_23rd AND 24th FIELD BATTERIES._
[Illustration:
LT.-COL. T. M. SEELEY.]
In November, 1914, Lieut.-Col. T. M. Seeley, of Yarmouth, N.S. (O.C.
11th Brigade, C.F.A.), was commissioned to organize the 23rd Battery of
Field Artillery, to represent the Maritime Provinces in the 6th
Artillery Brigade, C.E.F. The temporary headquarters were at
Fredericton, N.B., but recruits were to be drawn from any part of the
Maritime Provinces. Many were furnished by the 3rd, 4th and 11th
Brigades of the Militia Artillery. An important factor in the new Unit
was a group of twenty-five or thirty students who joined from the
University of New Brunswick and other universities.
The recruiting proceeded at such a rate that Lieut.-Col. Seeley soon
found himself with fifty or sixty men over strength. He appealed to
headquarters for authority to have a second Battery formed, which was
granted. Lieut.-Col. B. A. Ingraham, R.O., of Sydney, C.B., was
commissioned to organize the 24th Battery, also at Fredericton. He took
over the surplus from the 23rd, and in addition brought a large
detachment of fine men from Cape Breton.
These Batteries trained side by side until February 18, 1915, when they
were mobilized with the 21st Battery of Kingston and the 22nd Battery of
Montreal, and sent Overseas February 22nd on _S.S. Megantic_, under
Lieut.-Col. E. W. Rathburn.
The Mayor of Fredericton, the Premier of New Brunswick, the Earl and
Countess of Ashburnham, and the citizens generally were very kind to the
artillerymen during their sojourn in Fredericton.
Just previous to sailing there were several changes made in the
personnel of the officers. Lieut.-Colonel Seeley was detailed to
organization duty in Canada, and Major J. K. MacKay was placed in
command of the 23rd Battery. On sailing the staff was: Major MacKay,
O.C.; Capt. E. A. Chisholm; Lieuts. J. E. Read and J. N. McEachern. The
Staff of the 24th Battery was: Lieut.-Colonel Ingraham, O.C.; Capt. A.
T. MacKay (of P.E.I.); Lieuts. G. St. C. A. Perrin and O. Mowatt.
Arriving in England the Batteries received a brief training at
Shorncliffe, after which they were drafted to the Second Brigade,
C.F.A., and Divisional Ammunition Column in France. A large proportion
of the N.C.O.’s and men of these Batteries won commissions and
distinctions on the field.