The history of 4th Canadian Division
Formed in England in April 1916, the Division assembled at Bramshott and crossed to France in August 1916. As with other Canadian Divisions, lack of artillery was the constraint and the Division was initially joined by the former artillery of 3rd (Lahore) Division, recently attached to 3rd Canadian Division. Once overseas the Division fought in many of the major actions of the war, including:
1916
The Battle of Le Transloy*
The Battle of the Ancre Heights*
The Battle of the Ancre*
The battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916
1917
The Battle of Vimy**
Operations towards Lens**
The affairs south of Souchez river**
The capture of Avion**
The Battle of Hill 70**
The battles marked ** are phases of the Arras Offensive
The Second Battle of Passchendaele (a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
1918
The Canadian Divisions were not affected by the restructuring of the army to having three brigades per Division, that took place in the British Divisions in February 1918. They were not involved in the defensive fighting against the German attack in spring 1918.
The Battle of Amiens and actions around Damery
The Battle of Drocourt-Queant (a phase of the Second Battles of Arras 1918)
The Battle of the Canal du Nord and the capture of Bourlon Wood^ (a phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of Valenciennes and the capture of Mont Houy
The Battle of the Sambre and the passage of the Grand Honelle
The Division was not selected to advance into Germany and demobilisation commenced in late 1918. Most elements crossed to England in March 1919 and home soon after.
The order of battle of the 4th Canadian Division
| 10th Canadian Brigade | |
|---|---|
| 44th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Manitoba) | |
| 46th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (S Saskatchewan) | |
| 47th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (British Columbia) | |
| 50th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Calgary) | |
| 10th Canadian Machine Gun Company | formed August 1916 left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918 |
| 10th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery | joined October 1916 |
| 11th Canadian Brigade | |
| 54th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Kootenay) | |
| 75th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Mississauga) | |
| 87th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Grenadier Guards) | joined June 1916 |
| 102nd Bn, the Canadian Infantry (N British Columbia) | |
| 11th Canadian Machine Gun Company | formed August 1916 left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918 |
| 11th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery | joined October 1916 |
| 12th Canadian Brigade | |
| 38th Bn, the Canadian Infntry (Ottawa) | |
| 51st Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Edmonton) | left 3 November 1916 |
| 72nd Bn, the Canadian Inf (Seaforth Highlanders) | |
| 73rd Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Royal Highlanders) | |
| 78th Bn, the Canadian Inf (Winnipeg Grenadiers) | |
| 87th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Grenadier Guards) | left June 1916 |
| 12th Canadian Machine Gun Company | formed August 1916 left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918 |
| 12th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery | formed October 1916 |
| Divisional Troops | under direct command of Divisional HQ |
| 4th Canadian Pioneer Battalion | retitled from 67th Bn, the Canadian Infantry (Western Scots), disbanded April 1917 |
| 124th Canadian Pioneer Battalion | joined March 1917, retitled from Governor-General’s Bodyguard, moved into Engineer Brigade June 1918 |
| 16th Canadian Machine Gun Company | joined December 1916 left to move into 4th Canadian MG Battalion March 1918 |
| 4th Canadian Machine Gun Battalion | formed March 1918 |
| 4th Canadian Divisional Train ASC | later titled 784, 795, 796, 797 Companies |
| 4th Canadian Mobile Veterinary Section AVC | |
| 4th Canadian Divisional Employment Company | joined June 1917 |
| Divisional Mounted Troops | under direct command of Divisional HQ |
| 4th Canadian Cyclist Company | joined April 1916, left May 1916 |
| Yukon Detachment (Machine Gun) | joined April 1916, left August 1916 |
| Divisional Artillery | |
| V Brigade, RFA | British unit. Joined September 1916, left July 1917 |
| XI Brigade, RFA | British unit. Joined April 1916, left July 1917 |
| XVIII Brigade, RFA | British unit. Joined September 1916, left July 1917 |
| 3rd Canadian Brigade, RFA | joined May 1917 |
| 4th Canadian Brigade, RFA | joined May 1917 |
| 4th Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| W.4.C Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA | joined June 1916, retitled as V.4.C in 1918 |
| X.4.C, Y.4.C and Z.4.C Medium Mortar Batteries RFA | formed June 1916; in February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each |
| Royal Engineers | Field Companies formed into a 4th Brigade in June 1918 |
| 10th Canadian Field Company | |
| 11th Canadian Field Company | |
| 12th Canadian Field Company | |
| 4th Canadian Divisional Signals Company | |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | |
| 11th Canadian Field Ambulance | |
| 12th Canadian Field Ambulance | |
| 13th Canadian Field Ambulance |