The Canadian Field Artillery formed part of the expeditionary force sent to Murmansk, and saw fierce fighting south of Archangel. Outnumbered by the Bolsheviks, the Canadians distinguished themselves in battle

The Canadian Field Artillery formed part of the expeditionary force sent to Murmansk and Archangel and saw fierce fighting south of Archangel. Outnumbered by the Bolsheviks, the Canadians distinguished themselves in battle
Photo Credit: courtesy Canadian War Museum

Canada History: Jan 19, 1919- For some Canadians the First World War was not over.

Canadians in Russia, Oct 1918-Jun 1919

Jan: Battle of Shenkursk begins

 Most histories indicate, and rightly so, that the First World War  ended with the Armistice on Nov.11, 1918.  That was a deal for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front and between the Germans and western Allies.

However, for a few thousand Allied soldiers the deadly fighting was not over at all. Indeed  in northern Russia there was an intense battle that very same day,

An Allied contingent,  including Canadian artillerymen fought an intense battle that very day at a place called Tulgas. That battle left two Canadians killed but the Canadians determination earned them a Military Cross, three Distinguished Conduct Medals and three Military Medals

Indeed they continued to fight long after the World War was over,

Canadians in Siberia. The larger force there saw very little action, while the smaller force in North Russia were involved in several bitter battles. © Library and Archives Canada C-091749

In early 1918, with intense fighting still going on, the Western powers were concerned that German forces would push into northern Russia and capture a military base at Murmansk and at Archangel.

With the March peace deal between Bolsheviks and the Austro-Germans, the mission changed towards aiding and training anti-Bolshevik Russians, with a vague hope of getting Russia back in the war.

A combined force of British, Canadian, American, French, Italians, and some Australians, were sent to Murmansk and Archangel.  At its height and with anti-Bolsevik Russians the force strength never exceeded 35,000. Arriving in October 1918, the Canadians would fight through a bitter Russian winter, beginning almost as soon as they were deployed in fighting at Dvina near Tulgas.

A MkII 18pdr on a Mk1 carriage. This would have been very similar to the type of 18pdr field gun the Canadians would have used in Russia. The recoil mechanism is on top with the barrel below (plugged in this photo) © wikimedia- NJR-ZA

A larger force of Canadians in Vladivostok in far off Siberia saw virtually no action there, the 600 Canadians,  mostly artillery men with the 67th and 68th Batteries of the 16th Field Brigade would see a great deal of deadly fighting.

From the base at Archangel, the Allied forces were stretched out along a string of remote river villages like fingers on a spread hand,

Although ostensibly to fight the Great War, many among the Allies later became concerned about their role in what was obviously a Russian civil war.

Almost from their arrival in 1918, the Canadian guns had been used to fight off Bolshevik attacks in the bitter cold in a number of skirmishes. On December 30, for example, the Canadian 68th Battery had been instrumental in aiding US and French infantry in driving the Bolsheviks out of  Kadish.

Circa 1914, a staged photo of a Canadian gun crew on a QF 18pdr. They would not remain anywhere behind the barrel as the gun had a long recoil almost back to the traversing handle when fired. (wikiwand)

19 Jan, 1919 Major offensive

In January the Bolshevik army decided it was time to drive the allies out of North Russia, and on the 19th it began.

They launched a major offensive  against Shenkursk, a small regional centre about 300 km south of Archangel and one of the larger villages being defended by Americans, Russians and Canadian artillery. After several days defending the town, but vastly outnumbered and almost surrounded a hasty retreat to Kitsa was ordered in the bitter cold on the 25th.

In spite of conditions, the Canadians managed to save their guns but during the battle, Capt O.A.Mowat was mortally wounded by shrapnel from Bolshevik artillery, being awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his actions during the battle

Burial cross for Capt OA Mowat, Canadian Field Artillery, mortally wounded in the battle for Shenkursk, died Jan 17, 1919 © via PBMA

In March the Canadians  in the 68th were in heavy action  at Vistavka near Kitsa and drove off concerted attacks. The 67th still at Tulgas helped retake part of the town in May where a Russian force had mutinied in April across the river. The 68th for its part was also in heavy action in May at Maly Bereznik firing almost daily and repulsing repeated attacks.

Finally the Canadian government demanded Britain relieve the Canadians in Russia and they returned to Archangel in June from where they left for the UK on the 11th, A smaller Canadian contingent in Murmansk left in August and eventually for home, ending a virtually unknown but courageous chapter in Canadian history.

From the war diary of Col Sharman

     June 9thMaior Arnoldi and I dined with General Crosby, the Base Commandant. On leaving he said: “We shall probably never meet again, but never forget that we know your boys saved the situation for us time and again and shall always remember the CFA and be grateful to them

     June l0th. – Received word from the Russian Government that the Governor General, General Miller, wished to come down and say good bye to the Canadians and although some of us had received Russian decorations, he wished for a list of all my officers not so decorated, as his Government wished to express their appreciation by decorating every Canadian offleer. The Government also wished to present ten St. George’s Crosses and ten St. George’s Medals to my twenty bravest men. The latter is a unique compliment which should be made widely known in Canada as the St. George’s Cross is the Russian equivalent to the British Victoria Cross and not a single Allied soldier in North Russia, of any nationality excepthe Canadians, had been given one.  We followed the Russian custom of allowing the men to choose the twenty bravest themselves, and in every ease the selection met with the hearty approval of the offleers.

  June 11th. At 2pm. General Ironside, the Commander-in-Chief, inspected the Brigade and thanked us warmly. He said that what he should have done without us he did not know, that over and over again, when things looked blackest, he knew the CFA would see the thing through

 

Additional information- sources

*thanks to Marshall McFarlane 89Bty 3RCA  : (From UNB.ca ) “A plaque outside the main door to the Woodstock Armoury reads, “This armoury is dedicated to the memory of Major John Douglas Winslow M.C. Distinguished soldier and citizen of the Town of Woodstock. 6 June 1993”.  As a Lieutenant, Winslow earned a Military Cross as a member of the 68th Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, in the Canadian contingent, which served in Northern Russia between 1918 – 1919. His citation reads, “For conspicuous gallantry and determination during operations at Ust Padenga in January 1919.  When the enemy attacked heavily, this officer, with a few men, took charge of an abandoned gun, and, in face of heavy fire, manned and fired the gun over open sights until the order was given for retirement. He fought the gun throughout the withdrawal to Shenkursk (North Russia).”

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