The 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), 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

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

Great 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 ...

History

The 42nd Battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 10 June 1915. It disembarked in France on 9 October 1915, where it fought as part of the

7th Canadian Brigade The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Canadian Army that fought during World War I and World War II. The brigade, along with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade and the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, formed the 3rd Cana ...

3rd Canadian Division The 3rd Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of all army units in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as Northwestern Ontario including the ...

in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments. The 42nd Battalion recruited in and was mobilized at Montreal.Meek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971. The 42nd Battalion had five officers commanding: *Lt-Col. G.S. Cantlie, 10 June 1915 – 24 December 1916 *Maj. R.L.H. Ewing, 24 December 1916 – 2 January 1917 *Maj. S.C. Norsworthy, 2 January 1917 – 6 April 1917 *Lt-Col. B. McLennan, DSO, 6 April 1917 – 3 August 1918 *Lt-Col. R.L.H. Ewing, DSO, MC, 3 August 1918-Demobilization One member of the 42nd Battalion was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

. Private (later Lieutenant)

Thomas Dinesen Thomas Fasti Dinesen (9 August 1892 – 10 March 1979) was a Danish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was t ...

was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 12 August 1918 at Parvillers, France. The novelist Will R. Bird was a member of the battalion, and wrote two books of memoirs on his war experiences: ''And We Go On'' and ''Ghosts Have Warm Hands''.

Battle Honours

The 42nd Battalion was awarded the following battle honours: *

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 The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

* Flers-Courcelette * Ancre Heights *

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 * Vimy, 1917 *

Arleux Arleux () is a commune in the Nord département in northern France. Geography The river Sensée joins the Canal du Nord at Arleux. Population Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 647 comm ...

HILL 70 The Battle of Hill 70 took place in the First World War between the Canadian Corps and attached units against five divisions of the German 6th Army. The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord-Pas-de-Ca ...

Ypres, 1917 The Third Battle of Ypres (; ; ), also known as the Battle of Passchendaele ( ), was a campaign of the First World War, fought by the Allies against the German Empire. The battle took place on the Western Front, from July to November 1917, f ...

* Passchendaele *

AMIENS Amiens (English: or ; ; , or ) is a city and Communes of France, commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in the region ...

* SCARPE, 1918 *

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 ...

Canal du Nord The Canal du Nord (, literally ''Canal of the North'') is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise in Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal in Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-min ...

PURSUIT TO MONS Pursuit may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''Pursuit'' (1935 film), a 1935 American action film * ''Pursuit'' (1972 American film), a made-for-TV film directed by Michael Crichton * ''Pursuit'' (1972 Hong Kong film), a Shaw Brot ...

* FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915–18

Perpetuation

The 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF, is perpetuated by

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Canadian Brigade Group, 2nd Canadian Division, of the Canadian Army. The regiment is at 2067, rue Bleury (2067, Bleury Street) in Montreal, Quebec, Canad ...

References

Sources

*Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 by Col. G.W.L. Nicholson, CD, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Ontario, 1962 *{{cite book , last1=Beresford , first1=Charles , title=The 42nd Battalion C.E.F. Royal Highlanders of Canada , date=1931 , url=https://cdm22007.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/cmh/id/36762 , access-date=December 27, 2020 042 Military units and formations of Quebec Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada