The 46th Battalion (South Saskatchewan), 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 46th Battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 23 October 1915. On 11 August 1916 it disembarked in France, where it fought with the
10th Infantry Brigade,
4th Canadian Division
The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. It is currently responsible for Canadian Army operations in the Canadian province of Ontario and is headquartered at Denison Armoury in Toronto. The division was first created as ...
in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.
The unit has come to be known as "The Suicide Battalion". The 46th Battalion lost 1,433 killed and 3,484 wounded – a casualty rate of 91.5 percent in 27 months.
The battalion recruited throughout Saskatchewan and was mobilized at
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw is the List of cities in Saskatchewan, fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina, Saskatchewan, Re ...
.
[Meek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971. ]
The 46th Battalion had two officers commanding:
*Lieutenant-Colonel H. Snell, 22 October 1915 – 29 August 1916
*Lieutenant-Colonel H.J. Dawson, CMG, DSO, 29 August 1916-Demobilization
One member of the 46th 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 ...
. Sergeant
Hugh Cairns was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Valenciennes on 1 November 1918.
Battle honours
The 46th Battalion was awarded the following battle honours:
*
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 ...
*
Ancre Heights
The Ancre (; ) is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, it flows into the Somme at Corbie. It is long. For most of its length it flows through the department of Somme. For a short stretch near Puisi ...
*
Ancre, 1916
*ARRAS,
1917
Events
Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix.
January
* January 9 – WWI – Battle of Rafa: The last substantial Ottoman Army garrison on the Sinai Peninsula is captured by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's ...
,
'18
*
Vimy, 1917
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 ...
*
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
The Battle of the Scarpe was a World War I battle that took place during the Hundred Days Offensive between 26 and 30 August 1918.
26 August
The Canadian Corps advanced over 5 kilometres and captured the towns of Monchy-le-Preux and Wancourt.
L ...
*
Drocourt-Quéant
*
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 ...
*
VALENCIENNES
Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...
*
FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1916-18
Perpetuation
The perpetuation of the 46th Battalion was assigned in 1920 to 2nd Battalion (46th Battalion, CEF),
The South Saskatchewan Regiment
The South Saskatchewan Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces formed in 1936 by the amalgamation of The Weyburn Regiment and The Saskatchewan Border Regiment. It was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order ...
, and it is now perpetuated by
The Saskatchewan Dragoons
The Saskatchewan Dragoons is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Army. The unit is based in Moose Jaw. Their primary job is to assist the Regular Force in meeting Canada's military commitments. Their training and equipment closely ...
.
* 2nd Battalion (46th Battalion, CEF), The South Saskatchewan Regiment: 1920–1924
* 1st Battalion (46th Battalion, CEF), The King's Own Rifles of Canada: 1924–1936
* The King's Own Rifles of Canada (MG): 1936–1942
* The King's Own Rifles of Canada: 1942–1946
* 20th (Saskatchewan) Armoured Regiment, RCAC: 1946–1949
* 20th Saskatchewan Armoured Regiment: 1949–1954
* The Saskatchewan Dragoons (20th Armoured Regiment): 1954–1958
* The Saskatchewan Dragoons: 1958–present
See also
*
References
{{reflist
Sources
*Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 by Col. G.W.L. Nicholson, CD, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Ontario, 1962
Military units and formations of Saskatchewan
046