Liege, Belgium
Reviewed by General Jacques of the Belgian Army
On 4 February 1919, the 1st Canadian Division March Past occurred in Liege, Belgium. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions, along with select Corps Troops, such as the 5th Canadian Divisional Artillery, still in France and Belgium as the 3rd and 4th Divisions had been given the go ahead to return to Canada first.
Canadian Corps Commander
The Canadian Corps Commander, Lt-Gen Sir Arthur Currie did his best to explain the demobilization problem to the troops at Andenne only days before the March Past.
While visiting the troops in Andenne, Currie spent some time at the local cemetery. During the Rape of Belgium, 200 civilians shot against this wall on 21 August 1914.
Kenmel Park Riots
Ironically, not the disgruntled troops left on the Western Front which would mutiny a month after the March Past. Significant delays during demobilization led the ‘greener’ troops of the 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions to mutiny 3-4 March 1919. The riot at Kenmel Park one of thirteen such disturbances from the Armistice to July 1919.
MAJOR-GENERAL SIR A. C. MACDONELL, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
Lt-Gen Sir Archibald MacDonell wrote of his experiences in the Boer War, and the Great War, but unfortunately never completed writing about his service in the NWMP and the RNWMP. However, his experience during the March Past quoted during this post.
- Became a Lieutenant in the Canadian Militia on 26 June 1886.
- He joined the Regular Canadian Army as Lieutenant in the Canadian Mounted Infantry, Permanent Corps of Canada on 6 April 1888.
- Transferred into the NWMP September 1889 and appointed Inspector (Regimental Number # O.95).
- Archibald volunteered into the 2nd Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles for service in South Africa.
- Promoted to Captain and later promoted to Major.
- Commander of the 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions.
- Resumed his rank with the NWMP following the South African War and was promoted to Superintendent in March 1903.
- In 1907 he resigned from the RNWMP and transferred to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse.
- He was later appointed Commanding Officer and took the regiment overseas to England in 1914.
- Promoted to Brigadier-General, he commanded the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
- And finally, Commander of the 1st Canadian Division in June 1917, occupying Lt-Gen Sir Arthur Curries former command.
Following the Great War, Archibald the Commander of the Royal Military College of Canada.
Lieut.-Col. J.L.R. Parsons DSO
Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson Lindsay Rowlett Parsons served with the 28th Battalion, CASC HQ, 2nd Canadian Division HQ, 1st Canadian Division HQ, 5th Canadian Division HQ, and finally Canadian Section, GHQ, 1st Echelon.
- Awarded the Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George
- Awarded the Distinguished Service Order
- Awarded the Legion d’Honneur, Croix du Chevaliers
- Awarded the Croix de Guerre
- Twice Mentioned in Despatches
A General Staff officer since landing in France on 15 September 1915, Lt-Col Parsons appointed 2nd in Command of GHQ 1st Echelon, only two weeks prior to the March Past on 15 January 1919.
Lt-Gen Baron Jules-Marie-Alphonse Jacques de Dixmude
Lieutenant-General Baron Jules-Marie-Alphonse Jacques de Dixmude (24 February 1858 – 24 November 1928), often known as General Jacques, a Belgian military figure of the Great War and a colonial advocate.
- Jacques promoted to major in the Belgian army in 1908.
- Lieutenant colonel in 1913
- Colonel in 1914 as he took command of the Belgian 12th Regiment.
- He obtained the rank of major general in 1915.
- Three-star general in 1916, taking command of the Belgian 3rd army division.
4 February 1919
The 4th of February was a bleak, cold, cheerless day, but fortunately it did not rain. The march began at ten o’clock in the morning and lasted about two hours through the principal streets of Liege. The whole route was lined with Belgian soldiers, and General Jacques, of the Belgian army, took the salute.
Maj-Gen Sir Archibald C MacDonell
Brocklebank
A strikingly beautiful horse, Brocklebank survived the Great War and became one of the few horses of the CEF to return to Canada. During this period as the Canadian Corps demobilized and returned to Canada via England, the horses and mules were given to the Belgian and French governments.
Brocklebank, his favoured steed, actually one of two horses used by Currie during the Great War. Though his white forehead patch not visible in MIKAN No. 3397239, Currie did write he rode Brock at every principal event and parade. Also note Currie appears to have ridden Brock bareback on this day. Only one officer in MIKAN No. 3397239 appears to be using a saddle.
The photos of Currie and Brocklebank taken by Lt William Rider Rider the day of Sir Arthur Currie’s Knighthood in 1917, and shortly after his appointment as Canadian Corps Commander, replacing his dear friend, Sir Julian Byng.
Currie on Brock
The horse, as you will remember, was a very tall animal, strong shouldered, good carriage, red bay in colour. He was really not an officer’s charger but a large hackney. I always called him “Brock” short for Brocklebank, but as a matter of fact, that was not his registered name.
Lieut.-Gen. Sir A. Currie
I can only say that he stood the rigours of the campaign in the most splendid fashion. I do not know of his being ill at any time. No horse stood the trip across the Atlantic or from England to France (and you know how rough that trip was) any better and few as well. He was a horse with a mind of his own, but we usually got on very well together. The only peculiarity that I remember was that if we disagreed while I was riding him he undertook to rough ride me for the next five minutes or so, but he didn’t sulk long.
