Originally from Orillia, Ontario, Ernest Nelson enrolled in the 157th Battalion in October 1916. For him and thousands of compatriots, this step had many consequences and for many marked the beginning of an experience that led to a new outlook on life. Like many soldiers, Ernest Nelson kept a personal diary of his observations and thoughts about his service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The first pages of Ernest Nelson's personal diary, describing his path from the recruitment office to the training camp in Witley, England, reflect the optimism of recruits who had not yet experienced combat and life in the trenches.

Ernest Nelson was not the only optimistic soldier in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Far from the Front, recruits did not have a very clear idea of what it would be like there. The soldiers of the Expeditionary Force were not experienced military officers but rather, in most cases, young men in search of adventure, spurred on by the prevalent patriotic mood or drawn by the prospect of a steady income. Few of them thought about what might await them overseas.

	The Military Career of Ernest Nelson
	Recruitment
	Going Overseas
	Video: Review of Overseas Troops