7th Canadian Infantry Battalion in the Great War

The 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion organized in Camp Valcartier and composed of recruits from British Columbia, with a strength of 49 officers and 1083 other ranks.

The battalion embarked from Quebec City on 25 September 1914, on the troop ship Virginian, and disembarked in the UK on 14 October, and arrived in France on 10 February 1915.

Officers

LtCol William Frederick Hart-McHarg, Major Victor W Odlum, and Major Perry Byng-Hall. Captains Stanley Douglas Gardner, William Hart Edmond-Jenkins, George Herbert Rae Gibson, John McLarty MacMillan, Bernard Maynard Humble, and William Barton. Lieutenants Smart Ernest Sydney Bowden, Orland Frank Brothers, Edward Donald Bellew, Reginald Drury Hodgson, and Richard A Kendall. ‘A’ Company Captain Thos. Venables Scudamore, ‘B’ Company Captain John Weightman Warden, ‘C’ Company Captain Arthur Watson McNally, ‘D’ Company Captain Frederick Bayliss (RNWMP), ‘E’ Company Captain Richard Clive Cooper, and ‘F’ Company Captain Robert Valentine Harvey. ‘G’ Company Major Guy Moberly and ‘H’ Company Captain Leslie Earle Haines. Base Company Captain David Elmer Carelton.

NCOs

Sergeant-Major David Philpot, QMS Archibald Ford Young, ORCol-Sergt Walter Herbert Keatinge, QMS Herbert Welford and QMS William Henry Youhill.

Corporal John Henry Anderson, known as “Henry,” born January 26, 1892, in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, to parents Augustus J. and Albertina Anderson. In 1898 the family moved from the United States to Canada. Anderson working as a brakeman on the Canadian Pacific Railway prior to his enlistment with the 54th Battalion in Vernon, British Columbia, on May 28, 1915. Anderson proceeded overseas to England with the 54th Battalion, and sent to France on January 5, 1916, where he was attached to the 7th Battalion.

Other Ranks

Private John Robert Lapsansky born in Wellington, near Ladysmith, British Columbia, on April 17, 1893, to parents Joseph and Katharine Lapsansky. He enlisted in Valcartier, Québec, with the 7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment) on September 23, 1914, and sailed with his unit for England in October of 1914.

Demographics

Includes HQ Staff of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. A total of 1,137 Officers and men. Only 23% Canadian-born.

• 536 England
• 262 Canada
• 127 Scotland
• 93 Ireland
• 27 U.S.A.
• 14 Wales
• 13 India
• 9 Australia
• 4 Newfoundland
• 4 South Africa
• 3 China
• 3 New Zealand
• 3 Sweden
• 3 Japan
• 2 Italy
• 1 Belgium
• 1 Finland
• 1 France
• 1 Bahamas
• 1 Chili
• 1 Russia
• 1 Norway
• 1 At Sea (Lt Edward Donald Bellew)

1914

The 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion initially assembled from five British Columbia militia units in August 1914. Officially organized on 2 September 1914 as part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade.

After a few weeks at Valcartier Camp, the unit embarked from Quebec City aboard SS VIRGINIAN, and arrived in England on 14 October 1914 with the First Contingent.

West Down South

Training at Lark Hill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

Cpl William Ogden 21506, aged 49, died 25 Octobner 1914 and buried at ORCHESTON ST. MARY CHURCHYARD. Husband of Edith Ogden, of Middleton, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Larkhill

The second casualty of the 7th Battalion, Private Warren Addison Ash, died 21 November 1914 and buried at OSWESTRY GENERAL CEMETERY.

Two soldiers succumbed to the spinal meningitis epidemic during January 1915.

Pvt Percy George Palmer 17044 and Pvt Morris 16213 buried at BULFORD CHURCH CEMETERY in January of 1915.

1915

Over half of the 7th Battalion’s casualties during 1915 happened on one day alone, during the second mass-gas attack of the war on 24 April 1915. Of 166 dead on that day, only 9 now rest in a CWGC cemetery, most of these having been recovered following the war. Lt Carleton Colquhoun Holmes, Lt Herbert Assheton Bromley and Sgts Bateman, Cocroft, Muir, Paul and Pearless among those named on the Gate. One of these Sergeants surely buried at Perth Cemetery. Strangely, Private Theodore DeGrandmont named on the Vimy Memorial.

