Guysborough's "Passchendaele Boys"

In mid-October 1917, Canadian Corps units arrived in Belgium’s Ypres Salient and assumed responsibility for sectors of the line at the foot of Passchendaele Ridge. On October 26, 3rd and 4th Division units launched the first of a four-phase assault on the village of Passchendaele and its surrounding ridge. Two days later, fresh units entered the line and prepared for the second stage. On the morning of October 30, the battalions resumed the attack. Four Guysborough County soldiers were killed during the day’s fighting.


1. William Andrew “Will” Jordain was born at New Town, Guysborough County on June 6, 1890, the son of Caroline Gordon “Carrie” (Archibald) and Peter Jordain. Will enlisted with the 151st Battalion at Edmonton, AB on January 16, 1916. The unit crossed to England in early October 1916, but was disbanded shortly after arriving overseas.

Pte. William Andrew Jordain

On October 16, Will was transferred to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps’s training facility at Shorncliffe, England. After four months of training, he crossed the English Channel to France and was assigned to the 15th Canadian Machine Gun Company (CMGC) on February 8, 1917. The recently created unit spent almost two months training before its personnel entered the line near Neuville-Saint-Vaast on March 30 for its first “tour.”

Will’s unit participated in the Canadian Corps’ April 9 attack on Vimy Ridge and served in sectors near Lens, France throughout the spring and summer months. In mid-October, personnel made their way northward to Belgium, entering the line on October 28. The following day, the gunners completed preparations for their role in the second phase of the attack on Passchendaele Ridge.

As Canadian infantry units advanced toward their objectives at 5:50 a.m. October 30, Will and his mates commenced firing approximately 600,000 rounds of ammunition at German positions. In response, German artillery heavily shelled the Canadian line, in an effort to neutralize the machine gun barrage. According to its war diary, 15th CMGC’s positions “were heavily shelled throughout the day and night and casualties were heavy.”

Private Will Jordain was among the personnel killed during the day’s fighting. His remains were never recovered from the mud-strewn battlefield. Will’s name is engraved on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, one of more than 55,000 British and Imperial soldiers “lost without a trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War.”


2. Albyn R. Smith was born at Saint Francis Harbour, Guysborough County on August 10, 1894. The identity of his parents remain a mystery. Sometime before 1901, Albyn was adopted by Charlotte and Jeffrey Pelrine, Larry’s River. On July 10, 1916, Albyn attested for service with the Composite Battalion at Halifax. At the time, he was was almost six feet tall and weighed 169 pounds, a sizeable lad for his day.

Pte. Albyn Smith (488357)—Menin Gate Inscription

In early August, Albyn departed for England, where he was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on September 29. Eager to serve overseas, he soon “reverted to ranks” to hasten a transfer and was assigned to the 60th Battalion (Victoria Rifles of Canada, Montreal) on October 26. Albyn crossed the English Channel to France the following day and joined his new unit in the line on November 23.

Illness soon interrupted Albyn’s service in the line. On December 20, he was admitted to a field ambulance for treatment of pleurisy. Albyn rejoined the 60th’s ranks in early February 1917, by which time military authorities had decided to disband the unit, due to dwindling reinforcement numbers. While the soldiers participated in the Canadian Corps’ historic April 9, 1917 attack on Vimy Ridge, the 60th was disbanded before month’s end.

Albyn was part of a draft of 11 Officers and 225 OR transferred to the 5th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles (CMR), on April 30. He served with his new unit in sectors near Lens throughout the summer of 1917 and followed 5th CMR northward to Caëstre, France, near the Belgian border, in mid-October. One week later, the battalion travelled by train to Ypres and entered the line for its Passchendaele assignment on the evening of October 28.

A steady hail of artillery fire inflicted casualties as 5th CMR spent the following day preparing for combat. At 5:50 a.m. October 30, Albyn and his comrades went “over the top” toward the German line. In little more than two hours, all Companies achieved their objectives, but were subjected to enemy fire from both flanks throughout the morning as units on each side had failed to keep pace with their advance. Officers estimated casualties at approximately 300, while an afternoon report stated that the unit had lost 75 % of its trench strength of 590 “all ranks.”

On the night of October 31/November 1, 2nd Battalion CMR relieved 5th CMR in the trenches. As the unit retired from the line, the toll from its Passchendaele assignment was staggering. Seven of its Officers had been killed, 10 wounded and another 10 “wounded and missing.” Amongst its OR, 381 were killed, wounded or missing, while 14 wounded OR remained at duty.

Private Albyn Smith was one of the OR killed during the October 30 fighting. His remains were never recovered from the battlefield where he fell. Albyn’s name is inscribed on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, erected in honour of British and Imperial soldiers who died on the battlefields of Flanders and have no known grave.


