This blog post is the sixth 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.
16. Private Michael Redmond Elms:
According to his military attestation papers, Michael Redmond Elms was born at Tracadie, NS, on May 25, 1895. Unfortunately, the 1901 and 1911 Canadian censuses do not provide any information on his family circumstances. Based on information extracted from his military service file and later marriage record, he was the son of John Redmond and Henrietta “Etta” Elms.
Michael enlisted for service with the No. 2 Construction Battalion at Halifax, NS, on August 28, 1916. At the time, he identified his mother, Mrs. Redmond Elms, Upper Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, as his next of kin. While his attestation document lists his occupation as “labourer,” information in his service file states that he was working as baggage porter at North St. Station at the time of his enlistment.
On March 28, 1917, Michael departed for overseas aboard SS Southland and arrived in the United Kingdom 10 days later. On May 14, 1917, he proceeded to France with a large contingent of No. 2 Construction men, headed for the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District, near the Swiss border.
Michael spent the duration of his time on the continent at Jura. On May 13, 1918, he was admitted to CFC Hospital, La Joux, for treatment of “cont. r. foot” [contusion, right foot], likely an injury sustained while working alongside CFC personnel as they harvested and processed timber obtained from the Jura region. After a 12-day stay, Michael was discharged from hospital and returned to duty. Other than a two-week leave to the United Kingdom in late August 1918, he remained at Jura until No. 2 Construction personnel departed France on December 14, 1918.
Michael spent one month in the United Kingdom before leaving for Canada on January 12, 1919. One month later, he was formally discharged from military service at Halifax, NS. On July 2, 1919, Michael married Florence Williams in a United Baptist ceremony that took place at New Glasgow, NS. Florence was the daughter of William and Sarah Williams, Upper Big Tracadie. At the time of his marriage, Michael was living at Halifax, where he was employed as a “sleeping car porter.”
With the exception of a document attached to his marriage license indicating that he and Florence divorced at Halifax on January 24, 1956, no further information is available on Michael Redmond Elms’ postwar life.
17. Private John William Elms:
John William Elms was born at Big Tracadie, Nova Scotia, on July 22, 1888. The 1891 Canadian census lists John, age two living with his parents, Johnson and Alice (Day) Elms, and siblings Ann Theresa, age seven, and Joseph, age one. Information on the census form lists Alice’s place of birth as Virginia.
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| John William Elms (front left) & three unidentified No. 2 Construction soldiers |
John was still living at home in 1911, although his father had passed away by that time. On May 14, 1913, John married Sarah “Sadie” McPhee, daughter of Archibald and Mary McPhee, Upper Big Tracadie, in a ceremony held at Big Tracadie United Baptist Church. Three years later, his widowed mother Alice married William Henry Gero, son of Thomas and Eliza Gero, in a ceremony held at Truro, NS, on September 21, 1916.
Five days prior to his mother’s second marriage—September 16, 1916—John enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro, NS. According to information in his service file, he and Sadie had two children at the time of John’s enlistment. A two-year-old daughter Elsie, was born in 1914, and an eight-month-old son John Joseph, was born in 1916.
On March 25, 1917, John Elms departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction Battalion aboard SS Southland. The vessel arrived at Liverpool, United Kingdom, on April 7 and its passengers proceeded to military camp in southern England. Six weeks later, a contingent of 525 No. 2 Construction men crossed the English Channel to France. John was among the men who set foot on the continent on May 17, 1917, and proceeded to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District.
Over the next seven months, John worked alongside several CFC Companies, harvesting and processing timber from the Jura forests. On December 12, 1917, he was part of a detachment of 180 No. 2 Construction personnel transferred to No. 1 District, Alençon. The majority of the men were natives of the southern United States or Caribbean Islands, and the Jura District’s medical officer was concerned that the location’s colder winter weather might negatively impact their health.
John spent the remainder of his time in France in the Alençon District. On September 8, 1918, he received two weeks’ leave to the UK. Shortly before rejoining his unit, he was awarded a Good Conduct Badge, having completed two years’ service without any disciplinary infractions. John worked at Alençon until December 14, 1918, when all No. 2 Construction personnel returned to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot at Bramshott Camp, UK.
