The Story of the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion
From BC to Baisieux by Sgt Leonard McLeod Gould HQ 102nd Canadians WW1
The Story of the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion
From BC to Baisieux by Sgt Leonard McLeod Gould HQ 102nd Canadians WW1
A Canadian WW1 Soldier Story
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CBC Outfront put on a small radio show in December 2004 concerning Infantry Signaller Gordon Howard Dobson of the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion. He was KIA and remains never found at the end of the Battle of Passendale in Nov 1917.
The 102nd Bn CEF is one of two Bn`s I am mapping for a GPS trek based on their war diary grid refs translated into modern day latitude and longitude so you can follow them via any GPS you can buy on the commercial market.
The quick story - the unit was recruited in Comox BC in early 1916 and they deployed into the Battle Area in Belgium in mid Aug 1916 - they were one of the CEF`s 48 Battalions in operations and took their share of enemy targets and paid a heavy price. The story is on the website below - was written by a Sgt in their HQ who was a Newspaperman from Victoria. Their colours are now in Vancouver`s Christ Church Cathedral.
Flash forward to 2002 - one of his relatives sends us info to post on the 102 Bn site and we thought that was the end of the story. You will see a picture of the memorial medallion they sent to families to the left of the picture of the girl he left behind. He was from Bruce Mines Ontario.
A lady at an auction found the memorial medallion - also known as the DEAD MAN`s PENNY in a box of stuff she bought at an auction.... one thing leads to another as they say - she saw the 102 website and then got in touch with the Bruce Mines Legion and made a presentation of the medallion to them
Feel free to explore the 102nd Bn website --- they lost about 800 soldiers in 2 years of operations from Aug 1916 - Nov 1918.
In Canadian Military History - every day is Remembrance Day
(Body)
BATTLE HONOURS
"SOMME, 1916", "Ancre Heights", "Ancre, 1916", "ARRAS, 1917, 18", "VIMY, 1917", "Hill 70", ", 1917", "PASSCHENDAELE", "AMIENS", "Scarpe, 1918", "Drocourt-Queant", "HINDENBURG LINE", "CANAL du NORD", "VALENCIENNES", "France and Flanders, 1916-18".
Be sure and visit the 102nd Battalion`s Sister Unit - the 54th Kootenay Battalion
Visit the 21st Battalion from Eastern Ontario
