In the summer of 1915, a severe hailstorm hit the farm belonging to Francis (Frank) Cuthbert Malcolm Cumming and Elizabeth Anne (née Smith), his wife, and demolished the crop. The hail was so large it also killed several of their geese on their Saskatchewan farm.

A father of five, Cumming realized there would be no income from the crop, Frank made the decision to enlist in the army. November 30, 1915, Frank travelled to Yorkton to enlist with the 188th Battalion. He spent several months training and embarked overseas in 1916, on the S.S. Olympic.

Cumming was transferred to 46th Battalion France, taken on strength 46th Battalion December 1st, left for unit December 2nd, and joined unit December 9th.

After relief on November 24, the 46th Battalion spent two weeks in Bruay, France, about ten miles behind the front lines. On December 19, they moved back in the line at Vimy Ridge, taking over a portion of the line dominated by German positions on The Pimple, a natural fortress atop the north end of the ridge.

The 46th and 50th Battalion alternated shifts in the trenches until the 46th was relieved by the 13th Middlesex Regiment on April 4, 1917.

The front line on the night of January 3, 1917 was very quiet. At about 6:30 a.m., an artillery and trench mortar show started and lasted until 2:00 p.m. Shells obliterated trenches, caused dug-outs to cave in, and killed many soldiers. One of those killed in action was Cumming. He was forty years old.

The 46th Battalion served with the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division from August 11, 1916, until the armistice. The unit has come to be known as “The Suicide Battalion.” The 46th Battalion lost 1,433 killed and 3,484 wounded and won sixteen battle honours in twenty-seven months.

Cumming was born April 17, 1876 in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. He was the youngest child of Malcolm Cumming and Margaret Gibson.

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