1914-11-26lp

“Local military men are interested in the announcement sent out from Ottawa yesterday that more infantry corps are to be raised without delay.”

Hamilton Spectator.     November 26, 1914  .

The first few months of the war had been bloody indeed. Thousands upon thousands of soldiers on both sides had already been severely wounded or killed.

Even before most Canadian soldiers were still in training, with only a small number already at the front, the military authorities were looking ahead. More soldiers from Canada and Hamilton was expected to do its part by contributing liberally of the young men.

It was expected that Ontario would be asked to raise a mounted regiment and four extra infantry corps:

“Officers here have received a sort of semi-official intimation that Hamilton will be called upon to mobilize and train a battalion fom the city and district.

“It is believed that this battalion will be quartered for the best part of the winter in a large building here, as the general mobilization camps will be crowded during the cold weather.

“More definition will likely be imparted to the local officers by the minister of militia, who is a visitor in the city today.”¹

¹ “May Mobilize a Battalion in this City : Officers Expect Word Today from Major-General Hughes.”

Hamilton Spectator.   November 26, 1914.

The number of Hamilton soldiers taking part in the war effort continued to increase rapidly as November, 1914 was coming to an end.

Thoughts of the number of Hamilton soldiers would had taken part in the Boer War came to mind. That war had ended just twelve years previously:

“A comparison with Hamilton’s representation on the South African contingents and the larger number of men already contributed for the kaiser’s war emphasizes the scale on which Canada is contributing to the empire’s cause.

“For the South African campaign about two hundred men were sent from here, while for the present war, the city has already enlisted fully fifteen hundred men, some of them already on the firing line, a large number at Salisbury plains, and the balance at Toronto and in training here.

“This number includes nearly 300 British reservists who answered the call the first week the war was declared and a quota of over fifty men with the Princess Pat’s Pet’s. These men are already in France, the reservists having been in the thick of it for several weeks.”¹