27th Battalion (City of Winnipeg) in the Great War

The 27th Canadian Infantry Battalion organized in October 1914 initially under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Irvine Robinson Snider (served previously in the Northwest Rebellion 1885 and in the Boer War). Mobilized at Winnipeg, and recruited in Brandon, Portage La Prairie, Rainy River, Kenora and Winnipeg.

The 27th embarked from Quebec 17 May 1915 aboard CARPATHIA and later disembarked in England on 28 May 1915 with a strength of 33 officers, 1039 other ranks.

France

The 27th Battalion arrived in France 17 September 1915 with the 2nd Canadian Division, 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade and later reinforced by 11th Canadian Reserve Battalion.

In the trenches near Ypres, Belgium, on 1 October 1915. First casualty Sergeant William Atton 71856 killed while watching a dogfight in the sky above. William fell victim to a sniper.

Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Military Cemetery

The cemetery begun in December 1914 by four battalions of the 5th Division and called at first Wulverghem Dressing Station Cemetery.

Used until June 1917, and again in September and October 1918, and at the Armistice it contained 162 graves, the present Plot I.

St Eloi

Ralph Jones killed on 6 April 1916, leading his men during the Battalion’s and the 2nd Canadian Division’s first major action at the St. Eloi Craters. His body was never recovered, and he is memorialized at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium.

Lt- Col Snider relieved of command, as a cover for incompetent high-ranking officers who had ordered the Battalion into an impossible mission. Some historians assert that the Battle of the St. Eloi Craters the only battle ever lost by Canadians in the war, as trenches that had been won by British troops lost and never retaken. Snider had suffered a nervous breakdown, given sick leave and sent home to Canada.

“They said it was shell shock, but it was hell-shock from the way I was treated.”

Memoirs of Lt Col I R Snider

Lt Col Patrick Joseph Daly

As well, the Battalion’s officers outraged when command given to Major P J Daly, from the 31st (Alberta) Battalion, who led the battalion until April 1918. Daly had fought with the 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry during the Boer War.

Daly seven times wounded in the South African campaign, nominated for a Victoria Cross and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In one engagement, despite having both arms broken, Daly rode for a mile and captured over forty enemy prisoners.

Daly remained in command for two years until relieved by Major H J Riley on 4 April 1918. Three times gassed, Daly developed chronic bronchitis pleurisy and laryngitis. A shell explosion had also left him with defective hearing.

Battle of the Somme

The Battalion regained its stolen glory during the Battle of the Somme. Following British tanks, the 27th attacked and captured the fortified village of Courcelette on September 15, 1916. It took almost 400 casualties, with 138 dead.

A Captain (likely of the Canadian Army Medical Corps), who is wearing a ribbon for the Military Cross above his left chest pocket, is accompanying the soldier, who is wounded in the arm, leg, and face. At right, another photographer, likely Canadian War Records Office official kinematographer Lt. Oscar Bovill, is also filming.

Based on medical information in his service file, it is very likely that identification of the wounded soldier as Cpl Douglas H Carter 71885 is accurate. Carter a provincial employee of the Brandon Asylum, who enlisted in Oct. 1915 for Overseas service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. While serving with the City of Winnipeg, wounded on Sep. 15th, 1916. He received Gun-shot wounds or shell wounds to the left face and jaw, right wrist, and right leg, and, after a lengthy recovery, returned to Canada in early 1918 and discharged from the Canadian Expeditionary Force as medically unfit.

Regina Trench

Then, on September 26th, the 27th took another 90 casualties attacking Sugar Trench and later supported attacks on the infamous Regina Trench.

In late October and early November 1916, the Canadian divisions moved to take up positions facing Vimy Ridge and prepared for their memorable attack of April 9, 1917. The 27th was led into Battle of Vimy Ridge by Bandsman Patrick “Paddy” Smith, who was killed while playing the regimental march on his piccolo. The Battalion captured 10 German guns and took 300 prisoners, but its casualties were relatively low.

Battle of Fresnoy

As spring moved into summer, the Battalion saw fierce fighting during the Battle of Fresnoy. On 3 May 1917, 80 men were killed, including Lieutenant Robert Combe who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for the “most conspicuous bravery and example”. Combe’s body was never recovered, and he is memorialized on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

Lieutenant Robert Grierson Combe

Robert Grierson Combe the son of James and Elizabeth Combe, of Aberdeen, Scotland; husband of Jean Traquair Donald Combe, Victoria, British Columbia. Combe came to Canada around 1906, having already completed his schooling and apprenticeship in pharmacies in Aberdeen and London, England. He joined the staff of a drug store in Moosomin, Saskatchewan and several years later opened his own store in Melville, Saskatchewan.

