tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16547872334634714632024-03-14T07:01:33.373-03:00First World War Veterans of Guysborough CountyThe year 2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the First World War. This blog contains stories of the war's Guysborough County military personnel, along with background information related to their service. In November 2015, I published the stories of 72 Guysborough County veterans who died from 1915 to 1917. In November 2017, I published a second volume, containing the stories of 64 individuals who died from 1918 to 1937. Both volumes are available for purchase online at bantrypublishing.ca .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.comBlogger267125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-78227118304103239042023-03-09T20:01:00.000-04:002023-03-09T20:01:02.334-04:00Private William Andrew "Will" Jordain, Newtown, Guysborough County—A Postscript<p> Almost a decade ago, the story of Private William Andrew “Will” Jordain, Newtown, Guysborough County, was <a href="https://guysboroughgreatwarveterans.blogspot.com/2013/06/pte-william-andrew-jordain-machine.html" target="_blank">posted on this blog</a>. Will was killed on October 30, 1917, during the battle of Passchendaele, Belgium, while serving with the 15th Canadian Machine Gun Company. At that time, the exact circumstances of Will’s death were not known. A family descendant recently came across an old newspaper clipping that provides additional details on what transpired that day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJso_HMMPYS7cO6lYAHdUamkIUBe2cGHwq3FjaNPBhk36adpB2qaWyZDmHrDkcOak2NUFxfFfxGew-2weNJ7AKVlKEfXn7oDE2LHpSCO3Y-41zNeDGwFkWktSNS93xmKAAIqzQhgF2oQrmsVcxo8uJICKiARrqBQlkAK19QKzIUb_3ifTUGJXhstW8Q/s3159/Jordain%20William%20Andrew%20cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3159" data-original-width="2280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJso_HMMPYS7cO6lYAHdUamkIUBe2cGHwq3FjaNPBhk36adpB2qaWyZDmHrDkcOak2NUFxfFfxGew-2weNJ7AKVlKEfXn7oDE2LHpSCO3Y-41zNeDGwFkWktSNS93xmKAAIqzQhgF2oQrmsVcxo8uJICKiARrqBQlkAK19QKzIUb_3ifTUGJXhstW8Q/s320/Jordain%20William%20Andrew%20cropped.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. William Andrew Jordain<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>After Will’s tragic death, William Marsden Hughes, a native of Quincy, Massachusetts, wrote a letter to his mother, Mrs. Peter [Carrie Archibald] Jordain. William enlisted with the 151st Battalion—Will’s initial unit—at Edmonton, Alberta, on December 15, 1915. His overseas service corresponded with Will’s time in uniform. When the 151st Battalion was dissolved after arriving in the United Kingdom, William was also assigned to the 15th Canadian Machine Gun Company.<br /><br />There is no date on the letter and no indication as to where it was published. Below is a complete transcript of William’s letter to Carrie:<br /><br /><i>Mrs. Peter Jordain:<br /><br />Dear Friend—I suppose by now you have received the sad news of the death of your gallant son, Pte. W. A. Jordain, both official and from his Sergeant Gates.<br /><br />Before I go any further I shall tell you who I am and how it is I am writing you. My name is Pte. Wm. M. Hughes, No 62098, B Section, 15th Canadian Machine Gun Company, BEF [British Expeditionary Force], France. Your son and I both enlisted in the same battalion, both about the same time. We went into the Machine Gun Section, 151 Battalion, at Sarcee Camp, Alberta. From then right up to the time of his death, we were pals together. He was considerably older than I. He was more like an older brother or a father than a friend. He always helps in things I did not know and by his experience and his help, he saved me many a hard knock.<br /><br />A year ago this New Years [December 31, 1916 - January 1, 1917], we sat up and watched the old year out and the new in. It was on that night he gave me your address and asked for my mother’s, both agreeing that if anything happened to either of us the one who was left would write and explain. We both prayed that the time would never come. We left England together and were sent both to the same company and to the same section, but different gun crews. He was on No. 1 and I was on No 2. So when we were in the line we were side by side.<br /><br />Every one in the section had a good word for him. He was our spokesman whenever there was [sic] any complaints about food, billets, etc. It was he who made his crew of four to six men most comfortable in the line and looked after them and saw that they got their share of all the little comforts he could get for his men. It was he who had a young lad in his crew, who was not very strong and when the other men went in with only a tripod for the gun he carried his tripod and strapped to each leg of his tripod he had a full belt box. This meant that he had between 30 and 40 pounds more to carry. He did this so that the young lad who was with him would not have so much to carry.</i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlbvsB5hsLEj3tc545EEmOLGkXcXD7PR3j2izZTFqFSzS5_Heapm1nVVayRu6GUQG7fgAh6_257J_o9YCD3D0Ja5yZvw4bTMBXFZ0VUaI6tcybVj3lUF7K67c4QRQHAzEFtQjjNe5i-TTlN7sO3Tlse66ffEPsi3bipy24ScBLcVuhicQ9LM9QuEBqg/s647/16th%20CMG%20Passchendaele.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="647" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlbvsB5hsLEj3tc545EEmOLGkXcXD7PR3j2izZTFqFSzS5_Heapm1nVVayRu6GUQG7fgAh6_257J_o9YCD3D0Ja5yZvw4bTMBXFZ0VUaI6tcybVj3lUF7K67c4QRQHAzEFtQjjNe5i-TTlN7sO3Tlse66ffEPsi3bipy24ScBLcVuhicQ9LM9QuEBqg/s320/16th%20CMG%20Passchendaele.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>16th Canadian Machine Gun Company positions, Passchendaele, Oct/Nov 1917<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><i>It was on the afternoon of October 29 if I remember correctly, we were waiting to be relieved when the enemy opened up to shell us. A shell hit his position and exploded. He and the officer and his crew of three men never knew what hit them. They went to their Creator without any pain at all. Dear mother, I know that your heart is broken and that it is hard to bear. It will not be long at the most when you will be called Home, and know up yonder he is waiting for you. You have this to be thankful for; he had no pain like many of the fellows have before they go out and that his resting place is marked, not like many that have nothing to show where they lay.<br /><br />We buried him up on the shell torn ridge along with his officer and crew. At the head of his grave there is a cross bearing his name, number, unit, and the date he died doing his duty like a soldier, trusting God and loved by all his friends, and every one was his friend.<br /><br />Your sorrow is mine. He was all a fellow would ask for and more in the way of advice that fathers would give. He was through the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Sergeant Gates was sent out [from Passchenadaele] gassed. I will close now, as a friend.<br /></i><br /><i>Wm. M. Hughes</i><br /><br />The mud-soaked battlefield where Will Jordain was buried endured another 12 months of artillery shelling, obliterating the final resting places of many Passenchendaele fatalities, Will’s grave among them. His name is engraved on the panels of the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, erected after the war to commemorate the deaths of 54,587 British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient, and who have no known graves.</p><p><i>Special thanks to Jennifer MacKay, Truro, NS, great-great-niece of William Andrew Jordain, for sharing this news item.</i> <br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-47095099638586635852023-02-07T12:24:00.002-04:002023-02-07T15:07:11.160-04:00Private James Burton Cluney—Died of Illness May 11, 1934<p> James Burton Cluney was born in Indian Harbour, Guysborough County, on November 22, 1876, the oldest of Thomas and Sarah Catherine “Kate” (Bennett) Cluney’s eight sons. Thomas Burton traced his Cluney roots to Thomas Cluney, born in Waterford, Ireland, in 1812. A farmer by occupation, Thomas married Mary Bridget McCoy, also a native of Waterford. The couple immigrated to Nova Scotia, where they settled in Indian Harbour, Guysborough County, and raised a family of 12 children.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBb2_zm45lHj_Jc737RgcjkpVVdnQhqM2Q-cttEsZpDwxpx259zdVyVBy-_2QnFP3q_CASjjU8-mrTpkeB_ePTR1xIm5R9xcJjA1ZPNav6tUw5cosRr8ed0NI2oPlQuB1G3cnxHWbtJPo1uIllBu58Yd1m1AkQJQgklCLNupAh-4BJAm0YXykK8FPEkg/s806/Cluney%20James%20B%20headstone.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBb2_zm45lHj_Jc737RgcjkpVVdnQhqM2Q-cttEsZpDwxpx259zdVyVBy-_2QnFP3q_CASjjU8-mrTpkeB_ePTR1xIm5R9xcJjA1ZPNav6tUw5cosRr8ed0NI2oPlQuB1G3cnxHWbtJPo1uIllBu58Yd1m1AkQJQgklCLNupAh-4BJAm0YXykK8FPEkg/s320/Cluney%20James%20B%20headstone.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. James Burton Cluney's headstone, Sherbrooke, NS<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Thomas Cluney Jr., one of Thomas and Mary’s sons, was born in Indian Harbour on June 3, 1849, and married Sarah Catherine “Kate” Bennett, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Suyden) Bennett, in a ceremony held in Sherbrooke on October 28, 1875. At the time of the 1881 Canadian census, two young sons, James Burton, age four, and Angus, age two (DOB January 24, 1879), were living in the Cluney household, along with their grandfather, Thomas Cluney Sr., age 69.</p><p><br />Over the next two decades, six more sons joined the Cluney family—William T. (DOB March 4, 1882), Edward (DOB c. 1884), Robert (DOB July 1, 1890), Archibald (DOB December 28, 1892), Charles (DOB June 1, 1894), and Henry (DOB December 1900). While James Burton was still living at home at the time of the 1901 census, he was no longer residing there 10 years later. His exact whereabouts are unknown.<br /><br />On May 15, 1915, James Burton Cluney married Mary C. (Johnson) Lawson, a 30-year-old widow and daughter of Thomas and Priscilla Johnson, Country Harbour, in a ceremony held in Sherbrooke. At the time of his marriage, James, a farmer by occupation, was living in Indian Harbour, where the couple established residence. Two children soon joined the family—a daughter Janet, date of birth unknown, and a son, Burton Thomas, born in late 1916.<br /><br />While married with two young children, James was soon caught up in the “war fever” sweeping across the province during the months following his marriage. On January 10, 1917, he enlisted with the 246th Battalion at Halifax, NS. At the time, he gave his occupation as “lumberman” and listed his wife Mary as next of kin.<br /><br />Perhaps not surprisingly under the circumstances, James gave his year of birth as 1888, making himself 12 years younger. Had authorities known that he was 40 years old at the time, it is doubtful that he would have been accepted into an infantry unit.<br /><br />Within weeks of James’ enlistment, tragedy struck the Cluney family. On February 17, 1917, his wife Mary died of tuberculosis in Sherbrooke. James arranged for H. Roy Cameron, Sherbrooke, to assume guardianship of his two children, entitling Roy to the separation allowance which James’ deceased wife would have received while he served overseas.<br /><br />On May 23, 1917, James was transferred to the Nova Scotia Forestry Depot. He departed from Halifax aboard SS Justicia in late June and arrived in the United Kingdom on July 4, 1917. James was immediately posted to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ Base Depot at Sunningdale, where a medical examination determined that his “left foot [was] slightly flat and pronated.” Despite the impediment, he was assigned to duty with No. 59 Company, CFC, on June 28. Two days later, James crossed the English Channel to France with his new unit.<br /><br />No. 59 Company had been organized and recruited as the Nova Scotia Forestry Depot in 1917. Its personnel had travelled to England aboard SS Justicia in late June and reported to CFC Headquarters, Sunningdale, where they were reorganized into No. 59 Company. The unit landed in France on July 30 and set out for the Bordeaux region, located in southwestern France, adjacent to the Bay of Biscay.<br /><br />The Company was assigned to duty in No. 12 District, CFC, which became known as the Bordeaux Group. The District, also a new entity, was assigned the task of harvesting mature pine from the “Landes forest.” Located in the historic Gascony region of southwestern France, the area was originally covered with swamps and moors. During the 18th and 19th centuries, pine plantations were established throughout the area, halting erosion and reclaiming the land for human use.<br /><br />By the early 1900s, the forest covered large areas of Landes and Gironde, two of France’s administrative “departments.” With timber resources dwindling in areas already being exploited, the French government granted the CFC permission to selectively harvest mature trees from the area. No. 12 District established its initial headquarters in Bordeaux, the prefecture (administrative capital) of Gironde. The first CFC units arrived in the area in July 1917 and mill production commenced before month’s end.<br /><br />On August 4, the CFC’s No. 59 and 60 Companies arrived at Belin-Béliet, Gironde, approximately 60 kilometres south of Bordeaux, and immediately commenced establishing a lumber harvesting and processing operation in the nearby forests. No. 59’s mill commenced operation on September 20, processing logs harvested by its crews since their arrival.<br /><br />By the end of October, six Canadian portable mills were operating in the District. At that time, its resources consisted of 82 officers, 2,380 “other ranks” and 969 horses. In mid-December, CFC personnel commenced construction of a 50-bed hospital at Facture, where the District’s shipping railhead was located.<br /><br />In mid-February 1918, No. 12 District headquarters relocated to Facture, approximately 50 kilometres southwest of Bordeaux. The move placed administrative staff much closer to forestry operations, making oversight more convenient. Simultaneously, No. 59 Company—James Burton Cluney’s unit—relocated to Parentis-en-Born, Landes, close to the Bay of Biscay, where it established a new camp and began harvesting the nearby forests.<br /><br />For more than a year, James served in France without incident. Toward the end of August 1918, he contracted typhoid fever. While medical records indicate that he had recovered from “two previous attacks” of the illness, James became “seriously ill” on this occasion. On September 5, 1918, he was admitted to hospital at Facture, where medical staff determined that he was suffering from “nephritis” (inflammation of kidney tissue).<br /><br />After two weeks of care and rest, his “condition improved” significantly. On October 10, hospital authorities removed his name from the “seriously ill” list, but he remained under medical care. By late November, James had recovered sufficiently to be invalided to England, where he was admitted to No. 4 Canadian General Hospital, Basingstoke.<br /><br />A thorough medical examination at admission determined that James was suffering from “venous thrombosis (following typhoid fever).” Shortly after being allowed out of bed in late October, his left leg began to swell below the knee. At the time of his arrival in Basingstoke, medical records state that he looked “60 years of age in appearance, [was] debilitated and thin.” His left leg was “swollen, bluish purple [in] colour. Veins of calf are cord-like, heart slightly enlarged.”<br /><br />James spent almost three months in hospital before he was well enough to travel. On February 27, 1919, he was transferred to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, where a note in his medical record indicated that there was “no swelling [of his leg] at present as he stays in bed mostly. Awaiting HS [hospital ship] to Canada.”<br /><br />On March 11, James departed for Canada aboard the hospital ship Araguaya. He arrived in Halifax 11 days later and was immediately admitted to Camp Hill Hospital, where he was diagnosed with “phlebitis thrombosis [inflammation of a vein near the surface of the skin].” Medical staff indicated that “after a couple mile walk [sic] left leg gets tired and starts to swell. Ordered to wear a bandage elastic web.”<br /><br />A Medical History of An Invalid form, completed at Camp Hill Hospital in early July, stated that James was suffering from debility, numbness and swelling of the left leg, which was still enlarged and “somewhat bluish,” the veins on its inner side “cord-like.” His heart was “slightly enlarged,” with “every 25 or 30 beats missed.” Medical staff assessed James’ debility as “permanent with possible improvement.”<br /><br />James was released from hospital on July 12 and discharged from military service six days later, “being no longer physically fit for war service.” He returned to his parents’ Sherbrooke home, where he found work as a labourer in a local sawmill. At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, James and his son Thomas Burton, age four, were living in Sherbrooke with his parents Thomas, age 71, and Sarah, age 63. Also in the home were James’ younger brothers Charlie, age 28, and Sydney, age 20. The fate of James’ daughter Janet is unknown.<br /><br />On February 1, 1922, James married Ethel Munro, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Hendsbee) Munro, Half Island Cove, in a ceremony that took place in Sherbrooke. The couple established residence in Half Island Cove, where they raised a family of four children—sons Robert Doyle (DOB September 22, 1923) and Murray Forrester (YOB c. 1924), and daughters Hattie Mae (YOB c. 1922) and Winnifred Gertrude “Winnie” (YOB c. 1925).<br /><br />While the decade following James and Ethel’s marriage passed without incident, two successive tragedies in the mid-1930s led to the family’s dissolution. On May 11, 1934, James Burton Cluney died at Sherbrooke, the result of cerebral thrombosis. Canadian military authorities attributed the cause of death to his overseas military service. James was laid to rest in St. James Anglican Cemetery, Sherbrooke. A little more than a year later, his widow Ethel passed away on June 1, 1935, after a two-year battle with tuberculosis.<br /><br />Following their parents’ deaths, the Cluney children remained in the Half Island Cove area, where their maternal grandmother, Mary Munro, cared for them. James Burton and Ethel’s eldest child, Robert Doyle Cluney, enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force at New Glasgow, NS, on April 23, 1942. Robert arrived overseas in late March 1943 and was assigned to the West Nova Scotia Regiment. He departed for Italy with the West Novas in early July 1943 and was killed in action near Ortona, Italy, on December 12, 1943. A detailed story of Robert’s service is <a href="https://guysborough2ndworldwarhonourroll.blogspot.com/2023/02/acting-corporal-robert-doyle.html" target="_blank">available on the Second World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia blog</a>.</p><p><i>Photograph of James Burton Cluney's headstone courtesy of Hattie M. Creamer, Canso, NS.</i> <br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-21644841856944420322022-03-23T16:40:00.000-03:002022-03-23T16:40:04.721-03:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 9<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><i>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.</i><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzUfy5QYsphVB7HoOEzxjl9InqiaBTssFQOjVPxVrTqcUu5wGA_LSh2mEZGyHXsRWsoge5LqWjuvuF0l2HB8EZCBm_KbY4vmESGBnEzGnEYi2v6gOtlCAnxzHk0sv4E6mRmzESEIrSilJTOeiHFFlK1JTwDLtv2OOVVWI61_PUjf6pdZkBE0-SGxWxA/s400/No%202%20badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzUfy5QYsphVB7HoOEzxjl9InqiaBTssFQOjVPxVrTqcUu5wGA_LSh2mEZGyHXsRWsoge5LqWjuvuF0l2HB8EZCBm_KbY4vmESGBnEzGnEYi2v6gOtlCAnxzHk0sv4E6mRmzESEIrSilJTOeiHFFlK1JTwDLtv2OOVVWI61_PUjf6pdZkBE0-SGxWxA/s320/No%202%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>25, 26 & 27. Privates Angus, James Alexander & William John Tarbot/Talbot:</b></i><br /></p><p></p><p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Angus, James and William spent the winter of 1916-17 in Truro and departed for overseas aboard SS <i>Southland</i> 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />While Angus and James departed for Canada aboard SS <i>Empress of Britain</i> 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 <i>Aquitania</i>. 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.</p><p><i><b>28. Private Hartley Fraser Jackson:</b></i></p><p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <i>Southland</i> one week later. The unit disembarked at Liverpool, United Kingdom, on April 7 and traveled by train to a military camp at Seaford, England.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <i>Empress of Britain</i> and departed for Canada.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-58578539755238358012022-02-25T15:00:00.002-04:002022-03-23T16:25:58.205-03:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 8<p> <i>This blog post is the eighth 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.</i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitmWpsmP9HV_qs9lDtukTy3Uz1S4jOxwg49SKDUztJGqbs5DjehObZJjtfELwOqMMd5I7MkYw_RW1XoNfNKTsFmQKkHGokpoyNDbEm46V4Is4P3mDQbqWIw8qGzUTVzaIR1eBP6TdzhMHAcdzs3l2XWbQ8c7cGDUy8TIVI8Uroh9656AGJ_6Je0p3KPw=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitmWpsmP9HV_qs9lDtukTy3Uz1S4jOxwg49SKDUztJGqbs5DjehObZJjtfELwOqMMd5I7MkYw_RW1XoNfNKTsFmQKkHGokpoyNDbEm46V4Is4P3mDQbqWIw8qGzUTVzaIR1eBP6TdzhMHAcdzs3l2XWbQ8c7cGDUy8TIVI8Uroh9656AGJ_6Je0p3KPw=s320" width="320" /></a></i></div><i> <b> </b></i><p></p><p><i><b>22. Private Robert Shephard:</b></i> </p><p>According to the 1901 Canadian census, Robert Shephard was born in Mulgrave, Guysborough County, on June 23, 1893. His parents, Isaac Shephard and Emma Reddick, were married at Pirate Cove, near Mulgrave, on August 19, 1891. Isaac was the son of William and Susan Shephard, Oyster Ponds, while Emma was the daughter of Moses and Frances Reddick, Pirate Harbour.<br /><br />The marriage was Isaac’s second—on June 19, 1884, he had married Susan Bowden, daughter of Peter and Sophia Bowden, Tracadie. The couple subsequently had two daughters, Mary and Rebecca, and a son, Charles Christopher. Susan passed away sometime prior to 1891, leaving Isaac to care for three young children until his second marriage to Emma.<br /><br />By 1911, five more children had joined the Shephard household—William M. (DOB December 15, 1891), Robert (June 23, 1893), Caroline “Carrie” (DOB April 20, 1895), Isaac Gardiner (DOB September 29, 1899), and George David (DOB July 30, 1901).<br /><br />On August 10, 1916, Robert Shephard enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at New Glasgow, NS. Almost six feet in height and 185 pounds in weight, he was considerably larger than the vast majority of his comrades. Robert listed his mother Emma, who was living in New Glasgow at the time, as his next of kin.<br /><br />Robert departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction Battalion aboard SS <i>Southland</i> on March 28, 1917, and arrived at Liverpool, UK, 10 days later. He proceeded to France with a large contingent of No. 2 Construction soldiers on May 17, 1917. The group travelled to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District, near the Swiss border, for service alongside several CFC Companies, harvesting and processing timber in the mountainous region.<br /><br />On October 1, 1917, Robert was admitted to CFC Hospital, La Joux, for treatment of a “contusion leg.” Details on a later medical report indicate that he suffered an “injury [to his] left ankle” that resulted in a lump.” A second form states that Robert had suffered a “broken ankle while in service.”<br /><br />Before month’s end, Robert was discharged from hospital and eventually returned to full duty. He remained at Jura for the duration of his time in France. On August 10, 1918, Robert was awarded a Good Conduct Badge, having completed two years of service without a disciplinary infraction. In late August, he enjoyed a 14-day leave to the United Kingdom and rejoined his comrades on September 15.<br /><br />Harvesting operations ceased after the signing of the November 11 Armistice. CFC personnel processed all harvested logs before beginning the task of dissembling their sawmills and camps. No. 2 Construction personnel departed France on December 14, 1918, and reported to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, UK.<br /><br />For reasons not explained in his service file, Robert returned to Canada later than the main group of No. 2 Construction personnel. On February 20, 1919, he left the UK aboard SS <i>Lapland</i> and arrived in Halifax nine days later. On March 24, he was formally discharged from military service and returned to New Glasgow, where he took up residence on Marsh St.<br /><br />Robert spent his remaining years in New Glasgow, where he worked for Standard Clay Products Ltd. The largest manufacturer of clay products in Canada, its New Glasgow factory produced salt glazed, vitrified sewer pipes, culvert pipes, flu and stove linings, fire bricks, and a variety of other fired clay goods.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxP-WbWWkhUqNNOC8pgtlsNlpvd9JcgkxrP1-8vq8Le99Du0p5NncyDpB3ifDG2lCW-iOuNNfifrtjbGdrXDbl64elS8Q6MOFXvyQV-5iwW5VFvkSFoHk2BAr2DHgZemSCq2J_e1DX_7BxREx0DmL4etDoqu7_Xuc0VnQ4UZnhdXH3wGIR6R5SLngWA/s2470/Shephard%20Robert%20postwar%20Calvin%20Ruck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2470" data-original-width="1694" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxP-WbWWkhUqNNOC8pgtlsNlpvd9JcgkxrP1-8vq8Le99Du0p5NncyDpB3ifDG2lCW-iOuNNfifrtjbGdrXDbl64elS8Q6MOFXvyQV-5iwW5VFvkSFoHk2BAr2DHgZemSCq2J_e1DX_7BxREx0DmL4etDoqu7_Xuc0VnQ4UZnhdXH3wGIR6R5SLngWA/s320/Shephard%20Robert%20postwar%20Calvin%20Ruck.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Robert Shephard in his later years (Source: Calvin Ruck, <i>The Black Battalion)</i><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>A bachelor throughout his life, Robert was a member of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 34 and 2nd Baptist Church. He passed away at Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, on April 19, 1983, at 90 years of age and was laid to rest in Brookside Cemetery.</p><p><i><b> 23 & 24. Private George William Tarbot and Private Wallace Tarbot:</b></i></p><p>According to the 1901 Canadian census, George William Tarbot was born at Sand Point, Guysborough County, in July 1884, while his brother Wallace was born at the same location in August 1888. Their parents were James Tarbot, Sand Point, and Mary Jane Benoit (aka Bennett), Arichat. While the family surname was spelled “Tarbot” in older census documents, its spelling gradually transitioned to “Talbot” in the years after the First World War.<br /><br />James was first married to Annie Campbell, a relationship that resulted in a family of seven children at the time of the 1881 Canadian census. (George later listed James and Annie’s oldest child—his half-brother Frederick—as his next of kin on his military attestation.) George and Wallace were two of at least six children born after James’ marriage to Mary Jane. According to the 1891 and 1901 census records, the family also included Jane (c. 1887), Josephine (c.1889), Louise (c. 1891) and Sarah (c. 1893).<br /><br />By 1912, Wallace had relocated to New Glasgow, where he worked as a common labourer. On May 12 of that year, he married Elizabeth Blackney, daughter of Gottlieb and Margaret Blackney, in a ceremony held at the United Baptist Church. Four years later, he enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at New Glasgow on July 25, 1916. At the time of his overseas departure, there were three children in the Tarbot household—Fred, age two; Albert, age one; and Leonard, age three months.<br /><br />Wallace’s brother George enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Pictou on October 2, 1916. He initially identified his half-brother Frederick Tarbot, Glace Bay, as his next of kin, but later replaced Fred’s name with that of his sister, Mrs. Louise Gregory, Lingan Rd., Sydney. At the time of his enlistment, George was working as “moulder”—a worker who pours molten metal into moulds to produce steel products. George’s occupation and his choices for next of kin suggest that he had been living in Sydney prior to his enlistment.<br /><br />George and Wallace spent the autumn and winter of 1916-17 training with No. 2 Construction Battalion. While the unit’s headquarters were initially located at Pictou, a move to Truro in September 1916 was no doubt an inconvenience for Wallace, as his family remained in New Glasgow. On March 23, 1917, the brothers departed from Halifax aboard SS <i>Southland</i> and arrived at Liverpool, England, on April 7.<br /><br />Exactly one month after Wallace arrived overseas—May 7, 1917—his youngest child, five-month-old Leonard, died after contracting measles. Ten days later, Wallace and George crossed the English Channel to France with a large contingent of No. 2 Construction men, destined for service with the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) in the Jura District, near the French - Swiss border.<br /><br />The brothers remained at Jura throughout their time in France. Work in a busy timber harvesting and processing operation could be hazardous at times. On October 6, 1917, Wallace was admitted to CFC Hospital, La Jeux, for treatment of fractured ribs. He spent one month under medical care before returning to duty. One week after Wallace entered hospital, George arrived at the same facility for treatment of a “contusion” to his right hand and was discharged on November 22, 1917.<br /><br />The winter and spring of 1917-18 passed at Jura without further medical incidents. On July 25, 1918, Wallace was awarded a Good Conduct Badge, having completed two years of military service without a disciplinary infraction. Two days later, George was admitted to hospital for the second time, on this occasion for treatment of “myalgia gen. sev. [general severe].” Considering his age at the time—George was in his mid-30s—it is perhaps not surprising that more than a year of rigorous work in the forestry operation had taken its toll.<br /><br />On August 16, George was “invalided sick” to the United Kingdom aboard the hospital ship <i>Panama</i> and posted to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot (NSRD), Bramshott. The following day, he was admitted to Military Hospital, Woking, for medical treatment. In mid-September, George was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital, Epsom. He spent another six weeks under medical care before being discharged to NSRD, where he remained for the duration of his time overseas.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Wallace continued to work alongside CFC personnel in the Jura District. Following the signing of the November 11, 1918 Armistice, CFC Companies ceased cutting timber but processed any harvested logs into lumber. Personnel then began the process of dismantling their sawmills and camps.<br /><br />No. 2 Construction’s personnel were the first CFC workers to leave France, crossing the English Channel to the United Kingdom on December 14, 1918. George and Wallace were reunited at Bramshott, but followed different paths in returning home.<br /><br />George departed for Canada aboard SS <i>Aquitania</i> on January 25, 1919, and was discharged from military service at Halifax on February 19, 1919. Military authorities dispatched his British War and Victory service medals to Vale Rd., New Glasgow, on February 25, 1922, suggesting that he was living at that location following his discharge. No further information is available on George’s post-war civilian life or his death.<br /><br />For reasons that are not explained in his service file, Wallace’s return to Canada was delayed for several months. On January 27, 1919, he was transferred to 2nd CCC [Casualty Clearing Centre], Ripon, the first stage of his journey home. He departed for Canada on May 18, 1919, and arrived at Halifax one week later. Wallace was formally discharged from military service on June 2, 1919, and returned home to New Glasgow.<br /> <br />Over the subsequent years, Wallace and Elizabeth had four more children—Lena (1920 - died in infancy), Josephine (1923 - died in infancy), Edna Arvilla (1927 - 2002) and Fred (? - 1977). Wallace worked in the local community as a miner and cement worker until 1946. He passed away at Camp Hill Hospital, Halifax, on July 9, 1949, the result of stomach cancer that had spread to several other organs, and was laid to rest in New Glasgow.<b><br /></b></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-58617587562447356432022-01-24T10:36:00.001-04:002022-01-24T10:39:47.107-04:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 7<p><i>This blog post is the seventh 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.</i><b> <br /></b></p><p><b>19. Private Joseph Alexander "Joe" Parris:</b></p><p>According to the 1901 Canadian census, Joseph Alexander “Joe” Parris was born at Sand Point, Guysborough County, on March 20, 1899, the son of Charles Levi and Annie Elizabeth Parris. Charles was the son of Isaac and Caroline (William) Parris, while Annie was the daughter of Richard and Anne (Borden) Reddick.