The 116th Battalion in France

Colours of Some Canadian Battalions on Wolfe’s Monument in Westminster Abbey The 116th Batt. Colours are in the centre. These colours were worked and presented to the Battalion by the ladies of Ontario County

BY THE ADJUTANT 1921

Copyright, Canada, 1921, by E. P. S. Allen, Toronto Press of The Hunter-Rose Co. Limited

With the assistance of the official “War Diary” and the proud memory of two years’ service with the 116th Battalion C.E.F. in France, the writer has compiled this small book for all ex-members of the Battalion, with the hope that they may find somewhere within its pages the reminiscence of days spent together, battles fought, and friendships made; and for the parents, relatives, and friends whose loved ones fell whilst fighting in the ranks of the Battalion, as a token of remembrance and sympathy.
The Adjutant.


There were very few, if any, Canadian Militia Regiments that succeeded in keeping their identity in France throughout the Great War. The reasons for this were—Firstly, the recruiting system, by means of which men were gathered into the Battalions of the Expeditionary Force, through the different Militia Regiments; the majority of the overseas Battalions being formed by drafts from three, four, five and sometimes more different Regiments. Secondly, the method of reinforcement, which distributed officers and men to Battalions in France disregarding any other principle except that these officers and men were from the same Province as the Battalion to which they were going. And even this did not hold good at all times.
The fact remains, however, that the 116th Battalion was recruited and fostered in the County of Ontario and led to France and in France by an officer of the 34th Regiment. In consequence, a few details concerning the military history of that County and the parent regiment may be of interest to those members of the 116th who joined the Battalion from other parts of the Province and through other regiments.