This blog post is the fourth in a series, summarizing the information available on the life and First World War service of Guysborough County's 28 No. 2 Construction Battalion enlistments. Readers are asked to notify the blog author if there are any errors, or if a reader has additional information on any of the men profiled in these posts.
10. Private James Lavin Day:
According to his military service file, James Lavin Day was born at Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, on June 30,1898. His death certificate lists John F. Garo [sic - Gero], son of Francis and Jane Gero, Upper Big Tracadie, as his father. James’ mother, Harriet, was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Day. The 1901 Canadian census lists Harriet E. Day living at Tracadie with her older brother, John W., farmer and head of the household. No other residents are listed in census data.
On July 16, 1907, Harriet married widower Charles Cranswick Reddick at Guysborough, NS. A farmer and native of Tracadie Road, Guysborough County, Charles was the son of William C. and Ada Ann Reddick. The 1911 census lists James “Laffin” [sic] Reddick as “son, living in the Upper Big Tracadie home of Charles C. and Harriet Reddick. Also residing in the home is Gertie, Charles’ daughter by his first marriage to Louisa Jordan.
James enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro, NS, on September 22, 1916. He had been on its payroll for two weeks at that time. James spent the winter of 1916-17 in Truro and was briefly hospitalized with minor ailments twice during that time. On March 25, 1917, he boarded SS Southland along with his No. 2 Construction mates for the journey across the North Atlantic, arriving at Liverpool, UK, two weeks later.
On May 17, 1917, James landed in France with a large group of No. 2 Construction personnel. The group made its way to the Jura District, near the Swiss border, where its members commenced work harvesting and processing timber alongside several Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) Companies. James remained in the Jura District until December 30, 1917, when he was transferred to No. 1 CFC District, Alençon with 180 No. 2 Construction personnel and two officers. The group consisted largely—but not entirely—of individuals from the Caribbean Islands or southern United States. Military authorities had assumed±without any supporting evidence—that the cold winters in the mountainous Jura region might negatively impact their health.
The Alençon operation consisted of nine CFC Companies logging the Normandy forests. No. 2 Construction personnel were attached to No. 54 Company, CFC, during their time there. In late March 1918, the entire district commenced production of “pickets”—posts used to support trench walls and dugouts—as the German spring offensive commenced.
While CFC units received orders in early April 1918 to commence infantry training when personnel were not working in the forests or lumber mills, there is no evidence to suggest that any of the No. 2 Construction men participated in this activity. In early October 1918, a small detachment of six non-commissioned officers and 150 “other ranks” left Alençon for the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp. There were no No. 2 Construction personnel among their number.
When the November 11, 1918 Armistice brought fighting to an end, CFC timber activity ceased and harvested logs were quickly processed. No. 2 Construction personnel were the first to leave the continent, congregating at Étaples, France, in early December and crossing the English Channel to the United Kingdom as one group on December 14, 1918. The men remained there barely one month, departing for Canada aboard the Empress of Britain on January 12, 1919.
James was officially discharged from military service at Halifax, NS, on February 15, 1919, and returned home to Upper Big Tracadie. In early November 1922, military officials sent his service medals to the same address. James Lavin Day passed away at “his brother’s home in Upper Big Tracadie” on November 20, 1923. He was 25 years old at the time of his passing. “Brights disease”—known today as nephritis, a kidney ailment—was identified as the cause of death. James’ brother, Howard W., husband of Ida May Gero, was the informant. James Lavin Day was laid to rest in Hillcrest Cemetery, Tracadie.
11. Private Matthew Day:
According to his attestation papers, Matthew Day was born at Upper Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, in January 1875, the son of Matthew Sr. and Margaret (Gero) Day. Several other documents, however, suggest that he was at least 10 years older at the time of his military enlistment. The 1871 Canadian census lists Matthew, age seven, as one of eight children living in the Day household at the time. The 1881 census gives his age as 18, while the 1901 census stated that he was born on September 5, 1868. The documents suggest that his birth likely occurred between 1863 and 1868.
Sometime between 1881, Matthew married Eliza Jane Byard, daughter of John and Rebecca (Parris) Byard, Guysborough. Over the following years,11 children joined the Day family—daughters Lily, Margaret, Rosline [also listed as Rossie in census records], Melinda, May and Gertrude, and sons Cyrus [also listed as Cylas in census records], George, Gordon, William Spurgeon and Aubrey.
Despite his age and family circumstances, Matthew enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro, NS, on January 20, 1917. At the time, the unit was feverishly attempting to fill its ranks prior to departing for overseas, which may explain its willingness to accept a recruit who claimed to be 42 years old at the time, and was likely at least 10 years older. Matthew was briefly hospitalized at Truro in early February for treatment of “pyrexia” [fever of unknown origin], but departed for overseas with the unit aboard SS Southland on March 25, 1917.
Matthew disembarked at Liverpool, UK, on April 8, 1917. While a large contingent of his No. 2 Construction mates departed for France in mid-May 1917, Matthew remained in England, where he was posted to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot (NSRD), Camp Bramshott, on May 22. He remained with the Depot Company for five weeks before being posted to the 17th Reserve Battalion—the unit that provided reinforcements for the 25th (Nova Scotia Rifles) and 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalions.
