31st Alberta Battalion in the Great War

Organization

31st (Alberta) Battalion ‘Bell’s Bulldogs’ organizes in November 1914 under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Henry Bell.

The 31st Battalion mobilized at Calgary, recruited in Edmonton, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Wetaskiwin, Youngstown, Claresholm and also Pincher Creek.

Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Henry Bell

Arthur Henry Bell a professional soldier and veteran of the Boer War. Born on 16 September 1871 in King’s County, Ireland, Bell served with the Leinster Regiment, the Cape Mounted Police, the Matabele Relief Force, and the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa. At the outbreak of the Great War, commanding officer of Lord Strathcona’s Horse in Calgary.

Bell took command of the 31st Battalion in November 1914 and sailed for England in May 1915. The Alberta unit deployed to France in September as part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Division.

Embarkation

31st (Alberta) Battalion embarks from Quebec 17 May 1915 aboard RMS CARPATHIA.

31st (Alberta) Battalion disembarks England 28 May 1915 with a strength of 37 officers, 1122 other ranks. After four months training in Kent, England, first at Dibgate in the vicinity of Shorncliffe, then at Lydd for shooting practice and finally at Otterpool.

Second death, 11 September 1915

Private Alfred Frederick Shaw 79604 dies of pneumonia in barracks at Shorncliffe- the second death in the battalion. Son of Henry Alfred and Christina Shaw, of 235, Sixth Street West, North Vancouver.

France

The 31st Battalion arrives in Boulogne, France on 18 September 1915 with the 2nd Canadian Division, 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and later reinforced by 21st Canadian Reserve Battalion.

Marched from St-Martins plain to wharf, got on boat directly. Arrived in Boulogne 9pm. Went to first base, chilly that night.

War Diary of Pte Charles Dean Douglass

Unit strength at 29 officers, and 890 other ranks. On 30 September 1915, the battalion leaves Kemmel Shelters for the firing line. The total weight carried by each soldier amounts to over 70 pounds, which includes 120 rounds of S.A.A.

Was on guard last night, it rained a lot more, the dugout leaked all night. Harris and I built a stove in the wall, it works fine and it wasn’t quite so cold as before. We are going up to the font line to the trenches tonight to relieve the 2C. Its finer today, no rain thank goodness. We get our first dose of real trench life tonight when we go to the firing line.

War Diary of Pte Charles Dean Douglass

Ross Rifle

“Another perpetration and the most dangerous of the lot was the Ross Rifle. It has cost the 1st and 2nd Divisions man lives. Sam Hughes and his admirers defended this rifle persistently despite wholesale condemnation by the men who used it and the musketry experts of the British Army…the principal objection was that it jammed. The least thing would jam it – a speck of just, a shower or rain, even a burst of rapid fire.”

Private Donald Fraser – The Journal of Private Donald Fraser

First Casualty, 3 October 1915

The battalion received its first casualty on 3 October 1915. Private Ino Laurence Kennedy Nuttall 79867 accidentally killed through a rifle going off. Buried the following day at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery.

Private Nuttall the son of Aeneas Falkiner Nuttall and Elinor K. Nuttall, of Culleenamore, Co. Sligo, Ireland. Enlisted from Canadian Bank of Commerce, Strathcona, Alberta.

On 7 October 1915, the battalion arrives at Locre and takes over billets.

Iodine Pete – Captain Harold Wigmore McGill

On 9 October 1915, a stray bullet catches ‘Big Woods’ (Private Hill McMurray Woods 80235), an Irishman in the thigh creating a nasty wound. Skinner (Pte William Skinner 79708), a little Englishman, immediately in front of Woods claimed in all seriousness the bullet meant for him. From this moment, Skinner’s heart sunk to zero and he began to contract imaginary troubles, reporting sick so frequently to the doctor, Captain Harold Wigmore McGill, who subsequently earned the sobriquet “Iodine Pete”.

As a useful force, Pte Skinner done, and shifted to base.

“The army is jocularly classified by the actual scrapper into two groups, firstly the soldier who know all and secondly the fighting man who does all.”

