G. L, (Geoff) Boone joined the 48th Highlanders (militia) battalion in Toronto in 1930. When war was declared in September 1939, Boone, then a Captain became one of 52 Officers of the regiment to join the 2nd Battalion and train, in preparation for overseas assignment,  at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds starting that month. The training was dubbed Maybin’s Academy, after the Officer Commanding the training, Major Wm. Maybin, MC who had been commissioned in the field while with the 15th Battalion, 48th Highlanders in WWI. The 48th had set up training without waiting for orders from higher up in the army.