{"id":2958,"date":"2024-12-06T09:11:38","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T15:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/?p=2958"},"modified":"2024-12-06T09:11:40","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T15:11:40","slug":"alberta-and-world-war-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i","title":{"rendered":"Alberta and World War I"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>On July 28, 1914, World War I began. By August 4, Great Britain\u2014and by extension, its dominion Canada \u2014declared war on Germany. This period tested all Canadian provinces, including Alberta. Learn more about military recruitment, life in the trenches, and the strategic actions of soldiers in Alberta on <a href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/\">Calgaryes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a122dbfed4e8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a122dbfed4e8\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i\/#Overview_of_the_War\" >Overview of the War<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i\/#Albertas_Volunteer_Battalions\" >Alberta\u2019s Volunteer Battalions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i\/#Battalion_Organization_and_Deployments\" >Battalion Organization and Deployments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i\/#The_Conscription_Crisis\" >The Conscription Crisis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i\/#The_Final_100_Days\" >The Final 100 Days<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/eternal\/alberta-and-world-war-i\/#The_Aftermath\" >The Aftermath<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overview_of_the_War\"><\/span>Overview of the War<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"276\" height=\"183\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/1-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2959\" style=\"width:528px;height:auto\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On June 28, 1914, Bosnian Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Weeks later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, accusing it of involvement in the assassination. This event triggered two opposing alliances: the Allied Powers, led by France and Great Britain, and the Central Powers, headed by Austria-Hungary and Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The conflict began in the Balkans, spread primarily across Europe, and later expanded to the Middle East and Africa. It ended on November 11, 1918, with the Allied victory. Known as the Great War, it involved 38 countries and resulted in an estimated 8.5 million military deaths and 13 million civilian casualties. The war dissolved the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, German, and Russian Empires and created new nations such as Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, and Czechoslovakia. It also set the stage for the decline of the British Empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Albertas_Volunteer_Battalions\"><\/span>Alberta\u2019s Volunteer Battalions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When communities across Canada began organizing resources for the war effort in August 1914, Albertans readily volunteered to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the early stages of the war, many joined as volunteers. Alberta supported the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), contributing 180 cavalrymen from the 19th Alberta Dragoons, over 400 troops from the Princess Patricia\u2019s Canadian Light Infantry, 900 members from Edmonton\u2019s 101st Militia Regiment, and more than 300 from Calgary\u2019s 103rd Rifles Regiment. By 1916, Alberta had raised 24 battalions, each consisting of 1,000 soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"754\" height=\"454\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2962\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-4.png 754w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-4-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/2-4-696x419.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, upon reaching the trenches, volunteers quickly lost their initial enthusiasm. They realized they were inadequately trained, and equipment, such as the Ross Rifle, proved unreliable. Soldiers endured harsh trench conditions, infested with pests, mud, and constant dampness, along with widespread illness. The sight of wounded and dying comrades further demoralized them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In letters home, soldiers often expressed their experiences subtly, avoiding explicit details due to censorship. One soldier, Private Maus, wrote to his uncle, \u201cIt\u2019s a rather dirty picnic, without fireworks.\u201d This statement humorously hinted at the grim conditions and incessant artillery fire. Albertan soldiers, like their Canadian counterparts, served throughout the four years of trench warfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Battalion_Organization_and_Deployments\"><\/span>Battalion Organization and Deployments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some volunteers hoped to fight alongside friends or family, but few battalions remained intact. Units were often disbanded, and soldiers were reassigned to reinforce other battalions. Only four Alberta battalions remained unified and fought on the frontlines at key locations, including Ypres and Passchendaele in Belgium, the Somme in France, and Vimy Ridge. These battalions were Calgary\u2019s 50th Battalion, Edmonton\u2019s 49th Battalion, the 31st Battalion from southern Alberta, and the 10th Battalion, composed of soldiers from Calgary and Winnipeg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"726\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2965\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-3.png 726w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-3-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/3-3-696x380.