72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAselected the 72nd Battalion for that honour on account ofits smartness and general efficiency. With regard to thisoccasion a member of the Battalion who was at Aldershotattending a school of instruction at the time, overheardmany highly commendatory remarks as to the physiqueand military smartness of this guard of honour, fromsome of the most able critics the seasoned men of theImperial forces.But these more or less spectacular events were merelythe red-letter days in the course of the steady business-likepreparation that went on from day to day to get the Battalion into good shape for its work at the front. Bayonetfighting,bombing, entrenching, wiring, etc., were industriously practised.The efficiency that had been acquired in musketry by theBattalion during its stay at Hastings Park, Vancouver,formed a thorough grounding to the instruction now given.Its high character was evidenced when the Battalion wonthe Brigade Trophy, presented by Brig.-Gen. the LordBrooke, for musketry. The presentation of this cup by LadyBrooke was an event long to be remembered. In winning itthe Battalion hung up a record for the highest average madeby any Canadian or British battalion of the new armies,by making an average of all first-class shots.When June 18th the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo came along, the Battalion was called upon to send adraft of 150 men to France a striking commentary on thechange that a century had wrought. The draft was chosenequally from "A" and "B"companies, and went to the16th Battalion Canadian Scottish. While at Bramshott theBattalion received the following reinforcements:From the 65th Battalion, 5 officers and 132 other ranks.From the llth C. M. R., 3 officers.From the 76th Battalion, 2 officers.From the 88th Battalion, 1 officer.From the 103rd Battalion, 1 officer.From the 74th Battalion, 35 other ranks.From the 7?th Battalion, 32 other ranks.20