museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Can any pal reccommend a site with data on 78th Bn (Manitoba regt) and their part in the battle for Vimy ridge. Many thanks, regards. Tom Burnell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 24 September , 2004 Share Posted 24 September , 2004 No mention of them in the two Battleground Europe Series on Loos. These books are detailed but not definitive histories though. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Alexander Posted 24 September , 2004 Share Posted 24 September , 2004 The 78th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force was a battalion of the 12th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. The 3rd Division was authorized for service in France in December of 1915 and organized there, over the next few months. The 78th arrived in France in August of 1916 for service in the 3rd Division. It would appear from this information that the 78th could not have played any part in the Battle of Loos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 24 September , 2004 Share Posted 24 September , 2004 their part in the battle of Loos. Tom Could you be referring to the engagements around Lens, just south of Loos? The only mention I have of this unit in the British Official History for 1917 is their involvement in the capture of Passchendaele village. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Sorry guys. It was Vimy. My mistake. I just got his records and it says. "Killed in Action during the attack on Vimy ridge, and after reaching the german third line trench, he was shot through the head by an enemy machine gun bullet and instantly killed." There are lots of other data on the sheets that I would apreciate translation with. they mention places that mean nothing to me. If I posted a few pics of his docs would you translate for me please? regards. Tom Burell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 24 September , 2004 Share Posted 24 September , 2004 There are lots of other data on the sheets that I would apreciate translation with. they mention places that mean nothing to me. If I posted a few pics of his docs would you translate for me please? regards. Tom Burell I would be interested in seeing what you have. I have recently been looking at the 78's activities at Vimy. One of our local fellows was killed with them there. I have pieced together a tentative understanding of what happened to them there, but the battalion War Diary is frustratingly imprecise. The battalion was badly knocked about on that occaision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Pic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Pic 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Pic 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Pic 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Pic 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 24 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2004 last one. but please let me know where is Conval Hospital Bear Wood is the report is dated 23 may 1915 also a hospital in Braiushrif? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 24 September , 2004 Share Posted 24 September , 2004 Aha! This is one of our fellows! (You don't happen to know his address in Edmonton do you?). I am sure you have his attestation paper (which is freely available on-line). He enlisted in Edmonton on May 14,1915 with the 51st (Edmonton Overseas) Battalion. This unit sailed in April, 1916 (after having dispatched two reinforcement drafts). You can see from your forms that he arrived in England on April 28, 1916. (Incidentally, although I have not got much more than half way through the list, I already have at least 45 Irish born men with this unit!). You can see that he had already been hospitalized for Grippe in Edmonton in February, and it seems he was immediately hospitalized at Bramshott for rheumatism. Bramshott was where the new 4th Canadian Division was forming. The 51st was initially posted to the 12th Brigade of that Division. From there he was transfered to Bearwood (sp?) Hospital according to your record, but I have not heard of that one before. As you can see he was not finally discharged from hospital until August, by which time the 4th Division was ready to sail. The 51st Battalion was no longer with them. In July most of its strength had been posted to France as reinforcements to replace casualties in the Alberta battalions at the front. The 51st was temporarily converted to a reserve unit, and its place in the order of battle taken by a recent arrival from Canada, the 78th (Winnipeg Grenadiers) Battalion. This may explain the October notation that he was struck off on transfer to what seems to be a "Provisional Battalion" The 51st was going out of existence so this was probably just a temporary bookkeeping entry until he was drafted out the next month. Reverting to private from Lance Corporal was normal on going overseas. The 78th Battalion conducted a trench raid on February 19, 1917. This took place near the north end of Vimy Ridge, in the general vicinity of Kennedy Crater. The Battalion War Diary gives an account. The party seems to have suffered 9 dead and 15 wounded, while bringing back three prisoners. Your fellow was likely one of the wounded . On April 9, 1917, the assault on Vimy Ridge, the 78th Battalion suffered more than 500 casualties. The situation was very confused, and the locations of many men were not sorted out for days afterwards. This is the best I can do right now. Thanks for posting the stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 25 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2004 Thanks for all the brilliant relpies, There was no address in Edmonton and I see that he cahnged his NOK three times. Here are the last four pics, I did not add them ebacus I did notthink they add anything new or do they? Thanks again guys!!! regards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 25 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2004 Where is Brainshott? what is Grippe? Thx guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 25 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2004 NOK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 25 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2004 KIA report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 25 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2004 Last one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Alexander Posted 25 September , 2004 Share Posted 25 September , 2004 Grippe is a flu-like or severe chest cold viral infection. Bramshott was a military camp in Hampshire England, approx 50 miles south west of London. The last image that you posted indicates the medals that his family received. It appears that he earned the British War Medal and the Victory medal and his mother was dispatched the Memorial Cross. The "C" references (at the top and again a different one at the bottom of the medal index card) may be a reference to the serial number on a Silver Wound Badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 25 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2004 Thank you Bill This is building up a lot of information I would not have been able to decipher without your help. Thanks again. Regards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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