Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 9

This blog post is the ninth and final 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.

25, 26 & 27. Privates Angus, James Alexander & William John Tarbot/Talbot:

Brothers Angus, James Alexander and William John Tarbot were born at Sand Point, near Mulgrave, Guysborough County, sons of Edward and Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Benoit/Bennett) Tarbot. The family surname was spelled “Tarbot” in earlier documents, but transitioned to “Talbot” in the years following the First World War.

James Alexander was the oldest of the brothers. According to his death certificate, he was born on April 1 1892. Military service files list William John’s birth date as September 2, 1896, while Angus’s birth date is recorded as May 15, 1897. Census records, however, suggest that Angus was likely born in 1898 or 1899.

At the time of the 1901 Canadian census, the three boys were living with their mother Lizzie in the household of their grandparents, James and Mary J. Tarbot, Mulgrave. On October 22, 1903, Lizzie married Dominick Marshall at Sydney, NS. The couple took up residence on Lingan Road, where Lizzie’s three sons became part of the household. Lizzie gave birth to a daughter Jennie in November 1906. By 1911, James, the oldest of the three brothers, was working as a labourer in the local steel plant, where his step-father Dominick was employed as a foreman.

Following the formation of No. 2 Construction Battalion on July 5, 1916, the three Tarbot brothers were among its earliest enlistments. James and William joined the unit at New Glasgow on July 25, while Angus enlisted the following day. The trio commenced their military service in a barracks on the Pictou waterfront and relocated to Truro with the battalion in September.

Angus, James and William spent the winter of 1916-17 in Truro and departed for overseas aboard SS Southland on March 18, 1917. The brothers arrived in the United Kingdom on April 7. Six weeks later, the brothers crossed the English Channel to France as part of a large detachment of No. 2 Construction personnel who landed on the continent on May 17, 1917.

The men were assigned to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ Jura District, near the Swiss border, where No. 2 Construction personnel worked alongside several CFC Companies, harvesting and processing timber in the mountainous region. The district’s mill specialized in the production of wooden ties for small-gauge railways constructed behind the front lines.

James and William remained in the Jura District for the duration of their overseas service. During that time, both were hospitalized with minor medical issues, but quickly recovered after treatment. In late December 1917, their younger brother Angus was part of a detachment of No. 2 Construction personnel transferred to CFC’s No. 1 District, Alençon, located in the Normandy forests. The group consisted mainly of No. 2 Construction men from the southern United States and Caribbean islands, judged by CFC officers to be susceptible to the Jura District’s colder winters. Angus worked in the Alençon district for the remainder of his time in France.

Following the signing of the November 11, 1918 Armistice, CFC harvesting operations ceased and sawmills processed the remaining harvested logs. CFC personnel then dismantled the mills and lumber camps. No. 2 Construction men were the first to return to the United Kingdom, gathering near Étaples and crossing the English Channel in one group on December 14, 1918.

While Angus and James departed for Canada aboard SS Empress of Britain on January 12, 1919, with the majority of No. 2 Construction men, post-Armistice health issues delayed William’s return until May 18, 1919, when he sailed for home aboard SS Aquitania. Angus and James were discharged from military service at Halifax on February 14, while William was discharged at the same location on June 2, 1919.

The brothers gave their post-war address as 79 Lingan Road, Sydney, the address where their mother and step-father resided. The trio remained in the Sydney area over the next several decades. Their mother Lizzie passed away from lobar pneumonia at 79 Lingan Road, Sydney, on March 24, 1934, and was laid to rest in New Calvary Cemetery, Sydney.

On February 21, 1920, William was working as a “machinist” at the time of his marriage to Violet Walker, daughter of John and Helen (Arsenault) Walker, Montreal, QC. The ceremony took place at St. Alban’s Rectory, Sydney, NS. The marriage was short-lived, as Violet appears to have passed away within the next three years. On March 17, 1924, William, a widower, married Agnes McKinnon, daughter of Roderick and Sarah (McDonald) McKinnon, Glace Bay.

William John Talbot succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis at 116 Tupper St., Sydney, on February 9, 1945. He had retired from his position as  “steelworker foreman” with Dominion Iron & Steel Corporation the previous year. William was interred in the New Calvary Cemetery, Sydney, NS. There is no record of children from either marriage in available documents.

After returning to Sydney, Angus found work in the local coal mines. On September 26, 1926, he married Rhoda Hanrahan, daughter of Welsey and Rhoda (Morgan) Hanrahan, in a ceremony that took place at 36 Lingan Road, Sydney. Rhoda was a native of Dominion No. 6, while her father Welsey was born in Newfoundland.

Angus worked as a general labourer at the Sydney still plant until 1954. He passed away at Curry’s Lane, Sydney, on December 7, 1955, the result of chronic myocarditis, and was laid to rest in Hardwood Hill Cemetery, Sydney. There is no record of children in available documents.

