle honoursMount Sorrel Somme 1916 Flers Courcelette Thiepval Ridge Ancre Heights Arras 1917 18 Vimy 1917 Arleux Scarpe 1917 Hill 70 Ypres 1917 Passchendaele Somme 1918 Amiens Scarpe 1918 Drocourt Queant Hindenburg Line Canal du Nord Cambrai 1918 Pursuit to Mons France and Flanders 1915 18CommandersNotablecommandersLCol Arthur Henry Bell CMG DSOLCol Nelson Spencer Contents 1 History 2 Perpetuation 3 Commanding Officers 4 Battle honours 5 See also 6 References 7 SourcesHistory edit nbsp G Company 31st Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force in Calgary 1914 The battalion was raised at Calgary and started recruitment in Alberta on 7 November 1914 1 2 The battalion commander until late in the war was Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Henry Bell of Calgary On 17 May 1915 the battalion sailed for England on RMS Carpathia with a complement of 36 officers and 1033 other ranks 2 After initial training in England the battalion fought in Belgium and France and was often at the forefront of the fighting at St Eloi Craters the Ypres Salient Vimy Ridge Thelus Village Fresnoy Somme Second Battle of Passchendaele the Battle of Amiens 1918 the Battle of Arras 1917 Battle of Drocourt Queant Line Valenciennes Mons and the occupation of the Rhineland The battalion captured a Siberian pony from the Germans which apparently had been captured from the Russians earlier in the war The Canadians named this pony Heinie and it became the 31st Battalion s mascot After the war the 31st brought Heinie to Alberta where it worked until at least the late 1920s for the Dominion Parks Branch near Banff Alberta 3 The bulk of the battalion returned to Canada on SS Cedric on 27 May 1919 and to Calgary on 1 June 1919 with the unit s disbandment occurring on 30 August 1920 2 Through the course of the First World War the 31st Battalion suffered losses of 941 dead and an additional 2 312 non fatal casualties A total of 4 487 men served in the battalion Perpetuation editThe 31st Battalion Alberta CEF is perpetuated by the South Alberta Light Horse Perpetuation of the 31st Battalion was assigned to The Alberta Regiment in 1920 When this regiment split in 1924 both the South Alberta Regiment and the North Alberta Regiment carried the perpetuation The North Albertas disbanded in 1936 The South Alberta Regiment merged into the South Alberta Light Horse 29th Armoured Regiment in 1954 2 Commanding Officers editThe 31st battalion had three Officers Commanding Lieutenant Colonel A H Bell DSO 29 May 1915 23 April 1918 Lieutenant Colonel E S Doughty DSO 23 April 1918 6 October 1918 Lieutenant Colonel N Spencer DSO 6 October 1918 Demobilization 1 Battle honours editThe 31st Battalion was awarded the following honours 1 Mount Sorrel Somme 1916 18 Flers Courcelette Thiepval Ancre Heights Ancre 1916 Arras 1917 18 Vimy 1917 Arleux Scarpe 1917 18 Hill 70 Ypres 1917 Passchendaele Amiens Drocourt Queant Hindenburg Line Canal du Nord Cambrai 1918 Pursuit to Mons France and Flanders 1915 18See also editList of infantry battalions in the Canadian Expeditionary ForceReferences edit a b c Meek John F 1971 Over the Top The Canadian Infantry in the First World War Orangeville Ontario The Author ISBN 0906158109 a b c d The South Alberta Light Horse Official Lineages Volume 3 Part 1 Armour Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments Armour Regiments Directorate of History and Heritage Archived from the original on 25 February 2012 Retrieved 8 April 2017 Banff s WWI trophy had four legs and a saddle Rocky Mountain Outlook Rocky Mountain Outlook 8 November 2018 Retrieved 10 November 2018 Sources editCanadian Expeditionary Force 1914 1919 by Col G W L Nicholson CD Queen s Printer Ottawa Ontario 1962 Singer Major Horace C Ed Darrell Knight History of the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion C E F Calgary Detselig Publishing 2006 ISBN 1 55059 316 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 31st Battalion Alberta CEF amp oldid 1166444278, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