First Battlefield Casualties

Lt Herbert Beaumont Boggs and Private Thomas Sutton 17173 died 26 February 1915 (PLOEGSTEERT CHURCHYARD). Private Albert Ernest Clapp succumbed to his wounds the following day (BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY, NORD).

Lt Boggs the son of Beaumont and Louise Mary Boggs, of the “Pacific Club,” Victoria, British Columbia. Lt. Herbert Boggs one of the first Canadian Officers killed in the Great War.

Second Battle of Ypres

The act of releasing chemical gas, in itself, no doubt a dirty trick in April of 1915, so why not go all-in? No. 1 Company Captain John Weightman Warden reported some Germans had advanced disguised as British Soldiers during the attack.

Currie, whose headquarters were at Pond Farm, south-east of St. Julien, immediately ordered the 10th Battalion’s C.O. to report to the commander of the 3rd Brigade. To secure his own sector he concentrated the whole of the 7th Battalion about Locality “C” on the Gravenstafel Ridge.

To fill the 500-yard gap west of St. Julien, Turner then moved up two companies of the 3rd Battalion. Meanwhile north-east of the village, in response to the 3rd Brigade’s urgent appeal for help, Brig.-Gen. Currie shortly after 2:00 a.m. had ordered the 7th: Battalion (less one company) to move westward from Locality “C” to extend the right flank of the St. Julien garrison to the end of the Gravenstafel Ridge. Thus by 5:30 on the morning of the 23rd a continuous though tenuous line had been established reaching south-westward from the crossroads east of Keerselaere to Oblong Farm.

After dark on the 23rd the 13th Battalion and the company of the 2nd Buffs, which together had held the narrow apex all day long under continual fire from front and rear, retired and dug in on a line running southwestward from the 15th Battalion’s left to the 7th Battalion’s positions east of Keerselaere. As soon as the initial German attack was reported Brig.-Gen. Currie placed under the command of the 8th Battalion a reserve company from each of the 5th and 7th Battalions.

Captain Edward Donald Bellew VC

Near Keerselaere the enemy’s progress checked by the heroism of the 7th Battalion’s Machine Gun Officer, Lieutenant Edward Bellew, who, though wounded and cut off from his battalion, kept his last gun firing with telling effect until out of ammunition. Then, having destroyed it, he met his opponents with fixed bayonet, and fought on until overpowered.

Bellew remained a prisoner of war until 1919, and only then learned of his award of the Victoria Cross – the first earned by an officer of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Prisoners of War

The right half of the line, consisting of the survivors of the 15th and 13th Battalions, fell back without great loss, but so closely were the Germans pressing the left that two companies of the 7th Battalion were overrun 500 yards north-east of St. Julien, the majority being taken prisoner.

Dirty Tricks

Early in the morning of 24 April 1915, the following did occur, well east of St Julien, as later reported by Captain John Weightman Warden, commanding No. 1 Company, 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion.

About 6 am the enemy made a direct frontal attack on my trench from 28.D.7.b.5.7 which we beat back. About half an hour later, they made another, this time with a long line of men dressed in British Uniforms covering their advance, the enemy behind pretending to drive them along with bayonets towards us.

As there was now a Highland Major in command of my trench, I waited for his orders to fire. Not receiving any, and as the enemy were getting to within 50 yards and outnumbering us, I should say 10 to 1, I ordered the men myself to fire. This Major (I do not know his name) (or Battalion) ordered the men to cease firing, as he said we would shoot our own men in front of the Germans.

I shouted "They are not British Soldiers - they are Germans dressed in British Uniforms!" and again gave the order to fire. Again he stopped those near him firing. I ordered my men to open rapid fire, which they did and succeeded in driving back the enemy. Those in British Uniforms, who were right up to our entanglement and could have come into our trench had they wished, turned and ran back even faster than the rest, which was sufficient proof they were not British Soldiers.

After Captain John Warden seriously wounded at Second Ypres, he returned to British Columbia and raised the 102nd Battalion from Victoria. Dubbed “Warden’s Warriors,” the 102nd departed Canada for England in June 1916 and deployed to France two months later as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.

