3 Brigade Sections 90 Horse lines 20 Divisional signal office 30 Line maintenance 30 DRs and Orderlies 30 Up Parties” “Picking (old wire) 5 Cooks, Batmen, Clerks 10 Total 215 The Company had only one casualty on the Somme: Cpl W.A. Taylor on 15 November 1916. The Canadian operations at the Somme cost 24,029 casualties, 31 per cent of the total strength of 77,000, for taking a num- ber of German strong points and a few trench systems, and advanced the front line about a mile. One positive result was that the learned valuable CEF lessons, mainly how not to at- tack German defences. The next offensive would see all four divisions attacking together with improved infantry tactics, improved ar- tillery support, and improved communica- tions, especially from brigade forward, all HQ vital to success. The last three months of 1916 had been less costly to Canadian Signallers in terms of casualties, in addition to Cpl W.A. Taylor there was: Capt W.W. Wilson, Paymaster for 1 Div Sigs Coy; Spr V.F. Posthill, Sig Coy; and Sgt W. Bird, Sigs CHQ Trg Depot. On 18 November 1916, Sir George Perley, the Canadian High Commissioner presented awards. For his leadership at the Somme Maj T. E. Powers received the and also a DSO MiD. There were 9 awards of the 3 awards of MC, the and 20 awards of the For the DCM, MM. first time a Bar to the was awarded to Sgts MM H.J. Faulkner and E.G. Weeks, and Cpl L.P Smardon. There were 10 awards of a MiD. Another eight were commissioned NCOs from the ranks. Just as a reminder that not everyone was a saint, 1 Div Sigs Coy War Diary recorded that on 18 December 1916, the was court-martialled for drunkenness, and CSM re- duced in rank to private.
3 Brigade Sections 90 Horse lines 20 Divisional signal office 30 Line maintenance 30 DRs and Orderlies 30 “Picking Up Parties” (old wire) 5 Cooks, Batmen, Clerks 10 Total 215 The Company had only one casualty on the Somme: Cpl W.A. Taylor on 15 November 1916. The Canadian operations at the Somme cost 24,029 casualties, 31 per cent of the total strength of 77,000, for taking a num- ber of German strong points and a few trench systems, and advanced the front line about a mile. One positive result was that the CEF learned valuable lessons, mainly how not to at- tack German defences. The next offensive would see all four divisions attacking together with improved infantry tactics, improved ar- tillery support, and improved communica- tions, especially from brigade HQ forward, all vital to success. The last three months of 1916 had been less costly to Canadian Signallers in terms of casualties, in addition to Cpl W.A. Taylor there was: Capt W.W. Wilson, Paymaster for 1 Div Sigs Coy; Spr V.F. Posthill, CHQ Sig Coy; and Sgt W. Bird, Sigs Trg Depot. On 18 November 1916, Sir George Perley, the Canadian High Commissioner presented awards. For his leadership at the Somme Maj T. E. Powers received the DSO and also a MiD. There were 9 awards of the MC, 3 awards of the DCM, and 20 awards of the MM. For the first time a Bar to the MM was awarded to Sgts H.J. Faulkner and E.G. Weeks, and Cpl L.P Smardon. There were 10 awards of a MiD. Another eight NCOs were commissioned from the ranks. Just as a reminder that not everyone was a saint, 1 Div Sigs Coy War Diary recorded that on 18 December 1916, the CSM was court-martialled for drunkenness, and re- duced in rank to private.
semaphore-to-satellite-chapter-2.docx