While Matthew’s record contains no reference to hospitalization during his time overseas, military officials were apparently concerned with his physical suitability for overseas duty. On September 6, 1917, a Medical Board declared that he suffered from “debility” and was therefore not fit for military service. One week later, he was transferred from the 17th Reserve Battalion to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot. A note on his service file, dated, September 20, indicated that Matthew was “awaiting embarkation to Canada.”
On October 28, 1917, Matthew departed from Liverpool, UK, aboard SS Missanabie and arrived at Halifax, NS, on November 9. He was immediately admitted to Camp Hill Hospital, where he underwent treatment for pulmonary fibrosis and myalgia. A note in his service file provided more details on the military’s decision to return Matthew to Canada:
“Carried on in Canada fairly well[;] when he got to England[, he] complained of pain in muscles; easily fatigued and much distress about shoulders when carrying anything. Was returned to Canada Nov 1917 for overage. He is small [in] stature [Matthew was five feet five inches tall]…. Heart negative, frequency of urination at night[,] getting up several times during night. Brothers have history of T.B. [tuberculosis]…”
Matthew was discharged from military service at Halifax on February 28, 1918, and returned home. The 1921 Canadian census lists Matthew Day, age 65, occupation “plasterer,” living at Upper Big Tracadie with his wife Eliza and their five youngest children—George, age 18; Gordon, age 14; William, age 12; Gertrude, age 11; and Aubrey, age nine.
Eliza Jane Day passed away at home from “Bright’s disease”—known today as nephritis—on August 23, 1923. 58 years old at the time of her death, she was laid to rest in Upper Big Tracadie Cemetery. Matthew lived the remainder of his years in his home community, passing away on January 19, 1948. While his death certificate gives the cause as “old age” and states his age as 95, it is more likely that Matthew was in his early 80s at the time of his passing.
12. Private Howard Cranswick Desmond:
The family surname was spelled a variety of ways in official documents. Cranswick Jost’s 1890 marriage registration spells the surname “Dismore,” while the 1891and 1911 Canadian census records use the surname “Dismal.” Perhaps the most unusual version was the 1901 census entry, which used the spelling “Disney.” Howard Cranswick’s First World War service file followed today’s convention, recording his surname as “Desmond.”
At the time of the 1891 census, Cranswick and Lucretia were residing at Guysborough with Cranswick’s parents, Richard and Violet. During the ensuing decade, Lucretia gave birth to three children—a son Lindsay (February 15, 1893), a daughter “Gussie” (February 17, 1895), and their youngest child, Howard Cranswick.
Lucretia passed away sometime between Howard’s birth and the 1901 census, which lists Cranswick J. as a “widow.” No record of Lucretia’s passing can be located. On May 5, 1905, Cranswick Jost Desmond married Sarah Caroline Shepherd, daughter of John and Josephine Shepherd, Guysborough. By 1911, a fourth child—a daughter, Martha (August 1909)—had joined the Desmond household.
Howard Cranswick Desmond attested for service with No. 2 Construction Battalion at New Glasgow, NS, on July 25, 1916. Howard was among the unit’s earliest recruits, enlisting only three weeks after its official formation. At the time of his enlistment, documents recorded his birth year as 1896. Howard served with the unit throughout its time in Nova Scotia and departed for overseas aboard SS Southland on March 25, 1917.
Howard and his mates landed at Liverpool, UK, on April 7 and spent less than six weeks in England. On May 17, a large contingent of No. 2 Construction soldiers crossed the English Channel to France. Howard was one of the 525 men who made their way to the Jura District of France for service with the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC). With the exception of a two-week leave to the United Kingdom in mid-September 1918, he spent the duration of his time on the continent working alongside several CFC Companies, harvesting and processing timber from the Jura forests.
For reasons that are not explained on the documents in his service file, Howard did not return to the United Kingdom with No. 2 Construction. While the vast majority of his comrades departed the continent mid-December 1918 and left for Canada on January 12, 1919, Howard remained in France until January 18, 1919, at which time he was posted to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, “for the purpose of demobilization” and remained there for more than two months. On March 30, 1919, Howard departed Glasgow, Scotland, for Canada aboard SS Saturnia. A week and a half later, he arrived at Halifax, NS, and was formally discharged from military service on April 14, 1919.
Shortly after returning to civilian life, Howard relocated to New Glasgow, NS. On March 23, 1920, he married Lillian May Clark, daughter of Charles and Martha Jane (Pelley) Clark, Guysborough, in a ceremony held in the home of Mr. Leslie Izzard, New Glasgow. The couple established residence in New Glasgow, where Howard initially worked as a “common labourer,” but later found employment in the local coal mines.
On October 5, 1931, Lillian May passed away at home after a brief illness and was laid to rest in Lorne St. Cemetery, New Glasgow. She was 32 years old at the time of her death. Following his wife’s death, Howard remained in the community, working in the mines. On December 25, 1951, he perished in an automobile accident when a truck in which he was a passenger “crashed through the railing of the Toney River Bridge, and dropped into the Toney River.” His son Walter, Reservoir, New Glasgow, was the informant on his death certificate. Howard Cranswick Desmond was laid to rest in New Glasgow, NS. (Photograph courtesy of Kathy Grant, The Legacy Voices Project.)
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