72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

THE WAR STARTS.As the new Canadian battalions were successively formed,the 72nd sent its quota to each, the numbers supplied beingas 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 amongthe numerous other battalions organized in British Columbia,and another 300 were recruited and sent forward for thesebattalions after the 231st left Vancouver.But the energetic spirit that was behind these movementswas emphasized and strengthened as day after day the despatches from the battlefields in Europe came in. In May,1915, an offer was made to His Majesty s Government atOttawa to furnish a battalion for overseas service. Muchdoubt was felt and expressed as to the possibilities of raising a whole battalion from British Columbia at that time.Officers and men were ready, and many communicationswith Ottawa took place.* Finally authorization was receivedin July, and on the 18th of that month a telegram to theD. 0. C., M. D. No. 11, from Headquarters, Ottawa, contained notice of the appointment of Major J. A. Clark, asofficer commanding the new battalion. The terms of theauthorization, however, made it necessary to wait until the62nd, the 47th and 67th Battalions were fully recruited. Aswith the 72nd Regiment, so with the 72nd Battalion, thequestion of the name was the subject of much discussion.It was a matter of considerable gratification when, aftercorrespondence with the Imperial and Federal authorities,the name 72nd Overseas Battalion, C. E. F., Seaforth Highlanders of Canada,"was decided upon and officially authorized. Arrangements were made to encamp and train theBattalion at Hastings Park, Vancouver, an area of 60 acresoccupied by the buildings and grounds of the Vancouveris*Many stalwart friends came forward, not only with encouraging words, butwith liberal money contributions. Prominent among those who thus backedup the movement at this time was Mr. John G. McFee, a member of a firmof contractors in Seattle, and now associated with the firm of Loomis (Major-G-eneral Sir Frederick Loomis), McFee, Henry and McDonald of Vancouver. AEa Canadian and a patriot, Mr. McFee was most generous at a crucial time. Sowas Mr. Henry Bell Irving, who stood behind the Battalion throughout theperiod of its services in France, despite the fact that one of his sons belongedto the 16th, one to the 29th, one to the Navy, two to Flying Corps, and one to