{"product_id":"ww1-cef-244th-kitchener-s-own-battalion-sweetheart","title":"WW1 CEF 244th (Kitchener’s Own) Battalion sweetheart.","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWW1 CEF 244th (Kitchener’s Own) Battalion sweetheart, high quality die struck gilded brass badge.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe battalion: The 244th (Kitchener’s Own) Battalion, CEF was a Canadian Expeditionary Force infantry unit based in Montreal, Quebec. It began recruiting in the spring of 1916 in Montreal and the surrounding district.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe unit was called “Kitchener’s Own” because it was officially authorised the day after Lord Kitchener was killed when the warship he was travelling on struck a mine\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e(HMS Hampshire, 5 June 1916).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter sailing to England in April 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 23rd Reserve Battalion, CEF later that month , so it was one of many CEF units that never served as a distinct formation at the front, common for battalions raised later in the war once reinforcement drafts took priority over intact units going overseas. Its sole Officer Commanding was Lieut-Col. F.M. McRobie , and it’s perpetuated today by the Victoria Rifles of Canada, currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle .\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53987774300488,"sku":"10105","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2211.heic?v=1788515968","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/ww1-cef-244th-kitchener-s-own-battalion-sweetheart","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}