JANUARY 1915, PRINCESS PATRICIA'S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY EXPERIENCE THEIR FIRST TOUR OF DUTY

"I was trying to get a fire going in a bucket by swinging it to and fro, to thaw us out a bit, when Hamilton Gault roared, 'Roffey, I know bloody well that Jerry knows we are here but you don't need to advertise the fact!' "

By the end of January the Patricias had been initiated into the horrors of a new warfare. Surviving members of the Regiment would remember that first tour in the trenches as one their worst experiences of the war. It was not only exhausting but put many out of commission with foot rot and sickness.

The rain had turned to sleet and snow and the rudimentary trenches were constantly caving in under the continual onslaught of shelling and harsh weather. A series of brooks in front of the trenches prevented the men from digging any deeper as drainage was impossible. There were no sand bags to build a parapet and it was not uncommon for soldiers to be waist deep in water. Adding insult to injury, the Germans were able to drain their trenches toward the British line. The unburied dead lay all around them and the area was infested with rats.  

"If only there might be a touch of Canadian frost to freeze this mud! If only one might get out and run up and down the road to get warm! But that might not be. The trench was but three feet high. One-half of it was mud and the other half water. There was no chance of making the trench deeper; had the boys attempted that, they would have been drowned in more mud. The water was always pouring into it from all sides and there was nothing to bail it out with. If the trench had been built up equally on both sides, it would have been a case of drown or be shot....For now I realized the depths of misery in the world - and realized that the misery was man-made!”

Quoted from the book, "Mopping Up", written by Lieutenant Jack Monroe PPCLI

This photo from PPCLI Archives is very likely a staged scene. The early trenches encountered by the Patricias would have been not so dissimilar to this ditch.

A pattern of two or three days in the line, rotating with two or three days rest was established for the first month. Unaccustomed to the reality of trench life, the first company of men to experience their rotation of 72 hours were in such a state of shock and exhaustion by the end they had to be lifted out of the trenches as they were too weak to pull their feet out of the mud. At one point the Company Commander had called for relief stating that his men were “nearly perished from cold and hunger”. He received only vague reassurance that relief would come by morning but in fact relief didn’t arrive for two more days. The Regiment had suffered only three killed and seven wounded on their first rotation but two additional men died simply from cold and exposure. With swollen feet and dysentery, 20 of 150 were sent directly to hospital. 

The appalling conditions in the Ypres Salient during that first winter were unparalleled throughout the rest of the war. At no other time in history had anyone waged war in the sodden fields of Belgium in January. Armies in previous centuries understood the wisdom of wintering in safe quarters until spring brought drier ground. Even with diligent foresight it would have been difficult to properly equip soldiers of that era to withstand the miserable conditions that winter. However, the inadequate equipment issued to the Canadian soldiers in 1914 made matters worse and left the Patricias in a critical situation by the end of the first month in the line. With the boot shortage and many men having worn through the soles of their boots completely, the army found itself overwhelmed with the new problem of “trench foot”. Colonial forces were among the hardest hit. 

The Canadian Defence Minister had been in charge of procuring equipment contracts for the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Many of Sir Sam Hughes’ decisions, though, were not only politically controversial but outright disastrous for the men at the front lines. The Ross rifle, the MacAdam Shield Shovel, their boots and webbing, and the Colt machine gun were all Canadian items which lacked in quality and functionality and compromised the safety and effectiveness of soldiers on the line. All were ultimately replaced or abandoned.

The Patricias suffered 70 battle casualties in the first six weeks of warfare. The battalion was, on average, 150 men under strength in those first few weeks due to exposure and many hundreds more due to sickness. 

JANUARY 6TH, 1915, PPCLI BECOME THE FIRST REGIMENT IN THEIR DIVISION TO ENTER THE FRONTLINE TRENCHES

The weary battalion reached their destination near Dickebusch in the early afternoon of the 6th. There they rested their worn feet in a rain soaked field until after dusk. After a hearty meal they moved forward to relieve the 53rd Regiment of the 32nd French Division at the front.

The boots issued to all Canadian soldiers had been developed from a pattern used in the Boer War and were unsuited to the harsh conditions of France and Belgium. When suggestions to strengthen the soles had been considered for use in Europe the Director General of Clothing and Equipment had reported that "the British army boot appears much too heavy for wear in Canada". With the exceptionally cold and wet winter, and only one pair available per man, the boots were never given an opportunity to dry and the stitching rotted away.

When the crisis in footwear became apparent, Lieutenant General Alderson, Commander of the Canadian Contingent, ordered that British regulation boots be issued immediately, and each unit commander was required to render a certificate "that every man is in possession of a service pair of Imperial pattern Army boots" before the Division moved to France. The Patricias would not get new boots in time for their first experience in the trenches.

