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The Unknown 49th Battalion Officers of Courcelette
At the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, in September of 1916, the 49th Battalion had 59 members reported Killed in Action. As was too often the case, some bodies could not be identified and now lie in graves simply marked as a ‘Soldier of the Great War’. Two such examples exist in the ADANAC Cemetery in France where two 49th Battalion officers, who fell during the action at Courcelette, are buried in unidentified graves. The author of this article believes he can identify these two officers.
Lt. Col. Gilbert Howland, V.D.
Today‚' Loyal Edmonton Regiment traces its lineage back to the formation of the 101st Regiment in 1908. Over time there have been many changes in name, organization and taskings. One interesting thread in all this change is who commanded the regiment. With this article we continue a series looking at those Commanding Officers. Howland was the third commanding officer of 1st Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment (1927-1930). His Canadian service record also includes the 101st Regiment (Edmonton Fusiliers), the 63rd Canadian Overseas Infantry Battalion, the 113th (Lethbridge Highlanders) Battalion and, finally, the 38th (Ottawa) Battalion with whom he fought at Vimy Ridge.
Colonel Ernest Brown Wilson, O.B.E., E.D.
Our series of articles on Regimental Commanding Officers continues with the seventh CO of the 1st Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment, Colonel Ernest Brown Wilson, O.B.E., E.D. (1940-1942). He had served with the battalion since 1928 and, following his period as Commanding Officer, had several appointments as acting brigade commander as well as senior appointments at division and higher headquarters.
Colonel Louis Scott, O.B.E., D.S.O., E.D.
Today‚' Loyal Edmonton Regiment traces its lineage back to the formation of the 101st Regiment in 1908. Over time there have been many changes in name, organization and taskings. One interesting thread in all this change is who commanded the regiment. With this article we continue a series looking at those Commanding Officers. Scott‚' military career started in 1914 when he joined the Edmonton company of the Princess Patricia‚' Canadian Light Infantry (Remember 14-1) as a private. He ended World War One with the rank of major and a Distinguished Conduct Medal. Major Scott went straight into the 1st Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment, eventually commanding that battalion.
Two Edmonton Originals in the 1885 Rebellion
The Edmonton area‚' first experience of the army came during the North-West Rebellion of 1885 when the Alberta Field Force, tasked to put down the rebellion, came through the settlement. Two of the early residents, William Fielders and William West, joined Steele‚' Scouts, the ‚Äúeyes and ears‚Äù of the force, formed by Inspector Sam Steele of the NWMP. In the photo of three Canadians in South Africa during the Boar War, Fielders is in the front.
Captain Isaac John Mooney, MC
In an article submitted by Tim Popp, he tells the story of Captain Isaac John Mooney, MC, and his link to the Yukon Field Force and the 49th Battalion
Lt. Col. Philip Lawrence Debney, MM, ED, CD
Our series of articles on Regimental Commanding Officers continues with the fifth CO of the 1st Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment, Lt. Col. Philip Lawrence Debney, M.M., E.D., C.D. (1935-1939). He had served in the Canadian Field Artillery during the First World War and subsequently served in the Canadian Engineers through the Second World War and beyond.
Lt. Col. George Waters MacLeod, DSO
Today‚' Loyal Edmonton Regiment traces its lineage back to the formation of the 101st Regiment in 1908. Over time there have been many changes in name, organization and taskings. One interesting thread in all this change is who commanded the regiment. With this article we continue a series looking at those Commanding Officers. MacLeod was never a CO of a unit in our lineage, but his service and gallantry was so remarkable that regimental historian G.R. Stevens included MacLeod in the section on Biographical Details of Commanding Officers, 49th Battalion C.E.F., in his 1964 history of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, A City Goes to War.
Lt. Col. Leonard Christopher Harris, V.D.
Today‚' Loyal Edmonton Regiment traces its lineage back to the formation of the 101st Regiment in 1908. Over time there have been many changes in name, organization and taskings. One interesting thread in all this change is who commanded the regiment. This article continues a series looking at those Commanding Officers. Lt. Col. Harris was the forth commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment (1930-1935). "Doc" Harris' had previously serviced as medical officer for both the 49th Battalion, CEF, as well as The Edmonton Regiment.
1945 - July to September
At the beginning of July 1945, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, Canadian Active Service Force, was stationed in Bilthoven, Holland, a village between Utrecht and Amersfoort. The war in Europe had been over for almost two months and the battalion had been stripped of all their weapons and most of their transport. Everyone was ready to go home, but it would still be a three month wait.
