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History

The Black Watch raised several battalions for the Second World War, only one (the First) of which went overseas as part of the Canadian Active Service Force/Canadian Army (Overseas). The 1st Battalion, Black Watch was brigaded with Le Régiment de Maisonneuve and Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal of the Second Canadian Division, however the FMR were replaced with the Calgary Highlanders in the 5th Brigade in 1940. The Black Watch served in Newfoundland from June 1940 to 11 August 1940, after which it traveled to England where it trained for several years. One company of the Black Watch was attached to the Royal Regiment of Canada during the Dieppe Raid, where its "C" Company and Mortar Platoon were key components of the assault force. In the first week of July 1944, the battalion landed in Normandy and served in action until VE-Day in May 1945.

The 1st Battalion suffered more casualties than any other Canadian infantry battalion in Northwest Europe according to figures published in The Long Left Flank by Jeffrey Williams. Disaster seemed to follow the unit; on the voyage to France on the day of the Dieppe Raid, casualties were suffered by the unit during a grenade priming accident onboard their ship. During the Battle of Verrières Ridge on July 25, 1944, 325 men left the start line and only 15 made it back to friendly lines, the others being killed or wounded by well entrenched Waffen SS soldiers and tanks. On 13 October 1944 - known as Black Friday by the Black Watch - the regiment put in an assault near Hoogerheide during the Battle of the Scheldt in which all four company commanders were killed, and one company of 90 men was reduced to just four survivors.

(Source and ©: wikepedia.org and  blackwatchcanada.com)

Relevant Websites

www.blackwatchcanada.com
Canadian Army Black Watch Website

Casualties of the Battalion, buried in the Netherlands.

Number of known casualties: 13

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