Aftermath

As daylight on the 24th faded, General Currie’s 5th and 8th Battalions still holding firm in the original front line. But he had been much disturbed about his open left flank, where a company of the 5th Battalion at Boetleer’s Farm and the survivors of the 7th Battalion’s company at Locality “C” held the only remaining positions of the “subsidiary line” along Gravenstafel Ridge.

POPERINGHE OLD MILITARY CEMETERY

POPERINGHE OLD MILITARY CEMETERY located 10.5 Km west of Ieper town centre, in the town of Poperinge itself.  The cemetery contains the graves of LtCol Hart-McHarg and Private Henry Carmichael.

LtCol Hart-McHarg

Victor Wentworth Odlum took command of the 7th following Hart-McHarg’s death.

Private Henry Carmichael

Private Henry Carmichael was a UCS of the 7th Battalion until 1923, when he was identified.

POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY

The cemetery contains the graves of Privates Albert Barnes, and Vincent Cleeves, both recovered following the war. H Simpson, the Registration Officer in 1923, identified Private Cleeves, prior to that time a UCS of the 7th Battalion. Cleeves had been recovered from 28.C.6.d.00.20, very, very close to St Julien Memorial today.

Pvt Barnes had been confused with a Private Bates 92087 of the 4th Battalion. Barnes recovered from 20.V.29.c.8.2 (Vine Cottage, north-west of Passchendaele).

PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL)

Contains the graves of Private Coleman and Corporal Joseph Wellesley Odlum, younger brother of the OC Major Victor Wentworth Odlum. Both these soldiers found in 1924.

Warden on Watson and Odlum

I should never have left the Canadians, but for the fact, I could not stand my Brigadier Gen. Victor Odlum any longer nor Mjr Gen. David Watson Div l Comdr. Both very mercenary men & political with Pullens, who used their Comds to make to gain Public notice & repute. Odlum was the most clever schemer of the two. He was working for Watson's job, & was making balls for Watson to fix an order to make him (Watson) unpopular, & Watson was not smart enough to know it, & fixed the balls, a most in­ compitant (sic) officer, & Odlum is a most averisious (sic) decoration hunter, as are most of the staff. - Captain John Weightman Warden, 8 January 1918

Corporal Joseph Wellesley Odlum

Joseph Odlum born in Tokyo, Japan during 1888. His elder brother, eight-year-old (later Maj-General) Victor Wentworth Odlum living in Japan during this time with his father, a Canadian diplomat.

Cpl Odlum’s body found by Richard Stiles, the Registration Officer for Area Superintendent, No. 1 Area at St Julien East German Military Cemetery on 13 September 1924. He was re-buried as a UCS of the 7th Battalion at Perth. Later, a piece of correspondence found with his remains revealed his identity.

St Julien East German Military Cemetery was located at 28.C.12.b.8.2.

Private W L Coleman

Pvt Coleman originally identified as Pte W L Coldmar by the Registration Officer. He was recovered from beside two other unidentified men of the 7th Battalion.

The cemetery also contains several unidentified soldiers of the 7th Battalion.

Trench Raids

The part played by the 29th Battalion at Spanbroekmolen and by the 7th Battalion in the raid across the Douve in November received recognition from Sir Douglas Haig. In his first Despatch, dated 19 May 1916, he included
these two battalions among 95 units and formations (six of them Canadian) which had been “specially brought to my notice for good work in carrying out or repelling local attacks and raids”.

1916

Captain William Dumbleton Holmes DSO MC died 13 June 1916 and buried at RAILWAY DUGOUTS BURIAL GROUND (TRANSPORT FARM).

Albert

Numerous casualties due to an exposed flank on 8 September 1916, including Lt Thomas Arthur Worsey. Major William Archer Casey buried at ALBERT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Shot at Dawn

A FGCM convened on 31 October 1916 at HQ, Camblain L’Abbe. On 22 November 1916, Private Heny Hesey Kerr Shot at Dawn and later buried at QUATRE-VENTS MILITARY CEMETERY, ESTREE-CAUCHY. The battalion war diary noted usual parades and classes on this day.

Henry Hesey Kerr attested to the 60th Battalion and was part of the 60th Battalion, 1st Reinforcing draft. Kerr was continually in trouble for absenting himself from his unit whether in Canada, England and France. Kerr was transferred to the 7th battalion (British Columbia) and continued this behavior.

