Chapter XIII: 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.

LIEUT.-COL. H. MONTGOMERY CAMPBELL.]

CAPT. G. H. MAXWELL
(killed in action).]

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.

CAPT. F. FAIRWEATHER
(killed in action).]

LIEUT. REARY MCKAY
(killed in action).]

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.