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, 49,000 Albertans enlisted, including infantrymen, artillery operators, field hospital workers, and aircraft crews. However, by 1917, enthusiasm for enlisting had dwindled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Conscription_Crisis\"><\/span>The Conscription Crisis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As news of rising casualties reached the home front, recruitment efforts struggled. Prime Minister Robert Borden\u2019s government felt obligated to sustain Canada\u2019s military forces. With voluntary enlistment waning, the idea of conscription\u2014mandatory military service\u2014was introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite widespread public opposition, Borden introduced the Military Service Act, which was enacted on August 28, 1917. The goal was to recruit 70,000 new soldiers across Canada, but only 26,000 were enlisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All able-bodied men, aged 20\u201334, who were unmarried or widowed without children, were required to enlist, with few exemptions. In Calgary, 11,953 men applied for exemptions, and 60% of Edmonton\u2019s conscripts were deemed unfit for service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Final_100_Days\"><\/span>The Final 100 Days<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"739\" height=\"594\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2968\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-3.png 739w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-3-300x241.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.calgaryes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/12\/4-3-696x559.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The last 100 days leading up to the November Armistice were among the most grueling. Canadian forces participated in a series of bloody battles in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On August 8, 1918, the Battle of Amiens began, marking the first phase of a strategic offensive that would ultimately end the war. Canadian soldiers, supported by British, Australian, and French forces, broke through German defenses on the first day. Albertans of the 10th Battalion of the CEF were the first to achieve their objective, followed by the 31st Battalion. The battle ended on August 12, 1918, with the elimination of the German-held Amiens salient, which had allowed enemy artillery to threaten the strategic Paris\u2013Calais railway route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next objective for Canadian forces was the city of Arras, which remained heavily fortified by German defenses. Alberta battalions contributed to securing the Drocourt\u2013Qu\u00e9ant Line, a German defensive network between the towns of Drocourt and Qu\u00e9ant. This breakthrough allowed the Allies to advance toward the German border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Albertan battalions remained at the forefront during subsequent campaigns, achieving victories at the North Canal, Cambrai, and Valenciennes. They played a significant role in liberating the Belgian city of Mons. As Germany\u2019s allies began to collapse, internal unrest and revolution within Germany led to Kaiser Wilhelm II\u2019s abdication on November 9. Two days later, Germany signed the Armistice of Compi\u00e8gne, ending the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Aftermath\"><\/span>The Aftermath<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By the war\u2019s end, approximately 6,140 Albertans had died, and another 20,000 were wounded. One in eight soldiers did not return home alive. Losses were felt across the province. For instance, out of 250 men enlisted from the town of Gleichen, one in five was killed. Edmonton\u2019s 49th Battalion recorded approximately 1,000 casualties, with nearly all soldiers lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Veterans began returning home in February 1919, but Alberta was forever changed by the war. Both soldiers and civilians bore the scars of the conflict, profoundly affecting the province\u2019s society and outlook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Photo: Provincial Archives of Alberta<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On July 28, 1914, World War I began. By August 4, Great Britain\u2014and by extension, its dominion Canada \u2014declared war on Germany. This period tested all Canadian provinces, including Alberta. Learn more about military recruitment, life in the trenches, and the strategic actions of soldiers in Alberta on Calgaryes. Overview of the War On June [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":413,"featured_media":2971,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[498],"tags":[1316,1312,1313,1322,1318,1314,1317,1321,1311,1243,1315,1319,1323,1320,1310],"motype":[491],"moformat":[1252],"moimportance":[101,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-2958","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-voenna-istoria","8":"tag-alberta-battalions-wwi","9":"tag-alberta-in-wwi","10":"tag-alberta-volunteer-battalions","11":"tag-alberta-wwi-casualties","12":"tag-albertan-soldiers-wwi","13":"tag-battle-of-amiens","14":"tag-battle-of-vimy-ridge","15":"tag-calgary-10th-battalion","16":"tag-canadian-expeditionary-force","17":"tag-canadian-military-history","18":"tag-drocourt-queant-line","19":"tag-edmonton-49th-battalion","20":"tag-first-world-war-alberta","21":"tag-robert-borden-conscription","22":"tag-trench-warfare-alberta","23":"motype-eternal","24":"moformat-c-l","25":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","26":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/413"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2958"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2974,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2958\/revisions\/2974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2958"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2958"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2958"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgaryes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}