2nd Battalion ( Eastern Ontario Regiment ) , CEF The 2nd Battalion ( Eastern Ontario Regiment ) , Canadian Expeditionary Force was created in response to the First World War . The battalion comprised local militia in many regions of Ontario ( and even from Quebec City ) . Men came from as far away as Sault Ste . Marie to join in Canada ’ s military endeavor . Local militia gathered at Valcartier , in August 1914 and became part of the 2nd Battalion . The original officers were drawn from the various regiments that recruited for the battalion , including the Governor General ' s Foot Guards of Ottawa , the 16th Prince Edward Regiment , the 40th Northumberland Regiment , the 41st Brockville Rifles , and the 42nd Regiment ( Lanark and Renfrew ) , among others . The battalion boarded the S . S . " Cassandra " from Quebec City on 22 September 1914 , but sailed only as far as the Gaspé Basin , where more troops were collected . The battalion finally left the Gaspé Basin on 3 October as part of a convoy of at least 30 other ships , carrying a combined 32 , 000 Canadian soldiers , which would be the first of the Canadian infantry contributions to the war . The " Cassandra " landed at Plymouth on 25 October , where the battalion disembarked and began rigorous training for the European battlefield . On 8 February 1915 , the battalion was mobilized for war . They sailed out of England aboard the S . S . " Blackwell " , bound for France . The battalion ’ s first taste of battle came later that month , on 19 February , when they entered the trench system at Armentières . Their first battle was the Second Battle of Ypres , in April 1915 . When the battalion pulled out of the battle , on 29 April , the final count included 6 officers and 68 other ranks killed , 4 officers and 158 other ranks wounded , and 5 officers and 302 other ranks missing , for a combined loss of 543 men . The 2nd Battalion also fought at the battles of Ypres , St . Julien , Festubert , Pozières , Vimy ( 1917 ) , Arleux , Hill 70 , Passchendaele , Amiens , and Canal du Nord , to name only a few . By the end of the war , 242 officers and 5 , 084 other ranks had fought with the battalion . Of those , 52 officers and 1 , 227 other ranks were killed in action , accidentally killed , or died of their injuries . At 8 : 30 on the morning of 24 April 1919 , the 2nd Battalion was officially demobilized at Kingston , Ontario . The Colours of the 2nd Battalion , consisting of the King ' s Colour ( presented by His Majesty King George V ) and the Regimental Colour ( presented by Mr . Charles Band ) , were kept by the congregation of St . Paul ' s Church in Bowmanville , Ontario , from 1921 to 1942 . In 1942 , it was decided the Colours should be moved due to decay , and were entrusted to Dr . Gustave Lanctot , Dominion Archivist . When the Military Museum was completed , the Colours held a place of honour for all to see , never again to be moved . The 2nd Battalion is perpetuated by the Governor General ' s Foot Guards and the 50th Field Artillery Regiment ( The Prince of Wales Rangers ) , RCA , currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle . Battle honours . The battalion was awarded 25 battle honour s ( those listed with multiple years separated by commas count as two honours each ) .