Visit the 15th Battalion CEF memorial project website to learn more about the 15th, 92nd and 134th Battalions in WW 1
Major J. W. Forbes DSO.

LCol James Wallace Forbes DSO

LCol James Wallace Forbes, DSO was born in Moncton NB in 1878, educated at Mt Allison University in Sackville and had served in the 106th Regiment of the pre-war militia. He moved to Manitoba in 1908 where he was employed at the Dominion Government. He came to the 15th Battalion after 2nd Ypres as a Captain from the 10th Battalion with the same reinforcement drafts that included LCol Bent.  Major Forbes served in every major engagement the 15th Bn was involved in and was wounded in action at Observatory Ridge in 1916 and Arras in 1918. He was awarded a DSO in 1917 for leadership in the field and three times was Mentioned in Dispatches.

He was in command of the 15th Battalion twice for short periods: first in October 1917 as Officer Commanding when LCol Bent commanded the 3rd Brigade; and in December 1917 as Commanding Officer and Acting LCol while so employed when LCol Bent was on a three month leave to Canada. Each time he reverted to Major when Bent returned. Following the war, he returned to Manitoba and was appointed Demobilization Officer for Manitoba and Western Ontario before eventually resuming his pre-war employment at the Custom and Excise Department. He later became Commissioner of the Manitoba Red Cross in 1924 . He died in Toronto 1937.  He is commemorated by Forbes Road in Winnipeg.

NOK: Mrs J.W. Forbes Dept of Immigration, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Awards
Date
Award
Citation
1-Jan-17
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

New Year 1917 List.

4-Jun-18
Mention in Dispatches (MID)

Not Available

NA
Unit(s)
Militia / Reserve Bn, 15th Bn (WW 1)
Service number
NA
Previous unit
10th Bn
Date of attestation
25-Sep-1914 (15th Bn)
Date Taken on Strength
05-Jun-1915 (15th Bn)
Fate
Released

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