68th Depot Battery
Canadian Field Artillery
1916
Canadian Field Artillery
1916
Organized in March 1916 as a draft-giving depot battery under the command of Captain H. Boorman. Known as Boorman’s Artillery. Authorization published in General Order 69 of 15 July 1916. Mobilized at Vancouver. Recruited in British Columbia. Absorbed by No.11 Artillery Depot in October 1918. Disbanded by General Order 191 of 1 November 1920.
VANCOUVER OFFICER TO COMMAND BATTALION
Captain. H. E. Boorman, It is Announced Will Head 68th Unit.
What will be known as the 68th Battery of Artillery has been authorized as the contribution of Vancouver district to the brigade which will be raised in the west under Col. A. T. Ogilvie, formerly officer commanding Military District No. 11. Capt. H. E. Boorman (local major), it is understood, will be placed in command of the battery, the organization of which will be proceeded with immediately.
Captain Boorman, Colonel Ogilvie and other military officers were in conference this morning at military headquarters. There are some 150 men now in training at artillery barracks. This detachment, it was intended, should form the third overseas draft, but it may now be diverted to form the nucleus for the new battery.
Training will be conducted under nearly active service conditions as is possible.
Other officers of the 68th brigade will be drawn from the officers of the Vancouver Volunteer Reserve. Mr. A. H. Stewart, formerly of the London Scottish and the Hongkong Rifles, will probably be second in command, while Mr. J. M. Stewart will also be transferred to the battery.
Provisional Lieutenants Macdonald, Borland, Wilde and Cooke will be taken on the strength of the new unit also.
The 68th battery, it was announced, will have permanent headquarters in Vancouver, and overseas drafts will be supplied through it.
Vancouver Daily World on 25 Mar 1916
Captain. H. E. Boorman, It is Announced Will Head 68th Unit.
What will be known as the 68th Battery of Artillery has been authorized as the contribution of Vancouver district to the brigade which will be raised in the west under Col. A. T. Ogilvie, formerly officer commanding Military District No. 11. Capt. H. E. Boorman (local major), it is understood, will be placed in command of the battery, the organization of which will be proceeded with immediately.
Captain Boorman, Colonel Ogilvie and other military officers were in conference this morning at military headquarters. There are some 150 men now in training at artillery barracks. This detachment, it was intended, should form the third overseas draft, but it may now be diverted to form the nucleus for the new battery.
Training will be conducted under nearly active service conditions as is possible.
Other officers of the 68th brigade will be drawn from the officers of the Vancouver Volunteer Reserve. Mr. A. H. Stewart, formerly of the London Scottish and the Hongkong Rifles, will probably be second in command, while Mr. J. M. Stewart will also be transferred to the battery.
Provisional Lieutenants Macdonald, Borland, Wilde and Cooke will be taken on the strength of the new unit also.
The 68th battery, it was announced, will have permanent headquarters in Vancouver, and overseas drafts will be supplied through it.
Vancouver Daily World on 25 Mar 1916
Visit by Governor General of Canada
On 20 July 1916, the His Royal Highness Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert; Duke of Connaught; Governor-General of Canada visited Vancouver as part of a cross Canada tour. During his time in the city he reviewed the 68th Overseas Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery and passed on some comments in a letter afterwards.
On 20 July 1916, the His Royal Highness Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert; Duke of Connaught; Governor-General of Canada visited Vancouver as part of a cross Canada tour. During his time in the city he reviewed the 68th Overseas Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery and passed on some comments in a letter afterwards.
