The 252nd
"Lindsay" Overseas Battalion CEF was organized at
Lindsay, Ontario beginning in September, 1916 by Lt.-Col.
John James Glass, formerly an officer in the 109th
Battalion and a Collector of Customs in civilian life.
Recruiting was so slow that by March 1917 only 304 men had
been attested. 57 of these men had previously attested in
other CEF battalions, many having been rejected as unfit or
underage. Many would also be rejected by the 252nd - by the
time it sailed in June 1917 the battalion had a strength of
only 6 officers and 127 men.
Once in England, the
252nd was absorbed by the 6th Reserve Battalion and most of
the men were sent in reinforcing drafts to battalions of
the newly organized Eastern Ontario Regiment ( 2nd, 21st, 38th
) and the 15th battalion. Of the 304 men who were
attested into the 252nd, 23 would be fatal casualties,
13 with the 21st Battalion, others with the 2nd and 15th
battalions and Canadian Forestry Corps.
