Dated:
Depot battalion sends its first draft from city
General R. A. Helmer sees Men Away and Praises Training
There have been many records established in Calgary in connection with the expeditious manner in which troops have been put through their initial training, but it has remained for the First Depot battalion to take the lead in this respect. Some time ago if one had remarked that ere long men who have hardly been in training for more than four weeks would leave for an “unknown” destination; it would perhaps been treated as a jest. Such, however, has been the case with a large draft that left the city yesterday from Lieutenant-Colonel Phil Moore's Battalion.
The men were in charge of Captain
W. E. Trueman, who originally was second of “B” company of Lieutenant-Colonel Nasmyths battalion. The other officers were Lieut. J. Clarke, Lieut. J. F. Scott, Lieut. H. E. Price, and Lieut. H. W. Pearce.
The men received a rousing send off and among those that witnessed the departure was General R. A. Helmer, acting director of training under the Military Service Act.
Fine Compliment
In the course of an interview with The Herald after the men's departure, General Helmer expressed himself particularly well pleased with their appearance. “I have never seen men of better Physique ,” he said, with much enthusiasm; “or such fine, proud looking young men. Personally, I am eminently satisfied with the men, and I am sure that they will be a credit to the city and the whole of Canada.”
Speaking generally, General Helmer said that the training was being carried out very well in connection with the draftees all over Canada, although there was a great scarcity of instructors owing to the number of officers going overseas.
The General this morning spent considerable time with Col. George MacDonald, the D.O.C. of Military District No. 13. It is probably that he will be remaining in the city until tomorrow, when he is proceeding to the coast. His object in visiting the west, he informed The Herald, was to interview the district staffs regarding the training of the drafted men.