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnY5VcFBt2e8pKWea8pzlh_6EklkXwIErdLACdj8MjeQJPU9F-H4eTnNv0UBjH-btJmr7mMdp5ijP5ovQ1BtcApuwTeAveHnXKTDXeraviEkNVAGwAdYDXA6sQggTNw6rGnuQi-9lSOJ-X5qACpSi-yTek8jjkf352OTgvlqbXA0pkwOUND1CW2L5y9w=s1839" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1839" data-original-width="1223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnY5VcFBt2e8pKWea8pzlh_6EklkXwIErdLACdj8MjeQJPU9F-H4eTnNv0UBjH-btJmr7mMdp5ijP5ovQ1BtcApuwTeAveHnXKTDXeraviEkNVAGwAdYDXA6sQggTNw6rGnuQi-9lSOJ-X5qACpSi-yTek8jjkf352OTgvlqbXA0pkwOUND1CW2L5y9w=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Joe Parris (center) with brother Bill (far right)<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>At the time of the 1901 census, Joe’s older brother, William Winslow “Bill,” and younger sister Maria were also part of the household. By 1911, a fourth child, Rita, had joined the Parris family. Census records assembled that year list Joe’s birth date as March 1898.<br /><br />Joe enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at New Glasgow, NS, on July 25, 1916. His attestation papers record his year of birth as 1897, one or two years earlier than census records indicate. Joe was among the unit’s earliest recruits, as it was authorized only three weeks previously. If the 1901 census entry is accurate, he was only 17 years old at the time.<br /><br />No. 2 Construction established its initial headquarters at Pictou, in a barracks on the waterfront formerly occupied by the 106th Infantry Battalion. In early September, the unit relocated to Truro, in the hope that the more central location would assist with its recruitment efforts. Joe’s older brother Bill enlisted there on October 10, 1916.<br /><br />No. 2 Construction Battalion officially mobilized on March 17, 1917, and departed from Halifax aboard SS <i>Southland</i> 11 days later. Joe and Bill were among the approximately 600 men who arrived with the unit at Liverpool, United Kingdom (UK), on April 7 and made their way to Bramshott Camp. Shortly afterward, the unit was reduced to “Company” status, as it was short of the required number of men for “battalion” designation. <br /><br />On May 17, 1917, Joe and Bill were part of a detachment of 495 “other ranks” (OR) that crossed the English Channel to France for service in the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District, near the Swiss border. Here, the men worked alongside several CFC companies, processing, harvesting and shipping timber in the mountainous area.<br /><br />On December 12, 1917, Joe was part of a group of 180 No. 2 members dispatched to Central Group, No. 1 District, Alençon. The majority were men from the Caribbean Islands or southern United States, and Jura’s CFC medical officer was concerned that the harsh winter conditions might affect their health. His brother Bill accompanied him to Alençon.<br /><br />For the remainder of his time in France, Joe worked alongside the men of No. 54 Company, harvesting timber in the Normandy forests. The Alençon camp was more diverse than the Jura district, its work parties including a number of Russians, as well as German prisoners of war.<br /><br />In mid-September 1918, Joe received the standard two weeks’ leave to the UK granted to soldiers after 15 months’ service in the line. In the aftermath of the November 11, 1918 Armistice, the men at Alençon enjoyed a day-long holiday before returning to work. While harvesting operations ceased, personnel processed the remaining harvested timber before beginning the process of dismantling the lumber camp and sawmill.<br /><br />No. 2 Construction’s personnel were the first to depart France, returning to the UK on December 14, 1918, and reporting to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott. One month later, the men boarded the <i>Empress of Britain</i> for the return trip to Canada. The vessel docked at Halifax on January 22, 1919. Joe was discharged from military service on February 12 and returned to Mulgrave.<br /><br />On December 1, 1924 Joe married Annie Jane Jarvis, daughter of George and Margaret (Mombourquette) Jarvis, Tracadie. The couple established residence in Mulgrave, where Joe joined the local Royal Canadian Legion branch in 1929. Tragically, Annie Jane died at Mulgrave on November 12, 1936. In her late 20s at the time, her death was attributed to a heart condition and lobar pneumonia.<br /><br />Two years later, Joe married Viola Jane Borden, daughter of Stanley and Lottie (Williams) Borden, Tracadie, in a ceremony that took place in Mulgrave on July 11, 1938. Over the ensuing years, the couple raised a large family in Mulgrave. Joseph Alexander Parris died on April 19, 1972, and was laid to rest in St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Cemetery, Mulgrave.<br /><br /><i>A more detailed story of Joe Parris’s story, intertwined with an overview of No. Construction Battalion, was <a href="https://guysboroughgreatwarveterans.blogspot.com/2014/01/pte-joseph-alexander-parris-no-2.html" target="_blank">posted to this blog on January 30, 2014</a>.</i></p><p><i><b>20. Lance Corporal William Winslow "Bill" Parris:</b></i></p><p>William Winslow “Bill” Parris was born at Sand Point, Guysborough County, on September 2, 1897, the oldest of Charles Levi and Annie Elizabeth Parris’s children. Bill was employed as a “railwayman” when he enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro, NS, on October 10, 1916. His younger brother Joe had joined the same unit in late July.<br /><br />On March 28, 1917, Bill departed for overseas aboard SS <i>Southland</i>. The vessel arrived at Liverpool, UK, 10 days later. No. 2 Construction Battalion’s personnel then made their way by train to Camp Bramshott. Shortly after their overseas arrival, a shortage of personnel—less than 700 men “all ranks”—led officials to reduce the unit to the status of a “Company.”<br /><br />On May 16, Bill was promoted to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal without pay. The following day, he crossed the English Channel with a large detachment of No. 2 Construction men. The group travelled to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District, where the men commenced work alongside several CFC Companies, participating in all aspects of the lumber camp’s operation.<br /><br />The first entry in No. 2 Construction Company’s July 1917 war diary mentioned a “General Sports Day” held at Jura to celebrate the “50th Anniversary of Confederation of [the] Dominion of Canada.” The unit’s men did particularly well, the diary commenting: “Our Track team carried off the honours and won the day.”<br /><br />The No. 5 District CFC war diary provided further details:<br /><br />"Dominion Day celebrated by the 11 Forestry Companies and No. 2 Construction Company in this District (No. 5). Field sports held at Chapois…. During the day, the [No. 2 Construction] Band… by their excellent music... greatly assisted in entertaining the crowd and making the holiday a success."<br /><br />Private Davis, an American No. 2 Construction recruit, placed first in the 100 yard-dash and second in the running broad jump, while Private Whims, one of two brothers from Saltsprings Island, BC, placed first in the sack race "by a big margin". Bill Parris, the only Nova Scotian listed in the results, placed second in the 440-yard dash. No. 2 Construction Company earned a total of 17 points in the day's events, placing third overall among the 14 French, American and Canadian participating teams.<br /><br />Three days after the Dominion Day festivities, Bill was “deprived of [his] L[ance Corporal] stripe” for “malingering” (feigning illness). He served at Jura until late December, when he was part of a group of 180 No. 2 Construction personnel transferred to No. 1 District CFC, Alençon. During the ensuing months, the men worked alongside CFC Companies, harvesting timber from the Normandy forests. <br /><br />The CFC ceased its forest operations shortly after the November 11, 1918 Armistice. Its personnel processed harvested logs before commencing the task of dismantling operations. No. 2 Construction’s men were the first to leave France, crossing the English Channel on December 14, 1918, and reporting to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott.<br /><br />Bill and his No. 2 Construction comrades departed for Canada aboard the <i>Empress of Britain</i> on January 12, 1919. The vessel arrived at Halifax after a 10-day voyage. Bill was formally discharged from military service on February 14, 1919, and returned to Mulgrave, where he resumed work as a railwayman.<br /><br />On July 7, 1920, Bill married Mary Jane Ash, daughter of Charles and Sarah Jane (Desmond) Ash, Monastery, in a ceremony that took place at Tracadie. Over the ensuing years, the couple had nine children, five of whom died in infancy or childhood. A sixth child, Duncan Collins Parris, was killed in a car - pedestrian accident at Point Tupper in 1953. William Winslow Parris died at St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, on October 3, 1968, and was laid to rest in Mulgrave. His wife Mary Jane passed away at Mulgrave in 1977.</p><p><b><i>21. Private George William Reddick:</i></b></p><p>According to his attestation papers, George William Reddick was born at Mulgrave, Guysborough County, on April 28, 1892. George’s father Walter was the son of Moses and Caroline (Sheppard) Reddick, Pirates Cove, while his mother Margaret was the daughter of Joseph and Catherine Izzard, Boylston. The couple were married at Mulgrave on May 1, 1884.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyMYKpohKPBsxin7_rUrETh0hAqiShNdajBUw5kVAr7-7V4wzAnt_QgRm3QJn7GmHL0f9UHaeJApvASrrTxTwwBjwjK_NCrqRCXK-Cv5dvOA849GGaZtCWOVlZvePfJlUjcIwlRUr9_k1okGz0sSFM0LFyQ85zSt_ijB8CKa2Gliu-KNXDhn3SpeDxug=s1892" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1892" data-original-width="1311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyMYKpohKPBsxin7_rUrETh0hAqiShNdajBUw5kVAr7-7V4wzAnt_QgRm3QJn7GmHL0f9UHaeJApvASrrTxTwwBjwjK_NCrqRCXK-Cv5dvOA849GGaZtCWOVlZvePfJlUjcIwlRUr9_k1okGz0sSFM0LFyQ85zSt_ijB8CKa2Gliu-KNXDhn3SpeDxug=s320" width="222" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lance Cpl. Bill Parris (left) & Pte. George Reddick<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>At the time of the 1901 census, the Reddick family included parents Walter, age 41 (DOB March 12, 1860), and Margaret, age 37 (DOB May 2, 1864), and their children: Martha, age 13 (DOB February 27, 1888); Joseph, age 10 (DOB September 10, 1890); Walter Havelock, age 10 (DOB March 9, 1891); George, age seven (DOB April 28, 1893); Rist, age six (DOB October 10, 1895); Margaret, age five (DOB March 18, 1896); and Druscella, age one (DOB April 29, 1900). Adjacent to the Reddick residence was the household of Charles and Annie Parris, which included their sons William Winslow “Bill” and Joseph Alexander “Joe.” <br /><br />George Reddick attested with No. 2 Construction Battalion at New Glasgow, NS, on July 25, 1916, the same day as Joe Parris. In fact, their consecutive service numbers indicate that they stood together in line. The pair were together during their time in uniform and were later joined by Joe’s brother Bill.<br /><br />George departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction on March 28, 1917, and proceeded to France with a large detachment of its personnel on May 17, 1917. He served in the Canadian Forestry Corps’ (CFC) Jura District with his comrades for the remainder of the year and was transferred to No. 1 DIstrict, Alençon, on December 30, 1917. Joe and Bill accompanied George to Alençon, where No, 2 Construction men worked alongside No. 38 and No. 42 CFC Companies, harvesting and processing timber from the Normandy forests.<br /><br />With the exception of a 14-day leave to the United Kingdom in early September 1918, George spent the remainder of his overseas service at Alençon. On December 14, 1918, he crossed the English Channel and reported to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, with his No. 2 comrades. One month later, the unit departed for Canada aboard the <i>Empress of Britain</i>.<br /><br />George was discharged from military service at Halifax, NS, on February 12, 1919. At the time, he gave his proposed address at Marsh St., New Glasgow, as his parents had moved to the Pictou County community while he was overseas.<br /><br />By 1921, George had relocated to River Hebert, Cumberland County, where he worked as a miner. On July 18, 1921, he married Mary Evelyn Bowles, a native of Brooklyn, Hants County, at the Presbyterian Manse, River Hebert. Mary was the daughter of William Bowles, Amherst, and Eliza Jane Banes. Military authorities dispatched George’s British War and Victory service medals to Joggins Mines in November 1921.<br /><br />George’s parents spent their remaining days at New Glasgow. His father Walter passed away there on December 16, 1922, while mother Margaret died at the same location on January 16, 1940. Both were laid to rest in a New Glasgow cemetery.<br /><br />By the early 1940s, George had returned to Guysborough County, where he established residence in Lincolnville. A later obituary makes no mention of children. Mary Reddick passed away at Lincolnville on October 5, 1942, and was buried in Sunnyview Cemetery. George later married Victoria Jordan, a widow. He passed away at Lincolnville on April 11, 1978, and was laid to rest in St, Monica’s Church parish cemetery.<br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-47765471088902226892021-12-31T15:35:00.004-04:002022-01-29T13:46:38.463-04:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 6<p><i>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.</i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKiPxJrmcQgfr_QlunzRAV-SmhbTTr9sKDUQBszuRZeldF6TjSE4-LbbyV00ILRT7BtaMgWuUD_QUhT6tcmYpJI830LDCqIuOBf69XzP7eZl52_NamiAlRdvizbctd1P9ZvXc4sLDC55mFfUN4QVFZ3HwnqQyW8TbGunfCadCNCDCiHVg1JMngbDtv2A=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKiPxJrmcQgfr_QlunzRAV-SmhbTTr9sKDUQBszuRZeldF6TjSE4-LbbyV00ILRT7BtaMgWuUD_QUhT6tcmYpJI830LDCqIuOBf69XzP7eZl52_NamiAlRdvizbctd1P9ZvXc4sLDC55mFfUN4QVFZ3HwnqQyW8TbGunfCadCNCDCiHVg1JMngbDtv2A=s320" width="320" /></a></i></div><i> </i><p></p><p><i><b>16. Private Michael Redmond Elms:</b></i></p><p><i><b> </b></i>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />On March 28, 1917, Michael departed for overseas aboard SS <i>Southland</i> 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />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. <i></i></p><p><i><b>17. Private John William Elms:</b> </i> </p><p>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.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhM_OWkgxFe7d2ODQ8mXXAiUS37Xdekd7cO7Tsx-tIpBW6epzyxNUGkeRZjjBASNL19QByEgTJNIU_rI-MFZ3YS5m8S9qFJ9eotxCQXnWSH2e54NxG6hlkiBFgSEIm84TPIHN_FQTiL6z8aLBVEzYCLl21oOGHshZnnJiUb-DRcFSsiZC2tp6ZznIiOXQ=s1653" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="1234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhM_OWkgxFe7d2ODQ8mXXAiUS37Xdekd7cO7Tsx-tIpBW6epzyxNUGkeRZjjBASNL19QByEgTJNIU_rI-MFZ3YS5m8S9qFJ9eotxCQXnWSH2e54NxG6hlkiBFgSEIm84TPIHN_FQTiL6z8aLBVEzYCLl21oOGHshZnnJiUb-DRcFSsiZC2tp6ZznIiOXQ=s320" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>John William Elms (front left) & three unidentified No. 2 Construction soldiers<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />On March 25, 1917, John Elms departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction Battalion aboard SS <i>Southland</i>. 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />John departed for Canada aboard the <i>Empress of Britain</i> 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.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWY7XG68bvEqMV0J67JkeMg5TsXEEDx3geWCNgAQ0jKx2JKrmCW7KbScyPXkEi_n0VvDG3POQ4dSDGLRUv8b7SdIJgq7-GpEKrvyQvD7RQLO9gFi-d9tqp-l43TliaV4RqiB4tJkw9mMuxB5087B-yPg92zGcYmhsS2Csn_ZUjK2eJVMnBX4r5zyh6RQ=s2817" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="2113" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWY7XG68bvEqMV0J67JkeMg5TsXEEDx3geWCNgAQ0jKx2JKrmCW7KbScyPXkEi_n0VvDG3POQ4dSDGLRUv8b7SdIJgq7-GpEKrvyQvD7RQLO9gFi-d9tqp-l43TliaV4RqiB4tJkw9mMuxB5087B-yPg92zGcYmhsS2Csn_ZUjK2eJVMnBX4r5zyh6RQ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p>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.</p><p><i><b>18. Private William Henry Gero:</b></i></p><p><i><b> </b></i>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />On March 25, 1917, William departed Halifax with No. 2 Construction Battalion aboard SS <i>Southland </i>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.<br /><br />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 <i>Empress of Britain</i>, arriving at Halifax on January 22, 1919. He was formally discharged from military service on February 14 and returned to the Big Tracadie area.<br /><br />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.<br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-2991367830134684452021-11-29T17:09:00.002-04:002022-01-24T10:39:16.878-04:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 5<p> <i>This blog post is the fifth 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.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuk3RodaYvl1GeMJyEETv8BocJtW90dNbsFNXkvdYG5fjdtjHL-HApHm_QO5BqrlU1x5yd0zymJpInEtolYxFRRDKwgkH8VcYhj3SrMlfL2WVrDGgcOxn4n301Iur8Ukd1zQNROKgRDLg/s400/No+2+badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuk3RodaYvl1GeMJyEETv8BocJtW90dNbsFNXkvdYG5fjdtjHL-HApHm_QO5BqrlU1x5yd0zymJpInEtolYxFRRDKwgkH8VcYhj3SrMlfL2WVrDGgcOxn4n301Iur8Ukd1zQNROKgRDLg/s320/No+2+badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i> </i><p></p><p><i><b>13. Private James William Desmond:</b></i></p><p>According to his military service file, James William Desmond was born at Guysborough, NS, on August 1, 1897. At the time of his enlistment, James identified his grandmother Mrs. Samuel Desmond—Sarah Byard—as his next of kin. Sarah, a daughter of Samuel and Mary Byard, married Samuel Edward Desmond, son of Richard and Amelia Desmond, in a ceremony held at Guysborough on January 7, 1874. Samuel earned his livelihood at sea, his marriage license listing his occupation at the time as “mariner.”<br /><br />Official documents recorded the family surname in several ways—Desmall (the couple’s marriage certificate), Dissmond (1881 Canadian census), Dismal (1891 Canadian census) and Disney (1901 Canadian census). By 1911, official documents used the modern spelling “Desmond,” which appears throughout James’s service file.<br /><br />Available census records indicate that Samuel and Sarah Desmond had two children—a son Frank, born on July 3, 1881, and a daughter Gertie, born on June 15, 1885. While James referred to their mother Sarah as his grandmother, available documents fail to prove that either one was James’s parent.<br /><br />Frank eventually married, although no official record can be located. He settled at North Sydney around 1908 and found work in the local coal mines. Frank died at Harbour View Hospital, North Sydney, on June 6, 1922, at age 42. The cause of death was listed as “broken back,” perhaps the result of a mishap at work, although his death certificate makes no mention of an accident.<br /><br />Frank’s sister Gertie married James Godfrey Skinner, son of Godfrey and Nancy Ann (Armsworthy) Skinner, at Guysborough on June 8, 1905. According to the couple’s marriage license, Gertie was born at Boston, MA, suggesting that Sarah may have accompanied Samuel on his sailing voyages. At the time of the 1911 census, James and Gertie had two children, James (July 1903) and Sarah Ellen (November 1905). Sadly, Gertie passed away at Guysborough on March 17, 1913, the result of tuberculosis.<br /><br />On August 18, 1916, James Desmond enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at its Pictou, NS headquarters. He stood five feet four inches and weighed 135 pounds at the time. While James claimed to have been born on August 1, 1897, making him 19 years old at the time, later documents in his service file suggest that he was likely born in 1900.<br /><br />James departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction Battalion on March 25, 1917, and arrived in the United Kingdom two weeks later. On May 17, he departed for France with a contingent of 525 No. 2 Construction personnel and reported to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ Jura District, near the Swiss border, shortly afterward. For the remainder of the year, James worked alongside CFC personnel, harvesting, processing and shipping timber in the heavily forested area.<br /><br />In December 1917, James was one of 180 No. 2 Construction men transferred to No. 1 District, Alençon. The majority were men from the Caribbean Islands or southern United States. CFC officials were concerned that the colder winters in the Jura District might negatively impact their health. The group was attached to CFC’s No. 54 Company and worked in the forests of Normandy, where winters were much milder, for the remainder of their time in France.<br /><br />James was hospitalized on several occasions during his time at Alençon. In late March 1918, he was briefly admitted to No. 10 General Hospital, Rouen, suffering from “debility.” Discharged after three days, he returned to duty, only to be re-admitted for treatment of bronchitis in late April. Discharged to No. 5 Convalescent Depot, Rouen, on May 5, he spent six weeks recuperating before reporting to Canadian Base Depot, Étaples, on June 13.<br /><br />Two days later, James was admitted to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Étaples, for treatment of “ICT [inter-connective tissue wound] left hand.” Released to No. 14 Convalescent Depot one week later, he once again returned to Base Depot, Étaples, on July 6, only to be re-admitted to hospital for treatment of “periostitis”—inflammation of the connective tissue that surrounds bone—on July 15.<br /><br />Following two weeks’ treatment, James was discharged to a convalescent depot on August 1 and returned to Base Depot one week later. He rejoined his No. 2 Construction mates at Alençon on August 17 and was attached to No. 43 Company, CFC. For reasons that are not explained in his service file, James was assigned to “detention hospital” at Alençon on November 2, and was transferred to a second “detention” facility at Conches four days later.<br /><br />When the November 11, 1918 Armistice brought fighting to an end, timber harvesting ceased in all CFC districts and harvested logs were processed before personnel dismantled the sawmills. While his service file does not provide a date for James’s hospital discharge, he returned to the United Kingdom with his No. 2 Construction mates on December 14, 1918, and departed for Canada aboard SS Empress of Britain on January 12, 1919. The vessel docked at Halifax, NS, after a nine-day crossing. On February 15, 1919, James was discharged from military service and returned home to Guysborough.<br /><br />James’s post-war days was short-lived. On August 12, 1919, he passed away suddenly at Guysborough. According to his death record, he was 19 years old at the time of his death and had been ill with tuberculosis for one month. The register identified James’s occupation as “soldier” and mysteriously listed his marital status as “widower.” More perplexing was an entry that identified James’s father as James Ryan, who was also the informant. Available documents do not provide any information on James Ryan, keeping the identity of James Desmond’s parents an unsolved mystery.<i> <br /></i></p><p><i><b>14. Private Alexander Elms:</b></i></p><p>According to his military attestation, Alexander Elms was born at Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, on February 28, 1889. Alex identified his mother, Mary Elms, Tracadie, as his next of kin. Mary Jane Elms was born at Tracadie on October 30, 1870, the daughter of Joseph and Jane Elms, who were married at Tracadie in February 1864.<br /><br />The 1891 Canadian census identifies Alexander, age two, as the “son” of Joseph Elms, age 64, farmer, and his wife Janie, age 50. Also in the home at the time were three of Joseph and Jane’s children—Henry, age 23; Alex’s mother Mary, age 20; Henrietta, age 19, and Freeman, age 17. One decade later, the 1901 census identifies Henry as the head of a household that included his mother Jane and his siblings Annie and Freeman. Mary and Alex no longer reside there and do not appear elsewhere in 1901 or 1911 Nova Scotia census data.<br /><br />Alex Elms attested for service with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Halifax, NS, on August 29, 1916. At that time, he gave his address as 131 Albemarle St., Halifax. Alex stood almost five feet 11 inches and weighed 162 pounds at the time, considerably larger in both categories than many of his comrades. Other than a brief hospitalization at Truro in early December 1916 for treatment of “Bell’s paralysis,” Alex spent the winter of 1916 - 17 training and working alongside his fellow No. 2 Construction recruits.<br /><br />The unit departed for overseas aboard SS Southland on March 25, 1917, and disembarked at Liverpool, UK, two weeks later. Alex was admitted to Canadian Military Hospital, Eastbourne, for treatment of measles on April 21, but was discharged on May 5. Twelve days later, he was part of a large detachment of No. 2 Construction men that departed for France for service with the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC).<br /><br />Upon landing on the continent, the group made its way to the Jura District of France, where several CFC companies harvested and processed timber in in a mountainous, forested area adjacent to the Swiss border. In late December 1917, Alex was part of a detachment transferred to No. 1 District, Alençon, approximately 200 kilometres west of Paris, where No. 2 Construction personnel worked in the Normandy forests alongside several CFC companies.<br /><br />With the exception of 14 days’ leave to the United Kingdom in mid-September 1918, Alex remained at Alençon for the duration of his time in France. Harvesting operations ceased following the signing of the November 11, 1918, Armistice and CFC units processed the remaining logs at their sawmills before ceasing production. On December 14, all No. 2 Construction personnel on the continent were transferred to the United Kingdom and posted to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott. One month later, Alex and his mates departed for Halifax, NS, aboard SS Empress of Britain.<br /><br />Alex was discharged from military service at Halifax on February 13, 1919. A “Form of Affidavit” signed the following day registered the marriage of Alexander Elms, Big Tracadie, bachelor and “soldier,” age 31, to Bessie Blackburn, Halifax, NS, a 28-year-old spinster. Unfortunately, the document provides no further details on either party’s family background.<br /><br />According to his discharge papers, Alex returned to Upper Big Tracadie. Nova Scotia marriage records for the year 1920 include a marriage license for Alexander Elms, bachelor, labourer, age 31, born and living at Big Tracadie, son of Joseph Elms and Mary Ann [sic] Elms, and Rosie Jane Ash, age 26 domestic, widow, born at Guysborough, living at Upper Big Tracadie, daughter of Ruben Pelley and Sarah “Sadie” Dorrington. The wedding ceremony took place at Tracadie on February 12, 1920, with Joseph A. Desmond, Upper Big Tracadie, and Mrs. Michael R. Elms, Upper Big Tracadie—the wife of another No. 2 Construction soldier—as witnesses.<br /><br />At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, 33-year-old Alex was living at Upper Big Tracadie with his wife, 27-year-old Rose Jane, and their young daughter Sophie. Also residing in the household were lodger Freeman Ash, age 27, labourer, and “servant” Gussie Ash, age 19. Tragically, Rosey Jane passed away at West St., Antigonish, on March 16, 1926, after a two-month battle with cancer and was laid to rest at Tracadie. Her husband Alex was informant on her death certificate.<br /><br />A 1930 Province of Nova Scotia death certificate records the passing of Alexander Elms, Monastery, NS, at Camp Hill Hospital, Halifax, on January 19, 1930. Details on the document indicate that Alex had been at Camp Hill for three months and identified the cause of his passing as “chronic nephritis with heart failure.” Unfortunately, the document does not include his parents’ names, and gives his marital status as “single.”<br /><br />Curiously, the birth date listed on the form—March 14, 1897—corresponds with that of another No. 2 Construction enlistment, Alexander Benjamin Elms [see below]. As Camp Hill was a military hospital, admission was restricted to veterans. It is quite possible that authorities obtained the birth information from the incorrect service file. Library & Archives Canada’s Canadian Expeditionary Force database identified only two “Alexander Elms” as having served during the First World War, both No. 2 Construction Battalion enlistments. Alex’s death certificate does not provide a place of interment.</p><p><i><b> 15. Private Alexander Benjamin Elms:</b></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNYmMudijfKujj83YapxQntLopj3T1ZaNcHgLLWlAL2xVmvLAffsiHwj7a7PvnS7ooOsnrpM-tC96aBYE0vR0y-b88zx-7GU665tTOUUzz43UBpUongpMiUm4P6fh6SxV8G89S7jro3-t/s2048/Elms+Pte+Alexander+B+No+2+Const+headstone.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNYmMudijfKujj83YapxQntLopj3T1ZaNcHgLLWlAL2xVmvLAffsiHwj7a7PvnS7ooOsnrpM-tC96aBYE0vR0y-b88zx-7GU665tTOUUzz43UBpUongpMiUm4P6fh6SxV8G89S7jro3-t/s320/Elms+Pte+Alexander+B+No+2+Const+headstone.JPG" width="213" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>According to his military service file, Alexander Benjamin Elms was born at Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, on March 14, 1897, the son of Benjamin and Sarah Margaret (Jordan) Elms. The 1901 Canadian census for the Tracadie area lists Alexander, age four, living with his father Benjamin, age 67, his mother Sarah, age 42, and siblings Georgina, age 11, and John, age nine. An older sister Ida, identified in the 1891 census as nine years old at that time, was no longer a member of the household.a<br /><br />Sometime prior to 1913, Benjamin Sr. passed away. On July 16, 1913, Sarah married William Simons, a 60-year-old widower and native of Bermuda, in a ceremony held at Antigonish, NS. While William was residing at Hopewell, Pictou County,at the time of the wedding, the couple eventually relocated to Willow St., Truro, NS, where Sarah’s son Alexander Benjamin enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion on August 8, 1916.<br /><br />Ben stood five feet nine inches and weight 148 pounds at the time of his enlistment. Apparently an exuberant 19-year-old, he was sentenced to one week’s detention for “insubordination” on October 17, 1916. Ben spent the winter of 1916 - 17 at Truro, where he was admitted to hospital on March 17, 1917 for treatment of frostbite. He was discharged to duty on March 25 and immediately joined his comrades aboard SS Southland at Halifax for the journey across the North Atlantic.<br /><br />The vessel arrived at Liverpool, UK, on April 7 and No. 2’s Construction’s personnel made their way by train to camp in southern England. On May 17, Ben was among the 525 No 2 Construction men who crossed the English Channel to France and made their way to the Jura District of France for service with the Canadian Forestry Corps.<br /><br />Ben remained at Jura throughout his time in France. Briefly hospitalized for treatment of “PUO”—a “fever of unknown origin”—on June 27, 1918, he was discharged to duty after a three-day stay. Granted leave to the United Kingdom on July 4, he rejoined his comrades in France on July 21 and returned to work alongside CFC personnel.<br /><br />In mid-October 1918, Ben was hospitalized for treatment of a bacterial infection. Discharged to duty in early November, he returned to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, UK, with his comrades on December 14, 1918, but was re-admitted to hospital in early January 1919. As a result, he was not among the No. 2 Construction men who returned to Canada aboard SS Empress of Britain in mid-January.<br /><br />Ben was discharged from hospital in mid-February and returned to Canada aboard SS Lapland several days later. The vessel arrived at Halifax on March 1, 1919. While awaiting his discharge, Ben fell ill and was admitted to hospital on March 20. Medical records indicate that he was suffering from an “attack of [a] severe type” of smallpox at the time. Ben spent three weeks in hospital before being transferred to the Casualty Company on April 8, 1919. Six days later, he was discharged from military service and returned home.<br /><br />On September 1, 1920, Alexander Benjamin Elms married Margaret Johanna Clark, a 21-year-old spinster and daughter of William Clark and Sarah Williams, in a ceremony held at Upper Big Tracadie. The following year’s Canadian census lists Benjamin Elms, age 31, labourer, living at Big Tracadie with his wife Margaret, age 22. Also in the home are Ben’s niece, Mary B. Elms, age 20, what appears to be her daughter Mary, age one, and Ben’s half-sister Georgia [possibly the “Georgina” from the 1901 census records] Morris, age 30.<br /><br />No further information is available on Ben’s post-war life. He passed away in 1984 and was laid to rest in Tracadie United Baptist Church Cemetery, where a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone marks his final resting place.<i> </i><br /><p></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-71580652323157767932021-10-31T18:51:00.004-03:002022-06-10T14:20:48.674-03:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 4<p> <i>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.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRe1mBoacxtPAqn3tUObwZhqP-9aL52hX9GlxPUk_E9A8dewOH-g_ZY5QSYbB5IUDRPaB8Funar04YuaaH6sIzPFT35Us2iT90-Fhx_dbGho8aL9UdGc_MrTTuxn9rk8KM56XyOVK0iE9/s400/No+2+badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRe1mBoacxtPAqn3tUObwZhqP-9aL52hX9GlxPUk_E9A8dewOH-g_ZY5QSYbB5IUDRPaB8Funar04YuaaH6sIzPFT35Us2iT90-Fhx_dbGho8aL9UdGc_MrTTuxn9rk8KM56XyOVK0iE9/s320/No+2+badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>10. Private James Lavin Day:</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b> </b></i>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>11. Private Matthew Day:</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b> </b></i>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.”