The Journal of Private Fraser

First engagement, Wednesday, 13 October 1915

Before leaving the starting line, Major Beattie gave a rather startling sermon, bluntly telling the men that there may be dirty work at the cross roads, and many may not return.

The casualties of the battalion numbered something like nine killed and sixteen wounded. C Company struck the hardest. One of the officers, Lt Paul George Tofft, a Dane, and a member of the RNWMP amongst the slain.

One of the wounded afterwards, a sentry treated by the sister of Private Donald Fraser. Six of the ten killed buried at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. The remainder named on the Menin Gate Memorial.

Kemmel Shelled, Wednesday, 15 November 1915

Kemmel shelled and three killed, including Lt James Chester Hughes of the Engineers, a nephew of Maj-Gen Sam Hughes. Hughes had turned down a commission offered by his uncle, William Hughes while in Canada, but later accepted a commission with the Engineers prior to departure for England. One of the 29th Battalion men, on listening post, skipped across to the German lines. Rumoured he was a German, enlisting as a Swede.

Gallant Hero, Sunday, 28 November 1915

(Note Private Fraser derisively refers to cowards as hero’s). One of D Company wounded by a sniper. Roberts, the Scout out on patrol last night, wounded by a shell at Kemmel. Adjutant M—t got scratched a little. Some aver not the shell that did it, but that he nicked himself in a hurry to get away. This officer, who never managed to get further than HQ, managed to get back to Canada. A Calgary reporter interviewed him and provided a romantic story woven around this gallant hero. The adjutant kept up the deception playing his part well, but it created a furor amongst the 31st men in the trenches who felt they could have lynched him after reading such untruthful dope and knowing the calibre of the man.

Helmets

By 20 December 1915, each bay in the trench had one steel helmet, changing from guard to guard. These helmets treated as trench stores, and consequently handed over to the relieving battalion.

The following day, the Colonel sent one of the Scouts over to the German lines with a message wishing them a Merry Xmas and asking them to come over and surrender.

Sergeant Alfred James Kemp

On Wednesday, 28 December 1916, four or five men asked to volunteer for a burial party. Sgt Kemp found wrapped up in a blanket, tied with signaling wire. Carried over to the cemetery by stretcher. The grave a double one, the other fellow had already been buried, with a few inches of earth thrown over him (Private Russel S Pearce 79294).

General Richard Ernest William Turner VC

The majority of soldiers look with contempt on senior officers, simply because the firing line does not require their presence. One officer Private Fraser singles out as a decided exception. General Turner VC.

“I saw him several times in our sector and twice by himself…we met the General, whom we did not know and who was minus staff colours. He overheard us and asked us what was the matter. He told us of a German white flag incident and then finished up with his remarks with “Never trust a German, shoot them every time.” Turner, who is mild featured and wears glasses, looks the reverse of a soldier. The frequency with which he visited the trenches stamps him as not deficient in moral courage.”

Journal of Private Fraser

1916

Decorations

After an engagement, decorations sure to follow whether any outstanding work done or not. As a rule it means the OC gets the DSO or MC, likewise one or two officers. The sergeants next in line for the DCM, or MM, providing nothing of importance done by anyone else. This indiscriminate trafficking in decorations a crying disgrace. A pity these honours not retained solely by men who have done deeds of bravery. Comment is unnecessary when in 1916 the Prince of Wales had the Military Cross conferred on him.

Journal of Private Fraser

Private Alfred Henry Jackson DCM

On 30 January 1916, Maj-Gen R E W Turner VC CB DSO congratulated No 79311 Pte A H Jackson on being recommended for the Victoria Cross, for the following action. Before the entire battalion, Turner said of Jackson.

“About 1230 pm on 11 January 1916, a Minewerfer bomb of the sausage type variety, with a tail fuse, fell in the Front Line Trench where a number of men collected. Pte Jackson with great presence of mind at at once knelt down, withdrew the burning fuze, which prompt action rendered the bomb harmless and thereby saved the lives of several men in the trunk.”