Source: City of Vancouver Archives AM1535-: CVA 99-5087
"3rd Section - 4th Division Ammunition Column" 68th Field Battery C.F.A. - Vancouver, B.C. 1916
Back Row - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8, 9, 10
9th Row - 11, 12,13,14,15, 16,17,18,19,20,21
8th Row - 22, 23, 24, 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34
7th Row - 35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
6th Row - 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
5th Row - 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
4th Row - 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108
3rd Row - 109, 110, 111, 112,113,114,115, 116,117,118,119,120,121, 122, 123, 124, 125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133
2nd Row - 135,136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160
Front Row - 161, 162, 163, 164, Capt Harry Eustace Boorman, 166, 167, 168, 169
Back Row - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8, 9, 10
9th Row - 11, 12,13,14,15, 16,17,18,19,20,21
8th Row - 22, 23, 24, 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34
7th Row - 35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
6th Row - 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
5th Row - 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
4th Row - 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108
3rd Row - 109, 110, 111, 112,113,114,115, 116,117,118,119,120,121, 122, 123, 124, 125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133
2nd Row - 135,136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160
Front Row - 161, 162, 163, 164, Capt Harry Eustace Boorman, 166, 167, 168, 169
Source: City of Vancouver Archives AM1535-: CVA 99-173
8th and 9th Overseas Draft, 68th Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery Nov 1916
Back Row - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
9th Row - 8, 9,10, 11, 12,13,14,15
8th Row - 16,17,18,19,20,21, 22, 23, 24
7th Row - 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34
6th Row - 35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
5th Row - 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57
4th Row - 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70
3rd Row - 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84
2nd Row - 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93
Front Row - 94, 95
Back Row - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
9th Row - 8, 9,10, 11, 12,13,14,15
8th Row - 16,17,18,19,20,21, 22, 23, 24
7th Row - 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34
6th Row - 35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
5th Row - 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57
4th Row - 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70
3rd Row - 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84
2nd Row - 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93
Front Row - 94, 95
Source: City of Vancouver Archives AM1535-: CVA 99-172
5th Overseas Draft, 68th Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery Oct 1916
Back Row - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
10th Row - 8,9,10, 11,12,13, 14 ,15,
9th Row - 16,17,18,19,20,21, 22,23,
8th Row - 24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,
7th Row - 33,34,35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41,
6th Row - 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52,
5th Row - 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, George WT Bush, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63,
4th Row - 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76,
3rd Row - 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88,
2nd Row - 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101,
Front Row -102, 103
Back Row - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
10th Row - 8,9,10, 11,12,13, 14 ,15,
9th Row - 16,17,18,19,20,21, 22,23,
8th Row - 24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,
7th Row - 33,34,35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41,
6th Row - 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52,
5th Row - 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, George WT Bush, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63,
4th Row - 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76,
3rd Row - 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88,
2nd Row - 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101,
Front Row -102, 103
Source: wartimes.ca
1st Overseas Draft, 68th Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery
Back Row - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17,18,19,20,21, 22
Front Row - 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
Back Row - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17,18,19,20,21, 22
Front Row - 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
A series of photographs from the Vancouver Archives labeled 68th C.F.A. parade. These photographs appear to depict the 68th Overseas Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery moving the guns from (or to) an unknown stable location to their training area. The Battery appears to have been responsible to bring the new enrolees of each draft to a set standard of Gunnery.
A series of photographs from the Vancouver Archives labelled 58th C.F.A. Exhibition Grounds Vancouver from the Stuart Thompson fonds. Stuart Thompson took most of the group photographs of the 68th Overseas Depot Battery.
The questions are:
Is there a typo in the labeling of all these photographs (58 should read 68)?
Do these pictures portray 68th Overseas Depot Battery that are simply training at the Exhibition Grounds in Vancouver?
Were these photographs actually taken at the Exhibition Grounds in Victoria?
The questions are:
Is there a typo in the labeling of all these photographs (58 should read 68)?
Do these pictures portray 68th Overseas Depot Battery that are simply training at the Exhibition Grounds in Vancouver?
Were these photographs actually taken at the Exhibition Grounds in Victoria?
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Wounded
Gunner Thomas Shott enrolled with 68th Overseas Depot Battery 21 February 1916 and subsequently transferred to the 3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. |
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New Recruit
Albert Augustsen enrols in 68th Overseas Depot Battery. He would be awarded the Meritorious Service Medal later in the War. |
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