Chaplains at Vimy Ridge 9-12 April 1917


The senior chaplain of the 4th Canadian Division was Major A.M. Gordon. Gordon was a well known minister and a much published fiction author.

In mid-March, prior to the battle, Gordon reported that all Canadian unit commanders in the 4th Division, except for one, had welcomed regular worship parades. During the trench raids in preparation for the main attack all his chaplains had been either in battalion Headquarters or at Advanced Dressing Stations. Other chaplains maintained the Chaplain Service coffee stalls where hot drinks were dished out to the men going forward or coming out of action. During a raid on 15 March, Chaplain George Farquhar served at the Regimental Aid Post with the Medical Officer, at the request of both the battalion commander and the M.O.

Div 4 Chaplains 1917

For the main assault on Vimy Ridge, between 9 and 12 April, 1917, Gordon  located three of his Protestant chaplains at the Regimental Aid posts. He sent one Protestant to the Advanced Dressing Station on the Arras Road, Two Roman Catholic chaplains were located at the relay point for ambulances and stretcher bearers, Two Protestant chaplains went to the Main Dressing Station of # 11 Canadian Field Ambulance, with two Roman Catholic chaplains alternating duty there for round the clock coverage. One Protestant chaplain went to serve with the #12 Field Ambulance and one served as spare for coffee stall, burial party and battalion coverage. Gordon left his most junior chaplain in the office and went forward to supervise and assist in the 4th Divisional front line area.


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