3. Private Thomas William “Tommy” Waterhouse was born at Leeds, England on July 20, 1884. His mother, Caroline (Townson) Waterhouse, passed away in 1890, leaving Tommy in the care of his 20-year-old brother, Edward. While a local resident took Tommy into his home shortly after Caroline’s death, the arrangement ended five years later, at which time Tommy applied for admission to the Children’s Emigration Home, Birmingham.

Pte. Thomas William (Waterhouse) Suttis.

The charity accepted Tommy into its care and in 1896 arranged for Tommy to emigrate to Halifax, NS, where he was placed in a Fairview “receiving home” until he found an adoptive family. At the same time, David and Emma (Atwater) Suttis, an older, childless couple residing at Indian Harbour Lake, Guysborough County, were seeking a boy to help them with daily chores. An arrangement was quickly made and Tommy moved into the Suttis home.

As he grew into adulthood, Tommy went to work in the local fishery. While never formally adopted, he used the surname “Suttis” following his arrival in Indian Harbour Lake. When military recruiters visited Guysborough County in the spring of 1916, Tommy enlisted with the 193rd Battalion and spent the summer training at Camp Aldershot, near Kentville. In mid-October 1916, he crossed to England with the 193rd as part of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade.

Upon arriving overseas, Tommy took the opportunity to visit family in Birmingham. Before year’s end, pressing demands for reinforcements in France led to the 193rd’s dissolution. On December 5, 1916, Tommy was transferred to the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) and crossed the English Channel the following day. Shortly after landing in France, however, he was temporarily attached to 3rd Entrenching Battalion. Tommy served with the work unit for almost two months, at which time he received a second transfer to the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) on February 24, 1917.

The Nova Scotia Highland Brigade’s senior unit, the 85th had arrived in France earlier in the month. Tommy joined their ranks at Gouy-Servins on March 5 and served with the unit at Vimy Ridge the following month. Assigned to the 4th Canadian Division’s 12th Brigade in late April, the unit completed tours in the Lens area throughout the summer of 1917. In mid-October, the battalion travelled northward to Staple, near the Belgian border, where its ranks trained in preparation for their Passchendaele assignment.

The 85th made its way to Ypres, Belgium on October 23 and five days later entered the trenches for its role in the second stage of the Canadian Corps’ Passchendaele operation. The 85th was located on the 12th Brigade’s extreme right flank, its objective to capture a cluster of fortified buildings called Vienna Cottage and establish a new defensive line approximately 600 yards from its jumping off trenches.

As Tommy and his mates went “over the top” toward their objective at 5:50 a.m. October 30, they immediately encountered a wall of enemy fire. The supporting artillery barrage in their sector was “light… little if any of it” striking German positions. Within minutes, a fierce fire-fight erupted in No Man’s Land, cutting down any soldier who dared to stand. When the three attacking Companies appeared to waver, a fourth Company waiting in reserve entered the fight. German resistance broke as the reinforcements reached their comrades and the battalion pushed on to its final objective, although casualties were “very heavy.”

The 85th remained in the line for almost 48 hours, its soldiers working to establish a new defensive position. By the time the unit retired on the night of October 31/November 1, the extent of its Passchendaele losses were staggering. A total of 12 Officers were killed and another later died of wounds, while seven others were seriously wounded in the fighting. Amongst its OR, the losses were similarly devastating—a total of 135 soldiers were killed and 243 wounded. The remains of 75 fallen 85th soldiers were never recovered from the battlefield.

Tommy was one of the fatalities buried somewhere beneath the Passchendaele battlefield. His name is engraved on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, erected in memory of the thousands of British and Imperial soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient during the First World War and who have no known final resting place.


4. Neil Cornelius David was born at Port Felix on June 6, 1896, the son of William Henry and Bridget (Bellefontaine) David. Neil enlisted with the 237th Battalion at Halifax, NS on August 1, 1916. One of several “American Legion” units recruited across the country, the battalion was disbanded shortly after Neil’s enlistment, at which time he was transferred to the 97th Battalion, another “American Legion” unit.

Pte. Neil David's Menin Gate Inscription.

The 97th departed for England on September 18 and was in turn dissolved shortly after its overseas arrival. On October 31, 1916, Neil was transferred to the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR)—Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) Depot, Seaford. Neil spent the winter of 1916-17 in England and was assigned to the PPCLI on April 25, 1917. Two and a half weeks later, he joined the unit in France.

The PPCLI was the Canadian Corps’ most experienced unit, having arrived on the Western Front in late December 1914. Neil joined the battalion in the aftermath of its Vimy Ridge assignment and served with the “Patricias” in sectors near Lens throughout the summer months. On October 23, the battalion travelled northward by train to Ypres, Belgium, its soldiers spending the night amongst the ruins, where they endured considerable aerial bombardment.

