“Chief difficulty is finding sufficient skilled labor, fellers, haulers and sawyers. One thousand five hundred men are urgently needed, and H.M. Government would suggest that a Battalion of lumbermen might be formed of specially listed men to undertake exploitations of forests of this country. If proposal commends itself to Canadian Government, would beg very early action. Suggest that men be enlisted into Canadian Expeditionary Force and despatched in small companies under competent supervision. Government is aware that lumber season is now in progress, but feel sure that men would enlist even at sacrifice of present employment if the reason of appeal were made known to them. Incidence of cost will be arranged as agreeable to Canadian Government.” A further cable was sent on February 29th. So quickly did the Canadian authorities make up their minds, that on March 1, 1916, a cable was sent stating that the Battalion asked for would be provided with the least possible delay. The raising of Units in this Corps exemplified the readiness of the Canadian Government to assist in the most unexpected direction. The 224th Battalion, under Lieut.-Colonel McDougall, arrived in England, April 28, 1916, and the 230th, 238th and 242nd Battalions followed within six months. Nova Scotia’s quota in this branch of the Service was about 525 officers and men, known as the Nova Scotia Forestry Draft, composed of three Companies with a personnel of officers as follows: _Staff._—Major M. C. Denton, Officer Commanding; Major E. J. Stehlen, Second in Command; Capt. J. G. Pierce, Adjutant. _“A” Company._—Capt. M. D. McKeigan, O.C.; Lieut. A. Roy, Lieut. Parker McDonald, Lieut. David Neal. _“B” Company._—Capt. G. D. Blackader, O.C.; Lieut. N. P. McKenzie, Lieut. C. B. McDougall, Lieut. C. F. Kinney. [Illustration: MAJOR M. C. DENTON, Forestry Corps.] _“C” Company._—Capt. H. B. Verge, O.C.; Lieut. George Harding, Lieut R. S. Shreve, Lieut. W. V. R. Winters. Authorization for this Unit was granted in March, 1917. Recruiting and organization work began immediately by Companies, under the direct supervision of the Company Commanders in the various counties as follows: “A” Company in Pictou, Cape Breton, Victoria and Inverness; “B” Company in Halifax, Cumberland, Colchester and Prince Edward Island; and “C” Company in Shelburne, Queens, Lunenburg, Yarmouth and Digby; “A” and “B” Companies mobilized at Truro; “C” Company at Yarmouth; and on May 29th all Companies proceeded to Aldershot to complete the work of organization, after which they embarked on the White Star Line Transport _Justicia_, and arrived in England, July 4, 1916. The Base Depot for the Corps was at Smith’s Lawn, Sunningdale, Berkshire, within the confines of Windsor Great Park. This site was given to the Corps by His Majesty the King in December, 1916.