Remembering the brave men of the Newfoundland Regiment

July 1st is Canada Day, a day to celebrate the wonderful country we call home. But in Newfoundland and Labrador, July 1st has a different meaning.

We gather at war memorials across the province to remember the approximately 700 soldiers of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment who died on the fateful day in 1916.

Memorial Day has been observed annually since July 1, 1917.

In 1916 the Newfoundland Regiment and 1st Battalion of the Essex Regiment received orders to move forward during the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel.

780 men advanced from the Dominion of Newfoundland at Beaumont-Hamel. Only 68 were available for roll call the following day. The Newfoundland Regiment had been wiped out.