War Diary Entry: 

Wed, Jan 6, 1915 METEREN, FRANCE

6.1.15 Marched from METEREN to DICKIEBUSH (DICKEBUSCH) via BAILLEUL, and LOCRE. Lack of boots much felt many men marching with no soles at all to their boots. 

DICKIEBUSH

2:30 pm

Arrived DICKIEBUSH and rested till 5 pm. At 4 pm Major HAMILTON (A.H.) GAULT returned to Bn with general instructions with regard to taking over the trenches from the 53rd French Regt. 63rd Brigade 32nd Division. Bn marched from X roads 1/2 mi. S.W. of DICKIEBUSH via DICKIEBUSH to road junction 1/4 mi. N.W. of VIERSTRAAT. 

When the Right Half Bn under Major GAULT took over the 2 sections on the right. The Left Half Bn marched to LA BRASSERIE & took over the remaining 2 sections. Time was lost owing to no guides having been provided by the French. Taking over completed at midnight without incident. Line held by the Bn extended 1150 yds as per attached sketch. Trenches were found to be in a very waterlogged condition: no brasiers & few dug outs: distance from GERMAN LINE 40 yds on our LEFT, 200 yds on our RIGHT. Work of bringing up ammunition to scale of 250 rds per rifle as well as rations continuing till 3 a.m. 7.1.15. 

The defensive position occupied by PPCLI on January 6th, 1915

The section of the line the Patricias were called to occupy was three miles south-west of Ypres at Vierstraat. Gault had gone ahead with an advance party, an officer and three NCO's from each company, studied the maps and was briefed by the French general. He surveyed the trenches the evening before and was appalled by the conditions his men would be facing. 

Constructed by the French in haste, this was not a sophisticated trench system. Rather the Patricias would be occupying crude ditches in the mud, too wide and too shallow to be of any protection from shellfire. There were gaps between platoon positions and there were no communication trenches leading to the rear. The enemy was less than 50 yards away in some positions and it would be impossible to move either in or out of the trenches in daylight. The Regiment would be greatly disadvantaged with the lower and very unsuitable defensive ground.

The Ypres Salient in January 1915. The dashed lines show the railway network in place at that time

Mid evening of January 6th, 1915, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry marched in close formation slowly and steadfastly into the darkness and unyielding mud toward their position in the front lines. The usual jokes and quips were, for the first time, muttered in low voices and with strained nerves as they observed the conditions around them. The reality of what they were now facing became clearer with the sight of stretcher bearers, the flashes of red in the night and the crack of bullets around them. By midnight they had taken their positions without casualties but on the second day in the line, January 8th, 1915, the Regiment lost it first two men killed in action.

JANUARY 5TH, 1915, PRINCESS PATRICIA'S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY BEGIN THE MARCH TO YPRES

The ringing in of the new year, 1915, heralded the promise of fighting with the constant roaring of guns in the distance. Although there was no relief from the steady rain and bone chilling cold, morale among the men of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was high as they took pride in facing the first hardships of war. 

On New Years Day, the entire 80th Brigade waited and stood at attention for over an hour in miserable weather for a brief inspection by Field Marshal Sir John French, Commander of the British Expeditionary Force. The Commander-in-Chief’s inspection inspired impressive remarks about the Patricias described in a dispatch a few weeks later as “this magnificent set of men”.  In a cable to Prime Minister Borden following their first tour in the trenches, Field Marshal French reported the Patricias, “fully justified the hope that their magnificent appearance inspired." In a letter to the Duke of Connaught he declared, "When I inspected them in the pouring rain I had never seen a more magnificent-looking battalion, Guards or otherwise." The admiration was warranted. Colonel Farquhar had worked hard to instill a sense of duty, discipline and pride in the men as the first representatives of Colonial troops to march forward into the front line. 

By late fall 1914, the British Regular Army had fought the Germans to a standstill in the low hills surrounding the ancient town of Ypres but at a terrible cost. As the Regiment prepared for its initiation to battle in the first week of January 1915, the British army, now greatly understrength, was struggling to hold on to their defensive position in the Ypres Salient. The French army were in an even more desperate state. The British 27th Division was ordered to support and extend the right of the British line south of Ypres. On the 5th of January the Patricias marched north into Belgium.

War Diary Entry

Tue, Jan 5, 1915 BLARINGHEM, FRANCE

5.1.15 Marched from BLARINGHEM to METEREN via HAZEBROUCH-SYLVESTRECAESTRE and FLETRE. Bn formed the Brigade Advanced Guard. Bn much handicapped from want of boots. 

"(January 5) ...orders were issued to pack all kits for full marching order. All blankets and equipment and quartermasters' stores were piled in the transports and limbers. 

One may imagine the feverish excitement that spread at this prospect of real contact with the enemy. 'Be ready for the firing line'; so read the orders of the day, and everyone was anxious to have that 'whack'.  As rumours had it, (we) were to relieve the French somewhere.