<br /><br />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:<br /><br />“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]…”<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> <i><b>12. Private Howard Cranswick Desmond:</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIW6NlYN3AnSPrFCfAyNr9pbiF7pWqfZt6L0bC9f3kHsynjvFv8o17-XUcf6XAqBtfHnp0oulBf1FHB6V8toRkOrWpBoB9wGhFTFEbVL8aXQBuNhsVAkHLUeIk7QZNn-7KqGJhNqSUDnc3Q_2Izf6ADsGTwZeh_JXiOJ6Bk96Eis3i3-gGX5bDCWcAmg/s1849/Desmond%20Howard%20Cranswick.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="1416" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIW6NlYN3AnSPrFCfAyNr9pbiF7pWqfZt6L0bC9f3kHsynjvFv8o17-XUcf6XAqBtfHnp0oulBf1FHB6V8toRkOrWpBoB9wGhFTFEbVL8aXQBuNhsVAkHLUeIk7QZNn-7KqGJhNqSUDnc3Q_2Izf6ADsGTwZeh_JXiOJ6Bk96Eis3i3-gGX5bDCWcAmg/s320/Desmond%20Howard%20Cranswick.tif" width="245" /></a></b></i></div>According to the 1901 Canadian census, Howard Cranswick Desmond was born at Prospect [Sunnyville], Guysborough Co., NS, on March 7, 1897, the youngest of Cranswick Jost and Lucretia A. (Jewel) Desmond’s three children. Cranswick was the son of Richard and Violet Desmond, while Lucretia was the daughter of John and Catherine Jewel. The couple were married at Guysborough on January 1, 1890.<br /><br />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.” <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <i>(Photograph courtesy of Kathy Grant, <a href="https://www.blackcanadianveterans.com/" target="_blank">The Legacy Voices Project</a>.)</i><br /><p></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-84661861043824103142021-09-29T18:15:00.006-03:002022-01-24T10:38:52.740-04:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 3<p> <i>This blog post is the third 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.</i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWo-HBtc4luIK1bsmvjx-kBYV4XlO5h6DRQ_h4RyJkW0z3zzu5S-DwAM0nheIHWnG3W7q4zUst7z1iH-_dp-Rz9gNzBUs1vyZn090NIQfCMlqyUuxKx6ajaaKXTEEBFs9nDJhGcsgdzd1/s400/No+2+badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWo-HBtc4luIK1bsmvjx-kBYV4XlO5h6DRQ_h4RyJkW0z3zzu5S-DwAM0nheIHWnG3W7q4zUst7z1iH-_dp-Rz9gNzBUs1vyZn090NIQfCMlqyUuxKx6ajaaKXTEEBFs9nDJhGcsgdzd1/s320/No+2+badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /><b> </b><b>7. Private John Clarke:</b></i><p></p><p>According to the 1901 Canadian census, John P. Clarke was born on January 18, 1895. While his military attestation identifies his birthplace only as “Guysborough County,” his mother, Ellen Emma Clark (sometimes recorded as Clyke), was the daughter of John Clark and Eliza Izzard, Boylston, suggesting that this may have been John’s birthplace as well. John’s service file identifies his father as George Clark, although his younger brother Andrew’s marriage license lists his name as “William Clark,” a native of South America.<br /><br />At the time of the 1901 census, six-year-old John was living at Halifax with a younger sister, one-year-old Maggie, and his mother Ellen, age 28, who was listed as head of the household. By 1911, the family had relocated to Curry’s Lane, Sydney, where Ellen—still listed as family head but now identified as a widow—worked as a “washerwoman.” A younger brother, Andrew, born in March 1905, and a boarder—28-year-old Samuel Carter, a native of Barbados—also resided in the home. The presence of an immigrant from a Lesser Antilles island in the household and an adjacent structure containing eight labourers from Barbados raises the possibility that John’s father may have been from this South American location.<br /><br />John enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Sydney, NS, on August 11, 1916. His stated occupation was “labourer,” although another document in his service file lists his civil occupation as “mechanic.” John assigned a portion of his pay to his widowed mother Ellen, who was living at Tupper St., Whitney Pier, at the time of his enlistment<br /><br />On March 25, 1917, John departed for the United Kingdom with No. 2 Construction Battalion aboard SS <i>Southland</i> and arrived at Liverpool two weeks later. He was part of a large contingent of No. 2 Construction personnel who landed in France on May 17, 1917, and proceeded to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ for Jura District, where the men harvested, processed and shipped timber alongside several CFC Companies.<br /><br />John spent his entire time overseas in the Jura District. On December 12, 1918, he returned to the United Kingdom with his No. 2 Construction comrades and departed for Canada aboard SS <i>Empress of Britain</i> one month later. John was formally discharged from military service at Halifax, NS, on February 13, 1919.<br /><br />At the time of his discharge, John gave his intended place of residence at Tupper St., Sydney, NS. At the time of the 1921 census, John, age 24, was living with his mother Ellen, age 44, at 10 Buckley’s Lane, Sydney. Also in the home was Ellen’s daughter Vivian, age nine.<br /><br />While John’s First World War medals were dispatched to the Tupper St. address several years later, by 1959, he had returned to Boylston, where a replacement set of medals was sent on January 29, 1959. John Clarke died on July 18, 1975, and was laid to rest in St. Paul’s Anglican Cemetery, Boylston.<br /><br />John’s younger brother, Andrew William, married Sarah Lawrence, daughter of Nathaniel and Susan Lawrence, Boylston, in a ceremony held at the United Baptist Parsonage, Boylston, on April 14, 1925. Andrew passed away at New Glasgow, NS, on August 29, 1997, and was laid to rest in Lorne St. Cemetery, New Glasgow. According to available records, Andrew and Sarah had one daughter, Vivian.<br /><br />Andrew and John’s mother, Ellen Emma Clark, passed away at Mulgrave, NS, on July 4, 1949, at 79 years of age. According to her death certificate, she was born at Boylston, Guysborough County, on March 9, 1870. Mrs. Maggie Small, Mulgrave—Ellen’s daughter—is listed as informant.</p><p><i><b>8. Private Joseph Palmer Clyke:</b></i> <br /></p><p>According to his military attestation, Joseph Palmer Clyke was born at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, on May 24, 1881. While Joseph’s 1908 marriage license identifies his parents as Martin and Elizabeth Clyke, the couple’s marriage record suggests that Joseph was a child of a previous marriage. Martin, son of James and Elizabeth Clyke, Tracadie, was a widower at the time of his January 3, 1888 marriage to Elizabeth Elms, daughter of Alex and Johanna Elms, also residents of Tracadie.<br /><br />The 1901 census identifies Joseph Clyke, age 20, as residing at Truro, the stepson of Elizabeth Clyke, widowed head of the household. On February 8, 1908, Joseph married Rachel Annie Borden, widow and daughter of Robert and Sarah (Brodie) Connolly (Conley), in a ceremony held at Truro. The couple was still residing in the community in 1911, in the company of three young children—Sidney (1908), Susie (1908) and Edna (1910)—and two older children, Aubrey (1900) and Roland (1902)—possibly from Rachel’s first marriage.<br /><br />Joseph enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro on August 22, 1916. Three months later, however, he was discharged as “medically unfit (defective vision).” Undaunted, Joseph re-enlisted at Truro on February 2, 1917. At the time, the unit was struggling to complete its ranks and was perhaps willing to overlook the earlier discharge. Joseph departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction aboard SS <i>Southland</i> on March 25, 1917, and disembarked at Liverpool, UK, on April 7.<br /><br />On May 17, a large contingent of No 2 Construction personnel proceeded to France for service with the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC). Joseph was among their ranks and travelled with his comrades to the Jura District of France, close to the border with Switzerland, where the unit worked alongside members of several CFC companies in harvesting timber from the area’s forests.<br /><br />Joseph served with No. 2 Construction in the Jura District for 18 months and returned to the United Kingdom with his comrades on December 14, 1918. One month later, he returned to Canada aboard HMT <i>Aquitania</i>, arriving at Halifax on January 24, 1919. Joseph was discharged from military service at Halifax on February 18, 1919, and returned home to Truro, where Rachel and his children had resided during his absence.<br /><br />Shortly after Joseph’s return, the Clyke family had relocated to Springhill, where Joseph found employment as a “fireman” in the local coal mines. The 1921 census data lists a household of five, consisting of Joseph, Rachel and three children—Susie, and 13, Edna, age 11, and Robert, age eight. The house also contained seven individuals of various ages—four adults and one three-person family, all of whom were identified as “boarders.”<br /><br />On November 18, 1925, tragedy struck the family when 51-year-old Rachel suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and passed away. The following year, Joseph married Eliza Bell Churnley, a 38-year-old widow and native of Amherst. Joseph remained in Springhill for the remainder of his life, retiring from work in the local mines in 1945. He passed away there on April 17, 1953, and was laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery, Springhill, NS.</p><p><b><i>9. Private George Edward Conley (Connolly):</i></b></p><p>According to his military attestation, George Edward Conley was born at Glace Bay, NS, on February 10, 1899. A second item in his service file gives his birth place as New Glasgow, NS, while his death certificate states that he was born at Mulgrave, Guysborough County. While the spelling of the family surname varies throughout available documents—Connolly, Connelly, Conley—the vast majority in George’s service file use the spelling “Conley.”<br /><br />Available sources indicate that George was the son of Thomas and Ada (Somers) Connolly. According to George’s marriage record, Thomas was a Barbados native, while Ada was the daughter of John and Sarah Jane Somers, Melford, Guysborough County. Thomas and Ada were married at Truro on May 6, 1893.<br /><br />At the time of the 1901 census, Thomas and Ada were living in New Glasgow. No children were recorded as living in the household. By 1911, the couple had relocated to Glace Bay, where Thomas worked in the local coal mines. One child, 13-year-old George, was also living in the home, listed as “adopted son.”<br /><br />On September 8, 1916, George enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at its Pictou, NS headquarters. He identified his mother, Mrs. Thomas Conley, Mulgrave, NS, as next of kin on his attestation form. George departed for overseas with the unit on March 25, 1917, and disembarked at Liverpool, UK, on April 7. He was part of a large contingent of 525 No. 2 Construction personnel who departed for France on May 17 for service with the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC).<br /><br />George spent 18 months working alongside CFC units in the Jura District of France before returning to the United Kingdom with his comrades on December 14, 1918. One month later, he departed for Canada aboard SS <i>Empress of Britain</i>. The vessel arrived at Halifax, NS, on January 22, 1919. George was discharged from military service on February 15, 1919, and gave his intended address at the time as Box 36, New Aberdeen, NS.<br /><br />The 1921 Canadian census lists George Connolly, occupation miner, living in the Glace Bay home of Jennie Walcutt, age 39. While the entry identified George as Jennie’s step-son, she was actually his sister, Maudie Jane Connolly, who had married Edward Christopher Walcott, a Barbados native, at Mulgrave, NS, in August 1917.<br /><br />George remained in the Glace Bay area for several decades. During that time, his mother, Ada Ann, passed away there on March 15, 1925, and was laid to rest in St. Mary’s Cemetery. On June 22, 1929, George married Ida Jean Talbot, daughter of Fred Albert and Delia (Parris) Talbot, Glace Bay. </p><p>In later life, George and Ida relocated to Mulgrave, George joined Mulgrave Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion on July 12, 1955. His membership sponsored by fellow No. 2 Construction Battalion veteran Joe Parris and seconded by W. N. Meagher. <br /><br />George passed away suddenly at Mulgrave on March 26, 1963, the result of a stroke. He had been “under medical care” since September 1956 and last worked as a “general labourer” in 1960. George was laid to rest in Mulgrave.</p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-82963000263221745422021-06-13T10:18:00.006-03:002022-01-24T10:38:40.358-04:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 2<p> <i>This blog post is the second of a series of posts, 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.</i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQBAWt4i6BT6ThsiK3C6chY2wo4-dDKCPaXsCgA3D-67g6mSiCY_wPfd4AF8cCNmOElgdHKcBzpdeqKcfnua4QMySj-6D2nZVy2wxgCJGB15x_HR1Hll_B0YGq_l6uokDV5fpTMEXFQxl/s400/No+2+badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQBAWt4i6BT6ThsiK3C6chY2wo4-dDKCPaXsCgA3D-67g6mSiCY_wPfd4AF8cCNmOElgdHKcBzpdeqKcfnua4QMySj-6D2nZVy2wxgCJGB15x_HR1Hll_B0YGq_l6uokDV5fpTMEXFQxl/s320/No+2+badge.jpg" /></a></i></div><i> <b> </b></i><p></p><p><i><b>4. Private George Borden:</b></i></p><p>George Borden was born at Goldenville, Guysborough County, the son of James and Alice (Parris) Borden. While his attestation papers list his year of birth as 1896, a medical document in his service file records the date as September 20, 1899. George’s father James was a native of Guysborough, the son of James Frederick and Mary Borden. His mother Alice was born at Goldenville, the daughter of Jeremiah and Jane (Dismal) Parris.<br /><br />George was a late enlistment with No. 2 Construction Battalion, joining the unit at Truro, NS, on February 10, 1917. At the time, he claimed that both of his parents were deceased, although genealogical sources indicate that this was not the case. George listed his aunt—his mother’s sister, Mrs. Norman (Rosa Ann Parris) Parris, Grammar St., New Glasgow, NS—as his next of kin.<br /><br />Six weeks after his enlistment, George departed from Halifax aboard SS <i>Southland</i> and disembarked at Liverpool, UK, with his No. 2 Construction mates in early April. On May 25, George proceeded to France as part of a large group of No. 2 Construction personnel assigned to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ Jura District.<br /><br />No. 2 Construction’s men worked in aspects of timber harvesting operations—logging, sawmill, lumberyard and shipping—alongside CFC personnel. While small groups of No. 2 Construction men were transferred to two other CFC locations in France in late 1917, George spent his entire overseas service at Jura.<br /><br />In February 1918, shortly after the first anniversary of his enlistment, George was granted three weeks’ leave. In mid-June, he was “admonished and placed under stoppage of pay to make good the value of missing articles,” specifically “one pair puttees [and] one jacket” that he had lost “by neglect.” With the exception of a brief stay in hospital in late July, the remainder of George’s time at Jura was uneventful.<br /><br />On December 12, 1918, George returned to the UK with his comrades and was attached to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Camp Bramshott, two days later. While the remainder of No. 2 Construction’s personnel departed for Canada on January 12, 1919, George remained in the UK, were he was promoted to the rank of “Acting Corporal without pay and allowances while specially employed.”<br /><br />On February 1, George was “taken on strength” for sentry duty at No. 6 Military District, Rhyl. The location contained thousands of Canadian soldiers awaiting orders to return to Canada. Five days after reporting for duty, George was placed in the camp’s isolation unit with a case of mumps. Discharged on March 1, he served at Rhyl for four weeks, at which time he proceeded by train to Glasgow, Scotland, and boarded SS <i>Saturnia</i> for the return journey to Canada.<br /><br />George was discharged at Halifax on April 14, 1919. Three months later, he crossed into the United States at McAdam, NB, and proceeded to Boston, MA. George found employment as a cook and established residence in the suburb of Roxbury. Two years later, he travelled by train from Boston to New Glasgow, and visited family in Goldenville before returning to the US.<br /><br />On June 21, 1928, George married Hilda Wilson, a native of The Crawl, Hamilton, Bermuda, who had immigrated to the US with her family in 1910. The couple established residence at 7 Copeland St., Roxbury, where George was building custodian. Three children soon joined the Borden family—a daughter Lois (November 22, 1930) and twin boys Donald and Douglas (October 8, 1932).<br /><br />Six years into George’s and Hilda’s marriage, a routine incident spiralled out of control, resulting in tragedy for the Borden family. At 1:30 pm Sunday, July 8, 1934, Registry of Motor Vehicles Inspector Everett T. Gardner and Special Officer William R. Harmon arrived at the Borden residence at 7 Copeland St., Roxbury. While on official business, neither was in uniform at the time.<br /><br />Apparently, Inspector Gardner had attempted to stop George for a motor vehicle infraction, but he sped away. Gardner and Harmon intended to serve George with an arrest warrant for three motor vehicle infractions: operating a motor vehicle after his license was revoked, failing to stop when signalled by a motor vehicle inspector, and driving in a manner that endangered the lives and safety of the public. <br /><br />While Harmon went into the building, Gardner guarded a rear entrance. Harmon knocked on the door of the Borden family apartment and identified himself as a police officer. At first, George denied that he was the man they were seeking, but soon acknowledged his identity and asked permission to make a phone call from a suite on the second floor. As he made his way up the stairs, he attempted to flee, exiting the building and running across the street into another tenement with Harmon in pursuit.<br /><br />As George entered the second building, Harmon fired two warning shots, one into the air and a second into the ground. Gardner, hearing the shots, made his way into the street and remained there while Harmon followed George into the building. A few minutes later, Gardner heard the sound of glass breaking. Peering down an alley beside the building, he saw George climb out of a basement window and attempt to flee.<br /><br />Harmon aimed his weapon at George and fired three shots, striking him in the left side, right ankle and right wrist. George managed to make his way to the rear of the building, where he collapsed. He was rushed to City Hospital, where he immediately received a blood transfusion and was placed on the “serious condition” list. According to the Boston Globe, the incident was believed to have been the first time that a motor vehicles inspector fired his weapon in an attempt to execute an arrest.<br /><br />Events in the aftermath of George’s shooting followed a predictable pattern. Police claimed that Borden had placed his right hand in a rear trouser pocket after climbing out of the cellar and appeared to be drawing a weapon when Gardner fired. A later statement claimed that George had a “black object” in his hand. While a search of the area behind the building failed to locate a weapon of any kind, police later claimed that a knife found in the cellar belonged to George.<br /><br />Two days after the incident, The Boston Globe reported that a Roxbury Court would examine the facts surrounding the incident, to determine whether Inspector Gardner acted in self-defence. The news item also reported that George, in “fair” condition in hospital, was interviewed by a Motor Vehicles Inspector and Boston Police Lieutenant. He denied owning a revolver and declared that he did not have a weapon in his possession when he was shot. Meanwhile, the Roxbury Court ruled that Inspector Gardner had acted in self-defence and absolved him from all responsibility.<br /><br />On the night of Friday, July 13, 1934, George Borden passed away at City Hospital. His death had a dramatic impact on an already tense situation. Several community organizations—the League of Struggle for Negro Rights, the Boston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, and the National Equal Rights League—had already held meetings, demanding a full public inquiry into the shooting.<br /><br />Under considerable pressure to act, Boston Police announced that an investigation into the incident would take place before a magistrate in Roxbury Court on July 16. When the hearing convened, Inspector Gardner was formally charged with manslaughter pending the outcome of the investigation, and released on $1,000 bail.<br /><br />The following day, George’s funeral took place at the International Hall, Shawmut Ave., Roxbury. A total of 14 automobiles and more than 200 friends and sympathizers, consisting of white and black citizens, formed a parade behind his casket as it traveled from the funeral home to the hall. Amplifiers broadcast the service to a crowd of 500 who stood outside the packed hall. Several representatives of the Boston Police also attended the ceremony.<br /><br />George Borden was laid to rest in Mount Hope Cemetery, Boston, MA. A Boston Globe article, dated October 31, 1934, indicated that the inquiry into George’s death continued for more than three months. The news item reported that Special Officer William R. Harmon saw a “dark object” in George’s hand shortly before he was shot, suggesting that the manslaughter charges brought against Inspector Gardner were likely to be dismissed, on “self-defence” grounds.<br /><br />George’s widow Hilda never re-married. Predeceased by her twin sons, she passed away at Roxbury on October 22, 1983.</p><p><i>Special thanks to Marie Terese, Redican, Allentown, PA, who provided a series of Boston Globe articles concerning George's tragic shooting and information on George's wife, Hilda Wilson.</i><br /></p><p><i><b>5. Private Norman Arthur Bowden:</b></i></p><p>Norman Arthur Bowden was born at Guysborough, Nova Scotia, on October 26, 1885, the son of William Arthur and Margaret A. (Skinner) Bowden. William was the son of Levi and Elizabeth Bowden, while Margaret was the daughter of George and Eliza Skinner. Norman was living in his parents’ household in the 1891 and 1901 censuses, but had left home by 1911. His whereabouts at that time are unknown, but by 1915 he was residing at Victoria, British Columbia, where he was employed as a “bootblack” and porter at a saloon operated by Scottish proprietors.<br /><br />After relocating to Victoria, Norman met Della Daisy (Gibson) Bishop, a widow and native of San Angelo, Texas. Della was the oldest of 13 children—her son later described her as a “go-getter” who “could see that there was no future at that time for black people in Texas.” Della made her way to Victoria, BC, where she met Norman at a weekly Sunday gathering held in one of the local black community’s homes.<br /><br />Norman and Della established residence at 1009 Fort St., where their son, Norman Leland, was born during the summer of 1915. Life continued as normal for more than a year, until Norman made a decision that significantly impacted his young family. On November 6, 1916, he attested for service with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Victoria.<br /><br />Unlike other military units, No. 2 Construction Battalion received official permission to conduct a nation-wide recruitment campaign. Norman was one of a small number of British Columbia enlistments. Leaving his 14-month-old son in Della’s care, he traveled across the country by rail to Truro, NS, where he joined the unit’s ranks.<br /><br />After spending the winter of 1916-17 training at Truro, No. 2 Construction’s personnel made their way to Halifax in late March 1917, boarded SS <i>Southland</i> and departed for overseas. The unit arrived in the United Kingdom on April 7 and remained there for six weeks. On March 17, 1917, Norman departed for France with a large detachment of No. 2 Construction personnel. The group made its way to the Canadian Forestry Corps’ Jura District, where Norman and his comrades served alongside CFC units, participating in all aspects of harvesting and processing timber, as well as shipping lumber products to the forward area.<br /><br />Norman’s time overseas was largely uneventful. On February 12, 1918, he was granted 14 days’ leave to the United Kingdom and rejoined his unit on March 3. On June 1, 1918, he was hospitalized at La Joux, Jura, with a case of mumps and discharged to duty three weeks later.<br /><br />A second 14-day leave to the United Kingdom on November 25, 1918 was somewhat more eventful. On December 7, Norman was admitted to 5th London General Hospital, Lambeth, suffering from a “concussion of [the] brain.” The brief note stated that he had been “injured in [the] street” and was “brought in suffering from concussion.” Norman’s service file contains no other details on the incident.<br /><br />Norman was discharged from hospital on December, but remained in the United Kingdom as his No. 2 Construction mates departed France that same day. Instead of rejoining the unit’s ranks, Norman was posted to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, where he was attached to the Depot Company. As a result, he did not depart for Canada with his former unit, which returned to Canada on January 12.<br /><br />Norman remained overseas for another month, departing the United Kingdom aboard the <i>Empress of Britain</i> on February 17, 1919. Upon arriving in Canada eight days later, he made the long train journey to Vancouver, where he was discharged from military service on March 22, 1919. He then returned to his Victoria residence.<br /><br />Norman’s young son later recalled his father’s return home:<br /><br />“I don’t remember when he left for the war, but I do remember when he came back. All the time he was overseas, my mother used to constantly show me a picture of ‘your father.’ When the soldiers came back, they’re all in a mess hall—this was 1918 [actually March 1919]—all there drinking coffee, and I took one look and I could recognize him from the picture that my mother kept showing me.”<br /><br />Norman and Della were formally married at Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, BC, on August 19, 1919. His son Norman Jr. later recalled their family home on Fort St. and the nearby Empress Hotel on waterfront, where “you can sit right there on the bench and look out over the ocean where the boat [from the British Columbia mainland] comes in.”<br /><br />Several years after Norman Sr.’s return from overseas, the family relocated to Los Angeles, California, in stages. According to Norman Jr.:<br /><br />“My mother had got her mother and her baby sister up from Texas to take care of them in Canada. Then we all left and came to the States. This was December 22, 1921. My auntie and her mother came here first, my mother and I came second, and 10 months or a year later, my father came last. [Later immigration records indicate that Norman Sr. arrived in California in 1923.] We all came at different times. When my mother and I got here, her younger sister was already here and married and was established so we lived with them until we sorted ourselves.”<br /><br />Della insisted that her son receive a proper education. Norman Jr. started his schooling in Victoria, where most of his classmates were white. After arriving in Los Angeles, he continued his studies in a segregated school. He described the experience as “a strange thing for me,” as “I’d never gone to school with black children before.” It was in this new school setting that Norman Jr. was introduced to the world of music, an experience that was life-altering.<br /><br />The school’s music teacher, a Welshman, was a violinist and introduced his students to the instrument. Norman Jr. described him as a marvelous musician—“He’d take a violin and make it sound like magic”—and a “wonderful teacher.” However, the two “did not get along… too well because I was wanting to improvise and play jazz. He didn’t like that. He’d tap me on the fingers and say, ‘That kind of music you play, you’ll never amount to a thing; you’ll never amount to nothin.’ He was always telling me that. He didn’t want to let jazz into the school.”<br /><br />The spark did not take long to become a fire. Inspired by American jazz legend Louis Armstrong, “Norm”—as he was known in music circles—took up the trumpet in his mid-teens and as a young man frequented the jazz clubs located along Los Angeles’ Central Avenue. By the 1940s, he was a fixture in the vibrant music scene known as “West Coast Harlem.” Norm played at dance halls and after-hour clubs, and toured with several bands, covering such musical genres as big band, rhythm and blues and Dixieland.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGvlHoVcLTSQHfTRFAK7ggJ_UnCqG9_ybW4DB8v1CQbC5DugupA6WGbJGOprRCsKHNkhNx8Feyo2UmddxSPqHM4jj8s7egkM2mQCWisylAOs2avTadxtQJeJR2jrvCep-d_kMJ8CN-5I6/s1242/Bowden+Norman+Leland.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGvlHoVcLTSQHfTRFAK7ggJ_UnCqG9_ybW4DB8v1CQbC5DugupA6WGbJGOprRCsKHNkhNx8Feyo2UmddxSPqHM4jj8s7egkM2mQCWisylAOs2avTadxtQJeJR2jrvCep-d_kMJ8CN-5I6/s320/Bowden+Norman+Leland.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Norman Leland Bowden<br /></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Meanwhile, Norman Sr. settled into life in Los Angeles, where he found work as a machinist. While far from his Guysborough County roots, he made at least one trip to Nova Scotia, visiting his younger sister, Mabel Augusta (Mrs. George Howard Lawrence) in New Glasgow during the summer of 1947. Norman returned to Los Angeles in early August, and spent his remaining years there.<br /><br />Norman Arthur Borden passed away at Los Angeles on May 19, 1964. His son Norm lived a long and productive life in the city’s music scene, his final public performance taking place at La Louisanne Creole Restaurant, Los Angeles, in 2007 at the age of 91. Norman Leland Borden passed away at Los Angeles on June 1, 2017.</p><p><i>Special thanks to Marie Terese, Redican, Allentown, PA, who provided valuable information on Norman's wife Della.</i> <br /></p><p></p><p><i><b>6. Private Joseph Clyke (aka Brodie):</b></i></p><p>Joseph “Joe” Clyke (aka Brodie) was born at Guysborough, Nova Scotia, on February 14, 1900. His parents’ names are unknown. Joe was the grandson of John and Eliza (Skinner) Brodie. John, a mariner by occupation and the son of William and Eunice Brodie, married Eliza, the daughter of William and Ellen Skinner, at Guysborough on May 14, 1870.<br /><br />John passed away sometime before 1901, as that year’s census records list Eliza Brodie, widow, age 50, as head of the family, residing at Guysborough with her daughters Mary, Annie, Sarah, and Harly, son Burton, and grandson Joseph, age one. In 1907, Eliza married Archibald “Archie” Clyke, a 54-year-old widower and son of William and Johanna Clyke.<br /><br />The 1911 census lists 58-year-old Archibald Clyke as head of a household that included his wife Eliza, age 61, and “adopted son” Joseph Brodie, age 11. Living next door to the Clyke family were Eliza’s son Burton, his wife Nellie (Clyke), and their children Gertie, age seven, and Annie, age four.<br /><br />On September 22, 1916, Joe enlisted with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro, NS. At the time, he gave his birth year as 1899, exaggerating his age by one year—he was actually 16 years old at the time. Joe also gave his last name as “Clyke” and listed his grandmother, Elizabeth “Eliza” (Mrs. Archie) Clyke, as his next of kin.<br /><br />Joe departed for overseas with No. 2 Construction Battalion on March 25, 1917, and disembarked at Liverpool, United Kingdom, 12 days later. On May 17, 1917, he departed for France with a large group of No. 2 Construction personnel, who made their way to the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) Jura District, near the France - Switzerland border.<br /><br />Throughout the remainder of 1917, No. 2 Construction personnel served alongside men from several CFC companies, working in the Jura area’s forests, the mill that processed harvested logs, and the shipping facility that loaded lumber onto rail cars for transport to the forward area. One of the mill’s major products was railroad ties for small-gauge lines constructed immediately behind the front trenches.<br /><br />On December 30, 1917, Joe was among a group of No. 2 Construction men transferred to the CFC’s Alençon District, west of Paris and north of Le Mans, France, where several CFC companies harvested and processed timber from the nearby Forêt d’Écouvres. The majority of the transfers were natives of the Caribbean Islands and authorities at Jura were concerned that the colder weather at Jura might have a harmful impact on their health.<br /><br />The fact that these men had worked throughout the months of November and December without any health issues raised questions as to whether such a move was necessary. CFC authorities, however, decided to follow the recommendations of Jura District’s medical officer and relocated the selected men to the area, where winter conditions were considerably less harsh.<br /><br />Joe worked in the Alençon District for the remainder of his time overseas. Several entries in his service file suggest that youthful exuberance may have resulted in several discipline infractions. In mid-November 1918, he was confined to barracks for two weeks for “creating a disturbance.” As this punishment expired, Joe earned another 10 days’ confinement for being “AWL [absent without leave] from 22.00 26-11-18 to 07.00 27-11-18,” a fairly common occurrence among personnel at CFC camps.