Remembering Lieutenant Charles Kingston O’Donoghue—KIA September 27, 1918

Charles Kingston O’Donoghue was born at Canso, Guysborough County, on August 11, 1897, the oldest of Frances (Baird) and Charles O’ Donoghue’s four children. Charles Sr. was a manager at Commercial Cable Company, where Kingston—as he was known to family—eventually worked as a cable operator.

Lieutenant Charles Kingston O'Donoghue

In the autumn of 1915, Kingston travelled to Halifax and commenced training with the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). He formally attested with the unit on November 8, 1915. The battalion spent almost one year training in the province, as military authorities recruited three additional battalions to form the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade. On October 12, 1916, the four units departed for overseas aboard SS Olympic and made their way to Witley Camp, England, after their overseas arrival.

Unfortunately, the Canadian Corps’ significant casualties incurred during fighting at the Somme in September and October 1916 resulted in the dissolution of two Highland Brigade units. The 85th, however, remained intact and proceeded to France on February 10, 1917. Kingston, promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal as the Brigade departed from Nova Scotia, was among the young soldiers about to receive an introduction to combat on the Western Front.

Following several weeks of training and preliminary tours with experienced units, the 85th was attached to the 4th Canadian Division’s 11th Brigade for service as a “working unit” during the Canadian Corps’ impending attack on Vimy Ridge. As the battle unfolded on the morning of April 9, 1917, the Brigade’s units failed to secure their primary objective—Hill 145, the ridge’s highest elevation. In response, commanders ordered two of the 85th’s Companies into the “jumping off” trenches in late afternoon. Despite their lack of combat experience, the Nova Scotia Highlanders pushed German forces from the ridge’s western slopes in a daring, early evening attack.

The following day, the entire battalion entered the front trenches atop the ridge. Before month’s end, the 85th was assigned to the 4th Division’s 12th Brigade and commenced a regular tour of duty in the line. In the aftermath of the battalion’s Vimy debut, Kingston was promoted to the rank of Acting Corporal and served without incident in sectors near Lens throughout the spring and summer of 1917. On October 1, he was “confirmed in [the] rank of Sergeant.” Two weeks later, the unit moved northward to Staples, France, where personnel prepared for the Canadian Corps’ next major assignment—an attack on Passchendaele Ridge, Belgium.

While Canadian units launched the first phase of a four-stage attack on October 26, the 85th’s soldiers were located at St. Lawrence Camp, near Ypres. Two days later, its personnel made their way into the line under cover of darkness. At precisely 4:50 a.m. October 30, the unit advanced toward its objective—a cluster of fortified German positions at a location known as Vienna Cottage. While the 85th secured its objective within two hours, it suffered what proved to be the worst losses of its entire overseas service during the advance.

Kingston was one of its earliest casualties, struck in the foot by a bullet while going “over the top” toward the German line. Admitted to a field ambulance the following day, he was evacuated to hospital at Étaples, France, on November 1 and invalided to England 10 days later. The bullet had fractured the long bone in the middle of his foot and thus Kingston required considerable time to fully recover. Finally discharged from medical care on March 4, 1918, he continued his regain his strength and mobility at No. 2 Depot, Camp Bramshott, and was finally deemed “fit for service” on April 26.

Assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion, which provided reinforcements for Nova Scotia’s 25th and 85th Battalions, Kingston was offered a commissioned rank shortly afterward. On May 11, he reported to the Cadet Training School, Bexhill, and spent the next three months completing his officer’s training. He returned to the 17th’s ranks on August 5 and awaited orders to return to France. As the Canadian Corps commenced a major counter-offensive three days later, it was not long before he received the call.

On September 15, Lieutenant Kingston O’Donoghue proceeded to France and rejoined his 85th comrades in the field six days later. The unit had recently participated in a series of combat engagements—Amiens (August 8) and the “Scarpe Operations” along the Drocourt-Quéant Line (September 1 and 2)—and was training in preparation for an impending attack on German positions west of Cambrai at the time of his return.

The battalion broke camp in the early evening of September 25 and marched to the Arras train station. When its transportation failed to arrive at the appointed time, the soldiers crammed into a large freight shed and settled in for the night. Around 11:30 p.m., German aircraft dropped a bomb that landed “about two feet from the edge of the building…, killing one Officer and nine other ranks and wounding one Officer and 58 other ranks.”

The train finally arrived in the early morning hours and carried the battalion to the outskirts of Bullecourt. Upon disembarking, personnel made their way to a staging area one mile north of Quéant and established camp. The soldiers spent the remainder of the day resting while the unit’s Officers completed preparations for combat.

At 12:15 a.m. September 27, the 85th marched out to the assembly area near Inchy-en-Artois. Five hours later, an artillery barrage signalled the start of the attack. Fifteen minutes later, the unit’s soldiers advanced toward its objective—the village of Bourlon, adjacent to a well-fortified, wooded area bearing the same name. Heavy fire forced the lead Company to pass around the southern edge of Inchy toward the day’s first obstacle—the incomplete Canal du Nord.

While crossing the canal, heavy shelling resulted in the lead and rear Companies losing contact. Pausing to re-group once all personnel had reached the other side, the soldiers encountered “considerable machine gun fire” shortly after resuming their advance. Despite the resistance, the unit reached its preliminary objective on the village’s outskirts at 7:45 a.m.

The supporting artillery barrage was scheduled to lift 30 minutes later, but appeared to end “very soon after” the battalion reached the location. As a result, the forward Companies pressed onward toward the final objective and overran German positions in front of the village with little resistance. During the process, however, German artillery shells and machine gun fire from nearby Bourlon Wood inflicted “a considerable number of casualties.”

Suddenly, the supporting artillery barrage resumed, causing numerous casualties among two Companies moving forward in support of the advance. Personnel hastily found whatever shelter was available on the battlefield and waited for the barrage to lift. Once it had passed, the 85th advanced through the remainder of Bourlon, securing it with “little resistance” by 9:45 a.m. Throughout the day, the battalion connected with adjacent units and established outposts in front of the newly-constructed defensive line.

Later that night, the 72nd and 78th Battalions—two of the 85th’s Brigade mates—passed through its line and established “jumping off” positions for the attack’s second phase, scheduled for the following morning. The 85th suffered a total of eight Officer and 75 OR casualties during the day’s advance. Lieutenant Charles Kingston O’Donoghue was one of the day’s earliest fatalities, “killed by a shell while crossing the Canal” during the advance’s first stage. He was laid to rest in Quarry Wood Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

Kingston’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 .