A look at the Ontario Regiment’s list of battle honours will reveal a rather curious one: “Somme, 1916”. All of the Ontario Regiment’s First World War battle honours come from perpetuating the 116^th Battalion, CEF. The battle honours granted to the 116^th Battalion are carried by the Ontario Regiment.

This presents an odd situation because the 116^th Battalion did not arrive in France until February 1917 and did not participate in any battles until Vimy Ridge in April. How did the 116^th Battalion get credit for a battle that was completed in 1916, several months before they arrived in France? The explanation can be found in a 1928 general order entitled, “Conditions of Award of Battle Honours for the Great War 1914-1919” (the entire general order can be found on www.regimentalrogue.com). Section 12 stated:

“A Militia regiment, perpetuating a C.E.F. unit which sent reinforcements from Canada or England prior to its own arrival in France, will be awarded honours (in addition to those to which it is entitled for other services) in respect to battles where not less than 250 men originally in the perpetuated unit were present; except that in the case of battles falling within a group such honours shall be restricted to the group name only. Subject to this restriction, if these men were in units which attacked or were attacked, the names of the battles will be available for selection as honours to be emblazoned on the Colours of the Militia regiment.“

The key condition is the 250 men. The 116^th Battalion sent about 300 men to the 2^nd Battalion, CEF in October 1916. The 2^nd Battalion fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and was granted a battle honour for it. This meant that the 116^th Battalion was also granted “Somme, 1916” as a battle honour.

The 116^th did not send drafts to other battalions while in Canada. There were a few drafts of less than 100 men each that were sent to other battalions after the 116^th Battalion arrived in England. This did not meet the criteria described above, so the 116^th was not eligible to receive battle honours for those. The previously mentioned draft of 300 men to the 2^nd Battalion was the final one given up by the 116^th. Those men were replaced by incoming drafts largely from the 126^th Battalion and 135^th Battalion. After this time, it began to be clear that the 116^th Battalion would be sent to France intact, due to the efforts of Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe.

“Somme, 1916” was the only battle honour granted to the 116^th Battalion via the reinforcement provision of the 1928 general order. The motivated reader may look up the battle honours of the 2^nd Battalion, CEF and see that “Ancre Heights” appears. This battle took place after the draft from the 116^th had been taken on strength and before the 116^th arrived in France (allowing them to earn their own battle honours). The conditions listed above refer to battle honours that fall in a group. “Ancre Heights” was part of a series of battles that comprised the “Somme, 1916” group battle honour. Only the battle honour for the main group could be granted to the battalion that provided reinforcements.

“Somme, 1916” is not one of the major battle honours and therefore does not appear on the Regiment’s guidon. It was awarded to the Ontarios by General Order 123/29 in 1929.

Rod Henderson

Rod Henderson is the Regimental Historian of the Ontario Regiment. He served as a Sergeant in the Regiment and is the author of “Fidelis Et Paratus: The History of The Ontario Regiment RCAC”.