On the afternoon of October 28, the PPCLI commenced the journey into the front trenches facing Passchendaele Ridge. At 5:50 a.m. October 30, its 28 Officers and 600 OR advanced toward their objective—the village of Metcheele and its surrounding high ground—making steady progress throughout the early morning hours. By mid-morning, however, the unit had suffered considerable casualties and urgently requested reinforcements. In response, four RCR platoons moved forward and assisted the unit in establishing a new defensive line in front of the village of Metcheele by early afternoon.

When the unit withdrew from the line on the night of October 31/November 1, only 245 of its soldiers remained at duty. Nine Officers were killed, 10 wounded and one gassed during the tour, while 93 of its OR were killed, 199 wounded and 38 missing. The battalion suffered a staggering total of 354 casualties “all ranks” at Passchendaele.

Private Neil David was initially reported “missing in action… last seen as he was leaving the ‘jumping off’ trench in the [October 30] attack.” Struck of the unit’s strength three days after its withdrawal from the line, Neil was officially reported “killed in action” four months later. No information ever surfaced as to the circumstances in which he died.

As with so many of his Passchendaele comrades, Neil’s remains were never recovered from the battlefield. His name is inscribed on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium, erected as a memorial to the thousands of soldiers who died in the Ypres Salient and whose bodies were never recovered.

Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

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Bantry Publishing’s First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia Volume I: 1915 - 1917 contains detailed summaries of the above four Passchendaele soldiers’ family background and military experience, along with profiles of 68 other Guysborough County soldiers who died during the first three years of Canadian overseas service.

Guysborough County Enlistments—September 1917

Three Guysborough County natives enlisted for service with Canadian Expeditionary Force units during the month of September 1917:

1. William John Gordon “Bill” Sinclair (2204425) was born at Goshen, Guysborough County on April 7, 1888. The fifth of William and Mary (Polson) Sinclair’s 10 children, Bill was one of four Sinclair brothers who served overseas during the war. He and his younger brother, Charles Hadden Spurgeon “Charlie,” were working in ore mines near Lowell, Arizona when they registered for the United States military draft on June 5, 1917. Rather than serve with American units, both chose to return to Canada and enlist, but headed in different directions.

While Charlie returned to Nova Scotia and joined a Forestry Corps draft in October 1917, Bill travelled westward and attested with the 1st Depot Battalion, British Columbia Regiment at Vancouver, BC on September 19, 1917. Upon arriving overseas, he was transferred to the 72nd Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada) and served with the unit in France during the final year of the war.

After returning to Canada, Bill married Lucy Vinton, a native of South River, Antigonish County. The couple initially resided at Isaac’s Harbour, where Bill tended the local lighthouse for several years, but later established a farm at Abercrombie, Pictou County, where they raised a family of seven children. Bill also worked as a superintendent with the Department of Highways. Bill Sinclair passed away at Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow on May 30, 1962 and was laid to rest in Abercrombie Cemetery.


2. Willard Creswell Horton was born at Roachvale, Guysborough County on July 31, 1892, the second of Moses Cook and Caroline Oressa “Carrie” (Nickerson) Horton’s eight children and their oldest son. In 1911, Willard departed for Boston, MA, where he enlisted with the United States 76th Division’s 301st Infantry Regiment on September 23, 1917. He served with the 301st in France and was discharged from military service on October 21, 1919.

Willard’s younger brother, Vernon Cecil, enlisted with the 106th Battalion. He was subsequently transferred to the Royal Canadian Regiment in France on March 1, 1917. Wounded near Lens on August 23, 1917 and invalided to England, Vernon never returned to the front. Following his recovery, Vernon completed musketry training. Promoted to the rank of Corporal, he served as a Musketry Instructor in England for the remainder of the war.

Willard remained in the United States following his discharge. In the spring of 1927, he returned to Guysborough County and married Catherine Louise Morgan, a Guysborough native, in a ceremony held on March 30, 1927 at the bride’s home. The couple returned to Boston, where they welcomed a son, Kenneth, in 1929. In his later years, Willard returned to Guysborough County. He passed away in 1973 and was laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery, Guysborough.


3. Edward Charles Cooke (2605873) was born at Isaac’s Harbour, Guysborough County on October 25, 1898 to Russell and Laurella M. (Langley) Cooke. The third child and third son in a family of 10—seven boys and three girls—Edward’s two older brothers, Byron and Orris, also served during the First World War. Edward attested with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) Reinforcements at Halifax on September 27, 1917. At the time of his enlistment, Edward stated that he had previously served with the 82nd Regiment (Abegweit Light Infantry), a Prince Edward Island militia unit.