<br /><br />On December 14, Joe returned to the United Kingdom with the rest of No. 2 Construction’s personnel. One month later, he and his comrades departed for Canada aboard the <i>Empress of Britain</i>. Joe disembarked at Halifax on January 22, 1919, and was formally discharged from military service on February 15, 1919.<br /><br />Joe listed “Guysborough” as his address on discharge and his British War and Victory service medals were dispatched to that location on December 12, 1922. Unfortunately, no further information is currently available on his later life.<i><b> </b></i><br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-91466782612344672212021-05-10T09:44:00.002-03:002022-01-24T10:38:24.900-04:00Guysborough County's No. 2 Construction Battalion Enlistments, Part 1<p><i>This blog post is the first of a series of posts, 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. <b> <br /></b></i></p><p><i><b>1. Private Thomas Ash Jr.:</b></i><br /></p><p>According to his military enlistment papers, Thomas Ash Jr. was born at Big Tracadie, Guysborough County, on December 25, 1898. A medical document in his service file gives the date as September 8, 1898. At the time of the 1901 census, the Ash family consisted of parents Thomas Sr. (January 8, 1862) and Sarah Jane (maiden surname Day, DOB July 5, 1875) Ash, their five sons—Norman (January 4, 1899), Thomas Jr. (May 4, 1897), James (August 8, 1896), Freeman (September 4, 1893) and Ernest (March 5, 1892)—and Thomas Sr.’s mother Sarah (June 10, 1820).<br /><br />Over the following decade, four more children—Redmond (March 1903), Rebecca (August 1904), Clara (December 1906) and Mary Ann (June 1908)—joined the family. A fifth child, Adelia “Delia” (December 1891), was not listed in the 1901 census but was part of the household in 1911. <br /><br />Thomas Sr. passed away at Upper Big Tracadie on January 25, 1911. Only 49 years of age at the time, he had suffered from “dropsy” (acute swelling of extremities, due to fluid retention) for eight months prior to his death. The symptom suggests that he was suffering from either kidney failure or congestive heart failure. Thomas Sr.’s passing left his widow Jane with the challenge of supporting a large family on the family farm, with the help of her oldest sons.<br /><br />On September 22, 1916, 17-year-old Thomas Ash Jr. attested for service with No. 2 Construction Battalion at Truro, NS. At the time of his enlistment, he stood five feet ten inches and weighed 160 pounds, a sturdy constitution in comparison to many of his comrades. Thomas was briefly hospitalized with tonsillitis in mid-December, but fully recovered. He departed for overseas with the unit on March 28, 1917, and disembarked at Liverpool, UK, nine days later.<br /><br />Thomas was one of the 495 No. 2 Construction “other ranks” who crossed the English Channel to France on May 17, 1917, in the company of 11 officers. Three days later, the group arrived in the Jura district of eastern France, near the Swiss border, where the men were attached to No. 5 District, Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) for duty.<br /><br />Thomas worked in the Jura District without incident throughout the summer on 1917. On October 25, he was hospitalized for what appeared to be influenza. Medical records briefly summarized his medical history at the time: “Began feeling weaker in October and soon after face, hands and feet became swollen. Has severe occipital headache. Previous to this time he had good health.”<br /><br />While Thomas improved sufficiently to be discharged to duty after six days, his recovery was temporary. On November 21, he was admitted to hospital at Champagnole, where doctors determined that he was suffering from “nephritis acute” (kidney disease). His headache had returned and he was also experiencing the severe back pain associated with a kidney ailment.<br /><br />Thomas remained in the Jura District hospital until late February 1918, when he was transferred to No. 8 General Hospital, Rouen. Doctors there attributed the cause of his illness as “exposure” to damp, cold working conditions. On March 3, 1918, Thomas was invalided to the United Kingdom, where he was admitted to Chester War Hospital. At the time of Thomas’s arrival, the hospital reported no outward symptoms, other than weakness and diminished urine output.<br /><br />Thomas received a treatment regimen that included bed rest, a milk diet, and administration of “iron mist.” On July 29, he had recovered sufficiently to be transferred to Kings Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital, Bushy Park, Hampton Hill. Thomas spent almost two months at the facility before departing for Canada aboard HMT “K” on September 24.<br /><br />The vessel docked at Quebec on October 7 and Thomas made his way to Nova Scotia by rail. Upon arriving at Halifax, he was admitted to Pine Hill Hospital and remained under medical care throughout the autumn and winter of 1918-19. A note on his medical file, dated January 8, 1919, summarized his situation at admission: “Has been under treatment since February 1918. Feels well now. Is anaemic. Some puffiness under eyes and feet swell if he walks much. Tongue badly coated.”<br /><br />In mid-March 1919, medical staff noted that Thomas “has improved considerably in the last two months.” Discharged from hospital on March 21, 1919, he was released from military service one week later and returned home to Big Tracadie. At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, Thomas was living at home with his widowed mother Jane, brother Redmond, and sisters Clara and Delia, who had married the previous year. Also residing in the house was Delia’s one-month-old daughter, Evangeline Cox.<br /><br />Sometime after 1921, Thomas relocated to Sydney, where he went to work in the local coal mines. On December 14, 1926, he married Elena Gero, daughter of John J. and Annie (Sheppard) Gero. At some point after their marriage, the couple returned to Big Tracadie, where Thomas operated a farm. Thomas and Elena, welcomed a daughter, Marion Lahaina—their only child—on January 24, 1931.<br /><br />The health issues that plagued Thomas during his time overseas resurfaced several years after his daughter’s birth. He passed away at Upper Big Tracadie on January 29, 1935. The doctor who completed the death certificate identified the cause of death as “dropsy,” the same condition that had claimed his father’s life almost exactly 24 years previously. Considering Thomas Jr.’s prior medical history, the most likely cause of death was kidney failure, which would directly connect his passing to his time in uniform. Thomas Ash was laid to rest in Sunnyview Cemetery, Tracadie.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA6vqGNP-OUtAsg_e0RmlZFaEEfyRPkfJliDwrSKwic3P92ScOxfLHhzfPXfRgJ4KsTtDW-RKwW3sDWTtPyCRGEw8Pnhyphenhyphenr6bC9sMopeot3BWEO4g3_bUj5vSYmuuViInd8jo7X3-iVWog/s2048/Ash+Pte+Thomas_3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA6vqGNP-OUtAsg_e0RmlZFaEEfyRPkfJliDwrSKwic3P92ScOxfLHhzfPXfRgJ4KsTtDW-RKwW3sDWTtPyCRGEw8Pnhyphenhyphenr6bC9sMopeot3BWEO4g3_bUj5vSYmuuViInd8jo7X3-iVWog/s320/Ash+Pte+Thomas_3.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Thomas Ash's headstone, Sunnyview Cemetery<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><i><b>2. Private John Joseph Backus:</b></i><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">According to his First World War attestation papers, John Joseph Backus (Bacchus) was born at Goldenville, Guysborough County, on December 20, 1876. A medical document completed prior to his discharge recorded his date of birth as December 24, 1868, while the Canadian census conducted in April 1871 lists John’s age as one year old at the time. This information suggests that John’s year of birth was likely 1869 or 1870.<br /><br />John’s parents, Joseph Backus and Annie Williams, raised a large family in the small mining community near Sherbrooke—William (c. 1862), John (c. 1869), Elizabeth “Libbie” (c. 1871), Margaret (c. 1872), Carrie (c. 1878), Eva (c. 1882), Harriet (c. 1884) and Ruth (c.1886). John appears to have travelled extensively during his younger years. On January 15, 1897, he married Mary (Burk) Murphy, a native of Utica, NY, at Boston, MA. Records state that it was the second marriage for both participants. (The identity of John’s first wife is unknown, but this marriage appears to have produced two daughters, later identified in his military service file.)<br /><br />On September 16, 1916, John enlisted with the No. 2 Construction Battalion at Montreal, QC. His attestation papers list his occupation at the time as “teamster and vetinary [sic - veterinary],” suggesting extensive experience working with horses. The “Particulars of Family” form in his service file indicates that John was a widower, with two adult daughters—Gertrude, age 24 years, and Maud, age 26 years.<br /><br />Following his enlistment, John travelled by rail to Truro, NS, where he joined No. 2 Construction’s ranks. He spent the autumn and winter of 1916-17 in Nova Scotia, departing for overseas with the unit on March 28, 1917, and arrived at Liverpool, UK, 12 days later. On May 17, John landed in France with a detachment of 495 No. 2 Construction “other ranks” and 11 officers, all of whom proceeded to No. 5 District, Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC), which operated in the Jura District of eastern France, close to the Swiss border.<br /><br />Given John’s age—he was at least 40 years old at the time of his enlistment—and background, he most likely tended to the horses that were a vital resource in the harvesting of timber. Each CFC site contained a large stable, where the animals received daily care and were closely monitored for illness or injury.<br /><br />On December 30, 1917, John was part of a group of 180 “other ranks” (OR) and two officers that departed from Jura and reported for duty with Central Group CFC, No. 1 District, Alençon. A total of nine CFC companies logged the Normandy forests in the District. The camps were quite diverse, containing a mixture of white CFC personnel, black No. 2 Construction men, several groups of Russian reinforcements, and German POW work parties.<br /><br />John remained at Alençon for the duration of his time in France. He enjoyed a 14-day leave in September 1918 and returned to the United Kingdom with the unit on December 14, 1918. Hospitalized with pleurisy on January 1, 1919, he spent two weeks under medical care. As a result, John did not travel to Canada with his No. 2 Construction mates, who departed on January 12. Instead, he returned aboard HMTS <i>Aquitania</i> six days later and was discharged from military service at Halifax on February 19.<br /><br />John returned home to Goldenville, and was still residing there at the time of the 1921 census, which identifies him as a 53-year-old, widowed labourer, living by himself. In mid-November 1922, his military service medals were dispatched to his Goldenville address.<br /><br />On December 6, 1922, John married Eliza Janette Ash, daughter of Joseph and Julia (Reid) Ash, Boylston. The couple took up residence at Goldenville. Eliza passed away at Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, on July 9, 1932. According to her death certificate, Eliza was a widow at the time of her passing, meaning that John passed away sometime between the couple’s December 1922 marriage and Eliza’s July 1932 death. No documented record of his passing can be located.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE82C9vNUbqptscxX-WjvIvIpXUTt0m23U9nv4_eOSwOQGsg_PFwpSg3UN1XCkpnUJg__sSX_mbfJH-kmSapjt4MKPmScyjrxLe0YwguQuCFUas0iporAPVKeIS-mKDxERSKJm6ZDdo27O/s400/No+2+badge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE82C9vNUbqptscxX-WjvIvIpXUTt0m23U9nv4_eOSwOQGsg_PFwpSg3UN1XCkpnUJg__sSX_mbfJH-kmSapjt4MKPmScyjrxLe0YwguQuCFUas0iporAPVKeIS-mKDxERSKJm6ZDdo27O/s320/No+2+badge.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>No. 2 Construction Battalion Badge<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>3. Private David George Borden:</b></i><br /></p><p>David George Borden was born at Tracadie, Guysborough County, on April 2, 1882, the son of George and Lydia (Clyke) Borden. David was living in Sydney at the time of his December 6, 1901 marriage to Ida Bowen, a 27-year-old widow and daughter of George and “Mrs. L.” Brown, as identified on the couple’s marriage license. By 1911, David and Ida had relocated to Truro, where they were residing with a daughter Pearly at the time of the Canadian census.<br /><br />David was one of No. 2 Construction Battalion’s early recruits, attesting for service with the unit at Halifax on August 29, 1916. At the time, he identified his mother Lydia, Leeman’s Lane, Truro, as his next of kin. According to his service file, David’s father George was deceased at the time of his enlistment.<br /><br />David spent an uneventful autumn and winter at Pictou and Truro training with the battalion. On March 16, 1917, he was admitted to General Hospital, Truro, for treatment of rheumatism, but was discharged in time to join his comrades aboard SS <i>Southland</i> as they departed for overseas before month’s end.<br /><br />On April 7, 1917, David arrived at Liverpool, England, and spent six weeks in the United Kingdom with the unit before departing for France with approximately 500 of No. 2 Construction’s personnel. Over the ensuing 20 months, he worked alongside Canadian Forestry Corps personnel in the Jura District of France. During that time, David received a 14-day leave to Paris in February 1918 and was briefly hospitalized for treatment of indigestion in June 1918.<br /><br />David returned to the United Kingdom with his unit on December 14, 1918, and departed for Canada one month later. He was officially discharged from military service at Halifax, NS, on February 15, 1919, and gave his intended place of residence at Mill St., Truro, where his wife Ida resided during his time overseas.<br /><br />Sometime after returning to civilian life, David relocated to Saint John, NB, where the 1921 census listed him as a “lodger” in home of Nettie Johnson. Ida later followed him to the city, where she passed away on March 3, 1937. Several years after Ida’s passing, David married Rita Mae Berryman, daughter of Henry Berryman and Minnie Jarvis, Yarmouth, NS, in a ceremony held at Calvary United Baptist Church, Saint John, NB, on May 18, 1946.<br /><br />David George Borden passed away Saint John General Hospital, NB, on June 7, 1958. According to his death certificate, he had been employed as a “fireman” at the Saint John Armouries until 1954. He was laid to rest in Cedar Hill Cemetery Extension, Saint John. NB. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa2Z5KaqQ2bv1CAVsuemEu-q1XltAQHXbKEBjy8CMhsJNbn_Kle4NZFNMPPBUqIqN28e0HcBJIBlmlnO11L6szt5k3NoY2WrKI5LuhkHxPRq64eIp2nVuw4CxgaYbYvYDaebB3SYEMQSH/s800/Borden+David+grave+marker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa2Z5KaqQ2bv1CAVsuemEu-q1XltAQHXbKEBjy8CMhsJNbn_Kle4NZFNMPPBUqIqN28e0HcBJIBlmlnO11L6szt5k3NoY2WrKI5LuhkHxPRq64eIp2nVuw4CxgaYbYvYDaebB3SYEMQSH/s320/Borden+David+grave+marker.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. David Borden's Grave Marker</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><i>A special thanks to Candace McGuire and the staff of Cedar Hill Cemetery Extension, Saint John, NB, for providing a photograph of David Borden's grave marker.</i><br /></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-44361152757841366842021-04-21T19:19:00.007-03:002021-05-19T11:35:03.733-03:00No. 2 Construction Battalion—An Overview<p><i><i>Note: The content below is a blend of two previous posts on this
blog—African Canadians and the Canadian Expeditionary Force (January
2014) and Pte. Joseph Alexander Parris—A No. 2 Construction Battalion
Soldier's Story (January 2014). This post was last updated on May 19, 2021.</i> <br /></i></p><p><i>Background—African Canadians and the Canadian Expeditionary Force</i><br /><br />Following the outbreak of the First World War, Canadians from many racial and ethnic backgrounds were eager to serve with the newly created Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). Unfortunately, some groups received a less than enthusiastic response at recruitment offices. Canadians of Native, Japanese and African ancestry in particular encountered indifference, resistance and outright rejection when they attempted to enlist for overseas service.<br /><br />Considering their record of previous military service with British military units, it is not surprising that African Canadians sought to enlist with the CEF after the outbreak of the First World War. While a handful succeeded in joining the First Canadian Contingent battalions that departed for England in September 1914, the vast majority were rejected due to their racial background.<br /><br />To their credit, African Canadian communities and leaders across the country protested throughout the first year of the war. Their complaints largely fell on deaf ears until a November 1915 incident in New Brunswick provoked considerable backlash. A group of 25 Black volunteers who had persistently attempted to enlist throughout the year were turned away when they reported for service with the 104th Battalion at Sussex, New Brunswick.<br /><br />In the aftermath of the incident, the unit's Officer Commanding (OC), Lieutenant-Colonel Beverley Robinson Armstrong, wrote to military officials, asking if consideration was being given to the formation of a “black battalion” anywhere in Canada. Simultaneously, Minister of Militia Sir Sam Hughes responded to correspondence received from John T. Richards of Saint John, NB, in relation to the Sussex incident.</p><p>The content of the Minister's letter was both curious and contradictory. Hughes stated that he had issued instructions that any African Canadian who met the CEF's physical requirements should be permitted to enlist in any battalion, a policy that was clearly not being followed. Subsequent to Hughes' correspondence, Adjutant-General William Egerton Hodgins wrote to the General Officer, Military District 6, Halifax, NS, on November 29, 1915, stating that the Minister had issued instructions that "the coloured men are to be permitted to enlist in any battalion.”<br /><br />Despite such explicit statements from both civilian and military authorities, OCs and recruitment officers continued to reject Black volunteers, and their superiors, not wishing to overrule their judgment, declined to intervene. A similar incident in Ontario eventually brought matters to a head, forcing Canadian government officials to finally resolve the blatant contradiction between national policy and local practice.<br /><br />In November 1915, J. R. B. Whitney, publisher of the <i>Canadian Observer</i>, a prominent African Canadian newspaper, offered to recruit a “Black” Ontario platoon of 150 men for service with a CEF battalion. When Minister Hughes replied that there was nothing to prevent him from doing so, Whitney raised the required number of volunteers, only to be told in March 1916 that no OC was willing to accept such a platoon.<br /><br />The following month, Whitney once again contacted Minister Hughes, seeking an explanation for this rejection and requesting his platoon's accommodation within an existing battalion. The military's failure to meet his request represented tacit acknowledgement that discriminatory practices at the local level, not official policy at Ottawa, determined the fate of African Canadians wishing to serve with the CEF.<br /><br />The availability and suitability of African Canadians for military service was readily apparent to some individuals within the military. Reverend Joseph Freeman Tupper, an Honorary Captain and Chaplain who enlisted with the 193rd Battalion on April 1, 1916, wrote to Minister of Militia Hughes, volunteering to raise an “integrated” battalion after local recruiters turned away more than 100 African Canadians. His offer received no serious consideration.<br /><br />By mid-1916, events occurring in the larger context of the war eventually produced a resolution of sorts to the issue of African Canadian military service. Rising casualty figures overseas, combined with declining enlistment numbers at home, created a significant problem for the CEF—for the first time since the war's outbreak, it faced the prospect of declined numbers of men in uniform.<br /><br />At the same time, there was increasing support amongst military commanders in Ottawa for the formation of a separate Black unit of some kind. Unwilling to over-rule local COs who consistently refused to accept Black recruits, such action was perceived as the only acceptable solution, albeit not an ideal one.<br /><br />In April 1916, after 18 months of discussion, contradiction and lack of action, Major-General Sir Willoughby Garnons Gwatkin, Chief of the Canadian Militia's General Staff, recommended that the “practice” of allowing individual Blacks to enlist in “white” battalions at the discretion of individual OCs should continue. He further suggested that African Canadians form one or more labour battalions for overseas service.</p><p>Gwatkin's memo became the basis for the CEF's recruitment policy with regard to African Canadians for the remainder of the war, and prompted the formation of a separate Black battalion. On May 11, 1916, British authorities indicated their willingness to accept an African Canadian labour unit. Canadian military authorities quickly announced the formation of No. 2 Construction Battalion at Pictou, Nova Scotia on July 5, 1916. Granted official permission to recruit its personnel across the entire country, the unit provided the first official opportunity for African Canadians to serve overseas with the CEF.<br /><i><br />No. 2 Construction Battalion—Organization & Recruitment</i><br /><br />While its formation was a victory of sorts for the African Canadian community, there were significant elements of inequity in its structure. For example, all of its officers but one—Honorary Chaplain, Rev. William A. White of Truro, NS—were Caucasian, and infantry units remained virtually closed to African Canadian recruits throughout the remainder of the war, with only a handful of exceptions.<br /><br />By coincidence, the unit organized in a barracks on the Pictou waterfront recently occupied by a Company of the 106th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles). The Truro-based unit was one of the few to accept African Nova Scotians into its ranks. At least 16 enlisted with the 106th and were transferred to active front-line infantry battalions when the unit was disbanded shortly after arriving in the United Kingdom. These men, however, remained the exception to the rule throughout the war.<br /><br />Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Hugh Sutherland, a native of River John, NS, who had initially enlisted with the 193rd Battalion, was appointed the unit's OC. The remaining officers were drawn from across Canada and the United Kingdom, eight of whom were Nova Scotians. While organizers hoped to enlist a full complement of 1,049 men all ranks, initial response was disappointing. Whether discouraged by the CEF's previous discriminatory practices or dismayed at the prospects of serving in a segregated labour unit, young African Canadian men did not rush to enlist. By August 19, Lt.-Col. Sutherland reported a total of only 180 recruits at the battalion's Water Street barracks.<br /><br />On September 9, in an effort to stimulate recruitment, No. 2 Construction relocated to Truro, a community with a sizeable African Nova Scotian population. The location was also closer to the Halifax area's large African Nova Scotian population. Lt.-Col. Sutherland laid out plans to obtain half of the unit's personnel from the Maritimes, an additional Company from Ontario and a fourth from Western Canada. In the end, 500 of the battalion's total enlistments came from Nova Scotia, 24 of whom were born or lived in Guysborough County. New Brunswick contributed 33 recruits, 11 of whom were part of a group of 20 black recruits rejected by the 64th Infantry Battalion in late 1915.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYOs4wZc2uKmmkKn99mgH5ZjBOGUGIj8kX5FXm5QjaLhvKISsLS5g5lA5ecrQVLk0j1PFnDxrBZuae9pRg86NNDBWtuDqje8tWH6lyDS_5O7p_87gc03Vj-J6lPEAtmlkW3hBXGHFEPiO/s988/No+2+Construction+Battalion+unidentified+Company.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="988" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYOs4wZc2uKmmkKn99mgH5ZjBOGUGIj8kX5FXm5QjaLhvKISsLS5g5lA5ecrQVLk0j1PFnDxrBZuae9pRg86NNDBWtuDqje8tWH6lyDS_5O7p_87gc03Vj-J6lPEAtmlkW3hBXGHFEPiO/s320/No+2+Construction+Battalion+unidentified+Company.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>No. 2 Construction Battalion band & recruits, Windsor, ON</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While the move to a more central location increased the provincial response, results from the remainder of the country were disappointing. A total of 72 recruits from Ontario and six from Quebec enlisted for service, but appeals in Western Canada, where federal immigration policy blatantly discouraged African Canadian settlement, produced only 20 recruits.<br /><br />By December 1916, total numbers stood at 575 all ranks, while a campaign launched in the United States during the winter of 1916-17 produced an additional 165 recruits. That same month, No. 2 Construction Battalion received word from military authorities in Ottawa that the unit was required overseas as soon as possible. Lt. Col. Sutherland replied that as full strength had not yet been reached, he wished to delay its departure for several months, hoping to increase the unit's numbers.<br /><br />During the winter of 1916-17, Canadian government officials received an urgent request for steel rails required in France. In response, a party of 250 No. 2 Construction Battalion men were dispatched to load rails at Grand Trunk sidings in northern New Brunswick in early 1917. Completing the task in mid-winter conditions took a toll on the men's health. In fact, an outbreak of pneumonia among its soldiers claimed two lives. <br /><br />Pte. Edwin Lionel Hay, a native of Port of Spain, Trinidad, was working as a mechanic in Sydney, NS, at the time of No. 2 Construction Battalion's formation, and enlisted with the unit at New Glasgow, NS, on July 25, 1916. Edwin came down with what first appeared to be a cold on January 29, 1917, but his condition quickly worsened. Admitted to St. Basile's Civic Hospital, Edmundston, NB, two days later, he passed away from pneumonia on February 12, 1917.<br /><br />The second fatality was Pte. William John "Willy John" Jackson, a native of Antigonish, NS. Admitted to St. Basil’s Civic Hospital on the day prior to Pte. Hay's death, Willy John passed away from pneumonia on February 19, 1917. His remains were transported to Antigonish, where he was laid to rest in St. Ninian Parish Cemetery.<br /><br />On March 17, 1917, No. 2 Construction Battalion officially mobilized at Truro with a complement of 19 officers and 605 other ranks (OR). Several days later, the battalion travelled to Halifax, where personnel boarded the SS <i>Southland</i> and departed for England on March 28. Upon landing at Liverpool, UK, on April 7, the men travelled to the CEF military camp at Bramshott. As it was significantly below full battalion strength of 1,049, No. 2 Construction was officially re-designated a Company shortly after its arrival, and attached to the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) for service in France.<br /><br /><i>No. 2 Construction Company—Service In France</i><br /><br />On May 17, 1917, a total of 495 No. 2 Construction Company OR departed for France, accompanied by 11 officers. Upon crossing the English Channel, the men made their way to the Jura District of eastern France, near the Swiss border, where they were attached to No. 5 District, CFC. Its Headquarters' May 20th diary entry recorded the arrival of the Company, "composed of Canadian Negroes… despatched [sic] as a labour unit... and... employed on the various railway and other construction work."<br /><br />CFC's Jura operations involved all aspects of forestry production. Teams of men worked in the forests year-round, selecting and harvesting mature timber that was transported by horse and wagon or narrow-gauge railway to CFC-operated mills. The men produced lumber for various purposes: ties for standard and narrow-gauge railways, pickets, beams and boards for military camp and trench construction. No. 2 Construction personnel worked in all aspects of the operation—assisting with mill operation, constructing a narrow-gauge railway to move logs to the mill yard, transporting logs to mills, milling timber, and loading finished products onto rail cars at a nearby siding.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aqTlvDE-mhGtDBjgCo0KyCXRhkdu4uSp7yM_J09xMGT02-P_Tm3VF8nzukrhIIgxR0xCVxC1XhO2hJs-UPYz4W8FNEIDZzG4C0Kmu5bxW-XieUZfh7glEUrjXvOntytOyfzsX2P9aR3v/s2048/No+2+Const+Soldiers+France.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1558" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aqTlvDE-mhGtDBjgCo0KyCXRhkdu4uSp7yM_J09xMGT02-P_Tm3VF8nzukrhIIgxR0xCVxC1XhO2hJs-UPYz4W8FNEIDZzG4C0Kmu5bxW-XieUZfh7glEUrjXvOntytOyfzsX2P9aR3v/s320/No+2+Const+Soldiers+France.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>No. 2 Construction personnel at work in France</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While the majority of its personnel remained in the Jura District during No. 2 Construction's time in France, two smaller groups were dispatched to other locations for specific reasons. On November 12, 1917, one officer and 50 OR "proceeded to Cartigny as a detachment to assist No. 37 Company [CFC] in their work." The enlisted men had one thing in common—their service files record numerous minor disciplinary infractions.<br /><br />CFC camps, like their civilian counterparts, were "rough and tumble" operations. The men worked a six-day schedule, with Sundays designated as a day of rest. Shifts were limited to a regular working day, leaving the men with free time in the evening hours. The proximity of French towns and villages, with their "estaminets"—small cafés that sold alcoholic beverages—offered a welcome diversion from a hard day's work, but often resulted in mischief. In other instances, some of the men failed to adjust to the military's "discipline" expectations.<br /><br />Disciplinary problems were not limited to No. 2's personnel. Every CFC unit's war diary is replete with references to disciplinary proceedings and courts martial addressing a wide variety of incidents, from violations of military rules and misbehaviour in camp to offences committed in nearby communities. In September 1917, CFC Headquarters decided to address the issue by sending the "repeat offenders" within No. 2 Construction's ranks closer to the front lines, where labour units were in demand. It was hoped that the change of scene would result in greater conformity to the military's expectations.<br /><br />Upon arriving at Cartigny, the men were attached to No. 37 Company CFC and worked alongside its men in carrying out the operation's routine tasks—cutting and transporting logs, and repairing the roads used for transporting harvested timber to the mill, tasks virtually identical to their Jura routine.<br /><br />When German forces launched a major offensive against Allied positions on March 21, 1918, No. 37 Company and its No. 2 Construction detail found themselves in a precarious situation. German artillery shells struck the area around the camp, forcing personnel to abandon the area. While lumber, machinery and the mill were left intact, important machinery parts were buried and stores removed.</p><p>Personnel marched out of camp at 5:00 pm March 23, with German forces less than two kilometres away, and made their way to a CFC camp at Wail, where work resumed the following day. No. 2 Construction personnel remained with No. 37 Company until early December, when they received orders to rejoin their comrades at Étaples, France, before proceeding to the United Kingdom.<br /><br />A second group of No. 2 Construction men, consisting of 180 OR and two officers was assigned to Central Group CFC, No. 1 District, Alençon, on December 12, 1917, a move intended to address a different issue, at least in the minds the Jura District's medical officer and CFC Headquarters in France. </p><p>A considerable number of No. 2 Construction's personnel were from the Caribbean Islands or parts of the southern United States. With a cold winter in the mountainous Jura region was fast approaching, the officer was concerned that men accustomed to a much warmer climate might develop health issues that would limit their ability to work and possibly require hospitalization, and notified CFC Headquarters of his concerns.<br /><br />In response, CFC HQ agreed to re-assign these men to an area of France where winter conditions were much less harsh. The irony of this decision was that, by the time the selected personnel departed for Alencon, the rainy, damp November weather had given way to a cold, dry December, and the men exhibited no difficulty in adjusting to the changes. However, the decision had already been made and neither the medical officer nor CFC HQ wished to request a reversal, fearing embarrassment at their poor judgment.<br /><br />Further insult occurred when the train assigned to transport the group to their new location. In the words of No. 2 Construction's war diary, "train accommodation [was] very poor, as all the men [were] placed in open box cars and exposed to cold weather. The reason given for moving these men away, viz. that the climatic conditions at La Joux are too severe for the coloured men[,] do not correspond with the train furnished."