Victoria Cross Citation

For most conspicuous bravery and example. He steadied his Company under intense fire and led them through the enemy barrage, reaching the objective with only five men. With great coolness and courage Lt. Combe proceeded to bomb the enemy, and inflicted heavy casualties. He collected small groups of men and succeeded in capturing the Company objective, together with eighty prisoners. He repeatedly charged the enemy, driving them before him, and whilst personally leading his bombers was killed by an enemy sniper. His conduct inspired all ranks, and it was entirely due to his magnificent courage that the position was carried, secured and held.

Victoria Cross Citation, The London Gazette, June 27, 1917. 

Combe enlisted in 1915, granted a commission and subsequently posted to the 53rd Battalion in Prince Albert. Initially qualified as a Major on arrival overseas and placed on the instructional staff, he later, at his own request, reverted to the rank of Lieutenant and joined the 28th Battalion in order to proceed to France. Forced back to England due to illness but soon returned to the front, this time with the 27th Battalion where he served with distinction until the time of his death. A lake in Northern Saskatchewan has been named in his honour.

Battle of Hill 70

In August 1917, the Canadian divisions moved into position to attack the German held city of Lens. The 27th attacked a German trench system on 21 August and, although inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, they could not hold the trench and suffered 51 dead.

Passchendaele

The Canadians moved from France to Belgium’s Ypres salient in October 1917 to take part in the Battle of Passchendaele. On 6 November, the 27th successfully attacked Passchendaele village. According to the Battalion War Diary, all the wounded were evacuated from the battlefield but because of “the terribly very heavy going it was impossible to carry out the dead other than the officers.”

Map Case of Leutnant Köhr

The map case originally owned by Leutnant Köhr of the Imperial German army. There is an incredible inscription underneath. It reads ‘Passchendale, 6 Nov 1917, P.J.D’. After researching the events of the 6th of November, I managed to come across reading about the commanding officer Col. Patrick Joseph Daly of the 27th Winnipeg battalion, which Passchendaele reportedly fell to.

Adam Sheffield

The Battalion lost 70 men, including Private James Robertson, who won the Battalion’s second Victoria Cross for “his most conspicuous bravery and outstanding devotion to duty.” Private Robertson rests at Tyne Cot Military Cemetery, Belgium, along with 45,000 soldiers who are buried and memorialized at the largest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

April 1918

Major G J Daly succeeded by Winnipegger Lt. Col. Harold James Riley, a 27th original.

During the last 100 Days Battles of 1918, the 27th saw action at Amiens, Arras, Cambrai and Mons.

March to the Rhine

After the 11 November 1918 armistice, they became part of the occupation force along Germany’s Rhine River.

Final Casualty

The last man of the 27th Battalion buried on the Western Front, Private William Alexander Smith. He died of bronchial pneumonia (influenza) on 26 February 1919.

In April 1919, they left Germany and began the long trip back through Le Havre, France on 12 April to Southampton, England and returned to Witley Camp.

Colours

Departure from England aboard SS NORTHLAND on 14 May 1919.

Winnipeg

On 26 May 1919, the 27th Canadian Infantry Battalion “City of Winnipeg” came home aboard from the war. The names of the returning soldiers had been published in the local papers, so, families and friends knew who was arriving on the special Canadian Pacific train. The train arrived in mid-afternoon and a large crowd had gathered at the Higgins Avenue station to greet the returning soldiers. Winnipeg had wanted an over-the-top welcome for its famous Battalion, but “the turmoil caused by the general strike prevented any formal events.”

Demobilization

The 27th Canadian Infantry Battalion returned to England 13 April 1919. Disembarked in Canada 22 May 1919. Demobilized 26 May 1919. Disbanded by General Order 149 of 15 September 1920. Brass band. Had a fox as mascot (RG 9, III, vol. 735, file M-56-2). Published Trench Echo, Christmas 1915, Easter 1916, Christmas 1917. Colours turned over to The Manitoba Regiment. Perpetuated by The Manitoba Regiment.

Contact CEFRG

More

• Home of CEFRG
• Blog
• CEFRG on FaceBook
• CEFRG on YouTube
• Soldiers and Nursing Sisters
• Units (Brigades, Battalions, Companies)
• War Diary of the 18th Battalion (Blog)
• 116th Battalion CEF – The Great War
• Les Soldats du Québec Morts en Service
• Montreal Aviation Museum
• Battles of the Great War
• Cases
• Cemeteries
• Memorials
• On This Day
• About CEFRG