72nd Battalion, CEF, Seaforth Highanders of Canada in pre-deployment training at Minoru Park (Richmond Rifle Range), Richmond, January/February 1916. Seaforths on the firing point in a trench dug from the snow. The soldier wearing the balaclava in the foreground has a sniper scope mounted on his rifle and is using a sandbag to steady his rifle. In 1915, arrangements were made to encamp and train the 72nd Battalion at Hastings Park, Vancouver, an area of 60 acres occupied by the buildings and grounds of the Vancouver Exhibition Association. There was rapid recruiting which plainly showed the martial spirit already gathering about the inception of the new unit. On 1 September, 1915 a telegram was received from the Adjutant-General announcing that an inspection by the Duke of Connaught would take place in the near future. At that time not a man had been taken on the strength of the Battalion. The first recruits were received on September 4th. On September 16th 660 overseas Kilties marched past the Duke in review order. By the end of the month the Battalion was up to full strength, but lack of equipment prevented a portion of the men from joining the Battalion at Hastings Park until the third week in October. But from 15 September till the following April, intensive training was proceeded with. It was a severe winter, accompanied by deep snowfalls quite unusual for Vancouver. In the latter part of October the Battalion was again inspected, on this occasion by Colonel the Hon. Sir Charles Davidson. The first two months at Hastings Park were devoted to recruit training, including company and battalion drill. Upon completion of this preliminary training, a very thorough course of musketry was carried out, each company taking its turn for a week at the Richmond ranges. Instruction was also given in tactical exercises, such as company and battalion in attack; advance and rear-guard actions, etc. In addition to this, the men received training in field entrenchments and bombing, and a route march was held once a week. After the Battalion had thus undergone seven months' severe training, Brig.-Gen. John Hughes conducted a final inspection prior to the departure of the Battalion for overseas on 16 January, 1916. As a last taste of the wintry conditions that had characterised the stay at Hastings Park this review was carried out in a blizzard. During the Battalion's sojourn at Hastings park, while the training received was necessarily of a warlike nature, great attention was also paid to sports, and the conquests of the 72nd in that direction will be remembered. Chief among the sports days held were the occasions, first on St. Patrick's Day, 1916, when the Battalion marched to New Westminster and won very easily the great majority of the events from the 121st and 131st Battalions, and secondly, the last and most important sports day of all was held at Hastings park on April 1st, when, under a cloudless sky some 15,000 people were assembled in the big grandstand overlooking the oval. It was a day of 72nd victories, chief among which was the winning of the quarter-mile by Pte. Macdonell of the 72nd against Copping of the 61st Battery C. F. A., the exciting finish being one never to be forgotten. It goes without saying that public interest in the Battalion during its encampment at Hastings Park rose to a high pitch. It grew more intense as the time for leaving for overseas drew near. Illustrating the difficulties that were encountered in making the start, it may be mentioned that on Thursday night, April 13th, the men had been granted four or five days' leave. At 9 p.m. on the following day the news came that the Battalion was to be entrained on Sunday morning, the 16th. Not a man was left in camp and the Battalion was distributed to various areas. It speaks well for the esprit de corps which had been established that after the wires had been kept hot for several hours by imperative messages, not a man was absent when the last roll was called on Sunday morning. The final move was made on Sunday, April 16th, 1916. Before marching off from the Park a church service was held; Captain the Rev. John Mackay, D.D., the chaplain of the 72nd Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, officiating. The day was fine and a very large crowd, estimated at 30,000, gathered to see the Highlanders off on the first lap of their journey to the battlefields of Europe.