72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

THE WAR STARTS.
As the new Canadian battalions were successively formed,
the 72nd sent its quota to each, the numbers supplied being
as follows :
To the 29th Battalion, 12 officers and 305 men.
To the 47th Battalion, 7 officers and 361 men.
To the llth C. M. R., 5 officers and 105 men.
To the 72nd Battalion, 34 officers and 1243 men.
To the 231st Battalion, 17 officers and 866 men.
Well over 30 officers and 300 men were distributed among
the numerous other battalions organized in British Columbia,
and another 300 were recruited and sent forward for these
battalions after the 231st left Vancouver.
But the energetic spirit that was behind these movements
was emphasized and strengthened as day after day the des
patches from the battlefields in Europe came in. In May,
1915, an offer was made to His Majesty s Government at
Ottawa to furnish a battalion for overseas service. Much
doubt was felt and expressed as to the possibilities of rais
ing a whole battalion from British Columbia at that time.
Officers and men were ready, and many communications
with Ottawa took place.* Finally authorization was received
in July, and on the 18th of that month a telegram to the
D. 0. C., M. D. No. 11, from Headquarters, Ottawa, con
tained notice of the appointment of Major J. A. Clark, as
officer commanding the new battalion. The terms of the
authorization, however, made it necessary to wait until the
62nd, the 47th and 67th Battalions were fully recruited. As
with the 72nd Regiment, so with the 72nd Battalion, the
question of the name was the subject of much discussion.
It was a matter of considerable gratification when, after
correspondence with the Imperial and Federal authorities,
the name 72nd Overseas Battalion, C. E. F., Seaforth High
landers of Canada,"
was decided upon and officially author
ized. Arrangements were made to encamp and train the
Battalion at Hastings Park, Vancouver, an area of 60 acres
occupied by the buildings and grounds of the Vancouver
is
*Many stalwart friends came forward, not only with encouraging words, but
with liberal money contributions. Prominent among those who thus backed
up the movement at this time was Mr. John G. McFee, a member of a firm
of contractors in Seattle, and now associated with the firm of Loomis (Major-
G-eneral Sir Frederick Loomis), McFee, Henry and McDonald of Vancouver. AE
a Canadian and a patriot, Mr. McFee was most generous at a crucial time. So
was Mr. Henry Bell Irving, who stood behind the Battalion throughout the
period of its services in France, despite the fact that one of his sons belonged
to the 16th, one to the 29th, one to the Navy, two to Flying Corps, and one to