On February 5th Colonel Stewart, O.C. of No. 7 Canadian Stationary Hospital, was given command of Shorncliffe Military Hospital, with the forty subsidiary hospitals of the Dover area, in succession to Lieut.-Col. R. J. Blanchard, No. 3 C.C.S., of Winnipeg. He immediately recalled the nursing sisters and reassembled his Unit, and with his reorganized Staff manned Shorncliffe Military General Hospital and the Helena Hospital for officers. The Shorncliffe Hospital alone had 800 beds, and altogether there were some 10,000 beds in the hospitals taken over. Colonel Stewart and his Staff had a pretty busy time administering the hospitals of this large area. Sir Frederic Eve visited these hospitals periodically. During this time there were some changes in personnel: Corpls. G. S. Mitchell and Eric Grant left to take commissions; Capt. S. J. MacLennan went to Westcliffe Eye and Ear Hospital. Capt. E. Douglas joined the Unit during the latter part of the period here and sixteen other ranks were taken on strength. There was much excitement and anticipation when it was announced that the Unit was to proceed to France. The impression got abroad somehow that the Unit was to go direct to the Arras and Somme areas, where they would be in close contact with actual warfare. This was the source of a good deal of enthusiasm. The Unit left Shorncliffe and proceeded to Southampton on Sunday, June 18, 1916, embarked there on the _City of Benares_ and landed at Le Havre the same day. On arrival the Unit received orders to take over the Hotel des Emigrants at Le Havre from No. 2 Imperial General Hospital, which contained 400 beds. This was somewhat disappointing to the men after their anticipations of proceeding at once to the Front. However, all ranks settled down to steady work, and in a few weeks orders were received to establish a subsidiary tented hospital Unit at Harfleur, about six miles from Le Havre, to consist of 400 additional beds. This meant that the existing Staff had to man two hospitals of the same size, thus bringing a very heavy strain on the entire personnel, especially the nursing sisters and other ranks. Major L. M. Murray was placed in charge of the Harfleur Division. The main hospital was used for German wounded prisoners being sent back from the forward areas and for local sick from various Imperial Units at Le Havre. The subsidiary hospital was used for camp sick and accidents from the Canadian Base and several Imperial Units.