In October 1916, as his unit was preparing to assault Regina Trench, Kerr disappeared once again. His past conduct (he threatened superiors, and had to be forced at gunpoint to leave his dugout on one occasion are just two examples), was generally considered to be very bad for morale. After a court martial Kerr was convicted (7th Nov.) and sentenced to death. He was shot at 6:45 a.m., 21 November 1916.

1917

Corporal John Henry Anderson killed in action during the battle for Vimy Ridge between April 8-10, 1917. He was buried at Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt, Pas de Calais, France.

Private Michael James O’Rourke VC MM

Private Michael James O’Rourke awarded the VC for his unparalleled bravery as a stretcher-bearer at Hill 70, near Lens, from August 15 to 17, 1917.

Company Sergeant Major Edward Lane MM, Captain Arthur Hilgrove Bibby and Major James Loutit Sclater died 15 August 1917 (VIMY MEMORIAL). Major Sclater only 22-years-old.

1918

Now commanding the 102nd Battalion, LtCol John Weightman Warden left ‘Wardens Warriors’ in January 1918.

Left my batt. & France for England. 8 am, this is the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. I have the best Batt. In France, there never were men touer (sic for tougher), braver, more loyal, more capable, more loved by CO, the finest fighters. It just about broke my heart, I could not say goodbye to a single one. God, how I loved them. They
called themselves "Wardens Warriors" & the rest of the British Army called us , "The Death or Glory Boys" & no Brit was more entitled to the name, I wish them the best of good luck. - LtCol John Weightman Warden, January 1918

Warden left the 102nd Battalion to participate in the Dunsterforce the Dunsterfarce, and later the Russian Siberian Expedtion. “Dunsterville should be made a full Gen & knighted & kicked out as they do everyone who makes a mess of his job.” – Warden.

Private Walter Leigh Rayfield VC

Awarded for his actions near Arras (the Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line) on September 2–4, 1918. On September 2 1918 Walter Leigh Rayfield earned the Victoria Cross whilst fighting with Canadian units in the Second Battle of Arras. Shortly after the attack against the German Drocourt-Queant Line began, Corporal Rayfield “ahead of his company, he rushed a trench occupied by a large party of the enemy, personally bayonetting two and taking ten prisoners…..”

Seven men, called the ‘Magnificent Seven” earned the Victoria Cross for their bravery that day, including Walter, Bellenden Hutcheson, Arthur George Knight, William Henry Metcalf, Cyrus Wesley Peck, John Francis Young and Claude Joseph Patrick Nunney. Nunney, serving with the 38th (Ottawa) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, died of his wounds on September 18 1918. His Victoria Cross was a posthumous award for his bravery.

LtCol Stanley Douglas Gardner CMG MC died 30 September 1918 and buried at DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN. VII. A. 85.

Captain Herbert Cameron Russell Clark MC & Bar died of wounds (GSW pelvis and left hand) at No. 20 General Hospital, Camiers on 20 November 1918. XLV. A. 5.

News of the VC award to Rayfield reached the 7th Battalion as they approached Cologne, Germany, on 12 December 1918. Major Philpot receiving a Bar to his DSO.

1919

Private John Robert Lapsansky died at No. 50 Casualty Clearing Station on February 2, 1919, from broncho-pneumonia, and was buried at Huy (La Sarte) Communal Cemetery in Belgium. Lapsansky’s name is listed on the Ladysmith Cenotaph along with forty other soldiers who were born, lived, or worked in Ladysmith, British Columbia, and who died during the war.

Four other men of the 7th also buried at Huy, including Lt William Paterson DCM.

Casualties

More than 6,000 men served in the 7th Battalion. 1,514 men of the 7th Battalion died in the Great War. Two in England during 1914, 301 in 1915, 386 in 1916, 540 in 1917, 243 in 1918, and 25 in 1919. Another 3,294 wounded meant the 7th Battalion had an 80% casualty rate during the war.

John Weightman Warden

John Weightman Warden became a Vancouver city councilor and unsuccessful Conservative candidate in the 1920 British Columbia election. He was warden of the Essex County Gaol in Ontario from 1930 until retirement shortly before his death in 1942.

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