29th Vancouver Battalion, Tobin's Tigers, C.E.F.

Formed at Vancouver on 24 October 1914.

The forming Militia unit was the Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles. Men from the Irish Fusiliers regiment also volunteered to serve with the 7th and 29th Battalions in 1914. Number block: 75001-77000

Sailed from Halifax May 20, 1915. Sailing Strength 37 Officers and 1090 Other Ranks. Assigned to the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division.

Over 4,300 men served in the 29th Battalion, some for the entire war, some for only a few days. Over 600 were Killed in Action. Over 1,400 men were Wounded. Over 40 became Prisoners of War.

Unit History: MacLeod, John N. A pictorial record and original muster roll, 29th Battalion. Vancouver: Privately printed, 1919. 64 p. Also reproduced in microform format: CIHM microfiche series, no. 9-91630. Hardcover 14" x 10 3/4", 64 pages, Published for the 29th Battn. Association. January 1919. Well illustrated with black + white photos showing different soldiers, reviews, large fold out photos of "A" Company, "B" Company, "C" Company, "D" Company etc. Has lots of information and nominal roll of Original officers, non commissioned officers and men of the 29th Vancouver Battalion C.E.F.

Clyne, Henry Randolph Notman. Vancouver's 29th: a chronicle of the 29th in Flanders Field. Vancouver: Privately printed, Tobin's Tigers Association, 1964. 166 p.

Major Action Involved In:

Mount Sorrel
Somme: Flers-Courcelette
Thiepval
Ancre Heights
Arras: Vimy
Arleux
Scarpe
Hill 70
Ypres: Passchendaele
Amiens
Drocourt-Quéant
Hindenburg Line
Canal du Nord
Cambrai
Pursuit to Mons
March to the Rhine

From Nicholson:

St. Eloi Craters, p.142: April 1916 in relief of the 27th Battalion and trying to recapture Craters 2 and 3
Battle of the Somme, p.176, 178: September 1916 as the 29th occupies the enemy trenches north-east of Courcelette in 10 minutes
Vimy Ridge pp.256-257: April 1917 the 29th overran Thélus Trench, taking the south end of Hill 135
Lens pp.293-294: August 1917 resulted in crippling losses at Cinnabar Trench in the attack on Lens, with all officers killed or wounded
Amiens p.403, pp.411-412: August 1918 saw fighting in Amiens and on the Rosières-Vrély Road, with the 29th "mopping up" at the end of the battle

Commanding Officers:

Tobin 1914-10-24 to 1916-07-21
Tait 1916-07-22 to 1916-09-13
Ross 1916-10-14 to 1916-12-16
Tait 1916-12-07 to 1917-01-23
Ross 1917-01-23 to1917-03-17
Latta 1917-07-24 to 1918-09-18
Tobin 1918-09-05 to 1919-05-23

Amongst Tobin's Tigers were 1 Victoria Cross winner, over 30 Military Cross winners, and over 150 Military Medal winners.