Robert Forrest Brooks

Robert Forrest Brooks was born Sept. 18, 1886. He grew up to become a farmer, working on the

family farm near Zephyr growing corn, raising cattle and creating fruit orchards. He enlisted in

the 116th Battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel Sam Sharpe as soon as the fall harvests were

finished in 1915. They spent the winter of 1916 training in Uxbridge: in June they moved to

Niagara for Basic Training.

Private Brooks embarked with the 116th for England July 23, 1916, on HMT Olympic, the sister

ship to the Titanic. They were stationed at Witley Camp, located 40 miles SW of London, for

further training until Feb. 11, 1917, when they were sent to France. On March 11 they moved

to Arras where they joined the 3 rd Division Canadian Corps and 9 th Infantry Brigade. They were a

vital part of the force during the assault on Vimy Ridge April 9 to 12, repairing trenches, moving

supplies, and fighting at the front lines by relieving another battalion, all under General Currie’s

moving “creeping barrage” of artillery.

The 116th remained on the front lines after Vimy fighting in several engagements near Lens (in

northern France, near the border with Belgium) until Sept. 18, experiencing gas attacks, hand-

to-hand combat, and flamethrowers in addition to artillery and gunfire. After a short reprieve,

on Oct. 14 they were sent to Ypres, in West Flanders, Belgium. They took part in the assault on

the Bellevue Spur Oct. 26 to 27, and helped to take the Passchendaele Ridge on Nov. 6.

Sometime late in 1917 Brooks received a field promotion to Sergeant.

During the winter and spring of 1918, the Canadian Corps, including the 116th Battalion, held a

7-mile line of defence near Lens-Mericourt. (Lt. Col. Sharpe suffered greatly from the losses of

“his” troops and was relieved of command due to battle fatigue Feb. 5 – he died May 25 in

hospital in Montreal.) On Aug. 8 the 116th took part in a major offensive near Amiens, engaging

the enemy and capturing Hamon Wood. Sometime early that morning Sgt. Brooks was killed

while helping a wounded comrade. He is buried in the Hourges Orchard Cemetery, Somme.