Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) of WW1  Index

General Service badge of the CEF with the most common shoulder title above.

See Index below

Lenard L BABIN created a serious attempt to track the hat-badges of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). He freely admits that his work is not a complete listing of the badges. He also explains the difficulties he met.

I salute his efforts and attempt here to take them and use them as a base to move to the next level, a colour photo of the badges, published on the WWW for the use of all at no cost.

To that end I have used some of his works to act as a sort of index or guide to work to.

Sub category index

by L L Babin.

This resulted in leaving an almost hopeless task for badge collectors who seek completion. At least thirty different manufacturers made C. E. F. badges. That accounts for the various dies and die varieties. C. E. F. badges were made in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Moose Jaw, Quebec, Montreal, and Toronto. And in England, London, Birmingham and Folkstone. I know of 32 different makers.

It is hoped that after this book has circulated thru the different collectors, a supplement can be issued listing all the additions, corrections, and deletions.

I will be pleased to receive letters from all collectors of the C. E. F. series with their comments, corrections, and additional information.

LENARD L. BABIN
324 Court Street
Rochester 7, New York

• THE CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES consisted of 
  • 260 Numbered Infantry Battalions
    • note that although there were 260 battalions raised they were reformed in the UK into 4 Divisions and Battalions ceased to exist as they were amalgamated into fighting Battalions of the Canadian Corps.
    • A total of 619,636 men  & women served. 66,655 were killed or died of wounds or illness and 172,950 were wounded.
  • 13 Mounted Rifles Regiments
  • 5 Pioneer Battalions
  • Field and Heavy Batteries of Artillery
  • Machine Gun Units
  • Cavalry Regiments
  • Ambulance units
  • Medical units
  • Dental units
  • 13 Railway Troop Battalions 
  • Depot Battalions
  • Forestry Corps
  • Labor Corps
  • Service Corps and many other Units.

There were 28 Highland Battalions: 13, I5, 16, 17, 42, 43, 67, 72, 73, 85, 92, 96, 105, 113, 134, 154, 173, 174, 179, 185, 193, 194, 219, 231, 236, 241, 246, 253. The 67th Western Scots wore Glengarries but were not kilted.

The French-Canadian Battalions were: 22, 41, 69, 150, 163, 167, 178, 206, 230, 233, 258. 

The 5 American Legion Battalions were: 97, 211 212, 213, 237. 

The 4 Irish Battalions were: 121, 199, 208, 218.

Most of the 35,000 troops of the 1914 contingent wore the copper maple leaf badge (see above) when they landed in England. There the badges were changed.

PIPE BAND BADGES

The following is a list of the Pipe Bands which has been traced so far. 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 25th, 26th, 29th, 42nd, 43rd, 46th, 47th, 49th, 67th, 72nd, 73rd, 85th. 92nd, 96th, 102nd, 104th, 107th, 113th, 134th, 154th, 173rd, 174th, 179th, 185th, 193rd, 194th, 219th, 224th, 236th, 241st, 246th, 253rd, 1st Pioneers.

1st and 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles had Mounted Pipe Bands. Canadian Infantry Company at Base Depot, Le Havre, France. Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. Canadian Forestry Corps.
The Pipe Bands which wore distinctive badges are: 26th, 29th, 49th, 102nd,

These battalions wore white metal badges of the ordinary battalion pattern: 67th, 113th, 134th, 224th.

Eaton's Department Store in Toronto made a number of different battalion badges, all of the same pattern except the numbers were different. I have seen the following Eaton's Pattern (E-81B. plate XII) Battalion badges: 81st, 83rd, 85th, 9Znd. 95th, 118th, 127th, 168th, 170th, 201st. I would appreciate hearing of any other numbers in this pattern.

Index to the Babin book, Cap Badges of the CEF

Mottoes of the CEF