The first entry in Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry War Diaries was on Wednesday November 4th, 1914 while the unit was stationed at Bustard Camp, Salisbury Plain, England:
Bustard Camp Salisbury Plain 4.11.14 Inspection of Battalion with rest of Canadian Contingent by HM The King accompanied by HM The Queen, Lord Roberts, Lord Kitchener.
During the ceremonial parade of November 4th, Hamilton Gault formally handed the Regiment to the King who, with Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener, then inspected them. The King told Farquhar, 'This is the finest battalion I have ever inspected', and likely he was genuinely impressed. The Patricia's had been garnering this same reaction from the many British visitors who'd come through the camp to visit with family members over the weeks. Rather than the expected ragtag bunch of civilians awkwardly learning how to soldier, the Patricia's were disciplined and mature men. Together they wore a combined total of 771 decorations and medals.
