72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

AFTER THE ARMISTICE.(Rev.) Wilkin, began, the Battalion having formedinto hollow square about the piled drums. Althoughfor obvious reasons the colours do not take the place inmodern warfare that they did in the wars of formercenturies, they still retain much of their ancient significance,and there was not a man present who did not feelthat they focussed the romance of the Battalion s historyand the memories of the Battalion s dead. With appropriate words the Corps Commander placed the colours inthe hands of the officers selected to bear them, and to theimpressive strains of "God Save the King," played inslow march time, the King s and the regimental coloursmoved into their position in the centre of the phalanx.The Battalion then marched past the Corps Commander,its new colors blowing out bravely in the fresh breeze.An interesting fact in connection with the presentation wasthe presence of Brig.-General N. A. Thompson, C.M.G.,D.S.O., now commanding the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, and Lieut.-Col. A. W. Turnbull, M. C., commanding officer of the 8th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders.Close upon the presentation of the colours came thenews that the 12th Brigade was to be inspected by H. M.King Albert of Belgium, and on April 8th, the 72nd, aspart of the Brigade, marched past the gallant monarchwho, in common with his people, after four bitter years,had at last come into his own again.At this time attention began to be directed to variousmatters within the Battalion. Chief among these was thecompletion and codification of the War Diary which hadchronicled the history of the 72nd during its career inFrance. Numerous conferences, particularly among theoriginal members of the Battalion, took place, and thework of compilation was carefully undertaken. The Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Col. G. H. Kirkpatrick, D.S.O., wasuntiring in his efforts in this direction, and convinced allconcerned of the importance of this memorial of a strenu-183