Nova Scotia's Part in the Great War

by Unknown

O.C., Lieut.-Col. R. H. Ryan, South African, Russian-Japanese, American-Mexican Wars; 2nd I.C., Lieut.-Col. A. E. Ings, Militia Long Service Medal; Capt. and Adj., Capt. B. W. Roscoe (later Capt. J. W. Long); Q.M., Major R. A. March; O.M., Major Colin Macintosh; Chaplain, Capt. G. A. Kuhring; M.O., Capt. F. A. R. Gow; Sig. Off., Capt. H. R. Emmerson; Asst. Adj., Lieut. E. M. Arnold; Vet. Off., Lieut. J. S. Roy; R.S.M., L. W. Long.

“A” Squadron—O.C., Major A. J. Markham; 2nd I.C., Capt. B. W. Roscoe; Lieut. A. T. Ganong, Lieut. G. N. D. Otty, Lieut. G. R. Barnes, Lieut. W. D. Atkinson, Sqd. Sgt.-Major N. Dawes.

“B” Squadron—Major C. H. McLean; 2nd I.C., Capt. M. A. Scovil; Lieut. E. J. Mooney, Lieut. E. A. Thomas, Lieut. H. S. Everitt, Lieut. Geo. Morrisey, Sqd. Sgt.-Major J. M. Lamb.

“C” Squadron—Major T. A. Lydiard; 2nd I.C., Capt. J. C. Gray; Lieut. H. H. Pineo, Lieut. J. P. Knowlton, Lieut. W. J. Brown, Lieut. H. L. Bowness, Lieut. B. M. Beckwith, Sqd. Sgt.-Major George Gill.

Colonel Ryan and many of the officers and other ranks had volunteered at the outbreak of the war but owing to the expected necessity for the employment of mounted troops in the Maritime Provinces (the 14th K.C.H. having actually received orders for mobilization) their services were not accepted. It was also intimated to Colonel Ryan, who was at Valcartier, when the First Division was mobilized, that in the event of the Maritime Province Cavalry not being mobilized as Militia Units for home service he would be permitted to raise a Cavalry Regiment from these Units and would be given command thereof, owing to his previous service and experience in the field.

Accordingly Colonel Ryan returned to Nova Scotia and in December, 1915, received orders to recruit the Regiment.

AT AMHERST, N.S.

The Regiment was mobilized at Amherst, N.S., mobilization dating from March 17, 1915.

The period during which the Regiment was quartered at Amherst was spent in perfecting the organization, taking on recruits and training the latter, owing to restrictions being largely confined to setting-up exercises, arm drill and route marching with inspections by various Generals.

While at Amherst a draft of two hundred volunteers was sent as reinforcements to the Infantry Regiments in England to make up for the losses sustained by the Canadians in the Second Battle of Ypres. These were replaced by new recruits.