Maj-Gen R E W Turner VC

The Colonel also congratulated Pte Jackson. Later on 2 March 1916, Pte Jackson admitted to No 1 CDS, hit by shrapnel in the leg while on duty. While recovering in England, Alfred learned he had been awarded the DCM, London Gazette No 29508, 14 March 1916. Also awarded, the Russian Order of St George. Pte Jackson never rejoined his unit, he soon found himself back in Canada.

Battle of St Eloi

The Battle of St Eloi Craters over the soggy terrain of Belgium the first major engagement for the 2nd Canadian Division, CEF. An unmitigated disaster for Canada and its Allies.

The Battle of St. Eloi Craters was fought from 27 March to 16 April 1916 during the Great War.

Corporal Desmond St Clair George

Cpl Desmond St Clair George 79577 of the bombers, had found a German rifle and taken it souvenir. Returning to his post a shell burst upon him, mortally wounding him and injuring an officer. George, when dying, requested the boys tell his parents.

“Tell them I died like a soldier.”

Cpl Desmond St Clair George

Son of Captain Henry George, M.R.C.S. (C.A.M.C.), and Mrs. B. M. George, of Victoria, British Columbia. Commemorated on Page 90 of the First World War Book of Remembrance, and the Menin Gate Memorial.

No Mans Land, 12 July 1916

Lt Douglas John Macleod Campbell killed in No Mans Land.

21 July 1916

Pte Charles Dean Douglass

While moving into trenches near La Clytte, Pte Charles Dean Douglass 79024 killed-in-action. Three cooks later wounded by shrapnel near Hallebast Corner while traveling to Durham Camp.

Seeing someone lying dead on a stretcher at the side of the trench, I enquired of the nearest sentry, “who got it” and was told Dean Douglass. He was killed a few minutes before by a rifle bullet. The news did not surprise me because Douglas was an active man with his rifle, ever on the lookout to get a pot at something, and this man usually gets it sooner or later. We are, however, familiar with death and the transition into the next world of one of our number is merely a phase in our existence.

Private Donald Fraser – The Journal of Private Donald Fraser

Charles buried at Ridge Wood Military Cemetery.

St Eloi Centre Sector, 1 August 1916

A special patrol sent out last night commanded by Sgt-Major Colson. Sergeant Major Henry Colson 79154 killed. His body brought in and buried at Rheninghelst.

September 1916

At this time a strange incident happened; a German, without arms and equipment, climbed over the parapet on my right and ran into No Man’s Land, shrieking and waving his arms, apparently stark, staring mad. He ran about 25 yards, wheeled round in a circle several times, the circles narrowing each time, then flopped dead.

Private Donald Fraser – The Journal of Private Donald Fraser

Cpl William Rhys Evans

Pte George Grawbarger

Pte Charles Fredrick

Son of Lena Fredrick, of Calgary, Alberta.

Pte James Stitt

Sergeant Rudolph Edward Peters

Son of Rose Peters, of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Lance Sergeant Edward Barnes MM

1917

16 January 1917

At 3:00 pm we were notified that in an hour and a half the raid would be carried out.

Thirteen hundred yards away is the Pimple and it is expected that trouble will come from the enemy at this point if our movements or fire are observed.

Private Donald Fraser – The Journal of Private Donald Fraser

The raid took place at Cité Calonne. Prisoners numbered one hundred including one officer, with many Poles and Silesians.

1918

February 1918

Lieutenant John Angus Cameron DSO

Lieutenant John Angus Cameron DSO born at Caledonia, Guysborough County on December 8, 1889, the fourth of Margaret A. (Cameron) and Daniel Angus Cameron’s nine children. After graduating from Pictou Academy, John Angus headed west sometime before 1911, eventually finding employment as a school teacher near Medicine Hat, AB.

In the early morning hours of 17 February 17 1918, Lieutenant John Angus led a routine patrol into No Man’s Land. Then suddenly, the group encountered a German patrol and a fire-fight ensued. Lieutenant John Angus Cameron killed during the subsequent exchange of fire.

John Angus Cameron’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bruce F. MacDonald’s book from Bantry Publishing, First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 – 1937, available for purchase online at bantrypublishing.ca

April 1918

Brigadier General Arthur Henry Bell DSO

As of 23 April 1918, Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Henry Bell now Brigadier-General GOC the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade.

