Royal Canadian Navy : Colin Murdo Nicolson, Basic Training, HMCS Naden, 1943/44.

It may be possible to find the location of this training facility by researching the negative number on the back. Colin Nicolson says he remembers that his father said he was trained in Western Canada, which makes sense since all of the recruits who signed the back of the photo were from Western Canada. The logical location would be HMCS Naden in Esquimalt, B.C.

Possibly training divisions Hood I and Hood 2. But what does "B-170" refer to?
Colin Nicolson wrote the men's surnames in row order in the top half of the back of the photo. Names marked with an asterisk [*] differ slightly from the signature in the bottom half:

First Row:- Toninato, Thornburrow, Craig, Koapchiuk, Jenkins, Schumaker, Flaig, Kromm, Peltier, Hoffman, Zemp, Nicolson, Schultz.
Second Row:- Parry, Grabriel [*], Swanson, Johnson, Babington, Evans, L/S Gibbons, L/S Turner, S/Lt Ferris, L/S Boomer, L/S Sleeth, Harrop, Bannister, Lowe, Willis, Schmidt.
Third Row:- Rennie, Cooper, Martman [*], Roberston [*], Hieir [*], Wilbon, K. Kerr, Aud, Hendrickson, Turner, Meiers, McPherson, Parker, Zimmer, Esveld.
Fourth Row:- Widdell [*], Weichel, Main, Sorrel, Meloff [*], Gibson, Paolini, Howell, Landversitch, McMahon, Hymers, Cooke, Trono, C. Kerr, Humes.
Back Row:- Hillier, Forrest, Kehl, Bolliantz [*], Flynn, Hughes, Moe.

Signatures and home-towns. Note that several of the names below do not appear in the photo. The back of the photo is divided into left & right sections.

[ LEFT SECTION: ] -- B-170
C. Nicolson
O.R. Moe (Angel) -- Yorkton
W. H.(?) Sleeth L/S -- Montreal, Que.
G. Mellof -- Fort William
P.E. Lowe -- Moose Jaw
G. Schmidt -- Fort Francis
B. Landversitch -- Hymers
W.F. Hoffman -- Lomond, Alta
A.J. Main, Calgary, Alta
J. Maddia -- Regina (absent)
G. Parker -- Crestwynd
CF(?) Trono -- Canmore
Stan Wilton "Swede" -- Calgary
J.D. Meiers -- Calgary
R.S. Zemp -- Lethbridge
Gordon Rennie -- Edmonton, Alta.
Red McMahon -- Ft. William
Edward Harrop -- Huallen, Alta
[ END of left-hand section ]
[ CENTRE, above section divider ]
K. Maartman -- Kimberley, B.C.
[ RIGHT SECTION: ] -- Others in Divisions Hood I & II
Archie Hymers -- Hymers, Ont.
Albert Heier -- Weyburn
V. Flaig -- Regina
E. Kromm -- Calgary
Allan Robertson -- Weyburn
C.W. Schultz -- Calgary
R. Turner -- Calgary
Vic Hendrickson -- Kenora, Ont.
Sid Cooper -- Moose Jaw
Neil Paolini -- Soo, Ont.
W. Thornburrow -- Fort William
D.E. Willis -- Kenora, Ont.
L.C. Johnson -- Kenora, Ont.
J.H. Bolianatz -- Avonlea, Sask.
Phil Waddell -- "The Farm"
Clive H. Greabeiel -- Swift Current, Sask.
Herb. Esveld -- Calgary, Alta.
R.H. Flynn -- Shaunavon, Sask.
Kenneth Swanson -- Ft. William
Robert L. Hillier -- Ft. Wm.
R.N. Parry -- Entwistle, Alta.
Les Peltier -- Travelling Sask.(?)
Joe Weichel -- Penticton, B.C.
[?] Ceogg(?) -- Drumheller
ABSENT
J.E. Luthrie [Guthrie?] -- Dryden, Ont.
[ END OF SIGNATURES ]

Official RCN photo, Negative E 5348.

The transcription of these signatures appear below the group photo of the men above.

Royal Canadian Navy : HMCS Naden, 1943/44.