At the time Col. Bent was commanding officer of the 3rd Pioneer Battalion and 3rd (reserve) Battalion of the Canadian Engineers.

LCol Bent transferred from the 17th Bn (Nova Scotia) in 1915 and became Commanding Officer of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) in May 1916 following the death of LCol W. R. Marshall, DSO. He served as CO through the battles of The Somme, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele and Amiens, where he was wounded severely. He returned as CO in 1918 to the end of the war and brought the 48th Highlanders home to Toronto in 1919. He served also in WWII from 1940 – 1943 as CO of the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, and 3rd (Reserve) Bn., Canadian Engineers.