The Lincoln and Welland Regiment was placed "on service"
on 26 August 1939 to provide guards for vital points
in the Niagara Peninsula. It was then "stood down."
The 1st Battalion of the Regiment was mobilized in June
1940 and following training in Niagara, it was sent to
Nanaimo, BC, for a short period. The Battalion then was
sent to Newfoundland, a British colony and considered
to be overseas. After a short period of garrison duty
it was sent overseas where it became a unit of 10 Canadian
Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian
Armoured Division.
The Battalion suffered its first casualties due to enemy
action when a VI Flying Bomb struck B Company's cook-house
just after the evening meal, killing nine and wounding
16 men.
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The Battalion landed in France on 25 July 1944
and for the next 11 months fought its way through France,
Belgium, Holland and Germany. It suffered 1548 casualties,
of which 345 were killed.
The valour of these men was recognized in the award of:
6 Distinguished Service Orders
5 Military Crosses
1 Distinguished Conduct Medal
12 Military Medals
2 Order of the British Empire
1 Croix de Guerre (France)
2 Order of Leopold, with Palm (Belgium)
6 Croix de Guerre, 1940 (Belgium)
3 Order of the Bronze Lion (Netherlands)
2 Order of the Bronze Cross (Netherland)
The 1st Battalion earned the following Battle Honours:
FALAISE
Falaise Road
THE LAISON
Chambois
The Seine, 1944
MOERBRUGGE
THE SHELDT
Breskens Pocket
THE LOWER MAAS
KAPELSCHE VEER
THE RHINELAND
THE HOCKWALD
Veen
TWENTE CANAL
Friesoythe
Kütsten Canal
Bad Zwischenahan
NORTH WEST EUROPE, 1944-1945
