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Birth of a Regiment Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 1914-1919

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Birth of a Regiment Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 1914-1919 Birth of a Regiment Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry 1914-1919 by James S. Kempling BA, The Royal Military College of Canada, 1965 MPA, University of Victoria, 1978 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of History James S. Kempling 2011 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. Supervisory Committee Birth of a Regiment Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry 1914-1919 by James S. Kempling BA, The Royal Military College of Canada, 1965 MPA, University of Victoria, 1978 Supervisory Committee Dr. David Zimmerman, Department of History, University of Victoria Supervisor Dr. Eric Sager, Department of History, University of Victoria Departmental Member Dr. Tim Travers, Department of History, University of Calgary Additional Member ii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. David Zimmerman, Department of History, University of Victoria Supervisor Dr. Eric Sager, Department of History, University of Victoria Departmental Member Dr. Tim Travers, Department of History, University of Calgary Additional Member This thesis uses a web site as its primary format. Readers are invited to visit www.birthofaregiment.com. Financed by a wealthy Montreal businessman, the original regiment was very British in its make- up. The Patricia’s were recruited and trained separate from the Canadian Expeditionary Force. For the first year of the war, they fought in a British brigade, under British officers using British weapons. By 1919, the PPCLI were distinctly Canadian. The Patricia’s became the best known Canadian regiment and one of three retained in the permanent force. This thesis examines that remarkable transition, the changes wrought by the war and the mechanisms used to reinforce the unique image of the Patricia’s. It also tests several myths embodied in the histories of the Regiment against a database of over five thousand files of soldiers who served with the Patricia’s during the First World War. iii Contents Supervisory Committee ......................................................................................................................................... ii Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................................... iii Birth of a Regiment ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 Setting the Stage........................................................................................................................................................... 4 The Originals ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Preparing for War ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 Into the Line – Jan- Apr 1915 ................................................................................................................................... 16 Frezenberg May 8th 1915 ........................................................................................................................................... 19 The University Companies ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Moving to the 3rd Canadian Division ....................................................................................................................... 25 With the Canadian Corps 1916-1917 ....................................................................................................................... 27 The Pattern of Battle ................................................................................................................................................. 28 Mount Sorrel .............................................................................................................................................................. 30 Vimy Ridge ................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Passchendaele ............................................................................................................................................................. 38 The Hundred Days..................................................................................................................................................... 38 Canal du Nord ............................................................................................................................................................ 41 The End of the War ................................................................................................................................................... 43 To the Permanent Force ............................................................................................................................................ 46 Background ................................................................................................................................................................ 51 Soldiers ....................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Commanding Officers ............................................................................................................................................... 54 Lieutenant Colonel Francis Farquhar, DSO ........................................................................................................... 55 Lieutenant Colonel Herbert C, Buller, DSO ........................................................................................................... 56 Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Pelley, DSO .............................................................................................................. 57 Lieutenant Colonel Agar S.A.M. Adamson, DSO ................................................................................................... 58 Lieutenant Colonel C.J. Stewart, DSO .................................................................................................................... 59 Lieutenant Colonel A. Hamilton Gault, DSO ......................................................................................................... 60 The Victoria Cross ..................................................................................................................................................... 67 Lieutenant Hugh McKenzie ...................................................................................................................................... 68 Sgt Robert Spall ........................................................................................................................................................ 70 Sgt George Harry Mullin .......................................................................................................................................... 71 The Vancouver Six..................................................................................................................................................... 72 Customs and Traditions ............................................................................................................................................ 73 iv Behind the Lines ........................................................................................................................................................ 76 Training ................................................................................................................................................................... 76 General Comforts .................................................................................................................................................... 76 Sports ...................................................................................................................................................................... 77 The Comedy Company............................................................................................................................................ 77 The Rifle ..................................................................................................................................................................... 80 Machine Guns ............................................................................................................................................................ 81 Organization .............................................................................................................................................................. 82 The Historical Context .............................................................................................................................................. 85 Historiography ........................................................................................................................................................... 85 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................
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