John departed for Canada aboard the Empress of Britain on January 12, 1919, and arrived at Halifax, NS, 10 days later. He was formally discharged from military service at Halifax on February 15, 1919, and returned home. At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, 32-year-old John, farmer by occupation, was residing at Big Tracadie with his wife Sarah, age 27, and their children Elsie, age seven, John J., age five, and James B., age one month. Also living in the home are John’s younger brother Joseph, age 30, his step-father William Gero, age 60, and his mother Alice, age 50.
John remained at Big Tracadie for the remainder of his life. He passed away at Camp Hill Hospital, Halifax, on June 25, 1959, one month shy of his 71st birthday, and was laid to rest in Upper Big Tracadie. John’s son, Norman Arthur Elms, Creighton St., Halifax, was the informant on his death certificate.
18. Private William Henry Gero:
According to his service file, William Henry Gero was born at Big Tracadie, NS, on September 30, 1876. Canadian census records, however, indicate that he was born much earlier. The 1871 Canadian census lists Henry “Genow,” age 10, as the oldest child of Thomas (age 36) and Lisar [probably Eliza] (age 32) Gero. Also residing in the household were Benjamin, age eight, Thomas, age seven, Charles, age five, Lisar [Eliza], age two and Ann, age one.
The 1881 census lists William Henry “Garon,” age 18, living in the Havre Boucher district of Antigonish County with his widowed father Thomas and siblings Benjamin, age 16, Thomas, age 14, Charles, age 12, Eliza Mary, age nine, Bessie Ann, age eight, Norman, age six, and Insana [sic], age four. Later that same year, Thomas “Gerrow,” son of Benjamin and Hannah, married Margaret A. Dismal [Desmond], age 27, daughter of Christopher and Rebecca Dismal, in a ceremony that took place at Havre Boucher on August 18, 1881. While the 1901 census lists Thomas and his wife Margaret residing at Linwood, Antigonish County, William Henry is no longer living at home. His whereabouts then and at the time of the 1911 census 10 years later are unknown.
September 1916 proved to be an eventful month for William. His father passed away at Big Tracadie on September 3, 1916. Thomas was 86 years old at the time of his death and was laid to rest in the United Baptist Cemetery, Big Tracadie. William, his eldest child, was listed as informant on the death certificate. On September 16, William married Alice Elms [the marriage license records Alice’s surname as Gero], a 40-year-old widow and daughter of Margaret and John Day, Big Tracadie, in a ceremony held at Truro, NS.
Two weeks after his marriage—September 30, 1916—William enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro. As at the time of his marriage, William claimed to be 40 years old, but census records suggest that he was likely in his mid-fifties at the time. His military service papers also indicate that William had two dependents—James, age 12, and Annie, age seven. Information on his death certificate suggests that they were children from Alice’s first marriage.
On March 25, 1917, William departed Halifax with No. 2 Construction Battalion aboard SS Southland and disembarked at Liverpool, UK, two weeks later. On May 17, he proceeded to France with a large group of No. 2 Construction personnel, destined for the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District. William served in the Jura forests alongside CFC personnel for the duration of his time overseas.
On September 22, 1918, William was awarded a Good Conduct Badge, in acknowledgment of two years’ military service without a disciplinary infraction. He departed France with No. 2 Construction on December 14, 1918, and returned to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, UK. One month later, William sailed for Canada aboard Empress of Britain, arriving at Halifax on January 22, 1919. He was formally discharged from military service on February 14 and returned to the Big Tracadie area.
Military authorities forwarded William’s British War and Victory service medals to Big Tracadie, NS, on September 2, 1922. William Henry Gero passed away at Colchester County Hospital, Truro, NS, on October 8, 1945. At the time of his death, he was living at Prince St., Truro, and was laid to rest in the same community. Informant on William’s death certificate was his step-son, John Elms, Upper Big Tracadie, NS.
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