Do not allow any factors to induce you to take an action contrary to the dictates of your own judgment and conscience. In many long years of military life my experience has taught me that a soldier who does so spends the balance of his career in making a series of errors, each in the vain attempt to correct the one immediately preceding, and all resulting from his first violation of sound practice.

A.H. Bell to Major Howard Wigmore McGill MC, Medicine and Duty, 2007

Command of the 31st passed to Major Edward Spencer Doughty. 

October 1918

Lieutenant John Sanford Peach MC

Lieutenant John Sanford Peach Guy MC wounded 30 May 1917, and again on 10 October 1918, in the left leg and shoulder. He developed advanced gas-gangrene. Then he was released from hospital, and disembarked Liverpool on 11 March 1919. John had risen through the ranks, and was once busted for being AWOL as a Private.

Former commanding officer Brigadier General Arthur Henry Bell receives his blighty during the Battle of Cambrai (GSW chest). Invalided to the UK, Bell’s days at the front over. Bell received the Distinguished Service Order, the Croix de Guerre and mentioned six times in the dispatches. When he returned to Canada in late 1919, Bell took command of the No. 13 Military District and investigated the reorganization of the postwar Canadian militia.

No. 11 Platoon, 31st (Alberta) Battalion

In September 1917, No. 11 Platoon champions in the Corps Rifle Meeting. Later on 8 May 1918, Major-General Burstall presented the medals to the platoon at Bailleulval.

Monchecourt

At Monchecourt, on 3 November 1918, Lieutenant William Rider-Rider captures several photos of the Battalion.

Lieutenant Harold Clifford Charles Beaumont MC

Lieutenant Harold Clifford Charles Beaumont awarded the Military Cross on 15 October 1917, London Gazette No. 30340, for actions North of Lens on 21 August 1917.

Then on 19 January 1918, Staff Lieutenant Beaumont proceeded to Canada for duty with British Mission to the United States. In addition, Special Mentioned for services rendered, by Secretary for War (N.B. Baker U.S.A.), 31 March 1919.

April 1918

On 23 April 1918, Bell was promoted to brigadier general to take charge of the 6th Brigade. Bell remained in command of the brigade until he was invalided by a gunshot wound to the chest at the battle of Cambrai in October 1918.

1919

Demobilization

Following their participation in the March to the Rhine and Allied Occupation of Germany, the Battalion spent time in Malonne, a suburb of Namur, Belgium. The final event before leaving for England was the Presentation of Colours to 31st (Alberta) Battalion, at Namur Cathedral Square, 6 April 1919.

Mount 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-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Cambrai, 1918, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders, 1915–18.

Battle Honours

Engagements

St. Eloi Craters, Ypres, Vierstraat, The Somme, Vimy Ridge, Lens, Passchendaele, Amiens, Arras, Cambrai, Valencienne, Mons.

The 31st (Alberta) Battalion return to England on 12 April 1919.

Return to Canada

31st (Alberta) Battalion disembarks RMS CEDRIC at Halifax 27 May 1919, demobilizes at Calgary 1 June 1919.

Epilogue

A total of 4,487 men serve in the battalion. The 31st Battalion’s 970 dead, and 2,312 wounded, translate to a 73.1% overall casualty rate in the Great War.

Brass band. Mascot: ‘Heinie’ (Russian pony). Colours deposited in the Church of the Redeemer, Calgary in 1919.

31st (Alberta) Battalion perpetuated by The North Alberta Regiment (1920). Then, The South Alberta Regiment & The North Alberta Regiment (1924). The North Alberta’s disbanded in 1936. In addition, the South Alberta Regiment merged into the South Alberta Light Horse (29th Armoured Regiment) in 1954. Finally, this regiment, known as The South Alberta Light Horse carries on the perpetuation of the 31st Battalion, CEF.

Major H.C. Singer wrote the battalion history in 1938.

More

The 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) in the Great War.

The 29th (Vancouver) Battalion in the Great War.

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