The 143rd (B.C. Bantams) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the
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 ...
during the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Based in
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...
, the unit began recruiting in 1916 throughout Western Canada.
Bantam units were organized to recruit men who were shorter than the standard height required for joining the army. By the time they were fully formed, however, only about half of the men were under that standard height as they could not find enough short men to enlist.
The
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), ...
had barracks at
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park is a 75 ha (183 acre) park located along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, British Columbia that is popular both with tourists and locals. The park contains a number of amenities including woodland and shoreline trails ...
and trained for the months of July through October 1916 at Sidney Camp.
After sailing to England in February 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the
1st
First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
and
24th Reserve Battalions, and the
Canadian Railway Troops
The Corps of Canadian Railway Troops were part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during World War I. Although Canadian railway units had been arriving in France since August 1915, it was not until March 1917 that the units were placed under ...
in March 1917. The 143rd (B.C. Bantams) Battalion, CEF had one officer commanding: Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Powley.
Officers' Declaration Paper
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References
*Meek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971.
*Allinson, Sidney. "The Bantams: The Untold Story of World War One." London, Toronto 1981, Victoria 2005.
*Ratch, Sandra "Do Your Little Bit: The 143rd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, 'BC Bantams'", in "BC Studies: the British Columbian Quarterly Number 182." Vancouver, 2014.
Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
History of Victoria, British Columbia
Military units and formations of British Columbia
Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
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