18th Bn Canadian Inf

[Paul Reed]

I was up in ADANAC Cemetery today, looking round at the CEF headstones when I came across a row of unknown officers of the 18th Bn Canadian Infantry (see photo below).

[Paul Reed]

Had a look at the War Diary for the battalion for the Somme period; main action was on 15th September 1916 and a list of casualties for that date was included in one of the later entries:

[Paul Reed]

Cross referenced these names with the CWGC database:

Name: LOGHRIN, SAMUEL MONTEITH

Initials: S M

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Major

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

Name: McKEOUGH, WILLIAM STEWART

Initials: W S

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Major

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 23

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Additional information: Son of W. E. and M. A. McKeough, of 371, King St. West, Chatham, Ontario.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

Name: MORRIS

Initials: W J

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 25

Date of Death: 16/09/1916

Additional information: Son of Samuel and Jane Morris, of 37, Hillside Terrace, Wattstown, Wales.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. F. 9.

Cemetery: HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE

Name: MAUND, FREDERICK CHARLES GARLAND

Initials: F C G

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 30

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Additional information: Son of Charles Frederick and Mary Garland Maund.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

Name: MEWBURN

Initials: J C

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 22

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Additional information: Son of Maj. Gen. S. C. Mewburn, C.M.G., Minister of Militia and Defence, Canada, and Mary C. Mewburn, of Hamilton, Ontario.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Sp. Mem. at end of Plot I. Row A.

Cemetery: COURCELETTE BRITISH CEMETERY

Name: BARNES, REGINALD BROOKE

Initials: R B

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 25

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Barnes, of Madeod, Alberta.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

Name: WILLARD, WILLIAM HARTLEY

Initials: W H

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Additional information: Son of James Charles Willard, of 125, Evelyn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL

Name: BATES, BERARD JOHN

Initials: B J

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regt.)

Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Date of Death: 15/09/1916

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. E. 12.

Cemetery: ADANAC MILITARY CEMETERY, MIRAUMONT

[Paul Reed]

Which means three of the five officers who have no known grave are buried here.

There is not, to my knowledge, a published history of the 18th Bn, but wondering if any of our CEF researchers can add anything to the details of those who are missing?

An intriguing story behind these graves, no doubt!

[rhimsl]

Paul,

I have nothing to add in the way of furthering your research but it starting me thinking. Maybe this is a stupid question but if these officers are unkown (identity) how did they determine they were from the 18th Battalion? Would that have been determined by their uniforms, insignia etc...? Or was it determined by the location the bodies were found? I wonder what happened to there id tags? This obviously was the case for thousands of other casualties in other units. I'm sure there were numerous mix ups etc... with graves registration and identification after the war. Just some thoughts.

Robert

[Paul Reed]

Very good question; I suspect ID was either what was still visible on the crosses that marked their grave, or their bodies were found later and ID'd from battle flashes or other insignia.

Personally I think it strange these graves exist for men killed on 15th September, which was a successful operation and the ground on which they died remained in our hands until March 1918. I fear that they were buried by their comrades and not properly recorded, and these graves found after the war and all the details could not be matched up.

I was hoping their might be a reference to their burial in an obituary or any other unpublished 18th CEF material.

[chris.wight]

Paul, Ted Wigney's "CEF Roll of Honour" mentions Major McKeough and Lieutenant Willard had graduated from the University of Toronto. There might be further details in the University's Roll of Honour Book.

I forgot to say I like the photo.

Edited 2 September , 2004 by chris.wight

[Paul Reed]

Thanks Chris - I will see if I can follow that one up.

[Canadawwi]

Hi!

I sent in these 3 newspaper clippings to the Canadian Virtual Memorial (see link below) for Mewburn. One of the clippings gives some limited info about the circumstances surrounding his death. If you click on the thumbnail of his photograph, you will find more information underneath.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?s...casualty=196215

This is from one of the clippings:

Published in the Toronto Star, September 28th, 1916

"Death of Lt. Mewburn"

"He Fell While Leading Men in Second Wave of the Advance."

Camp Borden, Ont. Sept. 27. - Col. S. C. Mewburn, A.A.G., received today the following cablegram from Major-Gen. Turner, V.C., commanding 2nd Canadian division in France: "Lieut. John Chilton Mewburn, 18th Battalion, was wounded while leading his company in the first wave of his battalion's successful attack. He displayed great coolness, and continued with the second wave, when he was shot in the head, and instantly killed."

Lieut. Mewburn, son of Col. Mewburn, was killed on September 15.

[Terry]

From the U of T book:

William Stewart McKeough 2 Sept.,1893-15 Sept.,1916

Major, 18th Battalion

Son of W.E.McKeough; b.Chatham; ed. McKeough P.S. and Chatham C.I.; University College 1910-1912, Medicine 1912-1914; Delta Kappa Epsilon; Manager,Third hockey team; Medical Athletic executive; Track team 1912-1914, First colours and captain 1914; Intercollegiate high jump record; Athletic directorate 1914-15; 24th Regt.,Lieut.

In the fall of 1914 he was appointed to the 18th Battalion and went overseas in April,1915. Reaching France in September he served through the autumn and winter on the front south of Ypres. He was promoted captain in January,1916, and Major in July. At St.Eloi he distinguished himself by his bravery in bringing in the wounded after the unsuccessful attack on Crater 3. On the morning of the battle of Courcelette his battalion, despite heavy casualties, took part in the capture of the Sugar Refinery, and he was killed in action as he reached the German parapet when leading his company in the attack.

[Terry]

William Hartley Willard, 6 Oct.,1894-15 Sept.,1916

Lieutenant, 18th Battalion

Son of James C.Willard;b. West Toronto; ed.Annette Street P.S.,Humberside C.I.,Toronto; University College 1911-1915, B.A.;Law School; 12th Regt.

He was first appointed to the 35th Battalion, from which he transferred to the 83rd before going overseas in September,1915. He joined the 18th Battalion at the front in 1916, and was wounded in July. At Courcelette he was in charge of parties carrying ammunition to the front line. The battalion had taken its objective, and he had come up to the forward position when he was instantly killed by a shell, the enemy having the range of the trenches.

[Canadawwi]

I sent in two newspaper clippings for Willard including his photo and a picture of the War Memorial at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. His name is on that memorial.

The images are here:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?s...asualty=1577349

[Paul Reed]

Many thanks for this additional information - all very useful.

[chris.wight]

Paul, here's some bits and pieces of information for you.

Major Loghrin and Lieutenant Maund were Masons and are listed on the Ontario Masonic Honour Roll, here. Loghrin belonged to No. 144 Tecumseh Lodge in Stratford, Ontario and Maund to the No. 485 Haileybury Lodge, Haileybury Lodge, Ontario. This is a great site.

Major Loghrin is listed in this family tree, here.

I see there is a typo on the CWGC entry for Lieutenant Bates, his first name being Bernard.