The 186th Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force

Canadian Expeditionary Force

The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...

 during the First World War. Based in Chatham, Ontario

Chatham, Ontario

Chatham is the largest community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Formerly serving as the seat of Kent County, the governments of the former city of Chatham, the county of Kent, and its townships were merged into one entity known as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in 1998.Located on...

, the unit began recruiting during the winter of 1915/16 in Kent County, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. After sailing to England in March 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 4th Reserve Battalion on April 7, 1917. The 186th (Kent) Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. Smith Neil.

The 186th Battalion is perpetuated by The Essex and Kent Scottish

The Essex and Kent Scottish

The Essex and Kent Scottish is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The Essex Scottish Regiment and The Kent Regiment....

.