<br /><br />The Alençon operation consisted of nine CFC companies logging the forests of Normandy. Upon arrival, No. 2 Construction personnel were attached to No. 54 Company, CFC. On March 25, 1918, the "entire district was put on production of pickets" for use at the front. Its operations involved several diverse groups. In addition to white CFC and black No. 2 Construction personnel, several parties of Russian reinforcements and German prisoners of war worked in its camps throughout the year.<br /><br />In early April 1918, CFC Alençon personnel received orders to conduct infantry training when not working. The following month, specific orders required each Company to devote two half-days a week and three hours each Sunday morning to "Military Training.” Considering the discriminatory practices followed by most CEF infantry battalions, it is doubtful that this directive was applied to No. 2 Construction personnel.<br /><br />Before the end of the year, a small number of CFC men were selected for service at the front. On October 4, 1918, as the Canadian Corps spearheaded the final weeks of a three-month offensive against German positions in northern France and Belgium, a draft of six non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and 150 OR left Alençon for the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp. Given the timing of their departure, these men likely saw service at the front before the war's conclusion.<br /><br />The men of No. 2 Construction Company continued to work in the forests and lumber camps of Jura, Wail and Alencon throughout 1918. During the late summer and early autumn of 1918, CFC men across France were granted leaves in small numbers. In this instance, No. 2 Construction personnel, having worked “overseas” for 15 months, received the same privileges as their CFC comrades. Upon receiving news of the November 11, 1918 Armistice, No. 1 District CFC HQ's war diary reported that "a general holiday was to be observed throughout the District on November 12 for the purpose of celebrating the temporary cessation of hostilities.”<br /><br />As fighting came to an end, production at CFC's various lumber camps ceased and personnel gradually returned to England. No. 2 Construction Company’s men were the first to depart, congregating at Étaples, France, in early December and crossing the English Channel to the United Kingdom in one group on December 14, 1918.<br /><br />Throughout their time in uniform, No. 2 Construction's personnel experienced racist attitudes and discriminatory practices in a variety of ways. The most obvious example of discrimination was their exclusion from service with active combat units at the front. Racist attitudes were also common. Following its establishment, representatives of No. 1 Construction Battalion, an all-white labour unit, voiced their disapproval of the unit's name. When officials arranged for overseas transportation aboard SS <i>Southland</i>, combat units scheduled to sail aboard the same vessel protested No. 2 Construction's presence. In both case, Canadian military authorities ignored the objections.<br /><br />Discriminatory practices continued during their overseas service. For example, while No. 2 Construction personnel at Jura, France, were permitted to participate in a July 1, 1918 "Dominion Day" sports competition, the men at Alençon were denied the same privilege. This inconsistency once again reflected the choices made by local OCs, practices that military authorities continued to ignore throughout the war.<br /><br />Perhaps the most serious overseas incident is said to have occurred at Kinmel Park, Wales, UK, where No. 2 Construction's personnel were processed prior to their return to Canada. While undergoing the routine medical and dental examinations that were part of the discharge process, the men found themselves in a camp with personnel from numerous other units that were predominantly if not exclusively white. In such an environment, it is not surprising that friction eventually occurred.<br /><br />Two No. 2 Construction veterans later recalled one particular incident. Private Benjamin Elms, a native of Monastery, Antigonish County, described a disturbance that broke out between No. 2 Construction personnel and a group of CEF infantrymen when "a white soldier made a racial remark." After No. 2 Construction's Sgt. Edward Sealy, a native of Barbados, ordered the man arrested, "his buddies came to release him and all hell broke loose."<br /><br />Pte. Robert Shepard of Mulgrave, another No. 2 Construction veteran, had a slightly different recollection of the incident: "No. 2 was on parade under the direction of Sergeant Sealy. A sergeant-major from another unit ignored orders from Sergeant Sealy and interfered with the line of march. When he was arrested, some of his comrades attempted to remove him from the guard house. A riot broke out and a number of soldiers ended up in hospital."<br /><br />Other reports present different accounts of the incident. One suggests that a white unit stepped in front of No. 2 Construction soldiers waiting their turn in the bath line. A second claims that white Canadian officers refused to return the salute of parading No. 2 Construction men during a regimental parade. Unfortunately, Sgt. Sealy's personnel file makes no reference to any incident.<br /><br />Whatever may have transpired, the accounts may explain why military authorities seemed intent on quickly returning No. 2 Construction to Canada, in comparison to other CEF units. In general, the "rule of thumb" following the November 11, 1918 Armistice was to send the units that had served overseas for the longest period of time back to Canada first. That was not the case For No. 2 Construction's personnel, who left the continent one month after the Armistice, while other CFC units remained in France for weeks or months into the New Year.<br /><br />Similarly, once the unit arrived in the United Kingdom in mid-December 1918, its soldiers were quickly processed and departed for Canada aboard the <i>Empress of Britain</i> on January 12, 1919. The vessel docked at Halifax 10 days later and the men disembarked, having spent almost 22 months overseas. Several more weeks of processing were required before No. 2 Construction’s personnel were formally discharged from military service in early February 1919.<br /></p><p><i>Sources:</i><br /><br />African Canadian Community - World War I. Windsor Mosaic. <a href="http://www.windsor-communities.com/african-military-warI.php" target="_blank">Available online</a>.<br /><br />Black Canadians in Uniform - A Proud Tradition. Veterans Affairs Canada. <a href="https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/black-canadians" target="_blank">Available online</a>.</p><p></p><p>Joost, Mathias. "No. 2 Construction Battalion: The Operational History." <i>Canadian Military Journal</i>, Col. 16, No. 3, Summer 2016. <a href="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vol16/no3/PDF/CMJ163Ep51.pdf" target="_blank">Available online</a>.<br /><br />List of Court-Martialed No. 2 Construction Battalion Servicemen Released. Boxscore News. <a href="http://boxscorenews.com/list-of-courtmartialed-no-construction-battalion-servicemen-released-p176-97.htm" target="_blank">Available online.</a><br /><br />No. 2 Construction Battalion. The Canadian Encyclopedia. <a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/no-2-construction-battalion?themeid=21&id=8" target="_blank">Available online</a>.<br /><br />Regimental Record of Sgt. Edward Sealy, number 931011. Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8751 - 48. <a href="https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=220079" target="_blank">Available online.</a><br /><br />Ruck, Calvin W.. <i>The Black Battalion 1916 - 1920: Canada's Best Kept Military Secret</i>. Halifax, NS: Nimbus Publishing Ltd., 1987.<br /><br />War Diary of Canadian Construction Company (Coloured), 1917/05/17 - 1918/10/31. RG9, Militia & Defence, Series III-D-3, Volume 5015, Reel T-10866-10867, File: 747. Available online at Library & Archives Canada.<br /><br />War Diary of Canadian Forestry Corps - Headquarters - Central Group, 1916/11/30 - 1919/02/28. RG9, Militia & Defence, Series III-D-3, Volume 5016, Reel T-10867-10868, File: 751. Available online at Library & Archives Canada.<br /><br />War Diary of Canadian Forestry Corps - Headquarters - Jura Group, 1917/11/26 - 1919/03/29. RG9, Militia & Defence, Series III-D-3, Volume 5016, Reel T-10868, File: 751. Available online at Library & Archives Canada.</p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-51845501592042213752020-06-05T19:49:00.003-03:002020-06-06T11:27:42.694-03:00Corporal Frederick Milburne Rhodes—A Widower’s Story<b>Date of Birth:</b> April 24, 1869*<br />
<br />
<b>Place of Birth:</b> Port Burwell, Ontario*<br />
<br />
<b>Mother:</b> Rachel Henney <br />
<br />
<b>Father:</b> Robert Rhodes<br />
<br />
<b>Occupation:</b> Prospector, Farmer & Lumberman<br />
<br />
<b>Marital Status:</b> Widowed<br />
<br />
<b>Enlistments:</b> July 3, 1916 at Haileybury, ON; February 16, 1917 at Iroquois Falls, ON<br />
<br />
<b>Regimental #: </b>649480 (first attestation); 2250034 (second attestation)<br />
<br />
<b>Rank:</b> Corporal<br />
<br />
<b>Force:</b> Canadian Forestry Corps<br />
<br />
<b>Units:</b> 159th Battalion (1st Algonquins); No. 105 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps<br />
<br />
<b>Service: </b>England<br />
<br />
<b>Next of Kin:</b> Madeleine Alberta Rhodes, New Liskeard, ON (daughter)<br />
<br />
*: Date of birth based on 1881 and 1901 Canadian census records. Place of birth obtained from a document in Fred’s service file. The spelling of his middle name varies significantly from one source to another. For the purpose of this document. “Milburne” is used, as it is most frequently used. An apparent discrepancy between Fred’s marriage date and the birth of his eldest son could not be resolved.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*****</div>
<br />
<br />
Frederick Milburne “Fred” Rhodes was born at Port Burwell, near Tillsonburg, Ontario, on April 14, 1869, the second of Robert and Rachel (Henney) Rhodes’ nine children. Robert, a native of Michigan, USA, and Rachel, an Ontario native, were married in Norfolk County, Ontario, on February 12, 1866. The couple resided in the Tillsonburg area until some time prior to the 1891 Canadian census, by which time the family had relocated to the Maclean Township district of Ontario.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTXR0qPilKdROPMdTVyt1LIF2XRA7jLIyWMGjLj5JGnthgl-Vjpxj9_04JLLHiLEj6aHbdwTK52PxEhzA42tQP26VOX9yhXiKZ7d1wTf-qO_weBsJJpji2bzZi2IBriC1NlonptHNroxe/s1600/Rhodes+Frederick+Milburn+portrait+Torrington+England.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTXR0qPilKdROPMdTVyt1LIF2XRA7jLIyWMGjLj5JGnthgl-Vjpxj9_04JLLHiLEj6aHbdwTK52PxEhzA42tQP26VOX9yhXiKZ7d1wTf-qO_weBsJJpji2bzZi2IBriC1NlonptHNroxe/s320/Rhodes+Frederick+Milburn+portrait+Torrington+England.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cpl. Frederick Milburne Rhodes</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
According to existing provincial records, Fred married Margaret McReynolds, daughter of Ronald and Elizabeth Ann (Reynolds) McReynolds, at McLean, Ontario, on September 19, 1892. The couple raised three children in their home—Middleton Milburne, born at Huntsville, ON, on January 8, 1888*; Robert Roland, born at Baysville, Muskoka, ON, on July 20, 1893; and Madeleine Alberta, born at Bethune, Muskoka, ON, on November 12, 1901.<br />
<br />
The family was residing in Sinclair Township, Muskoka, Ontario, at the time of the 1901 Canadian census, but had relocated to Temiskaming, Ontario, by 1911. While census records list Fred’s occupation as farmer, his later military attestations listed previous employment as “prospector” and “lumberman,” suggesting that he supported his family by working at several occupations common to the area. Family sources indicate that Fred worked for a time in the hard rock mines, an environment that may have contributed to a significant hearing loss later noted in his military file.<br />
<br />
Tragedy struck the Rhodes family on September 15, 1914, when 50-year-old Margaret passed away at Lady Minto Hospital, New Liskeard, ON, the result of complications from a stroke. Within months of her passing, the events of a distant war also began to impact the surviving family members. On November 12, 1914, Middleton enlisted for overseas service with the 20th Battalion at Toronto, ON. His military service was short-lived, as he was “struck off strength” one month later when he refused “to be inoculated.” Middleton returned home, married Fanny Harriet Evans at Timiskaming, ON, on April 24, 1915, and remained a civilian for the war’s duration.<br />
<br />
Within days of Middleton’s discharge, his younger brother, Robert, attested with the 159th Battalion (1st Algonquins) at New Liskeard, ON. His younger son’s enlistment appears to have piqued Fred’s interest in “doing his bit.” On July 3, 1916, Fred joined Robert’s unit at Haileybury, Temiskaming Shores, ON. Based on the information on his attestation, Fred was no stranger to military routine. He claimed 12 years’ service with the 35th Regiment, Canadian militia, and was an active member of the 97th Regiment at the time of his first enlistment.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuezzA5x3_4I-lD2vyVdAzS8clo4chtkMf_A9s52Tr8uKna81H96KfSMd6BzLQYPbdQFhbjgdAJ8l_Ev0ANG63uZp0kemIVgE99FviJNgC91PkWNttZ9kdZK2wsfsA1hhR6bHwMHZSH1Qj/s1600/Rhodes+Robert+Madeline+Fred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuezzA5x3_4I-lD2vyVdAzS8clo4chtkMf_A9s52Tr8uKna81H96KfSMd6BzLQYPbdQFhbjgdAJ8l_Ev0ANG63uZp0kemIVgE99FviJNgC91PkWNttZ9kdZK2wsfsA1hhR6bHwMHZSH1Qj/s320/Rhodes+Robert+Madeline+Fred.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Left to Right: Robert, Madeleine & Fred Rhodes</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To enhance his chances of overseas service, Fred misreported his birth year as 1872. In the end, age was not a determining factor in his eventual fate. Fred was discharged from the 159th’s ranks at Camp Borden, ON, on September 19, 1916, a note in his service file describing him as “medically unfit—Arterio Sclerosis.” Further details listed in his medical records describe a “[moderately] pronoted [sic] right foot,” and indicated that Fred’s “right leg [was] noticeably smaller than [the] left.”<br />
<br />
While Robert departed for the United Kingdom with the 159th on October 31, 1916, Fred spent the winter months at New Liskeard. The arrival of the New Year presented a second opportunity for enlistment, when military authorities launched a nation-wide recruitment campaign for volunteers interested in overseas service with the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC). Fred attested with CFC Reinforcements at Iroquois Falls, ON, on February 16, 1917, once again misreporting his age by three years. On this occasion, the only medical item recorded in his service file is a comment on the back of Fred’s attestation that reads, “Hearing defective.”<br />
<br />
Fred left his young daughter Madeleine in the care of “friend” John Atwell Hough, Matheson, ON, whom he named as her guardian. He also listed Madeleine as his next of kin and the sole inheritor in his military will. On June 23, 1917, Fred sailed for the United Kingdom aboard SS Justicia and arrived overseas after a 13-day journey. Initially assigned to No. 114 Company, CFC, at Eartham, Sussex, on August 22, 1917, Fred spent two months with the unit before a draft of its personnel waw transferred to the newly formed No. 105 Company, CFC, on October 22, 1917, the day of its official formation.<br />
<br />
No. 105 Company’s personnel initially commenced operations alongside No. 114 Company personnel at Esher and Eartham, Sussex, but was transferred to the Stevenstone Estate, Torrington, North Devon, in late November 1917. The location was “very hilly,” but a small stream provided sufficient water supply. The nearest railway station was more than three miles distant, along a route passing through the town of Torrington. A lack of onsite facilities initially required No. 105’s personnel to be placed in billets around the town while a camp was constructed.<br />
<br />
The available forest consisted mainly of Scotch pine, spruce and larch. The Company’s November 1917 diary described the resource as “very scattered and difficult to operate. The trees are small and straight[,] with limbs to the ground.” The fact that the wooded area was long and narrow meant that the furthest area was more than two miles from the Company’s proposed mill location.<br />
<br />
On November 26, 1917, Fred was promoted to the rank of Acting Corporal with pay, an acknowledgment of his leadership, age and experience. Meanwhile, No. 105 Company’s progress during December 1917 was “only fair,” hampered by the limits of local geography, poor railway services, a small number of men and horses, and lack of mechanical transport. While camp construction proceeded and personnel managed to cut 1,400 logs, overall operations were hampered “owing to the small number of men available for this work.”<br />
<br />
January 1918 brought “considerable rain, sleet, etc.,” further complicating operations. Lack of motor and steam transport, combined with poor ground conditions, “somewhat hampered” the movement of harvested logs to the mill site. “Fair progress” was made, owing largely to the arrival of reinforcements that raised the Company’s complement to three Officers and 182 “other ranks” (OR) by month’s end. While personnel remained in billets, considerable headway was made in clearing the camp site.<br />
<br />
Harvesting, however, was “only fair as we have few men who are experienced in bush work.” Crews produced a total of 5,000 logs and 28,000 lineal feet of “pit wood” [roof props for mines], while work commenced on construction of a small gauge railway to haul logs from the wooded area to the mill. The line was blazed and marked, but no rails laid due to a lack of spikes.<br />
<br />
The following month, an outbreak of measles in the town resulted in six men being placed in quarantine. Meanwhile, eight gangs commenced work in the forest operation, but three were later reassigned to camp construction. A total of 7,500 logs and 5,000 pieces of pit wood were harvested. Lack of road transport limited the hauling of logs to the mill site. A 500-yard stretch of of railway track was graded and laid, while the mill cut its first log on February 2 and commenced regular operations 10 days later. By month’s end, it was producing a daily average of 8,500 FBM [foot board measure] of lumber.<br />
<br />
While shipping commenced on February 25, the lack of a proper road from the loading platform to the main road hindered operations. The arrival of two gasoline-powered tractors and four wagons dramatically improved the Company’s ability to move harvested logs to the mill and reduced its dependency on horse-drawn wagons.<br />
<br />
On March 2, 1918, rank and file personnel moved into newly constructed huts at the camp site, while their Officers occupied their quarters one week later. Plank walkways connected sleeping quarters, kitchen and mess room buildings, allowing for easy movement around the muddy camp grounds. Meanwhile, bush operations produced 8,500 logs, 15,000 telephone poles, and 6,000 lineal feet of pit wood. A stockpile of 15,000 logs at the harvesting area awaited transport to the mill.<br />
<br />
A lack of “fish plates” [a flat piece of metal used to join one rail to another] prevented further railway construction and forced the Company to rely entirely on its two tractors to move logs to the mill site. Meanwhile, mill production increased to an average of 16,000 FBM daily. Two Mack lorries made daily trips to the railway head with lumber shipments as road conditions improved significantly toward month’s end. The Company reported its first “casualties” since arriving in the Torrington area, both work-related incidents. One OR sustained injuries to his left hand serious enough to require amputation at the wrist, while a second OR lost three fingers on his left hand.<br />
<br />
By the end of April 1918, the camp site had been considerable improved with the installation of surface water drains and liberal use of sawdust in damp areas. The light railway was still incomplete, but the required fish plates had arrived and completion was anticipated in the near future. A total of 10,000 logs were harvested, while 20,000 linear feet of pit wood was produced. A stockpile of 15,000 logs still remained at the harvesting area, but the imminent completion of the rail line would increase transport capacity to the mill site. Daily average production increased once more, reaching 18,000 FBM.<br />
<br />
With the arrival of spring weather, the Company implemented measures for fire protection at the mill and various camp buildings. While harvesting and milling operations proceeded satisfactorily, lack of suitable load facilities and rail cars hampered the ability to export the mill’s output. A large garden planted earlier in the spring as a food source was beginning to show results, but the monthly report lamented that “the rabbits and pigeons are very destructive and devour mostly all of the green and soft plants.” <br />
<br />
Throughout this time, Fred worked at No. 105 Company’s Torrington camp without incident. During the winter of 1917-18—possibly while billeted in the town—he made the acquaintance of a local woman and the couple planned to marry in early June 1918. Fred also found a few minutes to write a short note, dated May 1918, to two unidentified siblings in Canada:<br />
<br />
“Dear Brother and Sister: I received your most welcome letter and am glad to tell you I am much better now. We are having much better weather, nice and warm now. I hope it will stay like it as I cannot stand the damp weather in this county. Glad to hear that Father is well, give my best love to him and hope to see him again soon. I do wish the war would soon end so that we can get home again by the time you receive this letter. I guess I shall be married again. I don’t think I have any more news to tell this time so will close with best love to all from your loving brother Fred.”<br />
<br />
Tragically, neither Fred’s nuptial plans nor his homecoming came to fruition. On Friday, May 31, 1918, Fred was working in No. 105 Company’s mill yard at Torrington, North Devon. Around 1:20 pm, he commenced “an operation of splitting logs by planting powder,” a standard procedure for CFC personnel. A document in Fred’s service file, written by his OC, Captain Samuel Lester Willman, and dated June 1, 1918, described the process and subsequent events:<br />
<br />
“Four two-inch holes were bored to the centre of a large log and these holes were filled to within 4 inches of the top with blasting powder. Bickford No. 11 Safety Fuse was inserted and holes were plugged by means of four 4 inch wooden plugs, fuses were cut at different lengths, so as to cause simultaneous explosion…. Corporal Rhodes… lit the short fuse first and although warned that he had committed an error, and told to run, he continued until all four fuses were lit. He then came back towards the first fuse, and when immediately opposite same and about five feet from the log, the explosion of the first charge took place. A large piece of the log, weighing 114 lbs. which was thrown by the force of the explosion, hit Corporal Rhodes on [the] right side of his head and right shoulder. He was killed instantly, the base of his skull being fractured[,] also his right arm. It is considered that the fuse inserted in the first charge was of sufficient length but must have been defective, otherwise the explosion would not have taken place for another 15 seconds.”<br />
<br />
Captain Willman concluded with the following statement: “I personally supervised this operation and warned the deceased… to run as soon as I saw him light the short fuse.” Considering the medical notes in Fred’s service record, it is possible that his defective hearing meant that he did not hear the warning. Corporal Fred Rhodes was “buried with Military honours” in Great Torrington Cemetery, Devon, UK, on Sunday, June 2, 1918.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMzRtoPV_8o6gAoKu0I9WakKaZLODS8Y9dkOl3lOhRJsbtXP7ueXRaR2KPMNTfSPYgdMxIu18tOqKoWSIttV-AjmswXvTlNvJVGcWdx8FSRW7-TuCoYsavnNMvN941qBuornVfmn-fx2D/s1600/Rhodes+Cpl+Frederick+headstone+cleaned_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="645" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMzRtoPV_8o6gAoKu0I9WakKaZLODS8Y9dkOl3lOhRJsbtXP7ueXRaR2KPMNTfSPYgdMxIu18tOqKoWSIttV-AjmswXvTlNvJVGcWdx8FSRW7-TuCoYsavnNMvN941qBuornVfmn-fx2D/s320/Rhodes+Cpl+Frederick+headstone+cleaned_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cpl. Frederick Rhodes' headstone, Great Torrington Cemetery</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Fred’s son, Robert, served overseas for the duration of the war. Several months after his arrival in the United Kingdom, he was transferred to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles (CMR) in mid-June 1917 and joined the unit in the field on September 30, 1917. Robert was wounded in the right shoulder at Passchendaele, Belgium, on October 28, 1917, and spent three months under medical care before rejoining 4th CMR’s ranks on February 8, 1918. He served at the front without incident for the remainder of the war and returned to Canada aboard SS Carmania in mid-March 1919.<br />
<br />
On July 7, 1919, Robert married Annie Pearl Bilow, daughter of James and Ellen (Strader) Bilow, in a ceremony held at New Liskeard, Timiskaming, ON. Almost exactly one year later—July 22, 1920—Robert’s sister, Madeleine, married his wife’s brother, William Earl Bilow, at the same location. While William had served on the Western Front with the 15th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), his time in uniform was plagued by periods of poor health. On September 26, 1916, he was wounded by shrapnel from an exploding artillery shell during fighting at the Somme, France. Buried in the resulting debris, William survived the ordeal but suffered from “shell shock” after the experience and was eventually deemed “unfit for further services in France” in September 1918. <br />
<br />
William returned to Canada in mid-April 1919. Sometime after his July 1920 marriage, he and Madeleine relocated to Port Alberni, British Columbia, where Madeleine passed away on July 30, 1931, at 29 years of age. Middleton Rhodes also made his way out west after the war, passing away at Surrey, BC, on April 24, 1962.<br />
<br />
<i>Special thanks to Don Rhodes, Liskeard, ON, who provided Rhodes family photos for this post. I am also indebted to Paul Martin, Torrington, UK, who first brought Fred's story to my attention and provided a photograph of Fred's headstone.</i> Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-27231167437845742722020-01-25T11:44:00.003-04:002023-02-07T12:11:21.622-04:00Private Herman Oswald Matheson—A Wounded Soldier’s Story<b>Date of Birth:</b> December 18, 1892<br />
<br />
<b>Place of Birth:</b> Low Point, Cape Breton, NS<br />
<br />
<b>Mother:</b> Mary Simms<br />
<br />
<b>Father: </b>Thomas Matheson<br />
<br />
<b>Occupation:</b> Coal miner<br />
<br />
<b>Marital Status:</b> Married<br />
<br />
<b>Enlistment:</b> March 31, 1915 at Glace Bay, NS<br />
<br />
<b>Regimental #: </b>68308<br />
<br />
<b>Rank:</b> Private<br />
<br />
<b>Force:</b> Canadian Expeditionary Force (Infantry)<br />
<br />
<b>Units:</b> 40th Battalion; 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles)<br />
<br />
<b>Service:</b> England, France & Belgium<br />
<br />
<b>Next of Kin:</b> Kate Matheson, No. 2 New Aberdeen, Glace Bay, NS (wife)<br />
<br />
Herman Oswald Matheson was born at Low Point, near New Waterford, Cape Breton, on December 18, 1892, the second of Thomas and Mary (Simms) Matheson’s eight children. Over the ensuing years, his parents raised a family of five boys and three girls in their home. At the time of the 1901 Canadian census, the Mathesons were residing at Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, where Thomas worked as a miner.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnS6ZM1bts9YbWYyF2M-Gz1NNrp_KlM0lHlVUMoLDyzq_kAzd0KGykf0xozU7ce3fAhvJTzxEHjn-YKavlyfrpKk684E-ie5YiG4fw0BilzKGe2XGuWYbAncG7bvZFFJxpjYnrhMHVSB8S/s1600/Matheson+Herman+Oswald+chair+portrait+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1055" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnS6ZM1bts9YbWYyF2M-Gz1NNrp_KlM0lHlVUMoLDyzq_kAzd0KGykf0xozU7ce3fAhvJTzxEHjn-YKavlyfrpKk684E-ie5YiG4fw0BilzKGe2XGuWYbAncG7bvZFFJxpjYnrhMHVSB8S/s320/Matheson+Herman+Oswald+chair+portrait+edited.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Herman Oswald Matheson</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Sometime before 1911, the family relocated to New Aberdeen, where that year’s Canadian census indicates that the couple’s two oldest children—John, age 19, and Herman, age 18—had commenced work in the mines. On January 6, 1912, the Province of Nova Scotia’s Department of Mines issued a Mining Certificate to Herman, stating that he had demonstrated “competency as [a] miner” and was entitled to “take charge of a working face.”<br />
<br />
On March 31, 1913, Herman married Mary Katherine “Kate” (Shorten) Bryant in a ceremony that took place at New Aberdeen. It was Kate’s second marriage—her first husband, William Thomas Bryant, was shot and killed during an altercation between local miners and the “Company Store” in April 1911. Kate had two living children from her first marriage—a daughter Alice Ann, born at Pictou, NS, on January 25, 1905, and a son, Thomas Arthur, born at New Aberdeen on July 2, 1907. A third child, George William, died in September 1919 shortly after birth.<br />
<br />
Kate’s mother, Alice Walsh, was born at West Roachvale, Guysborough County, the daughter of Edward and Catherine Walsh. Kate’s father, John Shorten, was born at London, England, on August 1, 1850, the son of John and Margaret Shorten, both of Irish descent. Two days after his eighteenth birthday—August 3, 1868—John Jr. enlisted with the Royal Artillery at Woolwich, UK. He served in England for four years before receiving a transfer to Halifax, where he met Alice. The couple married in the capital city on August 8, 1874, and their two oldest children—John and Alice—were born while John was serving there.<br />
<br />
In 1880, John was assigned to duty in Bermuda. Alice and their young children accompanied him, and Kate was born during the family’s time there. The following year, the Shortens relocated to Gilbraltar, where Alice gave birth to a second son, Frederick. John served in England from 1886 to 1887 before returning to Halifax, where the couple’s fifth child, Edward, joined the family. After John was discharged from military service at Halifax on August 2, 1889—the “end of [his] second period of limited engagement”—the family settled at West Roachvale, Guysborough County, where John took up farming.<br />
<br />
Following their marriage, Herman and Kate remained at New Aberdeen, where Herman continued to work in the local mines. The outbreak of the First World War, however, soon impacted their lives. On March 31, 1915, Herman enlisted with the 40th Battalion at Glace Bay, NS. Formally authorized on January 1, 1915, the 40th established detachments across the province, one of which set up operations at Glace Bay.<br />
<br />
Shortly after his enlistment, Herman was transferred to the 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles) and made his way to Halifax, where the unit had established headquarters at the Armouries and was completing preparations for its departure. He left behind a young wife who was expecting the couple’s first child—Mary Catherine “Pearl” Matheson was born at Glace Bay on December 9, 1915, seven months after Herman’s departure for England.<br />
<br />
Considering her childhood experience, Kate was familiar with the impact of military service on families. In this instance, however, there were significant differences. Unlike her mother Alice, Kate was unable to follow her husband overseas. In addition, her father John had served with the Royal Artillery during peacetime, while Herman was heading to war.<br />
<br />
On May 20, 1915, Herman and his 25th Battalion comrades departed Halifax, NS, aboard SS Saxonia and arrived in the United Kingdom nine days later. The unit spent the summer training in England before crossing to France on September 15, 1915. One week later, its soldiers entered the Kemmel Sector of Belgium’s treacherous Ypres Salient.<br />
<br />
Herman was one of three Matheson family members to enlist for overseas service. His older brother, John James (DOB July 12, 1891), joined the ranks of the 64th Battalion at Sydney, NS, on August 24, 1915, and departed for the United Kingdom in late March 1916. Following the 64th’s dissolution, John’s mining experience likely played a role in his transfer to the 2nd Tunnelling Company. He joined the unit in France in mid-June 1916 and served in the forward area for four months. A series of incidents during that time—a sprained ankle, influenza and a case of enteric fever—resulted in his return to England in mid-October 1916.<br />
<br />
A medical examination in the spring of 1917 determined that John had “flat feet,” prompting authorities to declare him no longer fit for service at the front. He returned to Canada in November 1917 and spent a period of time in hospital at Sydney, NS, before being transferred to Halifax, NS, in February 1918. John was officially discharged from military service as “medically unfit” on August 5, 1918.<br />
<br />
