WW1 Canada CEF 157th ‘Simcoe Foresters’ Battalion postcard 1916

Nice postcard with badge of the 157^st 'Simcoe Foresters’ Battalion, surrounded by flags of the allies at top, and battlefield scene at bottom.

Scarce, seldom seen.

Mailed to 'Mrs. Dawson Collingwood Ontario’ Postmarked ‘CAMP BORDEN AUG 24 1916’ and ‘FIELD POST OFFICE’ cancel on 2x1 cent George V stamps (early use off this postmark).

Camp Borden is located about 100 kms north of Toronto Ontario.

Text from soldier:

(1) Major General Francois Louis Lessard,Inspector General for Eastern Canada

On back, printed ‘Published in Canada by Purdy & O’Donnell, 43 Queen St. East, Toronto.’

This is part of a series of Camp Borden Battalion postcards with similar background images.

Crease LR corner. Toning bottom edge and on to back edge.

The 157th (Simcoe Foresters) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War.

On 30 November 1915, the 35th Regiment "Simcoe Foresters" was authorized to raise the 157th Battalion. Based in Barrie, Ontario, the 157th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters, began recruiting in late 1915 in Simcoe County. 2,450 volunteers were recruited, of which 1,070 officers and other ranks were enlisted in the battalion. Of the remainder, about 700 were rejected as being medically unfit, 75 were transferred to the 76th Battalion, and the approximately 600 remaining were transferred to the 177th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters.

Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel D.H. MacLaren, the 157th was tasked with constructing a new army training camp on the Simcoe Pines Plain, which was to be named Camp Borden. Construction began in May 1916 with the companies from Barrie and Collingwood. A second company from Barrie arrived in June to help speed up the construction. As such, the 157th became the founding battalion of Camp Borden, which it constructed to accommodate 40 infantry battalions in 10 brigades. Before the camp was opened the remainder of the 157th and the entire 177th Battalion (Simcoe Foresters), CEF, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.B. McPhee, arrived. By that summer, Camp Borden was home to 36 CEF battalions in nine brigades before they embarked overseas. On the night of Camp Borden's official opening, a riot by members of other battalions was suppressed by both the 157th and 177th battalions of the Simcoe Foresters, which were turned out with bayonets fixed.

On 12 October 1916, the battalion received its regimental colours at Camp Borden.

Training at Camp Borden ended on 13 October 1916, when the 157th Battalion departed for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Embarking on board the SS Cameronian on 18 October 1916, the battalion sailed for Liverpool, England, arriving on 28 October. From Liverpool, the 157th was stationed for only a week at Witley Camp before proceeding to Bramshott Camp as part of the 7th Training Brigade.

Like so many CEF Battalions arriving in England at that time. the 157th Battalion, Simcoe Foresters was broken up for reinforcements to units already in the field.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/157th_Battalion_(Simcoe_Foresters),_CEF