On the outbreak of hostilities the Canadian Ordnance Corps had a strength of four officers, fifty-five other ranks and thirteen civilians. It was very soon apparent that the Ordnance Depot would have to be kept working twenty-four hours per diem. All ranks therefore were immediately placed under canvas within the Depot, and shifts arranged so that work of the Ordnance Depot could be continued the whole period of twenty-four hours. The armament of the Fortress and the Royal Canadian Engineer Defence electric lights were immediately equipped up to war scale. All fighting equipment necessary for the Royal Canadian Regiment, the 63rd and 66th Regiments, and 1st Regiment Canadian Garrison Artillery was immediately issued. Companies of the 94th and 78th Regiments were later clothed and equipped for duty at various strategic points in Nova Scotia. With the manning of all Forts it became necessary to place a highly trained mechanic, known as an Armament Artificer, in each, to keep all guns and machinery in repair, and ready for immediate action. These were provided by the Canadian Ordnance Corps. As soon as the Camp opened at Valcartier, it fell to the lot of the Canadian Ordnance Corps at Halifax to ship forward the bulk of the stores for equipping the Units being mobilized at Valcartier. Day after day, night after night, it was one continuous loading of cars to rush forward to Valcartier Camp. Special efforts were made to complete the 17th Battery, C.F.A., Sydney, with clothing and equipment before proceeding to Valcartier. Prior to the departure of the 1st Division from Valcartier, an advance party from the Canadian Ordnance Corps was being sent to England to prepare for the arrival of the Canadians in England. Conductor J. D. Pitman and three non-commissioned officers and men left Halifax with seventy minutes notice and proceeded to England as part of the Canadian Ordnance Corps advance party. The party were each in possession of a haversack and water bottle as their kit. Conductor Pitman received promotion to the rank of Major, and held Staff appointments on the various Divisions in France, finally being made Chief Ordnance Officer, Canadian Overseas Military Forces, and was awarded the D.S.O. As the Imperial Government was, during the early stage of the War, urgently in need of guns and ammunition, all guns and ammunition which could be spared from this district were immediately shipped away direct to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. Two Armament Artificers also left Halifax to proceed with the Canadian Artillery Brigades of the 1st Division, and of these two, Armament Q.M.S. Smith, it is regretted, after having greatly distinguished himself in action, died of the result of wounds.