The 12th Battalion, CEF was an
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...
of the First World War
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF; French: ''Corps expéditionnaire canadien'') was the expeditionary warfare, expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed on August 15, 1914, following United Kingdom declarat ...
.
History
It was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Britain on 30 September 1914, where it was redesignated the 12th Reserve Infantry Battalion, CEF on 29 April 1915, to provide 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 19 ...
in the field. The battalion was reduced during the summer of 1916 and ultimately dissolved. Its residual strength was absorbed on 4 January 1917 into a new 12th Reserve Battalion, upon re-organization of the reserve units of the Canadian Infantry. The battalion was officially disbanded on 30 August 1920.
[Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.]
The 12th Battalion formed part of the Canadian Training Depot at
Tidworth Camp
Tidworth Camp is a military installation at Tidworth in Wiltshire, England. It forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison.
History
The Camp was established when the War Office acquired a 19th-century mansion – Te ...
.
[Meek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971.]
The 12th Battalion, CEF, had two Officers Commanding and two acting Officers Commanding:
[Library and Archives Canada, R.G. 150-7, 12th Battalion C.E.F., Daily Orders Part II. Howard commanded in lieu while McLeod was "on command" in France in the summer of 1915, and Deedes commanded temporarily following McLeod's promotion, pending Pellatt's appointment.]
*Lt.-Col. H.F. McLeod, 22 September 1914 - 6 Jul 1916
*Lt.-Col. F.A. Howard, 2 June 1915 - 15 September 1915 (acting)
*Maj. H.G. Deedes, 7 July 1916 - 18 September 1916 (acting)
*Lt.-Col. R. Pellatt, 19 September 1916 - 4 January 1917
Perpetuations
The 12th Battalion, CEF, is perpetuated by
The Royal New Brunswick Regiment and
The Royal Rifles of Canada, the latter currently on the
Supplementary Order of Battle
In the Canadian Army, a regiment is placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle when the need for the regiment's existence is no longer relevant. When placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle, a regiment is considered "virtually disbanded", and ...
.
Battle honours
The 12th Battalion was awarded the following battle honours:
*
Ypres 1915,
'17
*
Festubert, 1915
*
Mount Sorrel
The Battle of Mont Sorrel (Battle of Mount Sorrel) was a local operation in World War I by three divisions of the German 4th Army and three divisions of the British Second Army in the Ypres Salient, near Ypres in Belgium, from 2 to 13 June ...
*
Somme, 1916
*
Arras, 1917
The Battle of Arras, also known as the Second Battle of Arras, was a British offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the We ...
,
'18
*
Hill 70
*
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
*
Pursuit to Mons
* THE GREAT WAR 1914-17
See also
*
References
{{reflist
012 012 may refer to:
* Tyrrell 012, a Formula One racing car
* The dialing code for Pretoria
Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive br ...
Military units and formations of New Brunswick
Military units and formations established in 1914
Military units and formations disestablished in 1917