_THE 64th BATTALION, C.E.F._
The 64th Battalion was authorized in June, 1915, and mobilized at
Sussex, N.B., August 15th, 1915. It was originally intended that this
should be a Highland Battalion raised in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and
Prince Edward Island; and having this in view, the officers were
selected from the three provinces proportionately.
When the Unit started to recruit, owing to New Brunswick and Prince
Edward Island being still busy completing the 55th Battalion, all the
recruits came from Nova Scotia, and eventually, when New Brunswick and
Prince Edward Island began sending their quota, the ranks swelled to
over 2,300, whereas the strength of a Battalion was only about 1,100 all
ranks.
[Illustration:
LIEUT.-COL. H. MONTGOMERY CAMPBELL.]
[Illustration:
CAPT. G. H. MAXWELL
(killed in action).]
[Illustration:
LIEUT. H. M. CAMPBELL
(killed in action).]
The 104th Battalion was then authorized as a New Brunswick Battalion,
and all the New Brunswick men with some of the officers were transferred
to the new Unit.
Lieut.-Col. H. Montgomery Campbell, late 8th Hussars and Commanding
Officer 11th Infantry Brigade, Military District No. 6, was appointed
Commanding Officer 64th Battalion.
The Battalion organized and trained for ten weeks at Sussex, and early
in November moved to Halifax, where at Pier No. 2 it went into winter
quarters, continuing training till finally sailing on the 31st of March,
1916, for Liverpool on the _S.S. Adriatic_.
The following officers proceeded overseas with the Unit:
O.C., Lieut.-Col. H. Montgomery Campbell Formerly 8th Hussars, N.B.
Second in Command, Major H. Flowers „ 1st C.G.A., N.S.
Junior Major, Major G. H. Maxwell „ 1st C.G.A., N.S.
Company Commanders—
Major Angus W. McArthur „ 78th Regt., N.S.
Major G. Guy McLaughlin „ 67th Regt., N.B.
Major Guy L. Mott „ 81st Regt., N.S.
Major Francis L. Stephens „ 66th Regt., N.S.
Captains—
Anglin, Gerald C. „ O.T.C., N.B.
Barbour, Roydon McF. „ O.T.C., N.B.
Bowron, Edward H. „ 78th Regt., N.S.
Fairweather, Frank R. „ 62nd Regt., N.B.
Lieutenants—
Blois, Arthur O. „ 66th Regt., N.S.
Campbell, Herbert M. „ 81st Regt., N.S.
Curren, Reginald H. „ 14th K.C.H., N.S.
Flowers, Eric P. „ 1st C.G.A., N.S.
Gale, John R. „ 62nd, N.B.
Guildford, David A. „ 1st C.G.A., N.B.
Gunn, James D. „ 69th, N.S.
Henry, John D. „ 8th Hussars, N.B.
Hobkirk, Charles H. „ 71st, N.B.
Keswick, Robert McL. „ 73rd, N.B.
McKay, Reary „ O.T.C., N.B.
McLean, James D. „ O.T.C., N.B.
McCleave, Harry A. „ 76th, N.S.
Murray, Ralph M. „ 74th, N.B.
O’Leary, Harry „ 73rd, N.B.
Perks, Arthur J. „ 66th, N.S.
Rogers, William M. „ 63rd, N.S.
Russell, Bernard W. „ C.F.A. N.S.
Watt, William L. „ 73rd, N.B.
Wetmore, Norman H. „ O.T.C., N.B.
Winslow, Donald B. „ C.F.A., N.B.
Adjutant, Captain J. Hutton Wallace „ 81st, N.S.
Medical Officer, Capt. Arthur C. Jost „ C.A.M.C., N.S.
Quartermaster, Captain Samuel S. Wright „ R.C.G.A., N.S.
Chaplains—
Hon. Capt., Rev. Wm. Fowler Parker „ N.B.
Hon. Capt., Rev. Father Patrick McQuillan „ N.S.
Paymaster, Hon. Capt. Robert M. Hope „ C.F.A., N.B.
On arrival in England, April 9th, the Battalion moved to Bramshott,
where it remained for four weeks. It then moved to Otterpool for
preliminary musketry, proceeding to Lidd for the final training in that
branch. During the stay at Otterpool the Battalion was attached to the
6th Training Brigade, being inspected by Major-General Sir Sam Steele,
together with the 63rd, 66th and 69th Battalions. After the inspection
Major-General Steele informed the troops that they were fully equal to
any troops he had ever inspected, but that owing to certain exigencies
of the war it was impracticable to send them to the Front as Units. Next
day the drafting commenced and 198 were sent to the A.S.C.
[Illustration:
CAPT. F. FAIRWEATHER
(killed in action).]
[Illustration:
LIEUT. REARY MCKAY
(killed in action).]
[Illustration:
LIEUT. H. A. M‘CLEAVE
(killed in action).]
After one week at Lidd an order was received to send to Shorncliffe all
those who had completed musketry. Five hundred other ranks in charge of
Captain Fairweather moved out of camp at 5 a.m. The next week was spent
completing musketry, and on the following Sunday the remainder of the
Battalion moved back to Otterpool. Other drafts were almost immediately
called for of both officers and men.
On July 3rd the last move was made to Caesar’s Camp near Folkestone. The
remainder of the Battalion was handed over to the 40th Reserve, and the
64th for all practical purposes ceased to exist. The O.C. and Staff were
employed in winding up the affairs of the Unit, the other remaining
officers being ordered to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to
France.
Every officer of this Unit eventually proceeded to France. Of the
thirty-nine officers the following paid the supreme sacrifice, namely:
Major G. H. Maxwell, Capt. Frank Fairweather, Capt. J. Hutton Wallace,
Lieut. Herbert M. Campbell, Lieut. C. H. Hobkirk, Lieut. Reary McKay,
Lieut. N. H. Wetmore, Lieut. H. A. McCleave—eight in all. Of the
remainder twenty-four were wounded, only seven escaping the casualty
list.
This Battalion was undoubtedly one of the best trained Battalions
leaving Canada. Many of its N.C.O.’s finally reached the Commissioned
Ranks, and the Units in France were always pleased to get a detachment
of 64th men.