In all cases the headquarters was the local drill hall and the fair grounds were
used as the parade square.
The Saskatchewan battery managed to get bell tents and set up proper camp but the
37 battery personnel were
billetted at home.
There was a fairly good issue of summer drill soon after mobilization but minus slacks.
Consequently the effect of the intense sun on lily white knees was disasterous.
This, and a seemingly never-ending series of innoculations combined with
the heat to keep the medical staff hopping.
Training was largely confined to foot and rifle drill and route marches.
Some standing gun drill and equipment training was carried out with
18 pdrs
but the main emphasis was on elementary basic training.
CAMP SHILO & INDIAN HEAD.
5.
In mid-August the 37 Battery collected at FORT OSBORNE for a short time and then moved
to SHILO Camp on the 3 September.
The 60th half of the other Battery joined the 76th half in INDIAN HEAD about a week later.
Training continued but still along very basic lines.
A minor catastrophe occured during this period with the arrival of web equipment
without instructions for assembling.
The resulting confusion lasted for several days until the solution was obtained.
6.
On 4th October the two batteries entrained at SHILO and INDIAN HEAD respectively, each in its
own special cloud-burst.
A meeting took place that evening at PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE and there, to the music of the
Portage La Prairie band, the mixing of the EAST and WEST began.
The destination being secret, speculations were rife until the train officials
accommodated with the information that they were heading for PETAWAWA.
PETAWAWA — OCTOBER 1940.
7.
The arrival on 6 October at PETAWAWA was not auspicious.
H.54826 Gnr. Munn, D.H. had measles and two troops were quarantined; the camp to which
the batteries were
assigned was only partly completed, there being no lights, no windows and the
plumbing was only partly finished.