Forestry Battalion

Remembrance Day
As we approach November 11th  Arthur Nevard, my grandfather's brother   joined the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force) on August 14 of 1916. According to his attestation paper he was 41 years old. Rather ancient in comparison to the average recruit in that war. No doubt he wanted to do his part to defend the home land as reports of the effects of the war in the U.K. reached all the way out here to his little homestead in Sask. Arthur's original home in Lexden , Essex, U.K. that he had not seen since he left it in  1903 must have seemed a long way off. Now he was prepared to leave his recently established farm homestead, his wife and job in the city of Regina to do his part by joining the Canadian army.
Arthur was taken on the 235th Forestry Battalion and after some basic training at Camp Hughes he sailed on the S.S. Scandinavian Sept. 11, 1916 from Halifax harbour reaching Liverpool, England eleven days later . Many Canadians who might have been ineligible for front line duties were able to participate in the Forestry Battalion since it was well away from the front lines. The army needed timber for various purposes including re-inforcing the trenches. They also needed men to harvest it This would be the Forestry Battalion
It is interesting to read Arthur's military record details. Complete physical details including height , 5 foot 8 inches, complete xray pictures of his teeth. Arthur did his part and saw the end of the war, was discharged and sailed back to his home in Canada to resume his farming activities at Winstanley Grove for many more years to come.