55th (New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island) Battalion, CEF
Encyclopedia
The 55th Battalion, CEF was formed in Prince Edward Island
and Sussex, New Brunswick
in 1915. The majority of its members came from New Brunswick. The unit was mobilized in May 1916 and sent to Valcartier for training.
They embarked in Montreal
on the SS Corsican on October 31, 1915.
As with most units arriving in the UK
, this battalion was broken up and used as replacements. On July 6, 1916, it was absorbed into the 40th Battalion.
The 55th number 42 officers and 1099 other ranks.
They were commanded by Lt. Col. J. Renfrew Kirkpatrick.
Members of this battalion served in the following battles:
Mount Sorrel, Flers-Courcelette, Thiepval
, Ancre Heights, Vimy
, Arleux, Scarpe
, Hill 70, Ypres
and Amiens
.
The 55th Battalion is perpetuated by The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
and Sussex, New Brunswick
Sussex, New Brunswick
Sussex is a Canadian town in Kings County, New Brunswick.Sussex straddles the Kennebecasis River, 70 km northeast of Saint John, and is a major dairy products producer in the province...
in 1915. The majority of its members came from New Brunswick. The unit was mobilized in May 1916 and sent to Valcartier for training.
They embarked in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
on the SS Corsican on October 31, 1915.
As with most units arriving in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, this battalion was broken up and used as replacements. On July 6, 1916, it was absorbed into the 40th Battalion.
The 55th number 42 officers and 1099 other ranks.
They were commanded by Lt. Col. J. Renfrew Kirkpatrick.
Members of this battalion served in the following battles:
Mount Sorrel, Flers-Courcelette, Thiepval
Battle of Thiepval Ridge
The Battle of Thiepval Ridge was the first large offensive mounted by the British Reserve Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough during the Battle of the Somme and was designed to benefit from British Fourth Army's Battle of Morval by starting 24 hours afterwards...
, Ancre Heights, Vimy
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
, Arleux, Scarpe
Battle of the Scarpe
The Battle of the Scarpe refers to a number of battles fought on the Western Front during World War I in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France:...
, Hill 70, Ypres
Battle of Ypres
There were five Battles of Ypres during World War I:*First Battle of Ypres *Second Battle of Ypres...
and Amiens
Battle of Amiens
The Battle of Amiens , which began on 8 August 1918, was the opening phase of the Allied offensive later known as the Hundred Days Offensive that ultimately led to the end of the First World War...
.
The 55th Battalion is perpetuated by The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
The Royal New Brunswick Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in New Brunswick. It consists of two battalions, both of which are part of 37 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment as it is now, was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of the Carleton and York Regiment,...
.