It might be well at this point to state that we were under orders to join the 3rd Canadian Division, and it was generally understood that we were to take the place of the 60th Battalion, which, although the junior Battalion of the 9th Brigade, was held in very high esteem as a fighting unit. The reason given for this most unusual proceeding was that the 60th Battalion, being originally recruited in Quebec, could not get sufficient reinforcements from its own Province, and in consequence was receiving both officers and men from the Province of Ontario. This method of recruiting was evidently frowned upon by superior authority, and the 116th Battalion had been chosen out of many others in England as an alternative to the 60th Battalion, and as a means of overcoming the Provincial question of reinforcements.
Now, as already stated, the 60th had a wonderful record, and individually they were as fine a lot of men as one could meet anywhere; therefore, it is only natural that the news that they were soon to be broken up should cause consternation in the ranks, not only of the 9th Brigade, but the whole of the 3rd Division; and this did not increase the popularity of the 116th.
(As later pointed out by our C.O., we were not only the “baby” battalion of the Canadian Corps, but we were also the “orphan” battalion.)
In addition to our family troubles we were without field kitchens or transport, which made things far from comfortable, and it is certain that during this period our inexperience proved to be our salvation. We were fresh and eager to do credit to the name of our unit and our Commanding Officer (Col. Sharpe), whose untiring energies had succeeded in gaining a place for us in France; so we dealt with our experiences as we found them and passed through them to others.
Bramshott Group (1916)
Back Row:—Lts. R. C. Henry, M. R. Jacobi, A. W. Baird, F. W. Ott, R. J. Blain, W. S. Duncan, J. A. Proctor, W. J. Preston, M. Crabtree, C. L. S. Newton.
Third Row:—Lt. H. H. Hyland, Lt. J. J. Doble, Capt. W. E. Shier, Maj. F. H. Moody, Maj. H. P. Cooke, Capt. A. F. Hind, Maj. G. W. P. Every, Capt. A. W. Pratt, Capt. H. V. Gould, Capt. H. L. Major, Capt. G. E. Gilfillan.
Second Row:—Lt. T. W. Hutchison, Lt. G. E. Walls, Capt. J. Moore, M.O., Capt. A. W. McConnell (Adjutant), Maj. R. B. Smith, Lt.-Col. S. S. Sharp, Maj. C. A. V. McCormack, Capt. J. Garbutt, Capt. A. C. McFarlane, Capt. N. E. Fairhead, Capt. C. G. Cowan.
Front Row:—Lt. C. S. Lennox, Lt. J. H. Hughes, Lt. K. L. Wallace.