Updated: 1 May 2018 - another photo added at the bottom.
So this photo was more likely taken in 1916, the year Harry enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). Or perhaps in 1917, which could more easily have been read as 1911 during indexing. The location of “Little Mountain” is now in the middle of Queen Elizabeth Park near Cambie at 33rd in Vancouver. Perhaps they used this area for their training? And the magnificent horse that Harry is mounted on was named ‘Credential’, a very fitting reference to Harry’s civilian occupation of Financial Agent.
A news article posted in the Vancouver Daily World on 25 Mar 1916, page 23, gives more details about Harry’s appointment to the 68th Battery:
VANCOUVER OFFICER TO COMMAND BATTALION
Captain. H. E. Boorman, It is Announced Will Head 68th Unit.
What will be known as the 68th Battery of Artillery has been authorized as the contribution of Vancouver district to the brigade which will be raised in the west under Col. A. T. Ogilvie, formerly officer commanding Military District No. 11. Capt. H. E. Boorman (local major), it is understood, will be placed in command of the battery, the organization of which will be proceeded with immediately.
Captain Boorman, Colonel Ogilvie and other military officers were in conference this morning at military headquarters. There are some 150 men now in training at artillery barracks. This detachment, it was intended, should form the third overseas draft, but it may now be diverted to form the nucleus for the new battery.
Training will be conducted under nearly active service conditions as is possible.
Other officers of the 68th brigade will be drawn from the officers of the Vancouver Volunteer Reserve. Mr. A. H. Stewart, formerly of the London Scottish and the Hongkong Rifles, will probably be second in command, while Mr. J. M. Stewart will also be transferred to the battery.
Provisional Lieutenants Macdonald, Borland, Wilde and Cooke will be taken on the strength of the new unit also.
The 68th battery, it was announced, will have permanent headquarters in Vancouver, and overseas drafts will be supplied through it.
From the LAC “Guide to Sources Relating to Units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force - Artillery” (on page 111):
68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery
Organized in March 1916 as a draft-giving depot battery under the command of Captain H. Boorman. Known as Boorman’s Artillery. Authorization published in General Order 69 of 15 July 1916. Mobilized at Vancouver. Recruited in British Columbia. Absorbed by No.11 Artillery Depot in October 1918. Disbanded by General Order 191 of 1 November 1920.
Archival references:
Appointment of officers RG 24, vol.1372, file HQ 593-6-1-ART
Inspection reports, clothing and equipment RG 24, vol.1683
The City of Vancouver Archives has portraits of a number of these uniformed draft groups, sometimes including officers. Harry probably delegated the honour of posing with these recruits to some of his officers. But I think I've found Harry in a 1917 group portrait of the 68th unit, complete with dog mascot. It looks like Harry, wearing a very serious expression, sitting front row centre:
These photos represent a part of Harry's life that we knew very little about, and we still hope to learn even more. In 1916 when he enlisted, Harry would have been age 35, already married with three children, and a fourth before war's end. Referred to as Captain H.E. Boorman on his last CEF pay certificate, Harry was demobilized on 31 Jan 1919, when he returned to civilian life and his residence at 1678 Davie Street in Vancouver.
There were to be more storms ahead in Harry's life, but he weathered these war years, respected and in a position of authority in service to his country.
Added 1 May 2018: Another impressive photo has now been uncovered, thanks to Leon Jensen, webmaster of the Vancouver Gunners website (including the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA among other organizations). He found this large group photo (see below) of the 68th Battery CFA in the collection of 15th Field Artillery Reg't Museum & Archives (accession #985.115.01). And this time the photographer, Stuart Thomson, has penned in Capt. Boorman's name! It is dated 22 May 1918, in the final year of the Great War. Harry is quite recognizable in this photo, and apparently more relaxed and comfortable in his position as Commanding Officer of this large WWI Battery. As we have not yet found a single formal military studio portrait of Harry, I have cropped him out of this group photo for his personal file, and to complement this large photo, displayed here with permission from the 15th Field RCA Museum and Archives. |
An overview of Terry's paternal BOORMAN line can be found on our Boorman page.