CHAPTER XI.
THE 25th BATTALION.
BY CAPT. G. C. M‘ELHENNY.
In endeavoring to write this brief account of the organization, training and operations of the first Battalion of Nova Scotians to be raised and equipped in their own Province and also the first from these “the sea-girt hills and vales,” which have contributed more than their quota of soldiers, sailors, statesmen, educators and men of affairs in the past, to man the trenches in France and Flanders, the writer regrets and wishes it understood that he is not writing from personal observations, inasmuch as (and this is what he regrets) he was not a member of the 25th Battalion until the spring of 1917. The substance, then, of the following is compiled from the War Diary of the 25th Canadian Infantry Battalion, and is submitted to the publishers of this volume at their request and with the fullest appreciation of the writer’s inability to do justice to the task of chronicling four and a half years of any Battalion’s history, least of all the splendid story of the indomitable courage and tenacious striving toward an ideal which were the predominant features of this, in several respects, an unique Battalion in the Canadian Corps.
There are many omissions in the following narrative which the writer regrets are imperative in order to make it of sufficient brevity to allow of its publication in this volume. The nominal roll of officers is as issued by the Department of Militia and Defence on the Battalion’s sailing from Halifax on May 20, 1915. The summary of decorations awarded was provided by the Adjutant-General, Canadian Militia, Ottawa, and does not include the medals won by General Hilliam, C.B., and several other officers and some other ranks when with Units other than the 25th Battalion.
It will be interesting to note in the list of original 2nd Division officers who marched across the Rhine at Bonn on December 13, 1918, that only two were commissioned officers on September 15, 1915. They are Major A. W. P. Weston and Lieut. G. M. McNeil, M.C. There were ninety-six other ranks with the Battalion on both the above-mentioned dates.
In the narrative there are many points on which the writer would like to dilate at some length—more especially on some of the deeds of heroism in the different actions. Of these deeds, practically in the earlier days (1915 and 1916), more went unrecognized outside the Battalion than the sum of all the decorations won by the Battalion. To mention more than the few that fit into the narrative is obviously not feasible.
One thing that cheered the 25th Battalion through all their long service in France was the pipe band under Pipe-Major Carson. Major J. W. Logan was responsible for the organization and equipment of this fine band. There was nothing better in the armies in France.
In pursuance of the Canadian Government’s scheme to raise a Second Division for service Overseas, Lieut.-Col. G. A. Lecain (69th Regiment), of Roundhill, Annapolis County, was authorized to mobilize the 25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, in Nova Scotia (October, 1914). Lieut.-Colonel Lecain established headquarters at the Armories, Halifax, and opened recruiting offices in Sydney, Amherst, New Glasgow, Truro and Yarmouth. Recruiting commenced late in October, 1914. The official nominal roll of officers who received appointments to the Battalion is published here and to them is due the credit of the splendid organization and training which enabled these sons of New Scotland to rank second to none with the flower of the British Armies. Mention should also be made of the fine non-commissioned officers of the Battalion and those loaned by the Permanent Force, who attended to the details of training with most commendable zeal.
LIEUT.-COL. G. A. LECAIN.