Valcartier camp: 29 Aug – 26 Sep 1914

On August 10th, 1914, the government established the strength of the 1st Canadian Contingent for overseas service at 25,000. The Minister of Militia, Sam Hughes, scrapped the original Militia mobilization plan and made a general call for volunteers across Canada to assemble at Valcartier camp in Quebec.  Land in a valley about 35 kilometers north of Quebec City had been expropriated from mainly English area farmers and a hastily built tent city had been constructed to accommodate what would eventually be 35,000 volunteers – the majority of whom came from existing Militia regiments.

The 48^th Highlanders contingent of volunteers arrived in the rain on August 29^th and shortly thereafter the process of attestation into the CEF began followed by the amalgamation of the various Militia contingents and other volunteers into formed battalions.

The 48^th contingent was brought up to wartime battalion strength by the addition of large contingents from the 97^th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) and the 31^st Grey Regiment as well as smaller groups from the 26^th Stanstead Dragoons, 13^th Scottish Light Dragoons and the 2^nd Dragoons. On September 2^nd it was designated the 15^th Battalion (Provisional) of the 3^rd Infantry Brigade.

Valcartier became the primary training base for the 1^st Contingent and during the three weeks there the main activities were kit issue, rifle ranges, drill and basic field manoeuvres.  The Contingent was inspected by The Duke of Connaught on September 6^th and again on the 20^th when he was joined by Sir Sam Hughes and Prime Minister Borden.  On September 26^th, the contingent’s battalions – including the 15^th Battalion – departed Valcartier for Quebec City to join the fleet of transport ships that would take them across the Atlantic.

Prior to departure, a panoramic photograph was taken of the entire battalion assembled on the plain in front of the tent lines – four years later less than 100 of those men – “The Originals” – would still be with the battalion.