The 193rd Battalion was authorized on January 27, 1916, and John Stanfield, M.P. for Colchester, in the Dominion House of Commons, was gazetted Lieut.-Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer.

For a few weeks following this date the 193rd Battalion was not regarded as a Highland Brigade Battalion, but on February 23, 1916, Lieut.-Colonel Stanfield was officially notified that the 193rd had been selected as one of the Brigade Units.

Organization for recruiting had already been effected, and the 193rd was in a position to join in the Brigade campaign at once. The territory of the Battalion embraced the six Eastern Counties of the Mainland—Cumberland, Colchester, Hants, Pictou, Antigonish and Guysboro, with headquarters at Truro. Within one month the Battalion was over strength.

On March 24th Capt. J. L. Ralston, of the 85th Battalion, reported for duty as Acting Adjutant. His assistance was invaluable and counted for much in these early days of organization. Capt. J. Welsford MacDonald relieved him on April 7th and was appointed Adjutant. He was later succeeded by Capt. F. B. Schurman.

In February Lieut.-Colonel Stanfield had asked for the services of Capt. R. J. S. Langford, of the Royal Canadian Regiment, Halifax. On April 18th Captain Langford was attached to the 193rd, with the rank of Major, was appointed second in command and took over the duties of officer in charge of training. The high standard of efficiency to which the Battalion later attained was brought about by Major Langford’s enthusiastic and unremitting efforts.

The mobilization of the Battalions of the Highland Brigade at Camp Aldershot in May, 1916, is dealt with elsewhere in this volume. The 193rd arrived in Camp 300 men over strength.

Early in September the Brigadier, Lieut.-Colonel Borden, left for England, and was succeeded in the command of the Brigade by Lieut.-Colonel Stanfield. Major Langford took over the command of the Battalion with the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.

On September 26th, Lady Borden, wife of the Premier of Canada, presented King’s and Regimental Colors to the four Battalions of the Brigade. The distinctive color selected by the 193rd was “Royal Blue.”

The Battalion embarked on the Olympic, October 12th. The officers at that time were:

“A” Company—Major A. T. McLean, Company Commander; Capt. C. A. Good, Second in Command; Lieuts. H. F. Orman, D. J. McGillivray P. Andrews, H. A. Dickson.

“B” Company—Capt. R. K. Smith, Company Commander; Capt. R. G. McKay, Second in Command; Lieuts. N. C. Christie, J. M. Soy, H. C. Lowther, C. F. Wetmore.

“C” Company—Major A. A. Sturley, Company Commander; Capt. A. B. Todd, Second in Command; Lieuts. H. DeW. Cunningham, H. B. Potter, J. A. Ross, C. J. Markham.

“D” Company—Major J. W. MacDonald, Company Commander; Capt. G. McQuarrie, Second in Command; Lieuts. J. O. McLeod, W. E. McDonald, T. E. Logan, J. J. Murray.

A few weeks after arrival at Witley Camp, Lieut.-Colonel Borden returned from the Front and resumed command of the Brigade. Lieut.-Colonel Stanfield, owing to ill-health, was invalided back to Canada. When the Brigade was broken up in December, 1916, the following officers, with 300 other ranks, were transferred to the 185th Battalion: Lieut.-Colonel R. J. S. Langford, Major J. P. LeGallais, Major J. W. MacDonald, Capt. F. B. Schurman, Capt. F. C. Baird, Lieuts. H. F. Orman, D. J. McGillivray, P. Andrews, H. A. Dickson, J. M. Soy, H. DeW. Cunningham, C. J. Markham, J. O. McLeod, W. E. McDonald, J. J. Murray.

The remainder marched to Bramshott, where they were absorbed early in January, 1917, by the 17th Reserve Battalion, and used as reinforcements to the Nova Scotian Battalions in the Field.