March 31, 2026. 111 years ago, on June 13, 1915, 1,148 soldiers – 42 officers and 1,106 other ranks – from the 26th New Brunswick Battalion boarded the Anchor Line Steamship ‘Caledonia’ and left the Saint John, New Brunswick harbour, enroute to the United Kingdom, for military service in the WWI battlefields in Europe.
Scene at embarkation of 26th Battalion and ammunition column CEF, St. John, New Brunswick, June 13, 1915. No. 9. (Photo source: D. Smith Reid, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
When the battalion returned home at the end of the war, only 4 of the original 42 officers and 113 of the original 1,106 other ranks were still with the battalion. The others had been killed, wounded, or transferred to other battalions.
One of the soldiers who never returned home was Private Arthur Clinton ROBINSON of Tryon, Prince Edward Island, who was born July 20, 1896, the son of Albert James Robinson and Flora P. Scruton. 110 years ago, on March 27, 1916, he was killed during the Actions of St Eloi Craters when shell fire hit the trenches southeast of Kemmel, which is only 10 km (6 miles) south west of Ypres. He was buried at La Laiterie Military Cemetery in Belgium.
One of the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion in Prince Edward Island, we have not yet found of a photo of him, and neither has his family.
….The ‘Caledonia’ arrived in Canada from Egypt …
But, in 1915, most of the soldiers preparing to go overseas didn’t know what horrors of war lay ahead of them. When the S. S. ‘Caledonia’ arrived in Saint John, an article in the June 12, 1915 edition of the St. John Standard newspaper reported that it had arrived the day before from Sydney, Nova Scotia. It had travelled from Alexandria, Egypt after delivering wounded Australian soldiers from Turkey. “…The Caledonia has been transporting troops since early in December and spent some time in the Dardanelles…” and was in the midst of heavy fighting. The Dardanelles is a narrow strait of northwestern Turkey that divides Europe from Asia. (See https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-short-history-of-the-dardanelles-campaign)
After the ‘Caledonia’ left Saint John at 11:30 am on Sunday, June 13, 1915, it sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving the next day, where 250 members of the Heavy Artillery, 50 from Nova Scotia Cycle Corps, and 250 reinforcements from the 10th Nova Scotia Battalion, joined the ship for its voyage to Plymouth, England.
The ship didn’t leave Halifax until the following morning, as recorded in the Plymouth Evening Mail newspaper on June 24, 1915. “…The troops at once went aboard the transport, but there was a large quantity of ammunition to put aboard and there were the 4.7 guns and howitzers. In consequence the Caledonia remained at pier until 9:30 the next morning when she sailed down the harbour, followed by the best wishes of the thousands of loyal people…”
….The voyage of the ‘Caledonia’…
The ‘Caledonia’ travelled from Saint John, New Brunswick to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then across the Atlantic Ocean to Plymouth, England. (Map source: Google maps)
A description of the voyage in the July 20, 1915 Caledonia Telegraph Journal included excerpts from the diary of Corporal Clarence Beverley SMITH of the 26th Battalion. “…June 17. Very rough weather, many very sick. June 18. Weather smoother, but not calm. Most of the men too sick for any actual drill; most lying around decks. June 19. Weather very smooth. Expect to get to England about Wednesday evening. June 20. Weather very calm. The ocean is just like a river and the boat makes good progress. June 21. Weather very calm. Received orders of absolute quiet and silence with no lights at night. June 22. Weather very calm and very warm. June 23. We were picked up by a British destroyer which stood by us until we arrived at Devonport about 10 am. June 24. We were boarded by the doctor and other officials and tied up at the wharf. About 2 pm we were put on board a train and got into Sandling Camp 1 am on June 25. Altogether, the voyage was a very pleasant one…”
Private William John SWETKA, with the Signalling Division of the 26th Battalion, gave a similar account, published in the July 14, 1915 edition of the St. John Standard newspaper. He had a bit more to say as the ship arrived in Plymouth, England on June 24, 1915. “…About six o’clock passed Eddystone lighthouse. In about an hour entered Plymouth harbour. Several steamers with invalids from the Dardanelles were there. They cheered us. We were towed into the inner harbour. There are quite a few cruisers, destroyers, etc in dock being repaired. Harbour is full of war vessels of all kinds…”
The soldiers were in England only for a short period, as by the end of August 1915, the 26th Battalion began preparations for a move into France. On September 13, 1915 an advance party left England, followed 2 days later by the troops, who arrived in Boulogne, France in the early hours of September 16, 1915.
….More about Arthur Clinton Robinson…
Unlike Arthur Robinson, Clarence Smith and William Swetka survived WWI and returned home. To read more about Arthur, see:
- https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/10/16/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-belgium-and-a-visit-to-la-laiterie-military-cemetery/
- https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/07/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-ww1-letters-of-arthur-clinton-robinson/
- https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/01/10/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-ww1-soldier-from-tryon-buried-with-a-message-in-a-bottle/
Thank you to Shawn Rainville for newspaper searches about the Caledonia’s voyage in 1915. Meanwhile, Pieter’s research efforts to find photos and families of soldiers continue. Do you have a photo of Arthur Clinton Robinson to share, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.
© Daria Valkenburg
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