The 97th Battalion (American Legion), CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Great War Canadian Expeditionary Force. The 97th Battalion was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on May 1916 but were halted in Aldershot, Nova Scotia when the American government protested the title of American Legion as they were officially a neutral state. The delay caused a number of officers to resign and a number of men deserted when it became clear they would not enter the front lines. Finally the designation ‘American Legion’ was dropped and the unit could proceed overseas. 31 officers and 798 other ranks boaded the RMS Olympic on 19 September 1916. The next month 270 men were absorbed by the Depots of The Royal Canadian Regiment, CEF and the rest, 428 soldiers joined the Princess Patr