Bruce County History

Military History

 

The 160th Bruce Battalion

Part of the proud heritage of Bruce County is our men and women who served their country in times of armed conflict. The Bruce County Library System some time ago introduced a website, Bruce County Virtual War Memorial, commemorating those from Bruce County who had given the ultimate sacrifice. A thank you to the Bruce County Library for bringing this important part of our history to us.

Now you can read the war diaries of one of Bruce County's finest, the 160th Bruce Battalion. The period covered is from June 1, 1917 to February 28, 1918. There is also a link at the Bruce County Virtual War Memorial.

 

A patriotic song, Here's to the Boys of the 160, was written by Muriel Farrell and dedicated to the 160th Bruce Battalion, Lieut-Col. Weir. A copy of the score is available at Library and Archives Canada (Amicus No. 17577150). You can read the lyrics here.

If you want to read more about the 160th, get a copy of Heroes in Waiting: The 160th Bruce Battalion in the Great War by Allan Bartley (Port Elgin, Ont.: Brucedale Press, 1996, 208 p.) (Amicus No. 15477972).

You might also like to track down a copy of Bruce in Khaki, containing a history of the 160th Overseas Bruce Battalion and complete nominal roll of all men who were at any time on the strength of the Battalion (James Frederick Treve & Thomas Johnston, eds.: Chesley, Ont., 1934, 82 p.) (Amicus No. 175443660), as well as a copy of Christmas Day 1916: Roster of 160th Bruce Battn. (Aldershot, 1916, 16 p.) (Amicus No. 36133929).

 

The 32nd Bruce Battalion

from The History of the County of Bruce by Norman Robertson

The list at the bottom of this page contains the names of all members of the Independent Companies, (the Companies of which the 32nd Bruce Battalion was composed upon its organization on the 14th of September, 1866), to whom has been awarded the Canadian General Service Medal for services rendered in the suppression of the Fenian Raid of 1866.

The 32nd Battalion was not called out on active service in 1870 and no medal, therefore, has been awarded for that year.

Among other residents in the County who received Fenian Raid medals for service in other corps than the 32nd Battalion are: Thomas Dixon, H.P. O’Connor, David Traill, John Henderson, W.A. McLean, W.A. Green, and Norman Robertson.

The following list contains the names of all members of the 32nd Regiment who have been awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces officers’ Decoration or Long Service Medal respectively, and whose decorations or medals have been engraved “32nd Reg’t.”

There are probably others who have been awarded the distinction, who counted time serviced in the 32nd Regiment towards the necessary qualifying of twenty years, but whose last service was performed in some other corps.

C.A.F. Officers’ Decoration
Lieut.-Colonel J.H. Scott
Surgeon-Major Dr. W.H. Martyn
P.M. and Hon.-Major J. Henderson
Captain J. Douglas
Lieut. C.A. Richards

C.A.F. Long Service Medal
P.M. and Hon.-Major A.B. Klein
Q.M. and Hon.-Major D. Robertson
Captain T. Mitchell
Q.M. Sergeant J.A. Hogg
Bandmaster D. Fisher
Sergeant C. Hurford
Sergeant H.D. Wettlaufer
Private D. Bell

Members of the 32nd Bruce Battalion
Upon its organization on the 14th of September, 1866

Robert Arnill	Joseph Harrison	Chris. Parker
Thomas Atchison	James Hay	John Parker
Thomas Bailey	Robert Hunter	John Pierson
Chris R.Barker	William Hunter	John P. Quinn
Cyrus Barnum	Robert Irving	Donald Robertson
James Bartley	James Johns	John Robertson
Alex. E. Belcher	John Johns	John Robinson
Joseph Blakeway	William Johnston	Malcolm Ross
John Boal	John Jolliffe	Pascho Saunders
Edward Bowles	John R. Kay	Martin Schroeder
William Boyd	David Kay	William S. Scott
Lachlan Boyd	John H. Kean	James Scott
William Brown	Thomas Kidd	John Sellery
John Brown	Richard Kidd	David Shanks
Thomas Burgess	John King	George Simpson
James Burns	Peter Larose	William Sparrow
John C. Byers	Thomas Levins	Henry Stanley
Hugh Campbell	Jasper Lillie	Hugh Steele
Richard Collins	Murdock Mackenzie	Samuel Steele
Henry Collins	Duncan Mackenzie	William Thompson
Edward Collins	John Magill	Richard Tranter
Edmund Collins	James McCue	Josiah Tranter
Thomas Collins	Thomas McCue	William Tranter
Henry R. Collins	Alex. McDowell	William Tully
Edward Colwell	Malcolm McGillivray	John J. Walker
James G. Cooper	Thomas McGinnis	Levi Walker
Donald Currie	Wm. M. McKibbin	Elijah Welsford
James Daniel	Samuel McLean	James D. Wilkie
William Daniel	Alex. McLean	Thomas Wilson
William H. Daniel	Wm. J. McMenemy	Alex. Wright
Matthew Darling	Alex. McNabb
John A. Darling	Peter McPherson
William C. Davie	John McTaggart
Robert Dewstow	John Merritt
Robert Donnelly	John D. Merryfield
Gideon Doupe	Mounty Mick
George Elliott	John Millar
James Fair	Andrew Millar
William Fanning	James Millar
Chris F. Forest	John Miller
Thomas Fortune	William Mitchell
John Fortune	Alex. Moffat
Thomas Foster	Thomas Morrison
Daniel Gossell	Vincent Mosser
Francis Graham	Angus Munn
George Green	Samual Nowry
John Guest	John Nowry
William Hall	David Ogg
Henry Hall	Samuel B. Osborne