A First War Telegram to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion

A First War Telegram to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion - Canadian Pacific Railway Company Telegraph Telegram (numbered "2316", dated December 14, 1916 at Ottawa, Ontario, 178 mm x 210 mm); Burial Report (extracted from Burial Records at the Canadian Record Office, dated January 5, 1917, 202 mm x 328 mm); and The War Graves of the British Empire Insert for Villers Station Cemetery (three pages, with map of the cemetery and map of the area, dated 1924, 192 mm x 254 mm each). Very fine. Accompanied by assorted research papers.  Footnote: Robert Walsh was born on February 16, 1887 in Toronto, Ontario, husband of Jessie Potter (formerly Walsh), later of Willowdale, Ontario. He was a resident of Toronto when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (201291) with the 95th Infantry Battalion "Queen's Own Rifles of Canada", on October 12, 1915 in Toronto, at the age of 28, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Jessie Walsh of Toronto, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was Married and that his trade was that of Shipper. The Battalion was raised and mobilized in Toronto, Ontario under the authority of G.O. 151, December 22, 1915. The Battalion sailed from Halifax on May 31, 1916 aboard the S.S. Olympic, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel R.K. Barker with a strength of 36 officers and 1,061 other ranks, including Walsh, arriving in England on June 8th. In England, the Battalion was absorbed into the 5th Reserve Battalion. Private Walsh was later transferred to the 3rd Infantry Battalion "Toronto Regiment" and was a member of a large trench raiding party of five officers and ninety other ranks, which carried out a major trench raid opposite "The Pimple" at the north end of Vimy Ridge, on December 9, 1916. The raid was carefully thought out, planned and rehearsed for a week, but the actual raid itself lasted only eight minutes, the withdrawal completed under cover of artillery and trench mortar bombardment. Walsh died from wounds received during the raid, at No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance, on December 9, 1916, at the age of 29. He is buried in Villers Station Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, Grave Reference: III. C. 13. and is commemorated on page 178 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. A Canadian Pacific Railway Company Telegraph Telegram, dated December 14, 1916 at Ottawa, Ontario, was sent to wife, Mrs. Jessie Walsh, stating "Deeply regret inform you 201291 Pte. Robert Walsh infantry officially reported died of wounds no 1 canadian field ambulance december 9th 1916. officer in charge record office."