In February 1918, Edward was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, the result of a severe cold he developed while stationed at Camp Aldershot. He was immediately admitted to Kentville Sanatorium for treatment. On May 1, a Medical Board recommended that he remain in care for another two months. When Edward refused further treatment, he was transferred to the Casualty Company on May 17 and discharged as medically unfit on June 12, 1918.

Edward relocated to Pictou County, where he obtained employment at the Trenton steel mill. On August 29, 1918, he married Mary Ellen McKenna, a native of Antigonish, in a ceremony held at New Glasgow. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter Margaret, in 1919. A second son, Edward, was born on October 23, 1922. The family eventually relocated to Halifax, where Edward earned a living in the merchant marine.

While he escaped the perils of First World War service, Edward’s merchant marine service placed him in a precarious situation during the Second World War. During the winter of 1942-43, Edward was working as assistant steward aboard SS Rhexener, a British merchant steamer carrying cocoa from Durban, South Africa to Britain via Freetown, Sierra Leone and Saint John, NB. Shortly after the vessel left Freetown, a German U-boat torpedoed the ship at 6:00 a.m. February 3, 1943.

The entire crew—a total of 70 men—abandoned ship in four lifeboats before the Rhexener sank. Using the stars to navigate, the survivors drifted westward for 1,200 miles. Three weeks later, the lifeboats sighted land and several days later came ashore at Antigua. In a remarkable feat of survival, only three crew members perished during the ordeal. Undaunted by this “near death” experience, Edward returned to sea, a January 31, 1945 Port of New York, NY document stating that he had served as “chief cook” aboard SS Tampico, a vessel that sailed out of Liverpool, NS, for one year.

In his later years, Edward relocated to Vancouver, BC, where his daughter, Margaret, had married and resided. He passed away there on March 4, 1968 at age 69.

Remembering Sergeant Joseph Charles Morgan—Died of Sickness September 19, 1917

Joseph Charles Morgan (222955) was born at Guysborough, Guysborough County on January 5, 1879, the second of Elizabeth Ann (Hadley) and Joseph Christopher Morgan’s four children. Joseph Christopher passed away in 1905, while Elizabeth died three years later. Joseph Charles remained at Guysborough, where he earned a living as a farmer and carpenter during the pre-war years.

Joseph commenced training with the 85th Battalion at Halifax, NS on September 29, 1915. Considerably older than the majority of the unit’s recruits—he was 36 years of age at the time—he formally attested with the unit on November 1. Joseph spent the winter of 1915-16 training with the 85th at Halifax. The January 1916 formation of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade delayed its overseas departure for several months. Joseph’s promotion to the rank of Sergeant on April 2, 1916 suggests that his superiors were impressed with his character and leadership skills. Two months later, the 85th’s personnel relocating to Camp Aldershot for a summer of drill alongside the Brigade’s three newly formed Brigade units.

Joseph was not aboard SS Olympic as the Highland Brigade departed for England on October 12. At the first of the month, health concerns led to his transfer to No. 6 Military District Depot, Halifax. A formal medical report, completed at Camp Aldershot two days prior to the Brigade’s departure, concluded that Joseph was suffering from “chronic bronchitis” and “phthisis pulmonis [sic - pulmonalis, aka tuberculosis].” The document also stated that Joseph’s health had been “aggravated by service” and as a result he was plagued with several “chronic” conditions. The report recommended admission to a sanatorium and formal discharge as “medically unfit.”

On October 23, Joseph was admitted to military hospital, where he remained in care for one month. Officially discharged from military service on December 23, 1916, he returned to Guysborough, where Dr. G. E. Buckley monitored his health. In an April 18, 1917 report to military authorities, Dr. Buckley confirmed the military’s preliminary diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Joseph’s family apparently had a history of the disease, which the physician attributed in Joseph’s case to bronchitis contracted due to “exposure during camp life.” The prognosis was not promising: “He is losing some flesh and, unless [his] temperature subsides, must fail rapidly.” Dr. Buckley recommended “treatment in a Sanatorium under medical supervision,” if Joseph “recovers sufficiently to travel.”

Unfortunately, Joseph’s health continued to decline as the months passed. Sergeant Joseph Charles Morgan passed away at Guysborough on September 19, 1917 and was laid to rest in the local Methodist Cemetery. His younger brother and next of kin, William Henry Morgan, Guysborough, later received a Memorial Plaque and Scroll engraved with his name.

Bantry Publishing's First World War Honour Roll of Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Volume I: 1915 - 1917 contains a detailed summary of Joseph Charles Morgan's military service.