Fonds F2906 - 196th Battalion Reunion fonds

The 196th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, also known as the Western Universities Battalion or “Wubs” consisted of students and faculty from the provincial universities of the four western provinces. It was organized into companies A, B, C, and D, from the universities of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia respectively. The battalion was formed early in 1916, and trained at Camp Hughes, Manitoba and in England. In 1917 it was broken up, and its members were transferred to other battalions that had been depleted in battle during the First World War. Members of the Battalion met annually for reunions from 1919 until at least 1969. George C. Waight of Winnipeg was the organizer of these events. Egbert N. “Eg” Bowman of Calgary collected newsclippings about the reunions and corresponded with some of his old comrades.