The 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

of the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

during the

Great War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The 75th Battalion was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 29 March 1916. It disembarked in France on 12 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade,

4th Canadian Division The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infantr ...

in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

History

The 75th Battalion was authorized on 10 July 1915. Recruitment was undertaken in Toronto, Hamilton and London, Ontario and the unit was mobilized at Toronto. The 75th was formed by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel G. Beckett, who had been trained as a cavalry officer in the 9th Mississauga Horse. Following training in Niagara and Toronto, the 75th left for overseas on 29 March 1916 and arrived on 9 April 1916. On arrival in England they formed part of the newly created 11th Brigade of the

and saw their first action in the trenches in Belgium in August 1916. Within the month, the 75th Battalion was at the Somme and fought with great distinction in the battles at the Regina and Desire Trenches. In December, the 75th had been moved to

Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...

, immediately after taking part in the assault on the Regina Trench, where they, with the rest of the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...

dug in, prepared for, and waited until the great assault on 9 April 1917. On the night of February 28 – 1 March 1917, the 75th, along with the 72nd, the 73rd, and the 54th Battalions were chosen to conduct a multi-battalion sized raid on German positions at Hill 145 at Vimy Ridge in preparation for the larger assault 5 weeks later. A total of 1,700 personnel of all ranks participated in this large scale raid, 491 (all ranks) participating from the 75th. The defensive position was manned by soldiers of the 261st Regiment "Section Fischer" in the centre, on the left as the Canadians attacked, was the 16th Bavarian Infantry Division, and the 262nd Regiment "Section Zollern" on the right. All 75th Battalion troops were ready at their jumping off point just behind the Snargate Trench by 0250 hours.

Phosgene Phosgene is the organic chemical compound with the formula COCl2. It is a toxic, colorless gas; in low concentrations, its musty odor resembles that of freshly cut hay or grass. Phosgene is a valued and important industrial building block, espe ...

gas had been released by the Canadians prior to going "over the top". The gas release had alerted the defenders that an attack was forthcoming, and the alarm was raised. German shells began a steady fire on the Canadian lines, some hitting canisters of Chlorine gas that had been brought forward but not deployed. The Battalion had to wait until the gas cleared before advancing. A second wave of gas released by the 12th Brigade rolled down no-mans land right on top of the 75th, further delaying the assault. By this time the Germans were fully prepared, and waiting. After waiting for their own artillery barrage, they finally advanced at 0547 hours. The German defences were too strong to breach, especially on the right of the battalion's attack, and the battalion had no choice but to retire to the comparative safety of their own lines. The raid was especially costly, as it claimed the life of the

Commanding Officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

, LCol S.G. Beckett, his adjutant Maj. James Miles Langstaff, and a total of 9 Officers, 112 other ranks killed, missing or wounded. These losses so depleted the battalion that its participation in the multi-divisional assault of Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917 was as a weakened battalion in the 11th Brigade, behind the 87th Battalion, the 102nd Battalion, and the 11th Canadian Machine Gun Company. Elements of the 75th attacked in the first wave at 0530 hrs in front of the Tottenham Trench on a particularly stubborn German sniping position. By 1500 hours the area was reported clear with 40 prisoners captured. One member of the 75th Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross. Medical Officer Captain

Bellenden Hutcheson Bellenden Seymour Hutcheson (16 December 1883 – 9 April 1954) was an American-born Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) during the First World War. The VC is the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded t ...

was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

for his actions on 2 September 1918 at the Drocourt-Quéant Line. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

Perpetuation

The 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF is perpetuated by

The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Lineage File:Tor Scots Colour.jpg, The regimen ...

Commanding officers

The 75th Battalion had three commanding officers: *Lt.-Col. S.G. Beckett, 1 April 1916 – 1 March 1917 *Lt.-Col. C.B. Worsnop, DSO, 11 March 1917 – 16 April 1917 *Lt.-Col. A.J. C.C. Harbottle, DSO, 16 April 1917 – DemobilizationMeek, John F. ''Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War.'' Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971.

References

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History

Perpetuation

Commanding officers

See Also

References

Further reading