75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF
| The 75th (Mississauga) Battalion, CEF | |
|---|---|
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Cap badge of the 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF | |
| Active | 10 July 1915 – 15 September 1920 |
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | Militia |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Light Infantry |
| Size | One battalion |
| Part of | 4th Canadian Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Toronto |
| Nickname(s) | the Six-Bits, the 'Jolly 75' |
| Motto(s) | Carry On |
| Colors | Hung at Knox Presbyterian Church, Toronto, Ontario |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Distinguishing Patch |
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The 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 75th Battalion was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 29 March 1916. It disembarked in France on 12 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.[1]
The 75th Battalion recruited in Toronto, Hamilton and London, Ontario and was mobilized at Toronto.[2]
The 75th Battalion had three officers commanding:
- Lt.-Col. S.G. Beckett, 1 April 1916 – 1 March 1917
- Lt.-Col. C.B. Worsnop, DSO, 11 March 1917 – 16 April 1917
- Lt.-Col. A.J. C.C. Harbottle, DSO, 16 April 1917-Demobilization[3]
One member of the 75th Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross. Medical Officer Captain Bellenden Hutcheson was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 2 September 1918 at the Drocourt-Quéant Line.
The 75th was formed by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel G. Beckett, who had been trained as a cavalry officer in the 9th Mississauga Horse. Following training in Niagara and Toronto, the 75th left for overseas on 29 March 1916 and arrived on 9 April 1916.
On arrival in England they formed part of the newly created 11th Brigade of the 4th Canadian Division and saw their first action in the trenches in Belgium in August 1916. Within the month, the 75th Battalion was at the Somme and fought with great distinction in the battles at Regina trench and Desire trench.
In December, the 75th had been moved to Vimy Ridge where they with the rest of the Canadian Army dug in and waited until the great assault on 9 April 1917. On the night of 1 March 1917, a large phosgene gas raid was undertaken in which the Commanding Officer, LCol Beckett was killed.
The 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF is perpetuated by The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own).[4]
References
- The Reverend Donald R. McKillican, CD Major (Ret'd) The Hodden Grey A Short History of The 75th (Mississauga) Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force World War I and the Toronto Scottish Regiment 1915-1995 Toronto, Ont.: 1995.
- ↑ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
- ↑ Meek, John F. Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War. Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971. ISBN 0906158109
- ↑ Meek, John F. Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War. Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971. ISBN 0906158109
- ↑ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
Sources
- Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 by Col. G.W.L. Nicholson, CD, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Ontario, 1962