John relocated to Ontario sometime after returning home, and was plagued by poor health for the remainder of his life. Family members recall that he spent considerable time in various hospitals. Family members also believe that John suffered from “shell shock,” a common affliction among soldiers who had served at the front, particularly with tunnelling companies. He passed away at Westminster Hospital, London, ON, in 1962 and was laid to rest in St. John’s Cemetery, New Aberdeen, Cape Breton.<br />
<br />
Herman’s younger brother, Thomas James (DOB February 25, 1895), enlisted with the 106th Battalion at Sydney, NS, on December 18, 1915, and departed for the United Kingdom with the unit in mid-July 1916. Following the 106th’s dissolution, Thomas was transferred to the 25th Battalion—Herman’s unit—on September 21, 1916, and joined its ranks in France on October 8, 1916, more than a year after his older brother had commenced service at the front.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-wEZdRcl8M1L9K4Z84iNbKtESRlPA5Bm3W7C2SderZI_4cNhq3Pe2up1jyRfZOIATmb7zw01b_girEMaKqg2zvqxffi2Udc25Idq9adSVFfXB23qsSHVnoafgYb7PQubM_gbNNrJV_aJ/s1600/Matheson+Thomas+James+715517.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="739" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-wEZdRcl8M1L9K4Z84iNbKtESRlPA5Bm3W7C2SderZI_4cNhq3Pe2up1jyRfZOIATmb7zw01b_girEMaKqg2zvqxffi2Udc25Idq9adSVFfXB23qsSHVnoafgYb7PQubM_gbNNrJV_aJ/s320/Matheson+Thomas+James+715517.png" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Thomas James Matheson (106th Battalion portrait)</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
During that time, Herman was quickly introduced to the dangers of service in the forward area. Within days of the 25th’s September 1915 arrival in Belgium, a young soldier’s inexperience resulted in an incident that injured several of his comrades. During the early morning hours of October 4, 1915, Herman was standing outside his billet with a small group of men, awaiting orders to proceed to the trenches. Another soldier had found what he thought was a piece of a harvesting machine in a nearby field and was examining it nearby. Upon removing a pin from the object, he “saw the spring fly up and became frightened and then had thrown the [object] on the ground amidst a number of men.”<br />
<br />
The object was actually a “Mills bomb,” the popular name for a British-manufactured hand grenade. It exploded shortly after landing on the ground, injuring Herman and several others. Herman was admitted to No. 11 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, France, for treatment. Documents in his service file provide a brief description of his injuries: “Was wounded in chest by payment of bomb.” After receiving treatment at the Rouen facility, Herman was transported to No. 14 General Hospital, Wimereux, France, two days later. On October 10, he was invalided to England and admitted to East Leeds War Hospital, Leeds, UK.<br />
<br />
Two weeks later, Herman was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Monks, Horton, “for x-ray and treatment.” A report in his service file described the results: “Present condition two inch scar at junction of cartilage and sternum on left side at lower end of corpus sternum. No tenderness, sometimes slight pain. General condition OK.” Subsequent medical notes indicated the presence of a “small fragment of metal seen opposite [the] level of 10th dorsal vertebra in mid-line[,] apparently near abdominal surface.”<br />
<br />
Herman’s injuries gradually healed and he was discharged from hospital as “fit for duty” on February 17, 1916. Assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion, East Sandling, he returned to regular military routines. Before month’s end, however, he returned to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Epsom, for further rest and rehabilitation. During his time there, Herman attended a “Program of Entertainment to Wounded Sailors and Soldiers” hosted by “Their Majesties the King and Queen” at the Riding School, Buckingham Palace, on March 22.<br />
<br />
In early April, Herman was discharged to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre (CCAC) and received 10 days’ leave upon reporting there. On May 1, 1916, Herman was re-assigned to the 25th Battalion and embarked for France. Three weeks later, he rejoined his comrades in the Ypres Salient. Herman served with the unit throughout the early summer of 1916 without incident, and traveled with its soldiers to the Somme region of France in late August. On September 15, 1916, Herman and his colleagues participated in the Canadian Corps’ capture of the village of Courcelette, its first combat engagement during two months’ service at the Somme.<br />
<br />
While the unit suffered a total of 227 casualties and 77 missing among its ranks during three days in the line, Herman emerged from the battlefield unscathed and enjoyed several days’ rest before returning to the front trenches on the night of September 27/28. Three days into the tour, Herman was wounded for a second time when an enemy bullet “entered [his] left thigh upper and front aspect, passing out [of his] left buttock and inflicting [a] deep flesh wound on [his] right buttock.” Medical personnel dressed his wounds at a casualty clearing station and Herman was once again transported to No. 11 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, France.<br />
<br />
On October 6, 1916, Herman was invalided to England aboard the hospital ship St. George. Two days later, his younger brother, Thomas James, joined the 25th’s ranks at Berteaucourt-les-Dames, northwest of Arras, France. Following his arrival in the United Kingdom, Herman was admitted to 2nd Scottish Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, where he remained for almost two months. In early December 1916, he was transferred to Kings Red Cross Hospital, Bushey Park, Hampton Hill, England.<br />
<br />
By mid-month, medical records indicate that “very little disability” remained from Herman’s gunshot wound. While his “leg [was] a little stiff,” he was experiencing “no other trouble.” His progress was sufficient to warrant his discharge from hospital on January 11, 1917, at which time he was once again assigned to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre. Two months later, Herman was transferred to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, the first step in returning to the continent.<br />
<br />
On June 8, 1917, Herman was assigned to the 26th Reserve Battalion, Hastings, where he spent the summer in training. In mid-October, he was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion, the unit tasked with providing reinforcements for the 25th and 85th Battalions, Nova Scotia’s two front-line infantry units. He spent the winter of 1917-18 with the 17th, awaiting orders to return to the continent. Finally, on May 10, 1918, Herman once again “proceeded overseas for service with [the] 25th Battalion.” He spent almost six weeks at the Canadian Base Depot and Canadian Corps Reinforcement Centre before rejoining his 25th comrades in the field on June 21, 1918.<br />
<br />
Following Herman’s October 1916 evacuation to England, his younger brother Thomas served with the 25th throughout the winter of 1916-17, and was in the line as the battalion participated in the Canadian Corps’ April 9, 1917 capture of Vimy Ridge, France. During the day’s fighting, he received a shrapnel wound to his left calf and was invalided to England 10 days later. Thomas spent almost one year recovered from his wounds before returning to France on April 8, 1918. He rejoined the 25th’s ranks on May 18, one month before Herman’s return.<br />
<br />
The Matheson brothers spent much of the next 10 weeks training with the 25th Battalion as the Canadian Corps prepared for its role in a major Allied offensive, scheduled for mid-summer. The 25th’s soldiers were in the line on the morning of August 8, 1918, when the Canadian Corps participated in the opening hours of the Battle of Amiens. The attack marked the commencement of the “100 Days” campaign that eventually resulted in the signing of the November 11, 1918 Armistice.<br />
<br />
During the day’s advance, Herman received a shrapnel wound to his lower left thigh and was admitted to No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance for treatment. Transferred to No. 47 Casualty Clearing Station before day’s end, he was evacuated by ambulance train to No. 3 General Hospital, Le Tréport, France, the following day.<br />
<br />
On this occasion, Herman’s injuries proved to be much less severe than his previous wounds. Discharged after only eight days in hospital, he reported to the Canadian Base Depot on August 17. A mere 11 days later—August 28—he departed for the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Centre (CCRC), an indication of the urgent need for manpower at the front as the Allied offensive continued.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Thomas came through the 25th’s Amiens combat tour without injury and travelled northward toward Lens with the battalion following its seven-day tour. On August 26, 1918, the 25th’s soldiers occupied support positions as Canadian Corps units launched an attack on the German line east of Arras, France. The following morning—August 27, 1918—the unit’s 5th Brigade comrades continued the advance at 10:00 am, the 25th once again following in support. As its soldiers advanced across the battlefield and into the newly captured German line, the unit suffered severe casualties, particularly among its “C” Company ranks.<br />
<br />
Thomas was one of the soldiers lost at Arras that day: “While taking part in an attack from east of Wancourt to Chérisy, he was hit in the face and forehead by enemy bullets and killed.” Pte. Thomas James Matheson was laid to rest in Quebec British Cemetery, Chérisy, approximately eight miles south of Arras, France. Sadly, Herman was still at the CCRC at the time of his brother’s death. He rejoined the 25th’s ranks at Chérisy on September 5, 1918. As the unit spent the next week training in the area, he may have had an opportunity to visit Thomas’s grave before the unit moved out to training facilities near Cagnicourt at mid-month.<br />
<br />
On September 19, the 25th returned to front-line duty near Inchy-en-Artois, sustaining daily casualties in skirmishes with German forces opposite its position throughout a seven-day tour. After a brief rest, the battalion followed in the wake of the Canadian Corps, which captured Canal du Nord on the outskirts of Cambrai in late September and proceeded to encircle the strategically important city.<br />
<br />
The 25th returned to trenches in front of Sailly-lez-Cambrai, northwest of the city, on October 1. Throughout the ensuing week, German artillery regularly shelled its positions, inflicting daily casualties. Finally, in the early hours of October 9, the 25th participated in an attack on Canal de l’Escaut, during which “C” and “D” Companies successfully established bridgeheads on its eastern banks. The unit’s remaining two companies then passed through their comrades’ lines and secured the unit’s objective “in short time.”<br />
<br />
A total of 15 “other ranks” were killed and 85 “other ranks” were wounded in the day’s advance. Herman was among the day’s casualties, struck in the left elbow, left hip and right leg by artillery shrapnel. Admitted to No. 9 Canadian Field Ambulance for treatment, he was transported by stretcher to No. 30 Casualty Clearing Station, where “damaged and infected tissue [was] excised” from his open wounds.<br />
<br />
On October 11, Herman was evacuated by ambulance train to No. 56 General Hospital, Étaples, France. At the time of his admission, medical staff described a “lacerated wound [to his] left elbow… [that] look[ed] well.” The following day, Herman was invalided to England for the third time and admitted to Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston, Northampton. At the time of his arrival, staff indicated that “movement of elbow [was] good, muscles cut and lacerated.”<br />
<br />
Herman spent the next three months at the Northampton facility. Following his transfer to the Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital, Buxton, on January 11, 1919, staff records described a “healed wound on left forearm.” A subsequent x-ray displayed “no evidence of fracture or F. B. [foreign body] present.” A “fall on [a] sidewalk upon [his] left elbow” early the following month raised concern of a “bone injury,” but once again an x-ray revealed no fracture.<br />
<br />
On March 19, Herman was transferred to No. 9 Canadian General Hospital, Kinmel Park. A detailed “Medical History of an Invalid” report, dated April 29, 1919, described a “Y-shaped scar… on [his] left forearm, anterior to elbow region. Movements of elbow and arm normal.” Herman’s forearm, however, was “below normal strength,” and he was “unable to take much of a strain on [his] elbow or forearm.” His left forearm’s “carrying and lifting powers” were “below normal,” and “after any strain or slight injury to [the] elbow region it becomes swollen.”<br />
<br />
Herman was discharged to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Witley, on May 15 and immediately received 10 days’ leave. He departed for Canada on July 2 and arrived at Halifax, NS, six days later. On July 17, 1919, he was formally discharged from military service as “medically unfit.” Herman’s discharge certificate clearly stated that he was “authorized to wear four wounded stripes,” an honour that distinguished him from the vast majority of his returning comrades. He later received the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals, in recognition of his overseas service.<br />
<br />
Herman returned to New Aberdeen, where he was reunited with his wife Kate and met his daughter, Mary Catherine “Pearl,” for the first time. A second daughter, Freda, joined the family on March 30, 1920. Unfortunately, Herman’s war injuries made it impossible for him to return to his previous work in the local coal mines. Throughout the following decade, the family remained at New Aberdeen, where Kate’s son by her first marriage, Thomas, passed away from pulmonary tuberculosis on August 24, 1929.<br />
<br />
In October 1932, Kate and her two daughters relocated to West Roachvale, Guysborough County, and Herman joined them shortly afterward. Kate Matheson unexpectedly passed away at Roachvale, the result of “cardiac failure,” on April 22, 1936. Only 54 years of age at the time of her death, she was laid to rest in St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Guysborough.<br />
<br />
Two months after her mother’s passing, Mary Catherine “Pearl” married John Maurice Long, a native of Rogerton, Guysborough County. The couple subsequently raised a family of 15 children at Roachvale. Pearl’s sister Freda married John McNeil at New Aberdeen, Cape Breton, on July 10, 1939. She remained there for the duration of her life, raising a family of six children.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2i9d1qMoOwjNMM9n9kO7e63duBwB3y7LphyYQXVnjwjK_0RRo3XNCcBoBCuz-te-Al5G2WjZhdic28yOFTBsPd4oJpgoS5Cy0PvE-8Y2A1IMGRpkkBLS1sXS2evQoxBEPSKmkKl7qruB/s1600/Matheson+Herman+left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2i9d1qMoOwjNMM9n9kO7e63duBwB3y7LphyYQXVnjwjK_0RRo3XNCcBoBCuz-te-Al5G2WjZhdic28yOFTBsPd4oJpgoS5Cy0PvE-8Y2A1IMGRpkkBLS1sXS2evQoxBEPSKmkKl7qruB/s320/Matheson+Herman+left.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Herman (left) in his later years with one of his grandsons</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Throughout his later years, Herman resided in a small house near his daughter Pearl’s home. His many grandchildren—Pearl and John’s sons and daughters—frequently visited, keeping him company and assisting with various chores. They remember a kind and loving grandfather who always had white peppermint treats in his shirt pocket, and occasionally warned them not to venture too far into the nearby woods, because “bears lived in there.” Herman Matheson passed away at St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, NS, on June 28, 1972, and was laid to rest beside his wife Kate in St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Guysborough, NS.Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-28452989218509596422019-10-13T09:35:00.001-03:002019-10-25T14:29:08.708-03:00Remembering Private John Scott Rhynold—Died of Sickness October 13, 1920John Scott Rhynold was born at Canso, Guysborough County, on August 4, 1885, the youngest of William David and Mary (Hurst) Rhynold’s six children and the couple’s fourth son. As a young man, John went to work in the local fishery, alongside his father. On February 12, 1908, John married Laura Snow, a native of nearby Whitehead. The couple established residence in Canso and soon welcomed two sons—Chesley Ross (1908) and Ellston (1912)—into their home. Tragically, a third child—a daughter, Kathleen—died on February 12, 1916, only two days after her birth.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pl8qQB_zpkQR7Oyka8Kyi6HwFcIlhBL2XLTDVf32oXwFlsfViqNsgMdd2T0AZfpY0ilANf02I2qMWdJuep512-Gu_9gB32xhvH0I6B0-Kzhlekqi1y9cNi2yn5hEhrz6SLLxlYlHChVz/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pl8qQB_zpkQR7Oyka8Kyi6HwFcIlhBL2XLTDVf32oXwFlsfViqNsgMdd2T0AZfpY0ilANf02I2qMWdJuep512-Gu_9gB32xhvH0I6B0-Kzhlekqi1y9cNi2yn5hEhrz6SLLxlYlHChVz/s320/DSC_0038.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. John Scott Rhynold's headstone, Fourth Hill Cemetery, Canso, NS</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Within weeks of his infant daughter’s passing, John enlisted with the 193rd Battalion at Canso on March 31, 1916. Two months later, he departed for Camp Aldershot, where the unit trained throughout the summer months. On October 12, John and his 193rd mates departed for England aboard SS <i>Olympic</i>. Also on board were the 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders), 185th (Cape Breton Highlanders) and 219th Battalions, the four units together constituting the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade.<br />
<br />
Shortly after the Brigade’s overseas arrival, two of its four units—the 193rd and 219th—were disbanded and their soldiers assigned to existing units. While the Brigade provided a sizeable reinforcement draft for units in France in early December, John, who was considerably older than many of his comrades, was transferred to the 185th Battalion on December 29, 1916, and remained in England.<br />
<br />
Within one month of his transfer, John was hospitalized for treatment of a “hammer toe” on his right foot. The problem persisted for months, during which time the development of hemorrhoids further compromised his fitness for service at the front. On February 26, 1918, John was finally discharged from medical care and reported to the 17th Reserve Battalion, the unit responsible for providing reinforcements for the 25th and 85th Battalions, Nova Scotia’s two front-line infantry units.<br />
<br />
Finally, on June 24, John was assigned to the 85th Battalion and crossed the English Channel to the Canadian Base Depot, Le Havre, France, shortly afterward. After a brief stay at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp, he joined the 85th near Arras France, on July 21.<br />
<br />
John’s arrival in the forward area occurred at a crucial point in the war. Having successfully withstood a massive German spring offensive, Allied forces were finalizing preparations for a massive counter-offensive. At month’s end, the 85th relocated to the outskirts of Amiens, where its soldiers completed final preparations for combat as part of the Allied plan.<br />
<br />
On the morning of August 8, the 85th and its 4th Division comrades awaited orders to advance while units from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions commenced an attack on German positions east of Amiens. Shortly after mid-day, the 85th’s soldiers entered the fray near the village of Caix and remained in the line until the night of August 13/14. John came through the experience without injury and followed his unit back to the Arras area before month’s end.<br />
<br />
On the morning of September 2, the 85th participated in its second combat engagement in less than one month—a Canadian Corps attack on the Drocourt - Quèant Line, a section of the German’s elaborate defensive system known to the Allies as the “Hindenburg Line.” While the battalion suffered significant casualties during three days in the line, John once again emerged from the line without injury.<br />
<br />
After several weeks’ rest and training, the 85th once again returned to the line as part of the Canadian Corps’ September 27 attack on Canal du Nord, west of Cambrai. While its soldiers did not participate in the opening assault on the canal, they crossed the structure shortly after its capture and advanced toward the 85th’s objective—the village of Bourlon. While the unit captured the location before noon, its soldiers were subjected to enemy fire throughout the remainder of the day.<br />
<br />
The 85th remained in the line for another 48 hours, its soldiers providing support for their 12th Brigade mates as the advance continued. Sometime during the third day of fighting, fragments from an artillery shell struck John in the right arm and shoulder, and he was evacuated to a casualty clearing station for treatment. On October 2, John was transported by ambulance train to Camiers, France, and admitted to hospital.<br />
<br />
By the time John reached the Camiers facility, he had developed “gas gangrene” around his wound and was “dangerously ill.” In response, surgeons amputated his right arm “at [the] neck of the humerus [long bone of the upper arm].” Within 10 days, John had recovered sufficiently to be removed from the “dangerously ill” list and was evacuated by hospital ship to England on October 19.<br />
<br />
Throughout the autumn and winter of 1918-19, John remained in hospital as medical personnel assisted with his recovery and completed preparations for an artificial arm. Transferred to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, on May 17, 1919, John departed for Canada two weeks later aboard the hospital ship <i>Essiquibo</i>. Upon landing at Halifax on June 19, he was posted to the Hospital Section and received two weeks’ leave, which he most likely spent at home in Canso.<br />
<br />
On July 8, John returned to Halifax and was admitted to Camp Hill Hospital. While staff had outfitted him with an artificial arm, it proved to be “of little value” due to the “shortness of [his] stump.” On November 11, 1919—the one-year anniversary of the Armistice that ended fighting in Europe—John was officially discharged from military service.<br />
<br />
John returned to Canso and settled into civilian life as best he could. A fourth child—a daughter, Laura Jean—joined the family on May 20, 1920. Shortly afterward, John began to experience health issues. Admitted to Camp Hill Hospital on July 27, he was diagnosed with “military tuberculosis.” Medical notes in John’s service record indicate that he had been treated for “consumption” in his hip joint in 1911 and appeared to have made a complete recovery after several months’ treatment.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2H_fUXlYGy_X5uBj-iYE1tNDdyjvzhuyvDWAM5l4et4SlE0wQUiFznlYtT5zH_VcsScIbp8kmqsOTv2k7hC9-f7rKmQVNINVhyKrUn4VtaqyB2W-0hk7_bEgJftrzRRgl7qD_If_dhmd/s1600/DSC_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2H_fUXlYGy_X5uBj-iYE1tNDdyjvzhuyvDWAM5l4et4SlE0wQUiFznlYtT5zH_VcsScIbp8kmqsOTv2k7hC9-f7rKmQVNINVhyKrUn4VtaqyB2W-0hk7_bEgJftrzRRgl7qD_If_dhmd/s320/DSC_0043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Rhynold's CWGC & Family Headstones, Fourth Hill Cemetery, Canso, NS</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
John remained in hospital for two and a half months, his health slowly worsening. He passed away at Camp Hill on October 13, 1920. John’s remains were returned to Canso, where he was laid to rest in Fourth Hill Cemetery, alongside his infant daughter. John’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-72823108902237692982019-08-14T00:01:00.000-03:002019-08-14T08:21:58.968-03:00Remembering Private James Murray Sinclair—Died of Sickness August 14, 1919James Murray Sinclair was born on April 10, 1898, at Goshen, Guysborough County, the youngest of Mary (Polson) and William Sinclair’s 10 children. As three of his older siblings enlisted with various CEF units, if came as no surprise that James enlisted with the 193rd Battalion at Antigonish, NS, on April 10, 1916—his eighteenth birthday.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPy_y-F-JCQTZI2v2QS6gN7JhuTITQuy6KWC1ugj_XGSUuN6RpAs1wjl0kLQttL-PE9cwXGuBOQO-Fy9_EQMDySvbofRIvyN58hySy25h799tU97DyDUN0afcT4et0AtKW9ktQa2xwi4X/s1600/Sinclair+James+Murray+oval+crop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPy_y-F-JCQTZI2v2QS6gN7JhuTITQuy6KWC1ugj_XGSUuN6RpAs1wjl0kLQttL-PE9cwXGuBOQO-Fy9_EQMDySvbofRIvyN58hySy25h799tU97DyDUN0afcT4et0AtKW9ktQa2xwi4X/s320/Sinclair+James+Murray+oval+crop.png" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Private James Murray Sinclair</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After a summer’s training at Camp Aldershot, near Kentville, NS, James departed for England with the 193rd on October 12, 1916. Before year’s end, the unit was dissolved and its personnel dispersed to various other battalions. Perhaps due to his age, James was assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion—the unit tasked with providing reinforcements for Nova Scotia’s front-line battalions—on January 23, 1917.<br />
<br />
A case of mumps delayed a transfer to the front until mid-June 1917, when James was assigned to the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). He joined the battalion’s ranks near Villers au Bois on July 7. The young soldier served a regular rotation in the line throughout the remainder of the year, seeing major combat for the first time during the 85th’s Passchendaele tour (October 28 - 31, 1917), during which its soldiers participated in the second stage of the Canadian Corps’ attack on Passchendaele Ridge, near Ypres, Belgium.<br />
<br />
While the engagement was the battalion’s most costly tour of the war in terms of casualties, James survived the experience without injury and served with the 85th in sectors near Lens, France, throughout the winter of 1917-18. Following the commencement of the German “spring offensive” on March 21, 1918, the unit was on high alert but no attack materialized in the Canadian Corps sector.<br />
<br />
Following several months of routine rotations and a period of intense training during early summer, the 85th participated in a major Allied counter-attack that commenced east of Amiens, France, on August 8 and continued near the Scarpe River, east of Arras, France, early the following month. James saw action in both engagements and once again emerged without injury. On September 11, he was one of a small group of soldiers who received a welcome 14-day leave to England, rejoining the 85th’s ranks near Quéant, France, on October 1.<br />
<br />
Throughout the month following James’ return, the 85th advanced toward the Belgian frontier as Canadian Corps units pursued retreating German forces. Before month’s end, its soldiers reached the outskirts of Valenciennes, France, where they encountered their first “repatriated civilians.”<br />
<br />
On October 29, James’ front-line service came to an end when he was admitted to field ambulance with symptoms of tonsillitis. Evacuated to hospital at Étaples, France, two days later, he was diagnosed with diphtheria and admitted to a nearby stationary hospital. As the weeks passed, James’ health gradually improved. As the November 11, 1918 Armistice ended hostilities, he was invalided to England on December 10 and briefly admitted to 1st Birmingham Hospital, Rednal, before receiving a transfer to the Military Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom.<br />
<br />
Released from medical care on January 8, 1919, James was assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion, where he awaited orders to return home. In late April, however, he began to experience pains in his back and shoulder, and was admitted to No. 9 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott. Early the following month, James was diagnosed with “caries [bone decay] of the second lumbar vertebrae.” Medical personnel applied a plaster cast to his lower torso, in an effort to alleviate the pain he was experiencing.<br />
<br />
On May 31, James was transferred to No. 16 Canadian General Hospital, Orpington, Kent, where doctors detected a small tumour on his second lumbar vertebra. A June 18 Medical Board described James’ ailment as “tubercular caries and lumbar vertebrae,” a gradual disintegration of bone tissue known as “Pott’s disease.” Transferred to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Kirkdale, Liverpool, on July 5, James departed for Canada aboard the hospital ship <i>Essiquibo</i> eight days later.<br />
<br />
Upon arriving at Halifax on July 25, James was admitted to Cogswell St. Military Hospital “in a very weak condition.” Doctors described his case as a “very advanced case” of tuberculosis of the spine and both epydidymi [the ducts behind his testicles]. As the days passed, James’ health continued to deteriorate, while staff administered medication to reduce the pain he was experiencing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzy0-JFnp0TyyZjPBfV_sw8d3AN4KxHvKPUwb4QvMBXB6d-tSkrr6Cf2-o5ke_uNU9nvHM_cW0DMMYkp1-0uTQXHUzxGXYuPdNMdecUL8KzcNP2VwKZDcIIXAAsofE_FITvUW9EKBaDco/s1600/Sinclair+James+Murray+headstone3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzy0-JFnp0TyyZjPBfV_sw8d3AN4KxHvKPUwb4QvMBXB6d-tSkrr6Cf2-o5ke_uNU9nvHM_cW0DMMYkp1-0uTQXHUzxGXYuPdNMdecUL8KzcNP2VwKZDcIIXAAsofE_FITvUW9EKBaDco/s320/Sinclair+James+Murray+headstone3.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. James Murray Sinclair's headstone, Goshen Cemetery</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Private James Murray Sinclair passed away at 12:30 pm August 14, 1919. His remains were transported to Guysborough County, where James was laid to rest in Goshen Cemetery. He was 23 years and four month old of the time of his passing. James’ story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-17504955904364253182019-07-19T00:01:00.000-03:002019-07-19T09:14:49.474-03:00Remembering Colonel Allison Hart Borden—Died of Sickness July 19, 1932Allison Hart Borden was born on March 31, 1878, at Guysborough, NS, the youngest of Reverend Jonathan Rand and Mary Elizabeth (Ells) Borden’s three children. Jonathan, a Methodist minister, was tending to a local congregation at the time of his second son’s birth. The family had roots in the Annapolis Valley and eventually established residence at Sheffield, Kings County, sometime during the 1890s.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhNzO4__gm8_T4XBYo_WbBHHH91fIK2RygLGrJydi9SM8LGqpNmpwZMXtjElfAfjJCWH_dZg44NSPoLmji_AA6H25QLNq2COJ45ffnoPzZKKDkHuQz40E5MuJSR5L5eun90KFh8Uaxqex/s1600/Borden+Lt+Col+Allison+Hart+85th+Bn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1000" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhNzO4__gm8_T4XBYo_WbBHHH91fIK2RygLGrJydi9SM8LGqpNmpwZMXtjElfAfjJCWH_dZg44NSPoLmji_AA6H25QLNq2COJ45ffnoPzZKKDkHuQz40E5MuJSR5L5eun90KFh8Uaxqex/s320/Borden+Lt+Col+Allison+Hart+85th+Bn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Colonel Allison Hart Borden</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Following Jonathan’s sudden passing in 1893, the family remained at Sheffield, where Allison completed his secondary education. He enrolled in Acadia University’s Bachelor of Arts program in 1899 and enlisted with the 68th King’s County regiment—a local militia unit—in September 1900. Following his sophomore year, Borden transferred to Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, where he graduated with first class honours in Philosophy in June 1903. By that time, he had advanced to the militia rank of Lieutenant.<br />
<br />
Borden’s initial impulse was to pursue a career in law. After spending the summer in the employ of a Halifax law firm, he enrolled at Dalhousie University in the autumn of 1903, but within a year abandoned the courtroom in favour of the battlefield. On October 26, 1904, he officially resigned his militia commission and the following day enlisted with the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) at Stanley Barracks, Toronto, ON, with the commissioned rank of Lieutenant.<br />
<br />
Within two years of his enlistment, Borden was appointed Adjutant of the RCR’s Halifax detachment. Promoted to the rank of Captain on August 1, 1907, he married Grace Beatrice Silliker, a native of Amherst, NS, before year’s end. The newlyweds established residence in the Officers’ Quarters, Wellington Barracks, Halifax. The following year, Borden assumed command of a Company and served as a musketry instructor at the annual summer militia training camps.<br />
<br />
During the winter of 1908-09, Borden assumed the duties of Instructor in Physical Training and Inspector of Cadet Corps for the province of Nova Scotia. In 1910, he was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General for Physical Training in Public Schools. By that time, he and Grace had relocated to a private residence on Larch Street, Halifax. The following year, Borden assumed responsibility for the “general supervision” of physical and military training in the province’s public schools.<br />
<br />
By the end of 1911, Borden had met the requirements for admission to Staff College, Camberley, England, placing first among three Canadian candidates in the qualifying examination. He departed for overseas in mid-October 1912 and successfully passed the examination for promotion to the rank of Major before year’s end. The only remaining requirement for advancement was completion of the Staff College’s program of studies.<br />
