Lieutenant Colonel E.B. Clegg
Newfoundland Regiment & 9th Reserve Battalion

While I have no wish to make comparisons, I believe that they are not surpassed by any unit in the camp for all round smartness on parade, steadiness in the ranks and general intelligence, while their physical fitness appears to be excellent.

 Newfoundland may be proud of her sons; they will no doubt give a good account of themselves, should they get into the stress of war.

(Lt-Col. Clegg to Governor Walter E. Davidson, 4 Nov 1914)

Edward Boucher Clegg was born in Peterborough, Canada West on 16 November 1864. He had served in the militia for thirty-one years and commanded the 57th Peterborough Rangers. On arrival in England with the First Contingent in October 1914, he was assigned as temporary commanding officer of the 500-man strong Newfoundland Regiment.

He reorganized the unit along British regimental lines and the Newfoundlanders received British standard uniforms and equipment. The appointment of a Canadian colonel and attachment with the Canadian troops at Salisbury Plain created concern that the Newfoundland troops would lose their distinctive identity as a unit. However, the regiment remained intact, in part at the insistence of the Newfoundland Prime Minister Edward Morris. With the recruitment of more companies, it would eventually reach over full battalion strength of nearly 1,500 soldiers.

In early November 1914, Clegg relinquished command to British regular officer Lieutenant Colonel Reginald de Hardwicke Burton. Following postings with Canadian headquarters at Salisbury Plain, Clegg assumed command of the 9th Reserve Battalion in April 1916. He went to France on a one-month instructional tour with the 49th Battalion in May 1916. He was struck off strength to Canada in August 1917 but returned as a conducting officer for troop transports.

Clegg died on 3 June 1945.