72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
this historic march past to which they were bound, we
may leave the rest of the Battalion at Le Havre eagerly
waiting transport, while we follow the contingent selected
to take part in that function. The Channel passage is
proverbially rough, and Britannia did not rule the waves
any straighter than usual on this occasion. Dawn, however,
saw the Kilties ship alongside the Southampton pier. In
less than 24 hours they were due, spick and span, in Hyde
Park. But two days and nights in box cars and a night s
pitching and tossing on the Channel had contributed to
make them more or less dishevelled. It was evident that
the necessary transformation must not only be thorough
but accomplished with celerity. Losing no time in entrain
ing, they arrived early in the afternoon at the familiar
Bramshott camp where quarters had been allotted to them.
The kindness of Lieut.-Col. Ralston of the 85th (Nova
Scotia) Regiment in providing the contingent, on arrival,
with necessary cleaning material from the supplies of his
own Battalion, was much appreciated. Then began a pro
cess of transformation which would have pleased the most
inexorable martinet. The men flung themselves whole
heartedly into the task. Until late that night, and in some
cases till the early hours of morning they worked hard.
They were not going to endanger the reputation of the
Battalion because the time was short, and the perfectly
accoutred and polished company which fell into place in
Hyde Park at 11 :30 a.m. on the following day reflected the
result of this labour.
That march past will be long remembered by those who
took part in it, and by the cheering millions who lined
London s streets. Every contingent of colonial troops was
represented in that vast river of steel-tipped khaki which
swept, eight abreast, past King George at Buckingham
Palace. The Mother Country must have realized, particular
ly, on that day the power and the loyalty of her Dominions.
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