The 204th (Toronto Beavers) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Based in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, the unit began recruiting during the winter of 1915/16 in that city and surrounding district. According to a local paper, the 204th were recruiting at a rate of 450 per month, and since authorization had raised $27,000 for recruiting expenses. This source claimed that the 204th held the record for recruiting among units authorized in Toronto since 1916. The 204th were quartered at the Government and Transportation buildings at the Exhibition Camp, located on the

Canadian National Exhibition The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day, ...

grounds in Toronto. On March 16, 1917, the colours of the 204th (Toronto Beavers) Battalion were deposited in the Legislative Assembly Chamber at the Ontario Parliament Buildings. The unit marched from their quarters at Exhibition Camp to the Parliament Buildings headed by their battalion band. Family members witnessed the ceremony of depositing the colours for safe-keeping until after the war. The unit was paraded at full strength outside the building with the men standing at a salute as the colours passed through the doors carried by Lieutenant-Colonel

William Herbert Price William Herbert Price (May 25, 1877 – December 21, 1963) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1914 to 1937 who represented the Toronto riding of Parkdale. He served as ...

, and Lieutenant Hitchens with an escort of 40 men. Sir William Howard Hearst was in attendance among other prominent local figures. On March 19 it was announced that the 204th would soon be leaving Toronto for eastern Canada to continue with their training.Toronto Star - March 19, 1917 After sailing to England in March 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 2nd Reserve Battalion on May 4, 1917. The 204th (Toronto Beavers) Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieutenant-Colonel Price. Price was a member for the Parkdale electoral district in the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by ...

, and was a Barrister. The fate of the 204th was discussed in a July 1917 interview with Major Ernest George Switzer, who had gone overseas as second in command of the 204th. Switzer had returned to his home in July 1917 and was interviewed by a local reporter. He explained that most of the men of the 204th went to the 3rd and 75th Battalions, and some went into the ranks of the 5th Division. After the war a battalion association was established for veterans of the 204th. In June 1919 nearly 400 veterans of the 204th gathered at Victoria Hall in Toronto for the purpose of forming this battalion association. The officers elected included Lieutenant-Colonel Price as honorary president. The lobby of

Old City Hall (Toronto) The Old City Hall is a Richardsonian Romanesque, Romanesque-style civic building and court house in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was the home of the Toronto City Council from 1899 to 1966 and remains one of the city's most prominent structures. ...

bears an ornate plaque in honour of the former 204th men who died during their military service in the

. 102 names are listed on this plaque, but this may be incomplete. Toronto's Cenotaph is directly in front of this building.Each former 204th man listed on the 204th Memorial Plaque also has a memorial tribute on th
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
which lists Canada's war dead. A photo of this plaque has been placed next to the name of each 204th man named on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial Site. Additional biographical information may be found a
this source

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

* {{cite book, last=Meek, first=John, title=Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War, year=1971, publisher=Self-published, location=Orangeville, Ontario Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Military units and formations of Ontario Royal Regiment of Canada