On March 17, 1924, James Alexander married Margaret LeBlanc, daughter of Charles and Sophie LeBlanc, East Margaree, in a ceremony that took place at 79 Lingan Road, Sydney, NS. The couple had at least one child, Lawrence James, born in 1930. Following his first wife’s passing, James married Josephine Jarvis, daughter of George and Margaret (Mombourquette) Jarvis, Tracadie, in a ceremony that took place in Mulgrave, NS.

James passed away at St, Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, on October 9, 1970. Widowed at the time of his death, he had been residing in Mulgrave prior to being admitted to hospital following a heart attack. James was laid to rest in New Calvary Cemetery, Sydney. A son William, 113 Tupper St., Sydney, was listed as informant on his death certificate.

28. Private Hartley Fraser Jackson:

Hartley Fraser Jackson was born in Birchtown, near Manchester, Guysborough County, on September 10, 1898. Hartley’s father, William Henry Jackson (DOB February 20, 1865), was also a Manchester native, the son of John and Agnes (Devost) Jackson. On May 19, 1887, William Henry married Sarah Elizabeth Williams, daughter of John and Caroline Williams, Tracadie, in a ceremony that took place in Manchester.

By 1901, the Jackson household consisted of William, Sarah and five children—Caroline “Carrie” (DOB September 15, 1889), Mary E. (DOB March 20, 1890), William Ernest (March 15, 1893), Fannie E. (DOB March 1, 1895) and Hartley. Over the following decade, three more children joined the family—John J. (DOB September 1901), James (DOB May 1906) and Charles A. (DOB June 1907). Sarah Jackson passed away sometime after 1911. On December 22, 1916, William married Maryanne Morris, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Morris, Birchtown, in a ceremony held at Sunnyville, Guysborough County.

Five months prior to his father’s second marriage, Hartley enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at New Glasgow, NS, on July 16, 1916. At the time, he gave his birth date as May 15, 1897, which differs from the information contained in 1901 (September 10, 1898) and 1911 (September 1899) census documents. Hartley identified his older sister Fannie as his next of kin and gave his address as Boylston, Guysborough County.

Hartley was briefly hospitalized with tonsillitis at Truro on March 21, 1917, but was discharged in time to proceed overseas with No. 2 Construction aboard SS Southland one week later. The unit disembarked at Liverpool, United Kingdom, on April 7 and traveled by train to a military camp at Seaford, England.

On May 17, 1917, a detachment of approximately 500 No. 2 Construction personnel crossed the English Channel to France, in the company of 11 officers. Upon disembarking at Le Havre, the group made its way to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ Jura District, near the Swiss border, where the men commenced work alongside several CFC Companies, harvesting and processing timber in the mountainous region.

On November 13, 1917, Hartley was part of a group of 50 No. 2 Construction men attached to No. 37 Company, CFC, located at Cartigny, near Péronne, France.  The No. 9 District (Bordeaux Group) to which No. 37 belonged operated behind the forward area, the closest CFC operation to the front lines. The No. 2 Construction men sent to Cartigny had numerous disciplinary infractions on their service record. It was thought that an assignment not far from the front lines would have a positive effect on their behaviour.

Hartley’s service record contains six infractions prior to his departure for Péronne. For a young man who was either 18 or 19 years old at the time and unfamiliar with the demands of military service, this is perhaps not surprising. In general, CFC camps were “rough and tumble” operations, not unlike Canadian lumber camps of the day, and District war diaries describe numerous incidents among CFC personnel.

While working at Péronne, Hartley and his compatriots experienced the impact of the German Spring 1918 offensive. Given the code-name “Operation Michael,” the massive attack on the Allied line commenced on March 21, 1918. During the following two weeks, German forces advanced approximately 65 kilometres toward Amiens before Allied forces managed to re-establish solid defensive positions.

The advance placed the CFC operation at Péronne within range of German artillery, forcing all personnel to retreat to a CFC camp at Wail, where they remained for the remainder of their service in France. During his time there, Hartley was admitted to No. 59 Casualty Clearing Station with a “wounded neck” on May 4, 1918. His service file contains no details on the circumstances in which he was injured. Hartley was discharged to duty five days later, suggesting that the injury was not serious.

Following the signing of the November 11, 1918 Armistice, CFC units ceased cutting operations and processed any remaining harvested logs. No. 2 Construction personnel were the first to leave the continent, gathering at Étaples, France, and crossing the English Channel on December 14, 1918. One month later, the bulk of the unit’s members boarded SS Empress of Britain and departed for Canada.

Huntley was part of this group, arriving at Halifax on January 22, 1919. He was discharged from military service on February 11 and returned home to Manchester. On November 20, 1920, Hartley married Cora May Morris, daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann Morris, Manchester. The young couple initially established residence in their home community, but later moved to Priestville, on the outskirts of New Glasgow, where Hartley worked as a general labourer.

Hartley and Cora raised a family of three children—Gladys (Mrs. Richard Evans, Halifax), Evelyn (Mrs. James Reddick, Vale Rd., New Glasgow), and Henry (Halifax). Private Hartley Fraser Jackson passed away at Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, on March 27, 1969, the result of “acute pulmonary oedema” (fluid buildup in the lungs). He was laid to rest in Lorne St. Cemetery, New Glasgow, NS.