INTRODUCTION

There were very few, if any, Canadian Militia¹ Regiments² that succeeded in keeping their identity in France throughout the Great War. The reasons for this were—Firstly, the recruiting system, by means of which men were gathered into the Battalions⁵ of the Expeditionary Force, through the different Militia Regiments; the majority of the overseas Battalions being formed by drafts from three, four, five and sometimes more different Regiments. Secondly⁶, the method of reinforcement, which distributed officers and men to Battalions in France disregarding any other principle except that these officers and men were from the same Province as the Battalion⁴ to which they were going. And even this did not hold good at all times.

The fact remains⁷, however, that the 116th Battalion was recruited and fostered in the County of Ontario and led to France and in France by an officer of the 34th Regiment³. In consequence, a few details concerning the military history of that County and the parent regiment may be of interest to those members of the 116th who joined the Battalion from other parts of the Province and through other regiments.

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The County of Ontario can justly claim credit to have been one of the first counties in the Province to recognize and fulfil its militia obligations, the first company of militia in the County being formed at Oshawa and known as The Oshawa Rifle Company.

Lieut. Colonel Bick, the Commanding Officer of the 34th Regiment, has in his possession a bugle⁸ with the following inscription⁹:

“Presented by the Ladies of Oshawato the Oshawa
Rifle Company on their return home from the
Front, June 1866.”

The 34th Ontario County Regiment was organized in accordance with the general orders of September 14th, 1866, and was composed of ten companies and H.Q. as follows:—
Battalion and Staff H.Q.     Whitby
No. 1      Company                 Whitby
2     "           Brooklin
3     "           Oshawa
4     "           Greenwood
5     "           Port Perry
6     "           Uxbridge
7     "           Beaverton
8     "           Pickering
9     "           Columbus
10     "           Cannington

Sometime afterwards the Battalion was reduced to seven companies, those at Greenwood, Port Perry and Columbus being eliminated.

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In 1905 one more Company was added with Headquarters at Brechin and the distribution at the present time is as follows:—
Regimental H.Q.                       Whitby
A.     Company           Oshawa
B.     "           Whitby
C.     "           Oshawa
D.     "           Beaverton
E.     "           Uxbridge
F.     "           Port Perry
G.     "           Cannington
H.     "           Oshawa.

During the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1868, Ontario County contributed its quota¹⁰ and a number of Ontario County men saw service in the North-West Rebellion of 1885, some of whom are still living in the County.

When war broke out in August, 1914, recruiting centres were established throughout Ontario County, and almost immediately the 34th Regiment was asked to supply a draft of 125 men for the First Contingent¹¹.

So great was the response to the call for this draft that finally 7 officers and 200 other ranks went to Valcartier to join the 2nd and 4th Battalions.

During the interval¹² between the departure of the First Contingent and the enrolling¹³ of the Second, a great deal of preparatory work was done, but recruiting was not the only military activity of the times, as there was considerable anxiety felt throughout the County regarding the attitude of the alien population.

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The public buildings throughout the County were placed under guard, and upwards¹⁴ of 300 aliens were paroled and kept under surveillance. Great credit is due to Major A. F. Hind¹⁵, at that time Chief of Police in Oshawa and later an officer in the 116th Battalion, for the efficient way in which this work was carried on.

During the month of May, 1915, Lieut. Colonel Bick, Officer Commanding the 34th Regiment, prior to his departure for Niagara with the 37th Overseas Battalion, appointed Captain G. W. P. Every of Whitby (later transferred to the 116th Battalion), to carry on recruiting throughout the County. Many small drafts of officers and men were despatched to the different overseas Battalions at that time being formed, including 27 other ranks to the 58th Battalion which was afterwards closely connected with the 116th in France; and so things went along until October, 1915, when the 116th Ontario County Battalion was authorized¹⁶. Major S. S. Sharpe, second in command of the 34th Regiment, was given the command of the Battalion. Headquarters were established at Uxbridge with companies distributed as follows:—
A.     Company     Uxbridge     Major H. P. Cooke
B.     "     Beaverton     Major F. H. Moody¹⁷
C.     "     Whitby     Major G. W. P. Every
D.     "     Oshawa     Major A. F. Hind

Lieut.-Colonel Sharpe immediately set to work to enlist¹⁸ the sympathy and secure the co-operation of the citizens in all parts of the County.

A Civilian¹⁹ Recruiting League was formed and a[11] deputation sent to wait upon the County Council and ask for financial assistance. The County Council responded in a magnificent manner to the request and voted $5,000 to the 116th Battalion—$2,000 for the purchase of band instruments, and $3,000 for recruiting purposes.

Many other generous donations were made to the Battalion by the people of Ontario County including the Colours of the Battalion, which were carried through Belgium, with great pride, after the Armistice²⁰.

The progress made in recruiting during the winter was such that by May, 1916, the Battalion was 1,145 strong, and on the 23rd of July, 1916, set sail from Halifax for England on the old reliable H.M.T. “Olympic.”

1 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

2 regiments   

（军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物

参考例句：

• The three regiments are all under the command of you. 这三个团全归你节制。
• The town was garrisoned with two regiments. 该镇有两团士兵驻守。

3 regiment   

n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制

参考例句：

• As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
• They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

4 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

5 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 bugle   

n.军号，号角，喇叭；v.吹号，吹号召集

参考例句：

• When he heard the bugle call, he caught up his gun and dashed out.他一听到军号声就抓起枪冲了出去。
• As the bugle sounded we ran to the sports ground and fell in.军号一响，我们就跑到运动场集合站队。

9 inscription   

n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文

参考例句：

• The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
• He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

10 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

11 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

12 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

13 enrolling   

v.招收( enrol的现在分词 )；吸收；入学；加入；[亦作enrol]( enroll的现在分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They lashed out at the university enrolling system. 他们猛烈抨击大学的招生制度。 来自辞典例句
• You're enrolling in a country club, Billy. 你是注册加入乡村俱乐部了，比利。 来自辞典例句

14 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

15 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

16 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

17 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

18 enlist   

vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍

参考例句：

• They come here to enlist men for the army.他们来这儿是为了召兵。
• The conference will make further efforts to enlist the support of the international community for their just struggle. 会议必将进一步动员国际社会，支持他们的正义斗争。

19 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

20 armistice   

n.休战，停战协定

参考例句：

• The two nations signed an armistice.两国签署了停火协议。
• The Italian armistice is nothing but a clumsy trap.意大利的停战不过是一个笨拙的陷阱。