The 15th Battalion spent the majority of its front-line time in 1916 in the Ypres salient sector of Belgium mainly back along The Messines Road in January and March and in the area around the infamous Hill 60 where the Commanding Officer, Lt Col William Marshall DSO was killed in action in May.
During the opening phase of the battle for Mount Sorrel, the battalion conducted the Canadian Corps first counterattack of the war when it assaulted Observatory Ridge on the morning of June 3rd. The remainder of June, July and August was spent back in the Hill 60 area before departing Belgium for The Somme in August.
September saw intense fighting and heavy casualties on the Somme near Albert at Pozieres Ridge, Courcelette and Regina Trench / Ancre Heights. After leaving The Somme in mid-October, the battalion spent the reminder of 1916 doing trench tours in the Carenchy sector.