LIEUT.-COL. STRUAN G. ROBERTSON.
On July 31, 1914, the officer commanding the 78th Regiment Pictou Highlanders wired the then Minister of Militia of Canada that his Regiment was ready for service, and received a reply, dated August 1, 1914, expressing the Minister’s thanks for the patriotic offer. On August 8th orders were received by wire from the Adjutant-General, Ottawa, as follows: “It is notified for information that not more than 125 men with officers will be accepted from each rural Regiment.” This order limited volunteering in Nova Scotian rural corps at once to that number.
On August 20, 1914, 135 officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks left New Glasgow for Valcartier, being joined at Truro by a full quota of officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks of the 76th Colchester Rifles and small detachments of the 63rd and 66th Halifax Regiments, a Company from the 75th Lunenburg Regiment under Lieut.-Colonel Andrews, and one from 69th. Passing through Cumberland County the Nova Scotian contingent was further augmented by a roll of officers, non-commissioned officers and men, up to the strength authorized, from the 93rd Cumberland Regiment, with their O.C., Lieut.-Colonel Murray, making in all a total of some five hundred officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks.
Had each of the seven Nova Scotia Regiments of Militia been able to send the number authorized the contingent would have been little short of strength as a Regiment. Ottawa had apparently overlooked the fact that both the Halifax Regiments and the 94th of Cape Breton were on garrison duty, making it difficult for them to recruit beyond their then imperative needs or part with the number required.
It was then proposed by the officers on board the troop train that steps be taken to form a Nova Scotian Battalion, so that all might serve together. The three senior officers of the contingent, Lieut.-Colonels Andrews, Cameron and Murray asked Lieut.-Col. S. G. Robertson to undertake the organization and ask that he be given command. Although he had specialized as far as possible in Staff work and felt his services would be of more value in that line than in Regimental duty, the request was difficult of refusal and the proposal was accepted.
From the time of arrival in Valcartier the Nova Scotians remained together until a wire was received from the Minister authorizing the organization of the Battalion. Unfortunately an excessive advertising of the Unit by a too friendly press in Halifax aroused Provincial jealousies and no doubt made fulfilment of the authorization difficult. It undoubtedly made it appear to outsiders that the Nova Scotian officers were doing a lot of advertising, an opinion that was far from the truth. Time dragged on; a few officers and men losing heart joined other Battalions; but their number was small and all had the best reasons for doing so. In most cases it meant promotion.
Shortly before the day of sailing, the raising of two new Units was authorized by Headquarters, to be numbered the 17th and 18th Battalions; and the personnel of the officers was published, which included one, if not two, of the senior Nova Scotian officers. Recruiting, however, showed that there were no available rank and file apart from the Nova Scotians, who, however, absolutely refused to join without their own officers. As all prospect of a Nova Scotian Battalion seemed to have vanished, therefore in order to get the men to join one of the new Units, after consultation with the men Lieut.-Colonel Robertson offered his services as Paymaster in that Unit.
Hardly had his services been accepted by the Officer Commanding than the Premier arrived in Camp and called a meeting of the Nova Scotian officers for the following morning. At the meeting two proposals were made to the officers, who were asked to consider them and report their decision at a later hour. The proposals were to go then as a half Battalion or remain behind to be properly organized and sail later. The meeting of officers decided without dissent that to remain until properly organized was the only course open, in view of the shortness of time and lack of so much that was necessary.
On this report being made to the Premier he stated that it had been decided to send us as a Battalion with the First Contingent, to allow us to recruit as far as possible and if necessary to send drafts later to complete our establishment. The colors of the Battalion were then presented by Lady Borden, with appropriate ceremony.
Within three days sufficient men had been recruited in Cape Breton, Pictou, Colchester and Cumberland Counties practically to complete the strength of a Regiment.