So at 8:30 A.M Canada's foremost battalion was in the road, waiting the order to march. The first day's march covered about fifteen miles. There were but a few short stops, of about ten minutes each. 

It was rather a hard trial on the feet, for the Pats had grown used to turf. The cobblestones seemed uncommonly hard. The boys could scarcely withstand the first day's forced march, and some of them wore the soles of their shoes even with the foot. 

...But the Canucks were game, and brought up the rear of the 80th Brigade with the 'swanky' swing they were famous for. They never dropped a yard in the pace set the K.R.R.'s in front of them. They were more than equal to the stern test!"

Quoted from the book, "Mopping Up", written by Lieutenant Jack Monroe PPCLI

PPCLI Troops at rest

DECEMBER 29TH, 1914 HAMILTON GAULT BECOMES THE FIRST CANADIAN SOLDIER TO ENTER THE TRENCHES FACING THE ENEMY

The Patricias spent the last week of the year acclimatizing and digging trenches for the new Hazebrouck defensive line in the water-logged soil of Flanders. 

On December 29th, Hamilton Gault left with Captain Fairbanks-Smith and two NCOs for the British 3rd Division trenches near Kemmel to orient themselves with trench warfare. 

An experienced infantry officer, Captain Fairbanks-Smith enlisted with the PPCLI on August 1st, 1914 but transferred to the Durham Light Infantry in the British Expeditionary Force as a Major on 11 January 1915. 

War Diary entry: 

Tue, Dec 29, 1914 BLARINGHEM, FRANCE

29.12.14 Major (A.H.) Gault, Capt (C.F.) SMITH & 2 N.C.O’s went up to trenches of 3rd Division at KEMMEL. 24 hours in trenches to learn method of reliefs & gain experience: valuable hints and information gained. 

DECEMBER 24th, 1914, THE REGIMENT BILLETS IN THE VILLAGE OF BLARINGHEM

Upon arrival at Arques the men were met by a guide to lead them off into the darkness to Brigade Headquarters near Blaringhem just after midnight on December 24th. They had been told it was about an hour down the road. The guide, however, lost his way and they were forced to backtrack several miles much to the frustration of the exhausted soldiers. 

It was 3:00 a.m after marching aimlessly half the night when they finally arrived. Billets for the next few days were in the village of Blaringhem and its surrounding farms, near where the Hazebrouck defensive line was being contracted. Intervals of deep rumbling sounds heralded the approach of dawn on Christmas day. It was the thundering of the guns. Bully beef was served for Christmas dinner.

A cigarette card placed in cigarette packages issued by John Player & Sons to honour the Regiment. On the back it notes that the PPCLI was "the first Canadian Regiment to join the British Expeditionary Force in France. It has suffer more casualties and seen more fighting than any other Canadian unit".

Thu, Dec 24, 1914 ARQUES, FRANCE

24.XII.14  BLARINGHEM. The guide provided by the R.T.O. confessed after he had gone some miles that he had never been to BLARINGHEM. In consequence it took until 3 a.m. to cover the 7 miles to that village. On arrival at Brigade Headquarters was informed that we were to billet along a stretch of 2 miles, down the road we had come along. The transport pulled off into nearest field & the troops were gradually billeted the last being got in about 6. Fine, cold. 

Fri, Dec 25. 1914 BLARINGHEM, FRANCE

25.XII.14 BLARINGHEM. Spent morning overhauling packing of the transport. Unluckily Christmas comforts not available. Very fine in morning, then misty, cold, frost. 

Christmas day, 1914 was a day to remember. We just had arrived in Belgium and spent the day digging support trenches. On pay parade the same day, we received five francs which most of us spent on vin blanc at two francs per bottle, though some brought champagne at five francs. It must have been when we reached Blaringhem, A.F. Troce #1520 threw his rifle into a pond. Later he retrieved it. This was at Blaringhem. 

W.J. Popey

Letter from the collection of PPCLI Archives

DECEMBER 22nd, 23rd 1914, PPCLI, THE FIRST CANADIAN FIGHTING UNIT TO ARRIVE IN FRANCE, MOVES TOWARD THE FRONT

On tuesday, December 22nd, 1914 at 1030 hours, another cold and rainy day, the PPCLI marched back into Le Havre to draw ammunition, equipment and rations in anticipation of their move to the front. 

The Regiment then moved to Gare des Marchandises where a 48 truck train, typical French box cars, took them to the front. Once their horses and transport were loaded, only 25 cars remained to accommodate the officers and men. With roughly 40 men in each car, there was little room to move and some soldiers had to stand because there was not enough seating. As one veteran noted, “Some promising friendships were strained by this arrangement.” Despite the physical discomfort the Regiment was in high spirits, happy to be moving up to the front lines at last. Almost twenty four hours later they arrived at their destination arriving at Arques in French Flanders at 2140 hours on December 23rd. They unloaded dragging animals, vehicles and equipment along muddy tracks to get them clear of the train. The work parties performed well, but they didn't finish unloading until after midnight.