Lieut.-Gen. Sir A. Currie
Gunner Charles Westley, 61st Field Battery
A Gunner of the 61st Battery in the early days, Charles Westley 331857 summed up the horse situation in a masterly way. When chided by one of the officers for kicking a horse which had gently embraced him about the neck, instead of “speaking to the horse“, Westley said, “I-I-I’ll s-s-speak to him, sir, when I g-get him a-alone.” And it may be said that the men of our Battery were on speaking terms with our horses, but desired no closer acquaintanceship.
The Diary of the 61st Battery Canadian Field Artillery 1916 to 1919
Poteau, Belgium, 4 December 1918
Currie beside Lt-Gen Sir Archibald MacDonell as the 1st Canadian Division enter Germany at Poteau, Belgium on 4 December 1918 (MIKAN No. 3624869).
The striped border pole above thrown in the field later when the border pushed several kilometers east following the Treaty of Versailles.
Bonn, Germany
I rode him at all the principal parades which I attended—the reviews by the King in England and France, the Field Marshal’s reviews and also when we crossed into Germany when I rode at the head of the 3rd Battalion and also when we crossed the Bonn Bridge.
Lieut.-Gen. Sir A. Currie
I brought the horse back to Canada, where he now finds a home on my brother’s farm in western Ontario. I visit my old home about there times a year and am always glad to know the he recognizes me. He immediately comes up to me, smells around my pockets for apples or some other sweet and kisses me very frequently.
With all good wishes, I am yours faithfully
Extract taken from a Letter from Currie to Lieutenant Colonel D Tamblyn 8 March 1923 – Published in The Selected Papers of Sir Arthur Currie, Mark Osborne Humphries, LCMSDS Press of Sir Wilfred Laurier University, 2008
A W Currie
La place Saint-Lambert
The general turn-out passed even our most sanguine expectations; every unit looked magnificent and the marching was perfect. An Imperial regular officer (and Imperials are not as a rule prejudiced in favour of Canadian “temporary soldiers”) said that in all his years of service, about fifteen of them, he had never seen anything so well done as the march of the 1st Division.
Maj-Gen Sir Archibald C MacDonell
Liegeois
The Liegeois seemed very pleased and cheered lustily all along the route. The Highlanders impressed them particularly, although very few of them expressed very much love for the music of the bagpipe.
Maj-Gen Sir Archibald C MacDonell
3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade
The order of the march was the 14th Bn, 13thBn, 15th Bn, and 16th Battalions. All in position at 10:15 am. The GOC, 1st Canadian Division rode at the head of the parade, escorted by a detachment of the Strathcona Horse. Then followed the 2nd Brigade, 1st Brigade, 1st Canadian Engineers, 1st Bn C.M.G. detachment, Divisional Signallers, Field Ambulance, Field Artillery, and finally the Train (ammunition column).
15th Battalion War Diary, 4 February 1919.
15th Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada), CEF
The Massed Pipe Bands played Retreat in the Place Lambert at 1600 hours getting a great reception. The trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all ranks.
16th Battalion, CEF war diary, Antheit, 4 February 1919.
As soon as the march was over each one busied himself with the job of having as good a time as possible, and the people of Liege did their best to see that we did enjoy ourselves.
Maj-Gen Sir Archibald C MacDonell
The 3rd Brigade Composite under the command of Major J P Girvan DSO MC of the 15th Battalion. LCol Girvin reverted to Major when LCol Bent returned after recovering from his wounds.
The cafes and restaurants were, of course, jammed. I do not know whether the prices went soaring on our account or whether they were the ordinary war prices, but a sugary sort of mixture, called a cocktail, that tasted like varnish, sold at five francs a small glass.
Maj-Gen Sir Archibald C MacDonell
Other tidings were in proportion; you paid a price for soup that would, in normal, times, be enough to buy you an excellent meal. As far as food was concerned, the people of Liege were much worse off than the Germans.
Maj-Gen Sir Archibald C MacDonell
From the French newspapers, it was evident that the troops had created a great impression on the people.
15th Canadian Infantry Battalion War Diary, 4 February 1919.
Later
Saturday, 22 March 1919
The Canadian Corps Sports Champions held in Brussels on 22 March 1919.
A cold dark bleak day. We all went into Brussels this morning to take part in the corps sports. And had lunch at the officers club with Borden, Sifton, Foster and Doherty, all the guests of the corps commander [Currie]. Went on again in afternoon to balance of sports and at night attended a reception in Hôtel de Ville [Grand Place] by Burgomaster [Adolphe] Max. It was a regular blizzard of a night. We got back quite early. I intended going on to Lille but had such a bad attack of diarrhea that I could not face it.
War Diary of General David Watson
25 March 1919
Many elements of the 4th Canadian Division still on the Western Front, and on 25 March 1919 General David Watson on hand for the March Past of the Division at Groenendael.
Saturday, 29 March 1919
Another nasty day, cold and wet. Fixed up back correspondence in morning and after lunch went in to Brussels to see the boxing between the Australians and Canadians. The Australians won 5 to 2, but two decisions were pretty raw. Attended the big Canadian night at the theatre, and went on to the Astoria Hotel [Rue Royale] afterwards.
War Diary of General David Watson
