It was thought by most people in the early days of the War that the War would last only a few months, and the personnel of the Defences had to find accommodation where they could, until well on into the winter; for coast forts in peace time are not provided with accommodation for lengthy occupation; consequently, both officers and men had a far from comfortable time until wooden huts were constructed. None of the Artillery Units allotted to the Fortress were for any length of time up to full strength, so that barely sufficient men were available to form the necessary reliefs for the guns. Night and day, all through the War, from July 30th, 1914, until after the signing of the Armistice, November 11, 1919, enough men to work the guns had to be near them and alert, while on each gun was a sentry, who was relieved every hour, and whose duty was to watch seawards for the approach of any hostile craft. Not a very arduous task at first sight, but enough to make most men long to be Overseas after a few months of it. Fortunately the Germans were not very enterprising, and considered that the presence of the Coast Defences was too great a risk to run, so that Halifax did not have to go through the horrors of a bombardment as well as the explosion, though, had the city been undefended, it would, no doubt, like several English towns, have received a few shells from time to time. In March, 1915, the 3rd Regiment, C.G.A., from St. John, N.B., came for training, as St. John was about to be fortified, and a portion of this Unit was retained to reinforce the Units already doing duty in the Forts. In April, 1915, No. 4 Company, P.E.I., C.G.A., came for training. Some of these men had already been on duty with heavy field guns at Canso and Sydney. When trained they remained in Halifax, sending drafts Overseas from time to time, and proved themselves efficient gunners. In June, 1915, a number of N.C.O.’s and men sailed for the Front, but all efforts of others to do so were in vain, though several N.C.O.’s and men took their fate in their own hands and stowed away on transports conveying infantry. Some of these got as far as France, but discipline had to be maintained, and all were brought back. This incident will show that the men of the R.C.G.A. did not remain in Halifax from choice.