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Guests of the Kaiser

SiteAdmin — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 03:11:30 +0000

Prisoners of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1915-18

The late Ted Wigney was Canada's foremost Great War researcher. His Roll of Honour of the CEF has become the WWI Researchers Bible. Ten years in the making in Guests of the Kaiser Ted has compiled the details of 3800 CEF POWs. The majority were taken at Ypres and Mount Sorrel, but Ted's meticulous list gives details of all POWs, those lost on Trench Raids, The March Retreats, and even divulges the Alias of the RCR deserter, Otto Doerr, who went over to the Germans before Vimy, and gave up much information on the Canadian Plans. Only Ted Wigney couls unravel the story of the RCR deserter. The book also contains the stories of the 100 Escapees, gallantry awards, and many other fascinating details of this forgotten piece of Canadian history.

by Ted Wigney

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Prisoner 5-1-11; The memoir of Harry Laird, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, 1914-1918

SiteAdmin — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 22:21:20 +0000

Limited Edition Reprint Series No.6

Prisoner 5-1-11 is the unique memoir of Harry Laird, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles. Laird was a typical young Canadian farmer who enthusiastically enlisted in 1914. His brief war came to an end on the battlefield of the infamous Ypres Salient, when on June 2nd, 1916 he had the misfortune to be holding the line at Mount Sorrel. Within hours Laird's battalion was decimated and a badly wounded Harry Laird was taken prisoner. This is Laird's unique story of life as a POW in the Kaiser's Germany and then his subsequent experience as a Canadian internee in Switzerland. Prisoner 5-1-11 was originally published in 1919.

by Harry Laird, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles

The post Prisoner 5-1-11; The memoir of Harry Laird, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, 1914-1918 first appeared on Battlefields.ca.

I, That’s Me

SiteAdmin — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 22:05:42 +0000

I, That's Me is the memoir of Major Peter Anderson, DSO & Bar of the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), Canadian Expeditionary Force. It is Anderson's unique story of being the first officer-escaper of the Great War (along with many other tales).An original officer in the 9th Battalion from Edmonton, the Danish-born Anderson was one of the original members of the First Canadian Contingent in 1914. His memoir details the confusion of their arrival at Valcartier and follows the men across to England, and finally to the battlefields of France and Flanders.It is near Ypres in 1915 that Anderson sees his first action. His description of the fighting in April 1915 is exceptional. During the gas attack he lead his men again superior odds fighting outside of the village of St. Julien. After heavy fighting the Canadians were overwhelmed and Major Anderson became one of the 1,400 Canadians captured in the battle. Imprisoned in Germany Anderson immediately started to plan his amazing escape with thoroughness and genius. He finally makes his break in October 1915, and within weeks he is back in England, and awarded the DSO.

by Peter Anderson, DSO & BAR

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