<br />
While all went smoothly during Borden’s first year at Camberley, he fell ill shortly after commencing his second year courses. Diagnosed with rheumatic fever and endocarditis—inflammation of the inner layer of the heart—he was forced to abandon his studies and returned to Canada in July 1914. Borden was placed on sick leave for the duration of the year. The outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 eliminated any possibility of returning to Camberley.<br />
<br />
Deemed fit for light duty in January 1915, Borden was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General at Halifax Citadel three months later. The position included a promotion to the rank of temporary Major in late May 1915, an advancement that was made permanent the following month.<br />
<br />
As the summer progressed, Major Borden returned to full military duties. Meanwhile, the war overseas entered its second year and recruitment at home continued. Having already dispatched the 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles) to England in May 1915, the province recruited the 40th Battalion (Halifax Rifles) and provided the majority of soldiers for the 64th Battalion (Maritime Provinces) before summer’s end. On September 14, 1915, the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) became the third provincial unit authorized by the Canadian government.<br />
<br />
Military authorities selected Major Borden as the unit’s Commanding Officer (CO), a position that resulted in a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. The unit was recruited to full strength within one month of its formation, a response that prompted the Canadian government to authorize the formation of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade in January 1916, with Lt. Col. Borden as its CO. The recently authorized 193rd Battalion was assigned to the Brigade’s ranks, along with two newly created units—the 185th (Cape Breton Highlanders) and 219th (South Shore & Annapolis Valley) Battalions—and the 85th Battalion.<br />
<br />
The Brigade’s formation delayed the 85th’s overseas departure by more than one year. The unit trained at Halifax throughout the winter of 1915-16. Lt. Col. Borden actively participated in the 193rd and 219th Battalion’s early 1916 recruitment campaigns. In late May 1916, the 85th relocated to Camp Aldershot for a summer of drill alongside its three Brigade mates. <br />
<br />
While the Highland Brigade anticipated an autumn overseas departure, Borden sailed for England on September 12, 1916, with plans to join the RCR on the front lines for a preparatory tour of the trenches. As matters unfolded, the Brigade arrived overseas in mid-October, before arrangements for Borden’s RCR posting were made. He departed for France on October 28 and joined the RCR in the field three days later.<br />
<br />
For the next three weeks, Lt. Col. Borden completed a regular rotation with the RCR in sectors near Arras, France. Slightly wounded in the thigh by artillery fire on November 20, he returned to England shortly afterward, only to find the Highland Brigade in perilous circumstances.<br />
<br />
Significant casualties incurred during the Canadian Corps’ deployment at the Somme in September and October 1916 created a pressing need for reinforcements in the field. In response, military authorities assembled a large reinforcement draft from the Highland Brigade’s ranks in early December and decided that two of its battalions—the 193rd and 219th—would be dissolved early the following year and their soldiers re-assigned to the 85th, 185th and 17th Reserve Battalions, the latter designated to provide reinforcements for Nova Scotian infantry units at the front.<br />
<br />
In response to the Brigade’s dissolution, Lt. Col. E. C. Phinney, who assumed command of the 85th following Borden’s appointment as Highland Brigade CO, “volunteered to revert in favour of his old chief.” On February 10, 1917, Borden officially resumed command of the 85th Battalion as it proceeded to France.<br />
<br />
Upon arriving in the forward area, the inexperienced unit’s officers and “other ranks” served instructional tours in the trenches with experienced units. As the Canadian Corps prepared for its first major assignment of the year—an attack on Vimy Ridge—military authorities attached the 85th to the 11th Brigade, where it would complete various “working” tasks during the assault. While his soldiers were not expected to see combat, Borden nevertheless insisted that all ranks complete the same rigorous preparatory training as their Brigade mates, a decision that proved fortuitous.<br />
<br />
The 11th Brigade faced the Canadian Corps’ most challenging assignment at Vimy Ridge—the capture of Hill 145, the feature’s highest elevation. Well defended by several strongpoints along its slopes, the location was largely unaffected by the massive artillery bombardment launched in the early hours of April 9, 1917. As a result, the attacking units were pinned down in No Man’s Land, unable to complete their assignment. Meanwhile, other Canadian units to their right successfully secured their sectors of the ridge as the day progressed.<br />
<br />
By mid-afternoon, military commanders recognized the precarious situation on Hill 145’s slopes. If the location was not secured by nightfall, German forces could launch a counter-attack along the flank and dislodge Canadian units from the ridge. In response, Canadian authorities instructed Borden to prepare two of his Companies—C and D—for combat. The soldiers were outfitted with the required equipment, made their way through Tottenham Tunnel into the jumping-off trenches, and went over the top toward German positions shortly after 6:00 pm, without the benefit of artillery support.<br />
<br />
To their credit, the inexperienced officers and men maintained their formation as they proceeded up the ridge and succeeded in securing Hill 145’s western slopes before nightfall. The following day, their remaining 85th comrades joined them atop the newly captured ridge as Canadian units removed the last pockets of German soldiers from its eastern slope. The battalion’s remarkable debut at Vimy Ridge earned it the nickname, “The Never Fails.”<br />
<br />
Before month’s end, the 85th was attached to the 4th Division’s 12th Brigade and commenced a regular rotation in the line. By early summer, however, the strain of five months’ service in the forward area began to take a toll on 38-year-old Lt. Col. Borden’s health. On July 10, he received a welcome 10-day leave to England, as his wife Grace had relocated to London shortly after the Highland Brigade’s overseas arrival.<br />
<br />
Within days, Borden fell ill with tonsillitis. Hospitalized until month’s end, doctors noted that his heart was slightly enlarged and that there was also a “systolic heart murmur” in two heart valves. As a result, Borden was placed on sick leave until August 31 and did not rejoin the 85th in France until mid-September. Barely one month later, the unit made its way northward to Staple, France, near the Belgian border, as its personnel prepared for their next major assignment—the second stage of the Canadian Corps’ attack on Passchendaele Ridge, near Ypres, Belgium.<br />
<br />
On the evening of October 28, the 85th’s personnel made the long trip into the line under extremely difficult conditions. Once in position, Borden made his way into the forward positions to assess the situation, despite fierce enemy machine gun and rifle fire, actions for which he later received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). On the morning of October 30, the 85th went over the top toward its objective—a collection of German defences clustered at a location known as Vienna Cottage. Despite facing the fiercest combat conditions since arriving on the continent, its soldiers successfully captured their objective and established a new front line beyond the location.<br />
<br />
The toll on the 85th’s personnel, however, was significant. The battalion suffered its worst combat losses of the war at Passchendaele. The 18 officer and 371 “other rank” casualties represented more than 50 % of the soldiers in the line during the tour and included over 60 fatalities. Lt. Col. Borden’s health was also affected. Slightly gassed during the long march into the line, and exhausted by the trek entering and leaving the battlefield, he “found his heart troublesome” and “could not walk as fast as previously.”<br />
<br />
Borden nevertheless continued his routine duties, making a two-day trip to London in mid-November. Shortly after his return to France, however, the strain of service once again impacted his health. Before month’s end, he was admitted to hospital for treatment of pneumonia. Discharged after nine days, Borden received a two-week leave to England on December 11 and rejoined the 85th in France before year’s end.<br />
<br />
During his absence, the unit had returned to sectors near Lens, France, where it served regular rotations throughout the winter of 1917-18. While the area was not targeted during the massive German “spring offensive” launched on March 21, 1918, the 85th’s soldiers joined other Canadian units in preparing for a possible German assault. Although no such attack materialized, the soldiers remained vigilant into the following month.<br />
<br />
On April 1, 1918, Lt. Col. Borden’s health issues resurfaced. Admitted to field ambulance for treatment of “disordered action of the heart,” he was discharged the following day and returned to duty. Before month’s end, however, he experienced a dramatic increase in body temperature, accompanied by a severe headache and aching muscles. The condition, commonly known as “trench fever,” resulted in his admission to hospital at Camiers, France, on April 26. Before month’s end, he was invalided to England and admitted to a London hospital.<br />
<br />
While subsequent tests indicated no major health crisis, the recurring incidents meant that Lt. Col. Borden’s time at the front had come to an end. On May 10, 1918, he officially relinquished his command of the 85th to Major J. L. Ralston, his second-in-command. One month later, a Medical Board concluded that Borden was “permanently unfit [for] any [overseas] service” and recommended that he return to Canada.<br />
<br />
Discharged from medical care on July 24, 1918, Borden and his wife made their way to New York, NY, by ship and travelled by train to Halifax. On August 26, Borden was officially “struck off [the] strength” of the 85th Battalion and placed on indefinite sick leave. By early December, he was deemed fit for “light duty in Canada” and assumed the duties of Assistant Adjutant General, Military District No. 6, and Quartermaster at Halifax early the following month. While Lt. Col. Borden experienced a minor episode with kidney stones in mid-March 1919, his health was otherwise stable.<br />
<br />
Borden settled into his administrative duties, officially resuming his service with the Permanent Force of Canada on May 20, 1920. Three months later, he was officially confirmed in the rank of Brevet Colonel, retroactive to December 1, 1919. Before year’s end. Borden and his wife relocated to Winnipeg, MB, where he assumed the position of General Staff Officer (GSO) for Military District No. 10. By the spring of 1924, the couple had relocated to Toronto, where Borden commanded Military District No. 2.<br />
<br />
By January 1925, health issues led Borden’s superiors to question his ability to fulfil his GSO duties. He experienced shortness of breath after exertion and his mitral and aortic heart valves were not functioning properly. A formal Medical Board convened the following month recommended “that this officer be retired from the service as medically unfit.” As a result, Borden was granted a four-month leave, with pay and allowance, commencing on March 1. Four months later—July 1, 1925—Colonel Colonel Allison Hart Borden officially retired from military service.<br />
<br />
Colonel Borden and Grace returned to Kentville and settled into civilian life. In 1931, Borden’s alma mater, Mount Allison University, awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree, in recognition of his service to his province and country. Colonial Allison Hart Borden passed away at Kentville, NS, on July 19, 1932, following a brief illness. Only 54 years of age at the time of his death, he was laid to rest in the Borden family’s Hillaton Cemetery plot.Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-72187090106557461802019-06-04T00:01:00.001-03:002021-05-12T09:23:38.973-03:00Remembering Private Winfred Asa Nickerson—Accidentally Killed June 4, 1919Winfred Asa Nickerson was born at Hazel Hill, Guysborough County, on December 8, 1896, the youngest of Sarah (Swain) and Reuben Nickerson’s six children. Enticed by the presence of militia detachments in Canso following the outbreak of the First World War, Winfred enlisted with one of the units—the 94th Victoria Regiment (Argyll Highlanders)—in 1916.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRusQaMpW7po1aXc-kXjajuWa-eLiObhZCG4Yf9-HQJ_gvd5anHKXEYqPT6uUutdFh_n5dX9CVlt654A_GPw5tE-m584kFCq_XEGvgDum72QWtW81B_rmmTGjSfolN74EB-NGe5ByyL9iM/s1600/Nickerson+Wilfred+Asa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRusQaMpW7po1aXc-kXjajuWa-eLiObhZCG4Yf9-HQJ_gvd5anHKXEYqPT6uUutdFh_n5dX9CVlt654A_GPw5tE-m584kFCq_XEGvgDum72QWtW81B_rmmTGjSfolN74EB-NGe5ByyL9iM/s320/Nickerson+Wilfred+Asa.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Winfred Asa Nickerson</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Following the Canadian government’s introduction of compulsory military service in late 1917, Winfred reported to Halifax in mid-April 1918 and was officially “conscripted” into the Canadian Expeditionary Force before month’s end. Subsequent bouts of tonsillitis and influenza delayed his overseas journey until early August, when he finally departed for England.<br /><br />Following a 16-day voyage, Winfred arrived at Liverpool and reported to the 17th (Nova Scotia) Reserve Battalion, which was encamped at the Canadian Training Depot, Tidworth Barracks, Wiltshire, England. In late September, he was hospitalized with a mild case of appendicitis, but did not undergo surgery. Discharged on October 9, Winfred spent the autumn and winter of 1918-19 in England. During that time, he suffered a second appendicitis attack and underwent surgery in late January 1919.<br /><br />Discharged to duty on March 21, Winfred returned to the 17th’s ranks. While the signing of the November 11, 1918 Armistice had brought fighting to an end, an opportunity for service in France arose in the spring of 1919, when military officials organized the Canadian War Graves Detachment (CWGD) and solicited personnel for its two Companies.<br /><br />Winfred was among the soldiers who volunteered for duty with the CWGD. He crossed the English Channel to France on May 18, 1919, and travelled to the Arras area with No. 2 Company before month’s end. The soldiers performed a variety of tasks in the former combat zone—searching battlefields for informal graves and human remains, as well as exhuming bodies from smaller cemeteries and transporting them to larger cemeteries for re-interment.<br /><br />The soldiers’ work was not without risk of injury, as unexploded artillery shells and grenades were scattered across the former battlefields. No. 1 Company, CWGD, reported its first casualties on May 28, when two of its soldiers drove a truck across a “half-buried” Mills Grenade, which immediately detonated. The following day, all personnel “were again warned as to the care to be taken with unexploded Ammunition.” Despite the warning, two more soldiers were hospitalized for treatment shortly afterward, “through the fault of one tampering with a detonator, against all orders to the contrary.”<br /><br />On the evening of June 4, 1919, following a day’s work in the forward area, Winfred set off for a stroll from camp toward a nearby village, in the company of two comrades. While walking along several meters in front of his mates, Winfred called out, “Hurry up. I’ve found some nice souvenirs.” As his companions approached, they saw several artillery “nose caps” scattered on the ground and cautioned him not to touch the items.<br /><br />Undeterred, Winfred decided to “open one to see what was inside of it.” He removed a small brass band and, using a pocket knife, began to dig at the pin. After working at it for several minutes, the nose cap exploded in his hand and Winfred fell to the ground. A piece of shrapnel struck one soldier in the leg. Despite his injury, he ordered the other soldier to remain with Winfred while he returned to camp for help.<br /><br />The second soldier later reported that Winfred lay on the ground, unresponsive. About 15 minutes later, as help approached, he checked for vital signs but found none. An Officer, who arrived at the scene with a stretcher and several soldiers, confirmed that Winfred was deceased, placed his remains on the stretcher, and returned to camp, where a Medical Officer confirmed that Winfred had succumbed to his injuries, a piece of shrapnel having pierced his heart.<br /><br />Private Winfred Asa Nickerson was laid to rest in Bois-Carré Cemetery, Haisnes, France, on June 6, 1919. A formal inquiry later concluded that he was “accidentally killed while tampering with unexploded ammunition.” Sadly, Winfred’s passing was only the first of three fatalities that occurred that month. Two other soldiers later succumbed to poison gas released from half-buried shells.<br /><br />Winfred’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-29708210069149248772019-06-03T00:01:00.000-03:002019-06-03T00:01:01.448-03:00Remembering Private George Ernest Bingley—Died of Sickness June 3, 1927George Ernest Bingley was born at Fisherman’s Harbour, Guysborough County, on November 28, 1888, the oldest of Annie (Gibbs) and William Bingley’s five children. While the family relocated to Prince Edward Island several years after Ernest’s birth, he returned to Fisherman’s Harbour shortly after his father’s passing in March 1901 and spent the remainder of his childhood years in the home of his paternal aunt, Sarah (Bingley) Fenton. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_2JE-viV-j-tsVC5l52nXowhxrvdFDWzMPbsvqy-ij_gitGF2UcFeqNkOU1w1v9w_qE0e0zcpAIbnr15pikUUceqVdAzpxpedXUSnskuFXwjb0xm5W0k0nK9fKJFRpb-adaKPFEsnoAm/s1600/BIngley+George+Ernest+oval+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_2JE-viV-j-tsVC5l52nXowhxrvdFDWzMPbsvqy-ij_gitGF2UcFeqNkOU1w1v9w_qE0e0zcpAIbnr15pikUUceqVdAzpxpedXUSnskuFXwjb0xm5W0k0nK9fKJFRpb-adaKPFEsnoAm/s320/BIngley+George+Ernest+oval+crop.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. George Ernest Bingley's 193rd Portrait</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As a young man, Ernest found work in the local fishery, but set aside his civilian occupation to enlist with the 193rd Battalion at Guysborough, NS, on April 6, 1916. After a summer’s training at Camp Aldershot, he departed for England with the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade on October 12, 1916. Shortly after its overseas arrival, the Brigade provided a draft of reinforcements for units in France. Ernest was among the soldiers selected for service and was assigned to the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada). He joined his new unit in France on January 3, 1917.<br />
<br />
Within days of arriving on the continent, Ernest was assigned to the 7th Canadian Machine Gun Company (CMGC) for “temporary duty.” During his time with the unit, its war diary described “the coldest [weather conditions] since the beginning of the war. Fuel being scarce does not add to the comforts of the troops.” A later entry prior to Ernest’s departure referred to a widespread outbreak of mumps in the area.<br />
<br />
While Ernest rejoined the 42nd’s ranks in mid-February 1917, his time with 7th CMGC soon impacted his health. In early March, he was admitted to hospital with a case of mumps. During his time in care, he developed nephritis (kidney inflammation). Medical staff attributed the condition to “exposure to wet and cold,” no doubt during his CMGC assignment. On April 6, Ernest was invalided to England, where he was admitted to hospital.<br />
<br />
Ernest’s condition slowly improved, prompting his discharge to a convalescent home in early May. While his health was stable throughout the summer months, military officials determined that he was no longer fit for service at the front. On September 15, Ernest was discharged from medical care and assigned to clerical work at the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) Depot, Shoreham. After five months at the facility, he departed for Canada aboard SS <i>Delta II</i> in late February 1918.<br />
<br />
Upon landing at Halifax, NS, Ernest was assigned to the local Casualty Company, where he underwent a thorough medical examination. The resulting report indicated that, while Ernest had recovered from his kidney ailment, he was experiencing considerable pain in his upper back and both legs. Diagnosed with myalgia of indefinite duration, Ernest was assigned to “home service” at Halifax’s CAMC Training Depot.<br />
<br />
Ernest spent the remaining months of his military service with the CAMC. Formally discharged on January 31, 1919, he returned to Fisherman’s Harbour and resumed work in the local fishery. On April 11, 1922, he married Hattie Mae Burke, a native of Drum Head, Guysborough County, and the couple welcomed their first child—a daughter, Myrtle Lillian—the following year.<br />
<br />
While his service file contains no evidence of health issues following his discharge, Ernest fell ill within two years of his marriage. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, he was admitted to the Nova Scotia Sanatorium, Kentville, in 1924. In order to visit regularly, Hattie and Myrtle found accommodations nearby. Ernest remained under care for almost three years before he passed away from “tubrification of lungs and intestines” at Kentville on June 3, 1927. His remains were transported to Guysborough County, where he was laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery, Seal Harbour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mUa_SDLKdSNnFzavffQdkxd23Pafx7Lt6ycw9-9JF8Cf9hVODE5N4eeH6vtmtHY5BEtnNzBjUvEerVRKLq8cCvdgQbvYdCOpEZKNNYcE0_psaytzgszC-c0DZ_tqRjSB98Zf961QfNdN/s1600/Bingley+George+Ernest+headstone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mUa_SDLKdSNnFzavffQdkxd23Pafx7Lt6ycw9-9JF8Cf9hVODE5N4eeH6vtmtHY5BEtnNzBjUvEerVRKLq8cCvdgQbvYdCOpEZKNNYcE0_psaytzgszC-c0DZ_tqRjSB98Zf961QfNdN/s320/Bingley+George+Ernest+headstone.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Ernest’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-66025503443877313202019-05-08T14:01:00.002-03:002019-05-08T14:01:28.653-03:00Remembering Private David Luke Dort—Died of Wounds May 8, 1919David Luke Dort was born at Cole Harbour, Guysborough County, on August 12, 1897, the seventh of William Peter and Margaret Mary (Jamieson) Dort’s eight children and the couple’s youngest son. David enlisted with the 193rd Battalion at Canso on April 1, 1916, and departed for England with the unit on October 12, 1916.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiv16pSB73LPpjMDfdbyR_YPRozJyFal_jIGkEGRELD_YuF8EtEHYyYHGvm603lmTE17foA-2U3tsnKO7pYy_Xs9HNmkLP9EiOVtfws_s-DoX8n3YYjPTcS-cs8jaRQCEiZpEgNSfAfxNk/s1600/Dort+David+Luke+oval+crop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiv16pSB73LPpjMDfdbyR_YPRozJyFal_jIGkEGRELD_YuF8EtEHYyYHGvm603lmTE17foA-2U3tsnKO7pYy_Xs9HNmkLP9EiOVtfws_s-DoX8n3YYjPTcS-cs8jaRQCEiZpEgNSfAfxNk/s320/Dort+David+Luke+oval+crop.png" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. David Luke Dort</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Shortly after the 193rd’s overseas arrival, David was part of reinforcement draft assigned to the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) on December 5, 1916. He crossed the English Channel shortly afterward and joined his new unit in the forward area in early January 1917. <br /><br />On the morning of April 9, 1917. David and his 42nd comrades participated in the Canadian Corps’ historic April 9, 1917 attack on Vimy Ridge. The battalion’s sector was immediately adjacent to Hill 145, which held out against the morning assault and enfiladed the unit’s left flank throughout the day. The situation was finally resolved in the early evening hours, when two Companies of the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) succeeded in capturing the hill’s western slope.<br /><br />While David came through the successful attack on Vimy Ridge without injury, an artillery shell fragment struck him in the right side of the head as the unit withdrew from the line in the early morning hours of April 11. Amazingly, David did not lose consciousness and managed to walk approximately two hundred yards to a nearby field dressing station. Carried by stretcher to No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station, he was evacuated by ambulance train to Boulogne, where he was admitted to No. 3 Canadian General Hospital on April 13. Thus began a lengthy period of medical treatment that continued for more than two years.<br /><br />Invalided to England on April 28, David was admitted to Wharncliffe Memorial Hospital, Sheffield, where he remained for three months before receiving a transfer to Granville Canadian Special Hospital, Ramsgate. While his surface wound successfully healed, David had lost a triangular-shaped piece of his skull approximately 3/4 inches in size, and x-rays revealed the presence of several shrapnel fragments in his brain’s “right frontal lobe.”<br /><br />On the night of August 22, German zeppelins passing over Ramsgate dropped several bombs on the town, one shell striking the hospital ward in which David was located. The resulting explosion shattered bunks and sent splinters throughout the room. Several fragments struck David in the left thigh and head, rendering him unconscious. Staff immediately dressed both wounds and David once again began the process of recovery.<br /><br />In the aftermath of his second injury, David experienced partial paralysis of his right leg, a condition not previously present. At the time of a ransfer to Lord Derby Hospital, Warrington, in late August, he could “feel” his leg but had lost all strength in the limb. On October 10, David relocated to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom, where his right leg remained “partially paralyzed.” He managed to walk “with a peculiar swing of the right leg” throughout his time at the Epsom facility.<br /><br />A Medical Board report, dated November 23, 1917, recommended that David be invalided to Canada. One month later, he was admitted to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Kirkdale, Liverpool, the first stage of his journey home. David spent six weeks at the facility before boarding the hospital ship <i>Araguaya</i> on February 4, 1918, and departing for Canada. Upon arriving at Halifax nine days later, he spent one month under observation in hospital before receiving a transfer to the Pine Hill Convalescent Home in early March.<br /><br />Within days of his arrival at Pine Hill, David suffered the major seizure and was subsequently diagnosed with “Jacksonian epilepsy”—a brief change in movement, sensation or nerve function, caused by abnormal electrical activity in a specific area of the brain. In response, medical authorities transferred David to Camp Hill Hospital on March 23. As he suffered no further seizures during the next six weeks, David was discharged from hospital in mid-May. A second medical report, dated May 31, 1918, recommended David be discharged from military service as “medically unfit.”<br /><br />In early July, David was officially transferred to the local “Casualty Company” and formally discharged from military service before month’s end. The details of his whereabouts during the next six months are unknown. He may have returned to his Cole Harbour home, or perhaps remained in Halifax, in case further medical treatment was required. Whatever his circumstances, David was re-admitted to Camp Hill Hospital on January 29, 1919, for treatment of epilepsy.<br /><br />According to subsequent medical notes, David had suffered a second seizure on November 3, 1918, followed by episodes on December 3 and 4. A fourth seizure in mid-January prompted his return to medical care. While David experienced no subsequent episodes after admission and reported no severe headache, he nevertheless remained in bed for one month.<br /><br />Granted a day pass to visit a friend in late February 1919, David suffered a seizure while away from the hospital and was unconscious for 15 minutes. While his condition improved in subsequent weeks, he began experiencing headaches. On April 6, David suffered several seizures, each preceded by a “frontal headache.” During each occurrence, his eyes responded sluggishly to light, his speech slowed, and “it was hard to rouse him.”<br /><br />Within a week, David suffered a second seizure, after which his condition slowly worsened. His pulse and body temperature dropped significantly. While “bright” at some points during the day, his speech slowed considerably and he reported severe pain in his ear. On May 4, David slipped into a “deep coma.” When he regained consciousness the following day, he was suffering from paralysis on his left side. He subsequently became “very restless” and complained of a severe headache. While medical staff performed numerous spinal punctures during this time, his spinal fluid contained no indication of illness.<br /><br />Private David Luke Dort passed away at 9:00 a.m. May 8, 1919. Medical staff identified the cause of death as a “brain abscess” attributed to his combat wound. A subsequent autopsy revealed that David’s “dura”—the outermost membrane layer surrounding the brain—was “adherent at [the] seat of fraction of frontal region. A small piece of shrapnel found.”<br /><br />David’s remains were transported to Guysborough County, where he was laid to rest in Port Felix Roman Catholic Cemetery. Military authorities acknowledged that his death was a direct result of his war wounds and authorized provision of an Imperial War Graves headstone for his final resting place. David’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-32311575931672920082019-04-28T00:01:00.000-03:002019-04-28T00:01:04.535-03:00Remembering Private George C. Benight—Died of Sickness April 28, 1923George C. Benight was born at Wine Harbour, Guysborough County, on April 10, 1898, the third of Annie (Boggs) and Lemuel Benight’s seven children. Caught up in the military excitement that swept Nova Scotia during the spring of 1916, young George enlisted with the Canadian militia at Halifax, NS, on April 13, 1916, and was assigned to the Composite Battalion’s “A” Company.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxH2MVBJm_7CVKiu-AYHkCa9NlXF2B87LscqDxZDh376dwYBr10BFMgpGj1zZbg5_vOYba_Rl2eKbhX82L3I39SlPW6wmkC_sZzreccdkvd6Dew1r8LQWQRJseC1A5n4hRHw3_QnNlQWl/s1600/Benight+George+restored+headstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxH2MVBJm_7CVKiu-AYHkCa9NlXF2B87LscqDxZDh376dwYBr10BFMgpGj1zZbg5_vOYba_Rl2eKbhX82L3I39SlPW6wmkC_sZzreccdkvd6Dew1r8LQWQRJseC1A5n4hRHw3_QnNlQWl/s320/Benight+George+restored+headstone.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Within weeks of his enlistment, George was admitted to Rockhead Military Hospital with a case of measles, a common affliction in the crowded barracks. Following a period in isolation, he rejoined the battalion’s ranks and served the remainder of year without incident. Briefly hospitalized for treatment of tonsillitis in February 1917, George once again returned to duty and experienced no further health issues for almost one year.<br /><br />On January 16, 1918, George married Jenny Pearl Young, a native of Halifax, NS. Six weeks later, he was hospitalized for treatment of influenza. Discharged to duty on March 8, he returned to hospital five days later, complaining of chest and abdominal pain. George subsequently underwent an appendectomy in early April and remained under medical care for the remainder of the month. Discharged to the Pine Hill convalescent facility on May 10, George soon developed pneumonia and tonsillitis, conditions that confined him to bed for almost two months.<br /><br />During his time in hospital, George was transferred to the 6th Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment, the first step in proceeding overseas for service in France. His persistent health problems, however, prompted medical authorities to carefully examine his fitness for front-line duty. The ensuing report, dated September 26, 1918, concluded that George was suffering from “DAH”—“disordered activity of the heart”—a condition often described as “soldier’s heart.”<br /><br />As a result, George was placed in Category CII—fit for labour service in Canada only. In response, George’s Commanding Officer recommended his discharge and military authorities concurred. On October 23, 1918, George was officially discharged from military service as “medically unfit.”<br /><br />George and Jenny took up residence on Brunswick St., where George found work as a shoe-maker. For more than four years, life proceeded without incident. In the spring of 1923, however, the health issues that had plagued George’s military service returned. On April April 28, 1923, George C. Benight died “suddenly” at Halifax from “cardiac damage due to chronic myocarditis” and was laid to rest in Wine Harbour Cemetery, Guysborough County.