 Endre's motive and the impetus for the battalion's formation was that he was concerned about the possibility of Norwegians not being seen as loyal Canadians in wartime.While travelling to Camp Hughes (a temporary camp in Manitoba) in order to arrange for a summer camp that was to be the battalion's first muster, Cleven died after the car he was travelling in ran into a ditch near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.He was the only one of the three on board to die, and ironically the most important to the future of the battalion.