The 51st Battalion (Edmonton), CEF, was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

of 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

Great 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 ...

. The 51st Battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 18 April 1916. It provided reinforcements for the

Canadian Corps The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December ...

in the field until 13 November 1916, when it was reorganized as a garrison duty battalion. On 22 June 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the various regimental depots. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920. The battalion recruited in and was mobilized at

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

, Alberta.Meek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971. While training at Sarcee Camp near

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

, Alberta, the men of the battalion, along with many other units who trained at the camp, created hillside numerals of whitewashed stones overlooking their encampment. These stones, a -high number "51", are the remainder of only four units whose glyphs survive on the hillside at

Battalion Park Battalion Park is a geoglyph site in southwest Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is located on Signal Hill, overlooking the Tsuu T'ina Nation (formerly Sarcee Nation), as well as lands formerly known as Camp Sarcee and later Sarcee Training Area, a ...

in the neighbourhood of

Signal Hill, Calgary Signal Hill is a community in Calgary, Alberta. It contains the residential neighbourhoods of Sienna Hills and Signal Ridge. It is bounded by Sarcee Trail to the east, 17th Ave to the north, Stoney Trail to the south and 69th St to the west. Bat ...

. The battalion had three officers commanding: *Lt-Col Reginald de Lotbiniere Harwood, 19 April 1916 – 10 July 1916 *Maj. W.J. Shortreed, 10 July 1916 – 20 September 1916 *Lt.-Col. W.T. Stewart, 20 September 1916- The battalion was awarded the battle honour . A former member of the 51st, George Burdon McKean, was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

while serving with the 14th Battalion at the front. The perpetuation of the 51st Battalion, CEF, was assigned in 1920 to the 3rd Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment. When that regiment was split in 1924, the perpetuation went to the 2nd Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment. This regiment, now

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry), or L EDMN R, is a Primary Reserve infantry unit of the Canadian Armed Forces based in Edmonton, Alberta. The Loyal Edmonton Regiment is part of 3rd Canadian ...

, continues to perpetuate the 51st Battalion today.

References

Sources

*Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 by Col. G.W.L. Nicholson, CD, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Ontario, 1962 {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Military units and formations of Alberta 051 Loyal Edmonton Regiment