<br /><br />Within two weeks of George’s passing, military authorities agreed that his death was “related to service” and approved the provision of an Imperial War Graves headstone for his final resting place. George’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 <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-73687713019895528372019-04-09T00:01:00.000-03:002019-04-09T00:01:05.444-03:00Remembering Antigonish County's "Vimy Boys"During the Canadian Corps’ historic April 9, 1917 attack on Vimy Ridge, France, and in the days immediately following its capture, a total of seven Antigonish County soldiers perished in combat. At the end of each summary is a link to each soldier's profile on the Antigonish Cenotaph Project's blog. “We will remember them.”<br /><br /><b>1. Private Wendell Alexander MacHattie</b>, son of Alexander John and Janet (Hattie) MacHattie, South River Lake, Antigonish County, was killed in action on April 9, 1917, during the 42nd Battalion’s assault on the sector of Vimy Ridge adjacent to Hill 145. His remains were never recovered from the battlefield. Wendell is commemorated on the Canadian War Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/april-9-1917-private-wendell-alexander-machattie/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxvdG7jFs7jClpVW3ItmeKhDLuxXfF1n11GuFMGQBTG24OjGtlxpBarpghyphenhyphenAEMqN7-KxKRDOYhL2Jb6i5RslapKoN-VXkSapBLdPYKT5BII0_SFzOyzs95Kt4DIIPSRnXIchwi-ODX6ys/s1600/MacHattie+Wendell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1035" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxvdG7jFs7jClpVW3ItmeKhDLuxXfF1n11GuFMGQBTG24OjGtlxpBarpghyphenhyphenAEMqN7-KxKRDOYhL2Jb6i5RslapKoN-VXkSapBLdPYKT5BII0_SFzOyzs95Kt4DIIPSRnXIchwi-ODX6ys/s320/MacHattie+Wendell.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Wendell Alexander MacHattie</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>2. Private William Alfred Rogers</b>, son of William H. and Mary M. (Durant) Rogers, was killed in action on the morning of April 9, 1917, northwest of the village of Thélus, France, while serving with the 26th Battalion (New Brunswick). As with Wendell, William Alfred’s remains were never recovered. His name is also engraved on the Canadian War Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/april-9-1917-private-william-alfred-rogers/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-tqbX89ECYSVIVKWtNdfE79ksx5oq2b9Hp4C6PGHz1a_apim5rH_vMqTQTCX8n47gUeD3rUG5zA7GGrrqrm7BVM2OUZIZBHQlMmPOYCGcMbtKG0ZusoMNkhyqkOfChyphenhyphenlbriQkJT-X1by/s1600/Rogers+William+Alfred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="746" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-tqbX89ECYSVIVKWtNdfE79ksx5oq2b9Hp4C6PGHz1a_apim5rH_vMqTQTCX8n47gUeD3rUG5zA7GGrrqrm7BVM2OUZIZBHQlMmPOYCGcMbtKG0ZusoMNkhyqkOfChyphenhyphenlbriQkJT-X1by/s320/Rogers+William+Alfred.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. William Alfred Rogers</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><b>3. Private John Angus Sheehan</b>, son of Joseph and Mary (MacDonald) Sheehan, Gloucester, MA, and nephew of Alexander MacDonald, Clydesdale, Antigonish County, was killed in action on April 9, 1917, during the 85th Battalion’s successful early evening assault on Hill 145. He was laid to rest in nearby Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St-Vaast, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/april-9-1917-private-john-angus-sheehan/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxZdv2Q3_jM8kCsG45-VgTaxcuFms3qSwFZ_DDPONrYrj4z9jQ57mgT7oR0hP7NWQi4jMm0OESZvPqjBoXOWPi1FgLnsd_jn4nuCMDH3vUsXhWUPsyu8P6VXTUHnh4pZ1YT_HloV47gvB/s1600/Sheehan+John+Angus+902014.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxZdv2Q3_jM8kCsG45-VgTaxcuFms3qSwFZ_DDPONrYrj4z9jQ57mgT7oR0hP7NWQi4jMm0OESZvPqjBoXOWPi1FgLnsd_jn4nuCMDH3vUsXhWUPsyu8P6VXTUHnh4pZ1YT_HloV47gvB/s320/Sheehan+John+Angus+902014.png" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte, John Angus Sheehan</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>4. Private John Angus MacGillivray</b>, son of Alexander and Margaret “Maggie” (Cameron) MacGillivray, Fraser’s Mills, Antigonish County, died on April 10, 1917, from wounds received while serving with the 28th Battalion (Northwestern) in newly captured trenches atop Vimy Ridge. He was laid to rest in Écoivres Military Cemetery, Mount-Saint-Éloi, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/april-10-1917-private-john-angus-macgillivray-aka-macdonald/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIti65Ko9oSXuGtiSN-iUkMgpx4f7qjW2wMqZwCPDTVvx0oR_9tEKEu5Zd1ChcNJJByV_Yt5w-iylymzhmg0YaBhm8Z1uO7IIUeq5udN_qXwtrIvXGtxXAvOE7U2CAT_-wQwhLLHxSWqG/s1600/MacGillivray+John+Angus+headstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1014" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIti65Ko9oSXuGtiSN-iUkMgpx4f7qjW2wMqZwCPDTVvx0oR_9tEKEu5Zd1ChcNJJByV_Yt5w-iylymzhmg0YaBhm8Z1uO7IIUeq5udN_qXwtrIvXGtxXAvOE7U2CAT_-wQwhLLHxSWqG/s320/MacGillivray+John+Angus+headstone.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. John Angus MacGillivray's headstone</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>5. Private Ambrose Thomas Boyle</b>, son of Henry and Margaret (Torpey) Boyle, Afton, Antigonish County, was killed by enemy artillery fire on April 11, 1917, as he and his 47th Battalion (British Columbia) comrades prepared for the following day’s attack on “The Pimple,” an elevated location north of Hill 145. Ambrose was laid to rest in Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St-Vaast, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/april-11-1917-private-ambrose-thomas-boyle/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xBAcR7bCgPhJJkJxLeXQe37J6ToPRHDNkG650DcIDvJ5frU3rduH-KX6fhxLZKwNsOP6pcyJBxvNCYF6qUQI3o0L5ZbXUJaWWWoJ-yE6E2QFA51VwtPHaP13uhRStal6NmQLEiXB9eOU/s1600/Boyle+Ambrose+Thomas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xBAcR7bCgPhJJkJxLeXQe37J6ToPRHDNkG650DcIDvJ5frU3rduH-KX6fhxLZKwNsOP6pcyJBxvNCYF6qUQI3o0L5ZbXUJaWWWoJ-yE6E2QFA51VwtPHaP13uhRStal6NmQLEiXB9eOU/s320/Boyle+Ambrose+Thomas.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte, Ambrose Thomas Boyle</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>6. Private Colin Chisholm</b>, son of Donald A. and Margaret (Campbell) Chisholm, Brierly Brook, Antigonish County, was killed in action on April 12, 1917, during the 46th (South Saskatchewan) Battalion’s attack on “The Pimple.” Colin’s remains were never recovered from the battlefield. His name is inscribed on the Canadian War Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/april-12-1917-private-colin-chisholm/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZiosVJIlrRR6d2YLdP6ojsWdYoz_hI76y6g2SuPZphQRslD_w95gCcg_7wh8B_ea0Kv6v-BwZfMHFm_rXMQ2yAKP-eQXe8XCEwX6-fvi-0SO6hHjH2wDfZDbxZm9PheYzj_EN5-M9_Sx/s1600/Chisholm+Colin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1489" data-original-width="932" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZiosVJIlrRR6d2YLdP6ojsWdYoz_hI76y6g2SuPZphQRslD_w95gCcg_7wh8B_ea0Kv6v-BwZfMHFm_rXMQ2yAKP-eQXe8XCEwX6-fvi-0SO6hHjH2wDfZDbxZm9PheYzj_EN5-M9_Sx/s320/Chisholm+Colin.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Colin Chisholm</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>7. Private Roderick William MacDougall</b>, son of Archibald and Margaret (Chisholm) MacDougall, North Grant, Antigonish County, and nephew of Mary Ann “Maggie” Chisholm, Fraser’s Mills, Antigonish County, was killed in action while serving with the 43rd Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) in trenches near Vimy Ridge, France. As his remains were never located, Roderick William is commemorated on the Canadian War Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France. <a href="https://antigonishcenotaphproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/april-16-1917-private-roderick-william-macdougall/" target="_blank">Antigonish Cenotaph Project profile</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDatf7kmnjwMS_LzVgI9JWTxYfSI7Qbj11XDTkxk6ZPGfaXgedWpFG_Rqiqv1iiYmIajoBcVjc3hxU9yr02_HInG8YZ9x_SbMZbV7mXBstpys-1iDE3M5TS2bYyj9NrEcxIqi4ZtGsNN4/s1600/MacDougall+Roderick+William.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="932" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDatf7kmnjwMS_LzVgI9JWTxYfSI7Qbj11XDTkxk6ZPGfaXgedWpFG_Rqiqv1iiYmIajoBcVjc3hxU9yr02_HInG8YZ9x_SbMZbV7mXBstpys-1iDE3M5TS2bYyj9NrEcxIqi4ZtGsNN4/s320/MacDougall+Roderick+William.png" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte Roderick William MacDougall</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-25461690333376108702019-04-02T00:01:00.000-03:002019-04-02T00:01:14.158-03:00Remembering Sapper Thomas Leo Dort—Died of Sickness April 2, 1926Thomas Leo Dort was born at Canso, NS, on August 4, 1893, the third of Bridget Jane (George) and James A. Dort’s eight children. During the spring of 1916, military recruiters visited the coastal community for the first time, in search of soldiers for the 193rd Battalion, one of four infantry units that formed the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade. Thomas enlisted with the 193rd on April 6, 1916, and spent the summer months training at Camp Aldershot alongside soldiers from the 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders), 185th (Cape Breton Highlanders) and 219th Battalions.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNjkK8l7JnsLgVxoryOM_mt1NfEKCiCI2ap023pHDfCWTFWuSrchQLG9sAnpe3T0HvgvmszSgj2WMQp2qajMV_SV3Y7YDZDg1aBwhxVVRpiBj7Huk-sCViBwX4jslKaOA1EbpyyKGoxQd/s1600/Dort+Thomas+Leo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNjkK8l7JnsLgVxoryOM_mt1NfEKCiCI2ap023pHDfCWTFWuSrchQLG9sAnpe3T0HvgvmszSgj2WMQp2qajMV_SV3Y7YDZDg1aBwhxVVRpiBj7Huk-sCViBwX4jslKaOA1EbpyyKGoxQd/s320/Dort+Thomas+Leo.png" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sapper Thomas Leo Dort</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On October 12, 1916, the Highland Brigade’s soldiers departed from Halifax aboard SS <i>Olympic</i>. Following its overseas arrival, two of its units—the 193rd and 219th—were dissolved and their personnel re-assigned to existing battalions. Thomas was part of a reinforcement draft of 193rd soldiers transferred to the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) on December 5, 1916. He joined his new unit near Neuville-Saint-Vaast, France, in early January 1917.<br /><br />Thomas served a regular rotation in the line with the 42nd until March 21, when he was admitted to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, Étaples, for treatment of an “ischio-rectal abscess,” a problem that had plagued him for several years prior to his enlistment. Invalided to England three days later, he underwent surgery and quickly recovered. Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom, on April 14, Thomas was discharged from medical care before month’s end and reported to the 20th Reserve Battalion, Shoreham.<br /><br />Re-assigned to the 42nd’s ranks on June 19, Thomas returned to the Canadian Base Depot, Le Havre, France, but did not immediately rejoin his battalion. In early July, he was temporarily attached to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion and worked on a variety of projects near Arras, France, throughout the summer months. When the unit was dissolved in mid-September, Thomas reported to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp, Villers-au-Bois, where he remained throughout the winter of 1917-18.<br /><br />On March 4, 1918, Thomas was assigned to the 2nd Tramway Company, Canadian Engineers, and joined its ranks near Aix-Noulette, France, shortly afterward. One of two units that built, maintained and operated a network of small-gauge railways, its gasoline-powered trains moved ammunition and supplies to “dumps” in the forward area, carried troops into the front lines and transported wounded soldiers to field ambulance stations.<br /><br />The Company’s “sappers” worked in the open, without the benefit of access to trenches or dugouts. As a result, hostile artillery fire posed a consistent threat while the men completed their daily tasks. The unit’s war diary reported a total of 13 “other rank” (OR) casualties during the month of May, a statistic that increased to 78 the following month, when an outbreak of “pyrexia” (trench fever) sent 30 men to field ambulance.<br /><br />When Allied forces launched a major counter-offensive east of Amiens in early August, the tramway companies hauled large quantities of supplies to the front lines and constructed new sections as the advance progressed into German-held territory. Their work continued during a second offensive east of Arras at month’s end, 2nd Tramway reporting its first fatalities since Thomas joined its ranks—one OR killed and a second died of wounds, both the result of enemy artillery fire—during the first week of September.<br /><br />In subsequent weeks, “construction continued with great rapidity” as the tramway units kept pace with the Canadian Corps’ advance toward Cambrai. In mid-September, however, Thomas reported to field ambulance for treatment of a bacterial infection and was evacuated to hospital at Étaples, France. Discharged to convalescent camp in mid-October, he contracted influenza early the following month and spent almost two weeks recuperating.<br /><br />By the time Thomas was discharged from medical care, the November 11, 1918 Armistice had brought fighting to an end. As a result, Thomas crossed the English Channel before year’s end and reported to the Canadian Engineers Training Depot, Seaford. On February 23, 1919, he departed for Canada aboard SS Belgic and landed at Halifax one week later. Thomas was formally discharged from military service on March 24 and returned to Canso, where he resumed work in the local fishery.<br /><br />On January 18, 1920, Thomas married Margaret Baker, a native of Tancook, Lunenburg County, in a ceremony held at Star of the Sea Church, Canso. For several years, Thomas experienced no health issues. By early 1926, however, he was under doctor’s care for treatment of “kidney, lung and heart troubles.” His condition slowly worsened and he passed away at Canso, NS, on April 2, 1926. He was laid to rest in Star of the Sea Parish Cemetery.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdqZw3n-KjZzzUi19vcvm6W38wrzYFXny6NrxxyGKqQ8XUkmTeP-Gj_mA744lH90tPfraIV-XIFaphUWvqlqSdPKvO0oe_aOC027_fuPBIFFAUFLTTNwa0Wmc26pFAeePWh2hhVVQ4_xH/s1600/Dort+Thomas+Leo+headstone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdqZw3n-KjZzzUi19vcvm6W38wrzYFXny6NrxxyGKqQ8XUkmTeP-Gj_mA744lH90tPfraIV-XIFaphUWvqlqSdPKvO0oe_aOC027_fuPBIFFAUFLTTNwa0Wmc26pFAeePWh2hhVVQ4_xH/s320/Dort+Thomas+Leo+headstone.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
A note on Thomas’ death certificate stated that he had been “gassed and wounded during the Great War.” While his service record contains no record of specific treatment for either condition, military authorities subsequently agreed that his death was connected to his military service. Thomas’ story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-17483562590306906322019-03-31T00:01:00.000-03:002019-03-31T00:01:00.988-03:00Remembering Corporal Vernon Cecil Horton—Died of Sickness March 31, 1926Vernon Cecil Horton was born at Roachvale, Guysborough County, on November 16, 1893, the third of Caroline “Carrie” (Nickerson) and Captain Moses Cook Horton’s eight children and the second of the couple’s four sons. Vernon commenced training with the 106th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles) at Truro, NS, on November 10, 1915, and formally attested with the unit one month later.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfByLT6pulcDJ10rcMjCeixozvoQaYK-85_-vHMQzgL6Vb2kjKDU4tXc3jxuTMbojEb1p4c1UD_3Kx2WP1awcfDEjRGGBZN1DX3mn7d9RaNd5pkSzYRl23yh3guXqfFCEdgOA496wnm3m/s1600/Horton+Vernon+Cecil+postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1033" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfByLT6pulcDJ10rcMjCeixozvoQaYK-85_-vHMQzgL6Vb2kjKDU4tXc3jxuTMbojEb1p4c1UD_3Kx2WP1awcfDEjRGGBZN1DX3mn7d9RaNd5pkSzYRl23yh3guXqfFCEdgOA496wnm3m/s320/Horton+Vernon+Cecil+postcard.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Corporal Vernon Cecil Horton</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
On July 15, 1916, the 106th departed for England aboard SS <i>Empress of Britain</i>. Shortly after his overseas arrival, Vernon was hospitalized for treatment of indigestion and subsequently underwent appendicitis surgery. As the 106th was disbanded during his time in hospital, Vernon was assigned to the 26th Reserve Battalion on January 4, 1917. Six weeks later, he was transferred to the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) and proceeded to France. On March 1, Vernon joined the RCR’s ranks near Bruay, France.<br /><br />On the morning of April 9, 1917, the RCR and two of its 7th Brigade mates—the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) and Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI)—participated in the opening stage of the Canadian Corps’ successful attack on Vimy Ridge. Vernon came through his first combat experience without injury and served with the RCR in sectors near Lens, France, throughout the spring and early summer of 1917.<br /><br />While the RCR did not participate in the combat stage of the Canadian Corps’ August 15, 1917 capture of Hill 70, near Lens, the unit entered trenches on the newly captured location one week later. During the ensuing tour, its soldiers were subjected to intense enemy fire, particularly from German artillery. On August 23, Vernon was buried by debris from an exploding shell, and also suffered a wound to his right thigh sometime during the incident. Rescued by comrades, he was immediately transported to a nearby casualty clearing station for treatment.<br /><br />Two days later, Vernon was evacuated to hospital at Étaples, France, and invalided to England at month’s end. Medical notes indicate that while a foreign object was still embedded in his thigh, it caused “little inconvenience.” Discharged to duty in late November 1917, Vernon was assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion (Nova Scotia), and commenced a program of musketry training shortly afterward. On April 7, 1918, he qualified as an Instructor and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal “while employed as Musket Instructor” at Camp Aldershot. In late July, he advanced to the rank of Corporal.<br /><br />During Vernon’s time in England, several health issues surfaced. He was hospitalized for treatment of tonsillitis in early July, but quickly recovered. By the autumn of 1918, however, medical authorities identified more serious problems. Vernon had experienced heart palpitations while in hospital, shortly after his return from France. A Medical Board convened in late October 1918 stated that, while his war wound had not resulted in any permanent disability, Vernon was suffering from “precordial pain and palpitations, especially after exercise, also dyspnoea [shortness of breath].”<br /><br />On November 15, military authorities recommended that Vernon be invalided to Canada and discharged as “medically unfit.” One week later, he departed England and arrived at Halifax before month’s end. A second Medical Board convened after his return to Nova Scotia confirmed the occurrence of significant health issues following physical exertion. In response to its findings and recommendations, Corporal Vernon Cecil Horton was discharged from military service as “medically unfit” on December 26, 1918.<br /><br />Vernon immediately returned to the family farm at Roachvale. On February 24, 1920, he married Annie Margaret Dowling, a native of Inverness County, in a ceremony held at Boylston. The couple settled at Roachvale, where they planned to raise a family. Sadly, their first child—a son, Willard Dooley Horton—passed away from bronchial pneumonia on December 27, 1921, at one month of age.<br /><br />One year later, the young couple welcomed a second son, Ralph, while a daughter, Doris, later joined the family. For several years, Vernon experienced no health problems. In the spring of 1926, however, he fell ill and was admitted to St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish. On March 31, 1926, Vernon passed away in hospital from a combination of “meningitis [and] probably tuberculosis,” and was laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery, Guysborough.<br /><br />Three and a half months after Vernon’s passing, military authorities agreed that his death was the “result of service” and approved the provision of an Imperial War Graves Commission headstone for his final resting place. Vernon’s story is one of 64 profiles contained in Bantry Publishing’s <i>First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume II: 1918 - 1937</i>, available for purchase online at <a href="http://bantrypublishing.ca/">bantrypublishing.ca</a> .Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1654787233463471463.post-2296772624037205882019-03-29T00:01:00.002-03:002023-01-28T16:37:46.633-04:00Private Stephen Toney—The 85th Battalion's Mi'kmaq SniperStephen Toney was of Mi’kmaq ancestry, “born in a boat two miles off Little Harbour, [Pictou County, Nova Scotia,] while his parents”—Noel and Sarah Toney—“were on a voyage from Merigomish to Indian Cove.” There is considerable discussion as to Stephen’s birthdate. According to his attestation papers, he was born on July 26, 1877. The 1881 Canadian census, however, stated that he was five years old at the time its data was collected (April 1881), suggesting that he was born in 1875 or 1876. A medical document in his service file, completed prior to his discharge, claims that Stephen was born in 1872, but no available sources support this assertion.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzWrE5gxddi2AG_HGb-e9vzV0J-q8pZKXDWO41FBzUgyQo63LeTYGbzP-ZFbjIA5r2SlmMy5I2iLxvogVpQMGeVgrxITJLrrVRowJ2rsdqunA7piP_y829H3gqVVEf0CkFsVxb8zb_oVv/s1600/Toney_Stephen_oval.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="1017" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzWrE5gxddi2AG_HGb-e9vzV0J-q8pZKXDWO41FBzUgyQo63LeTYGbzP-ZFbjIA5r2SlmMy5I2iLxvogVpQMGeVgrxITJLrrVRowJ2rsdqunA7piP_y829H3gqVVEf0CkFsVxb8zb_oVv/s320/Toney_Stephen_oval.png" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pte. Stephen Toney, "D" Company, 193rd Battalion photo</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>
On March 29, 1916, Stephen enlisted with the 193rd Battalion at Pictou, NS. At the the time, he was married with at least one son, Noel, born in April 1902. Stephen listed his occupation as “cooper”—a common trade among Mi’kmaq men—and claimed to be 38 years and nine months of age at the time. A contemporary source later claimed that 12 Pictou County Mi’kmaq men served overseas with various Canadian military units during the First World War.<br />
<br />
One of four infantry battalions that formed the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade, the 193rd recruited its personnel across northern Nova Scotia. In late May, the Brigade’s soldiers gathered at Camp Aldershot, near Kentville, NS, where they spent the summer months in training. On October 12, 1916, the four battalions departed for England aboard SS <i>Olympic</i>. Shortly after arriving overseas, two Brigade units—the 193rd and 219th Battalions—were dissolved and their personnel dispersed to other units.<br />
<br />
Stephen was part of a draft of 193rd soldiers assigned to the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) on December 6, 1916. While he immediately proceeded to France, he served for a brief period with the 3rd Entrenching Battalion before reporting to the 42nd’s camp on January 2, 1917. One month later, the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders)—the Highland Brigade’s senior unit—crossed the English Channel to France and commenced service in the forward area with the 4th Division. On February 24, 1917, Stephen received a transfer to the 85th and joined its ranks early the following month.<br />
<br />
During Stephen’s time in training, officers recognized his prowess with a rifle. During Stephen’s time in training, officers recognized his prowess with a rifle. He was blessed with exceptional eyesight. One story passed down over the years claims that during sailboat races on the Bras d’Or Lakes, Stephen could read from an impressive distance the names painted on their hulls. As a result, he was assigned to sniper duty with the 85th.</p><p>Private Charles R. Murray, a native of New Glasgow, NS, described his prowess in a letter home: “Stephen has been with us about three months and is a crack shot. Consequently he was one of the snipers and did good work on the day of the big drive [the Canadian Corps’ attack on Vimy Ridge]. In mud to his hips, he calmly shot a machine gunner and one… sniper.”<br />
<br />
On another occasion, Stephen’s Company was enduring fierce machine gun fire from a position it could not locate. Under cover of darkness, he “went out into No Man’s Land…, concealed himself in a shell hole, his body pretty well covered with snow[,] and laid low. At daylight he found… and disposed of the [machine gun] nest.”<br />
<br />
A later local news item, written following his return to Nova Scotia, described an instance in which Stephen was “out in a shell hole for six days with a barrage from both sides going on all above and about him, and he had only four hard tack biscuits to eat all that time.” On another occasion, Toney “crawl[ed] through the German wire, taking one and a half hours to do it… [and returned with] four rifles[,] leaving four dead Germans.”<br />
<br />
Stephen logged more than three months’ service in the line without incident. On the night of June 12, 1917, the 85th relieved the 102nd Battalion in trenches near Avion, France. Its daily war diary entry described an incident that occurred as its soldiers entered the line: “During the relief [, the] enemy counter-attacked… and was driven off by our artillery and machine gun fire. The enemy used gas on our front and inflicted casualties on B and D Companies.”<br />
<br />
Stephen was one of the soldiers exposed to poison gas during the attack. Evacuated for treatment, he was admitted to No. 20 General Hospital, Camiers, France, on June 19. Four days later, he was invalided to England and transported to North Evington Military Hospital, Leicester. Following his transfer to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom, on July 7, medical staff performed a thorough physical examination and reported: “Chest clear. Heart normal. Appetite good. Temperature normal. Feels well.”<br />
<br />
One week later, Stephen had recovered sufficiently to receive a 10-day pass. He remained under medical care until mid-September, when he reported to the 17th Reserve Battalion (Nova Scotia). Around that time, Stephen wrote to a Pictou County acquaintance, describing his circumstances in upbeat terms: “I am feeling ‘jake’ once more after a few weeks in the hospital. The gas does not bother me very much now and I hope to be back [in France] in a few days.”<br />
<br />
While eager to return to the trenches, Stephen spent another two months in England before rejoining the 85th’s ranks in late November 1917. Throughout the winter months, he served a regular rotation in the line. As time passed, however, health issues connected to his gas exposure surfaced. On February 15, 1918, he reported to No. 11 Field Ambulance for treatment of “chronic bronchitis.” Transported by ambulance train to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Étaples, two days later, Stephen was invalided to England for a second time early the following month.<br />
<br />
On March 6, Stephen was admitted to Birmingham War Hospital, Rednal, Birmingham, where he was diagnosed with “debility.” At month’s end, he received a transfer to the Epsom convalescent facility and was discharged from care on April 4. As medical authorities determined that there was “no disability,” Stephen was classified as “Fit D1”—fit for duty upon completion of remedial training. After completing a 12-day pass, he reported to the 2nd Canadian Corps Depot, Bramshott.<br />
<br />
In early June, Stephen was assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion, where he completed training in “rapid wiring” before month’s end. His anticipated return to France, however, proved to be overly optimistic. In early July, Stephen was transferred to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot, Bramshott, and at mid-month reported to Buxton, “pending embarkation to Canada for disposal.”<br />
<br />
On September 22, Stephen departed for home and was posted to the Casualty Company, Military District No. 6, Halifax, upon arrival. Subsequent medical documents shed light on the reasons for his return. Following his transfer to the Hospital Section (Camp Hill) on November 14, medical staff described his health issues as “myalgia and loss of vision.” A “Case History Sheet” in his service file provided further details:<br />
<br />
“Patient is 46 years of age and appears to be even older than that. He was gassed a year ago in June and since that [time] his eyes have troubled him and excessive secretion of tears occurs. No cough at present. Heart and lungs are normal. Pulse rate 66. Arteries are not widely hardened for age.” <br />
<br />
A “Medical History of An Invalid” report, dated December 4, 1918, listed Stephen’s date of birth as July 26, 1872, and elaborated on his health issues. At the time, he was experiencing “pain in both shoulders, especially at posterior parts, [symptoms that became] worse in wet weather.” His left shoulder “causes more pain on movement than [the] right and raising the arm causes much pain.” <br />
<br />
While Stephen reported “catching a cold” easily, he was not suffering from a cough at the time of the examination. The June 1917 gassing, however, “affect[ed his] eyes chiefly so that he was obliged to give up his sniping duties.” As the medical report concluded that Stephen’s disability was “permanent,” he was placed in Category E—“medically unfit for service.”<br />
<br />
On December 25, 1918, Pte. Stephen Toney was formally discharged from military service and rejoined his wife Annie, who had taken up residence at Upper Musquodoboit, NS, during his absence. At some point following his homecoming, Stephen travelled to New Glasgow, NS, where Mayor H. G. Grant and a group of town representatives presented three recently returned Pictou County Mi’kmaq “soldier boys”—Stephen, Noel Francis and Teddy Knockwood—with a Scroll of Honour.<br />
<br />
A contemporary news item about the ceremony referred to Stephen as a “redoubtable sniper” who possessed “great skill as a lead shot,” and described him as “stolid, keen [and] strong-faced…, very swarthy, and with all his features strongly marked, and with a very dark, swarthy face…, [a] determined mouth and chin, and with a great development above the eyebrows, showing his great and keen powers of observation.”<br />
<br />
According to the 1921 Canadian census, Stephen and Annie Toney were residing on a Mi’kmaq reserve at Musquodoboit, Halifax County, their dwelling’s only occupants. Stephen’s occupation at the time was listed as “trapper.” It also appears that on occasion he also spent time in Pictou County. Helen MacLeod Haines, a present-day resident of Abercrombie, Pictou County, recalls that he had a small camp in woods near her family home at Six Mile Brook.<br /><br />While residing there, Stephen frequently visited Helen’s parents, Neil Scott and Christie Jane (MacDonald) MacLeod, whose home was nearby. He would bring along his violin and play a few tunes during visits. Stephen also played cribbage with Helen’s mother, who provided him with a cup of tea and biscuit. At that time, Helen recalls that he was making cane seats for chairs.<br /><br />The connection to the Six Mile Brook MacLeod family was no coincidence. Neil Scott’s brother—Helen’s uncle—Lieutenant John Owen MacLeod, enlisted with the 85th Battalion on October 5, 1915, and was later transferred to the 193rd, where Stephen made his acquaintance. Lt. MacLeod joined the 85th in France in early June 1918, by which time Stephen had been invalided to England. Tragically, Lt. MacLeod was killed in action at the Battle of the Scarpe on September 2, 1918.<br /><br />After returning to Nova Scotia, Stephen assisted Lt. MacLeod’s widowed mother, Mrs. Hugh (Annie) MacLeod, with chores on her Six Mile Brook farm, as his camp was located along the brook not far from the property. Stephen also worked for a time at a local sawmill.</p><p>According to a note on his service medal card. Stephen had relocated to Mount Stewart, PEI, sometime before December 1927. In fact, provincial marriage records available at the Public Archives of Prince Edward Island list the marriage of Stephen Toney, widower, to Mrs. Rose Mitchell, a 47-year-old widow, on October 11, 1926.<br /><br />At the time of the ceremony, Stephen was 49 years old, which corresponds with the 1877 birth year listed in his service file. The record gives his parents as Noel Toney, Pictou, and Jannette Pane. Stephen’s second wife was born on Lennox Island, PEI, the daughter of Joseph Francis and Susan Louis. Rose was living on the Scotchfort Reservation, PEI, at the time of her marriage.<br /><br />Stephen Toney died in Fort Augustus, PEI, on August 11, 1943. His provincial death record indicates that he was a widower, living in nearby Mount Stewart. According to the register, Stephen was 62 years old at the time of his passing. He was buried in St. Bonaventure’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Grand Tracadie, PEI.<br /><br /><i>Special thanks to Clyde Macdonald, New Glasgow, NS, who shared notes from a June 1, 2022 interview with Helen MacLeod Haines, Abercrombie, NS. Clyde also received information on Stephen Toney through e-mail correspondence with Bill Sinclair. Francis Handrahan, Archivist Assistant, Public Archives of Prince Edward Island, provided Clyde with information on Stephen’s second marriage and death. (This post was last updated on January 28, 2023.)<br /></i></p>Bruce MacDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05082024294095144086noreply@blogger.com0