Guysborough County Enlistments - July 3, 1916

On July 3, 1916, three Guysborough County natives enlisted for service with Canadian Expeditionary Force units:

1. Amos Cashin, son of William & Suzanne (Meagher) Cashin, Port Felix, Guysborough County, enlisted with the 237th Battalion (American Legion) at Halifax, NS. Amos was later transferred to the 97th Battalion (American Legion), which was disbanded upon landing in England. He was reassigned to No. 23 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps and served with the unit in France. During the latter stages of the war, Amos was called up to the front, serving in the line with the Royal Canadian Regiment. A detailed version of Amos’s war service is available on this blog.

Amos Cashin (left) and Arthur Levangie

Upon returning to Nova Scotia, Amos briefly worked in Halifax, where he married Beatrice Smith, a Halifax native. The couple later returned to Port Felix, where they raised a family of five sons while Amos worked as an inshore fisherman. Amos passed away at Port Felix on December 30, 1985 and was laid to rest in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Port Felix.

2. Dennis Cashin, son of William & Suzanne (Meagher) Cashin, Port Felix, Guysborough County and brother to Amos, also enlisted with the 237th Battalion (American Legion) at Halifax, NS. Dennis was also transferred to the 97th Battalion (American Legion), but parted ways with Amos in England, when he was assigned to 12th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops after the 97th’s dissolution. Dennis served as a “sapper” with 12th CRT in France.

After the war, Dennis married Claire Agnes Pelrine and raised a family of 11 children—seven boys and four girls—at Port Felix. He passed away at St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish on August 28, 1964 and was laid to rest in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Port Felix.

3. Harold Kennedy was born at Guysborough, NS—possibly the Salmon River Lake area—on February 26, 1898. Little is known about his family background, other than his mother’s first name—Helen—and his next of kin, William Kennedy, Guysborough P.O. (uncle). Harold enlisted with the 121st Battalion at Vancouver, BC and was transferred to the 102nd Battalion (British Columbia) on December 5, 1916.

Young Harold was killed at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917 while serving with the 102nd Battalion. He was laid to rest in Bois Carré Cemetery, Thélus, France. A detailed story of Harold’s military service is published in “First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume I: 1915 - 1917,’” available online from Bantry Publishing.