Remembering Private Henry “Harry” McLeod—KIA August 9, 1918

Henry “Harry” McLeod was born at Halifax, NS, on July 12, 1887, the eldest of Lavina Grace (O’Hara) and Neil McLeod’s four children. Grace was a native of New Harbour, Guysborough County, while Neil was a sea captain from St. Ann’s, Cape Breton. When Neil passed away sometime during the 1890s, the family appears to have disintegrated, as the children were taken in by various O’Hara relatives. Harry was adopted by his maternal uncle, James O’Hara, New Harbour, while his two younger brothers lived nearby. Their sister, Ethel, was raised at Milton, Queen’s County, by O’Hara relatives.

Private Henry "Harry McLeod

By 1911, Harry had established residence at Stellarton, Pictou County, where he worked in the local coal mines. Following the outbreak of the First World War, mining towns received particular attention from military recruiters. On April 6, 1916, Harry enlisted with the 193rd Battalion at Stellarton. After a summer’s training at Camp Aldershot, he departed for England with the 193rd and its Nova Scotia Highland Brigade counterparts on October 12, 1916.

Shortly after its overseas arrival, two of the Brigade’s units—the 193rd and 219th Battalions—were dissolved, in order to provide reinforcements for Canadian units at the front. In late December 1916, Harry was transferred to the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders), one of two Highland Brigade units to remain intact.

Harry trained in England with the 185th for five months before receiving a transfer to the 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia) on May 27, 1917. He immediately crossed the English Channel to France, but was temporarily assigned to 2nd Entrenching Battalion, one of several labour units working in the forward area. After several months’ service with 2nd Entrenching, Harry finally joined the 25th’s ranks on August 20.

The unit had just withdrawn from the line following the Canadian Corps’ successful attack on Hill 70, near Lens, France. For the next two months, Harry served a regular rotation with the 25th in sectors near the city. In early November, the battalion relocated to Ypres, Belgium, where its soldiers occupied support positions during the final stage of the Canadian Corps’ attack on Passchendaele Ridge.

The 25th withdrew from the line several days after the ridge’s capture and returned to France before month’s end. Throughout the winter of 1917-18, Harry served regular tours alongside his 25th comrades in sectors near Lens. In late March 1918, German forces launched a major offensive south of the Canadian Corps. While unaffected by the subsequent fighting, the unit’s soldiers nevertheless remained on the alert, conducting regular night-time patrols in No Man’s Land.

On the night of April 21/22, 1918, while participating in one such assignment, Harry suffered a shrapnel wound to his right hand during a skirmish with enemy soldiers. Evacuated for medical treatment, Harry made a rapid recovery, as the wound was slight. He spent one month at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Centre before rejoining the 25th at Neuville-Vitasse on June 8. The unit remained in the line until month’s end, at which time its personnel retired to Divisional Reserve for a month’s rest and training.

In late July 1918, the 25th made its way south to a location near Amiens as the Canadian Corps prepared to return to the line. In the early hours of August 5, its soldiers entered trenches near Bois de Blangy. Two days later, they advanced to “jumping off” positions near Cachy and made final preparations for combat. Harry and his comrades were about to participate in a major Allied counter-attack on the German line east of Amiens, France.

At 4:20 a.m. August 8, the 24th and 26th Battalions—two of the 25th’s 5th Brigade mates—launched an attack on German trenches opposite their position. As the 25th followed in close support, a heavy mist hanging over the battlefield made it difficult for the soldiers to find their way. The Brigade nevertheless succeeded in capturing its objective—a location 1,000 yards beyond the village of Guillaucourt—by mid-day and personnel set about consolidating their position.

The following day—August 9, 1918—the 25th resumed the attack at 1:00 p.m. and succeeded in capturing three French villages before evening. During the advance, however, its soldiers encountered considerable enemy machine gun fire, resulting in numerous casualties. As night fell, Private Harry McLeod was officially reported “missing.” Sometime afterward, Harry’s remains were located, his “circumstances of casualty” stating that he “was killed while taking part in operations in the vicinity of Méharicourt.” Private Harry McLeod was laid to rest in Hillside British Cemetery, near Moreuil, France.

Harry’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937, available for purchase online at bantrypublishing.ca .