War Diary entry:

Tues, Dec 22, 1914 Havre, France

22.XII.14 HAVRE Battalion Route March from 10.30 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. Completed equipment from Ordnance. Ration parties left camp at 4.40 p.m. Remainder of Battalion at 5.40 pm. Reached point 3, GARE DES MARCHANDISES at 7 p.m. Men in tearing spirits. The whole Battalion had to entrain in one train of 48 trucks. Officers 1, Men 24, Horses 10, VEHICLES 13. Very tight fit, some of the men being unable to sit down. Fatigue parties worked very well. Battalion left at schedule time 11.19 p.m. Showery. Appendix II. Orders for railway journey. 

Wed., Dec 23, 1914 Troop Train Havre to St. Omer, France

23.XII.14  On train en route to St. OMER. Reached ABBEVILLE 12.30 p.m. Journey would have been much easier if we had been informed where halts were to be made and for how long. 

Reached St. OMER 8.50 p.m. Received order to proceed to ARQUES and to detrain there. Reached ARQUES at 9.40 p.m. Detrainment completed by 12.30 a.m. (24th). 

The tracks for the vehicles were very bad & greatly retarded both the entrainment and detrainment of the Battalion. 

DECEMBER 21ST, 1914 PPCLI ARRIVE IN FRANCE

Conditions at Morn Hill had been as unpleasant as Salisbury Plain and the weather had quite possibly been worse. It was cold, extremely wet and strong winds frequently lifted tent pegs from the saturated soil  collapsing canvas tents. Constant rain quickly turned unpaved roads and paths into muddy tracks. Soldiers cooked their rations over open fires behind improvised windbreaks. Each soldier received a daily ration comprised of a pound of bread, a pound of meat or bacon and a pound of vegetables. Soldiers had limited access to hot water and bathing facilities, and seldom had the opportunity to dry their clothes and equipment. 

Hamilton Gault spent the weeks at Morn Hill ensuring the Regiment's weapons and stores were ready for war as well as continually pushing for better conditions for the men. Lieutenant-Colonel Farquhar kept the Regiment busy with preparations and training, with special emphasis placed on weapons training. Owing to Farquhar's great negotiating skills, the PPCLI exchanged their Canadian Ross rifles for British Lee Enfields and were ready for immediate deployment. 

On Sunday, December 20th, 1914, after several false starts and numerous changes to the Regiment's notice to move, 27 officers and 956 other ranks marched away from their camp at Morn Hill. Supported by 25 vehicles, 82 horses, 2 motorcycles and 10 bicycles the Regiment departed for the docks at Southampton. The battalion was third in the order of march, following the 2nd Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. The Regiment arrived in Southampton at 1640 hours and proceeded to Berth 46 to embark on the SS Cardiganshire. The Cardiganshire departed in fine weather for France at 1900 hours, moving into the Solent under a destroyer escort with its lights blacked out.

SS Cardiganshire

Captain Agar Adamson, to his great disappointment, was not with the battalion but was left behind with a small detachment of NCOs to train replacements. Neither were Talbot Papineau or Charlie Stewart who were recovering from a freak incident earlier in the month. On the night of December 3rd, Papineau and Stewart escaped with their lives when their tent went up in flames. Both men suffered severe burns. In a letter to his mother, Papineau explained, "I was sound asleep. Charlie came in about eleven o'clock. He smoked a cigarette and went to sleep. Since he and his side of the tent were more severely burned, it is probable his cigarette or a candle started it."  Although Stewart's burns were considered life threatening in the following days, both officers eventually recovered fully and joined the Regiment in France. 

The voyage across the English Channel was uneventful. SS Cardiganshire arrived at Le Havre at 0500 hours on Monday December 21st 1914 and, after a lengthy delay, docked at 1325 hours. Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry disembarked immediately and became the first Canadian fighting unit to arrive in France during the First World War. The Regiment left the docks at 1500 hours and marched through rain showers to Camp #2 outside of Le Havre, arriving at 1730 hours for an overnight stay. The battalion transport followed later, arriving at 2015 hours.

It was four long, cold, miserable months from their departure in Ottawa on that hot August day to the Regiment's arrival in France. In spite of the uninviting environment at the transit camp in Le Havre,  morale among the men was as high as the day they left home. 

I was in that gallant band of brothers affectionately know as the Pats who set out from Morn Hill Camp, Winchester on that bleak day of December 1914 enroute to Southampton and Le Havre, France. It was one of many unforgettable incidents in the glorious history of the Battalion. 

W. H. Roffey

Letter from the collection of PPCLI Regimental Archives