The 157th (Simcoe Foresters) 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 ...
.
On 30 November 1915, the
35th Regiment "Simcoe Foresters" was authorized to raise the 157th Battalion. Based in
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. Although it is physically in the county, Barrie is politically independent. The city is par ...
, the 157th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters, began recruiting in late 1915 in
Simcoe County
Simcoe County is a county and census division located in the central region of Ontario, Canada. The county is located north of the Greater Toronto Area, and forms the north western edge of the Golden Horseshoe. The county seat is located in Mi ...
. 2,450 volunteers were recruited, of which 1,070 officers and other ranks were enlisted in the battalion. Of the remainder, about 700 were rejected as being medically unfit, 75 were transferred to the
76th Battalion, and the approximately 600 remaining were transferred to the
177th Battalion (Simcoe Foresters), CEF.
Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel D.H. MacLaren, the 157th was tasked with constructing a new army training camp on the Simcoe Pines Plain, which was to be named
Camp Borden
Canadian Forces Base Borden (also CFB Borden, French: Base des Forces canadiennes Borden or BFC Borden), formerly RCAF Station Camp Borden, is a large Canadian Forces base located in Ontario. The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Forc ...
. Construction began in May 1916 with the companies from Barrie and Collingwood. A second company from Barrie arrived in June to help speed up the construction. As such, the 157th became the founding battalion of Camp Borden, which it constructed to accommodate 40 infantry battalions in 10 brigades. Before the camp was opened the remainder of the 157th and the entire
177th Battalion (Simcoe Foresters), CEF, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.B. McPhee, arrived. By that summer, Camp Borden was home to 36 CEF battalions in nine brigades before they embarked overseas. On the night of Camp Borden's official opening, a riot by members of other battalions was suppressed by both the 157th and 177th battalions of the Simcoe Foresters, which were turned out with bayonets fixed.
On 12 October 1916, the battalion received its
regimental colours
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards, flags, or guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 year ...
at Camp Borden, which were subsequently laid up in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church,
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. Although it is physically in the county, Barrie is politically independent. The city is par ...
, after the war on 10 October 1919. The colours were reclaimed by
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Within the Canadian Army, it is part of the 4th Canadian Division's (formerly known as Land Force Central Area) 31 Canadian Brigade Group. Due to the r ...
, which perpetuates the 157th, on 18 June 1982 and deposited in the regiment's Barrie Officers' Mess.
Training at Camp Borden ended on 13 October 1916, when the 157th Battalion departed for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Embarking on board the on 18 October 1916, the battalion sailed for Liverpool, England, arriving on 28 October. From Liverpool, the 157th was stationed for only a week at Witley Camp before proceeding to
Bramshott Camp
Bramshott Military Camp, often simplified to Camp Bramshott, was a temporary army camp set up on Bramshott Common near the village of Bramshott, Hampshire, England during both the First and Second World Wars.
Camp Bramshott was one of three faci ...
as part of the 7th Training Brigade.
Like so many CEF battalions arriving in England at that time, the 157th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters was broken up for reinforcements to units already in the field. Immediately a draft of 150 men was sent to 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 ...
, followed by a further 50 men to the
19th
19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number.
Mathematics
Nineteen is the eighth prime number.
Number theory
19 forms a twin prime with 17, a cousin prime with 23, and a sexy prime with 13. ...
, on 5 December 1916. Three days later, a further 400 men were sent to join the
116th, which was in theatre in France. The balance of the 157th Battalion went to the
125th and the
8th Reserve Battalion
Eighth is ordinal form of the number eight.
Eighth may refer to:
* One eighth, , a fraction, one of eight equal parts of a whole
* Eighth note (quaver), a musical note played for half the value of a quarter note (crotchet)
* Octave, an interval b ...
. Before being transferred to other units, the officers were sent to Crowborough for additional instructional training.
By war's end, these Foresters had fought in the following battles: Arras, 1917; Vimy Ridge, 9–14 April 1917; Arleux, 28–29 April 1917; Capture of Fresnoy, 3–4 May 1917; Affairs, South of Souchez River, 3–25 June 1917; Capture of Avion, 26–29 June 1917; Battle of Hill 70, 15–25 August 1917; Ypres, 1917; and
Second Battle of Passchendaele
The Second Battle of Passchendaele was the culminating attack during the Third Battle of Ypres of the First World War. The battle took place in the Ypres Salient area of the Western Front, in and around the Belgian village of Passchendaele, be ...
, 26 October–10 November 1917.
Today, the volunteer Borden Pipes & Drums band wear the Hunting Stewart tartan in honour of the 157th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters, founding battalion of the base. In June 2015, a contingent of civilian donors from the Borden Legacy Project and military personnel from
CFB Borden
Canadian Forces Base Borden (also CFB Borden, French: Base des Forces canadiennes Borden or BFC Borden), formerly RCAF Station Camp Borden, is a large Canadian Forces base located in Ontario. The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Forc ...
travelled to
Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...
to patriate soil, which will be encapsulated into a new memorial at the base marking its centennial of service. During this Vimy pilgrimage, the graves and memorials for 13 members of the 157th Simcoe Foresters who lost their lives during the
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...
were visited.
During the First World War, the 157th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters suffered 133 killed-in-action or died-of-wounds. This was a huge sacrifice by the families of Simcoe County through just one of its CEF battalions. From the four CEF battalions perpetuated by
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Within the Canadian Army, it is part of the 4th Canadian Division's (formerly known as Land Force Central Area) 31 Canadian Brigade Group. Due to the r ...
(147th, 157th, 177th, and 248th) over 450 lost their lives during the First World War.
The battalion had one commanding officer: Lieutenant-Colonel D. H. MacLaren.
References
*Meek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971.
*Chajkowsky, William E. "The History of Camp Borden, 1916-1918, land of Sand, Sin and Sorrow. Viveland: Station Press, 1983.
*Fisher, Major J.R. and Captain E.J. Fuller. "The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, A Concise Regimental History." Barrie: The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, 2008
*Frost, Honourable Leslie. "Fighting Men" Toronto: Clark, Irwin, 1967
*Rutherford, Brigadier Tom, ed. "An Unofficial History of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regiment 1866 to 1973." Owen Sound: The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, 1973
*Telford, Major Murray M. "Scarlet to Green, the colours, uniforms and insignia of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters." Erin: The Boston Mills Press, 1987 {{ISBN, 0-919783-82-1
Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Organizations based in Barrie