{"product_id":"ww1-cef-1","title":"WW1 CEF 202nd (Sportsmen’s) Battalion, Edmonton sweetheart.","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWW1 CEF 202nd\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eRaised in southside Edmonton, Alberta, beginning recruiting in the winter of 1915\/16, formally authorized on 15 July 1916, with headquarters in the Sheppard Block at 10316 Whyte Avenue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTraining took place at Sarcee Camp, Calgary, and it sailed for England on 23 November 1916, before being absorbed into the 9th Reserve Battalion on 27 May 1917 — a short-lived unit, as with most “Sportsmen’s” battalions raised for a single voyage overseas then broken up as reinforcements. \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSole commanding officer was Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Edwin Bowen, one of Alberta’s best-known sportsmen and one of the province’s best rifle and trap shots — fitting given the battalion’s “Sportsmen’s” name.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNotably, flying ace Wop May was a member of the battalion before he transferred out to pursue his RFC career.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53980435382600,"sku":"10099","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2193.heic?v=1788474839","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/ww1-cef-1","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}