Recruiting was carried on simultaneously wherever the colored population were located. A detachment of sixty men, under command of Capt. W. A. McConnell, was raised at Toronto and latterly joined the detachment at Windsor, Out., under the command of Capt. A. J. Gayfer. The Ontario recruits in all numbered 350. About fifty recruits volunteered from Western Canada. The headquarters was first located at Pictou, N.S., and later transferred to Truro, where more barracks room was available. No. 2 Construction Battalion was the only volunteer Unit to engage in war-work before proceeding Overseas. A Company of 250 men, under command of Capt. Kenneth A. Morrison, was employed during the months of January, February and part of March lifting rails from the Grand Trunk sidings at Moncton, Nappadogan and Edmundston, N.B., to be shipped Overseas for the Western Front. Following is a list of officers of this Unit: D. H. Sutherland Lieut-Colonel and O.C. Kenneth A. Morrison Capt. and Second in Command. John Sidney Davie Capt. and Adjutant. Walter Adam McConnell Captain. George Peter McLaren Captain. A. J. Gayfer Captain. James Stuart Grant Captain and Paymaster. David Anderson Captain and Quartermaster. Russell R. McLean Lieutenant. James Bertram Hayes Lieutenant. Roderick Livingstone Lieutenant. Halton Fyles Lieutenant. William L. Young Lieutenant. L. Bruce Young Lieutenant. Isaac Logan Banhill Lieutenant. Attached Officers Capt. Dan. Murray, Medical Officer. Hon. Capt. William A. White, Chaplain. Mr. Harry B. McLean, of the Cook Construction Company, and Wheaton Bros., presented the Unit with a set of band instruments. Mr. Andrew Wheaton also assisted the Unit financially. Mr. H. B. McLean was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel on account of his interest in and assistance to the Battalion. The Unit embarked at Halifax, March 25, 1917, on board the troopship _Southland_; in all there were 3,500 troops on board. The ship was in command of Captain Morehouse, and the troops in command of Lieut.-Col. D. H. Sutherland. The convoy arrived at Liverpool April 8th. During the passage great precautions were taken to guard against enemy submarines. No lights were shown, no bugles blown and a constant watch was kept day and night for floating mines and submarines. This period was the worst in the history of submarine warfare, as more ships were sunk during the week April 1 to April 8, 1917, than at any time during the War.