Bermudians in the Canadian Expeditionary Force
During World War I, many Bermudians joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) or the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). They often did so because they were living in Canada, or because Canada was the nearest part of the British Empire for Bermudians to reach (about 1,239 kilometres from Nova Scotia).
Several CEF units were posted to Bermuda before heading to France, so Bermudians could enlist there. These included the Royal Canadian Regiment, the 38th Battalion (Ottawa), the 77th Battalion, and the 163rd Battalion (French-Canadian).
Both the Bermuda Militia Artillery (BMA) and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps (BVRC) sent troops to the Western Front. The BMA arrived in June 1915, by which time many Bermudians were already serving with the CEF. After 1916, the BVRC stopped sending new contingents, but 47 BVRC NCOs and riflemen were allowed to re-enlist in Canada during the war.
Most Bermudians who joined fought in the CEF under the same terms as Canadians. Some enlisted in British Army units in Canada, including the Royal Flying Corps, but the majority served in the CEF.
Bermudians also contributed to the Canadian war effort in other ways. Bermudian-born Sir Joseph Outerbridge led the Church Lads' Brigade from 1890 to 1894 and, during the war, was vice president of Newfoundland's Patriotic Association—the group that maintained the Newfoundland Regiment (which was part of the British Army, not the Canadian Militia).
Newfoundland’s Regiment was formed after a meeting at the Colonial Office in August 1914; enlistment began on August 21, 1914, and it was organized by a Reserve Force Committee chaired by Outerbridge.
Among Bermudian connections to the war was Leonard Cecil Outerbridge (US-born), who joined the CEF in 1915 and served with the 35th and 75th Battalions and on brigade and division staffs. He was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Distinguished Service Order; he later became Honorary Colonel of the Newfoundland Regiment (1949) and Newfoundland’s Lieutenant-Governor (1949–1957). His brothers also served: Norman Aubrey Outerbridge of the Newfoundland Regiment was killed at Monchy-le-Preux on 14 April 1917, and Captain Herbert A. Outerbridge also served on the Western Front with the Newfoundland Regiment.
The following list, though incomplete, notes those Bermudians who joined Canadian military units during the war. It does not include those who served in the RCN, or those who joined British Army units in Canada without first passing through Canadian units.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:54 (CET).