This Battalion was undoubtedly one of the best trained Battalions leaving Canada. Many of its N.C.O.’s finally reached the Commissioned Ranks, and the Units in France were always pleased to get a detachment of 64th men.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE 85th BATTALION, NOVA SCOTIA HIGHLANDERS, AND THE 85th BATTALION BAND.
The first distinctly Highland Battalion to be organized in Nova Scotia for active service Overseas in the late War was the 85th Battalion, Nova Scotia Highlanders. The Battalion was authorized at Ottawa on September 14, 1915, with the appointment of Lieut.-Colonel Allison H. Borden as Commanding Officer. Headquarters for organization and mobilization were first established at the Military Camp, Aldershot, N.S., on September 23, 1915. Recruiting proceeded rapidly, the idea of a distinctly Nova Scotia Highland Battalion having fired with enthusiasm the people of the Province, who, true to their ancestral Highland spirit, were found “deas gu cath” (ready for fight). The success of the recruiting drew an order from Ottawa for Battalion Headquarters to be transferred to Halifax, and for the Battalion to be mobilized in full strength and stationed in the Armories. Mobilization resulted on October 14, 1915, with the 85th Battalion 200 over strength. On that day occurred the first parade of the Battalion—a memorably impressive scene and event, by virtue of its contrasts in personnel; for in all ranks were officers and men who came from every walk of life, professional and industrial and commercial, with farmers and manufacturers amongst the officers, while clergymen, college professors, and teachers paraded shoulder to shoulder in the rank
LIEUT.-COL. A. H. BORDEN, D.S.O.
The 85th Battalion has the distinction of being the senior, and, as it were, the parent Unit of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade. But with the Brigade as such this chapter is not concerned. Its story has been told incidentally in connection with the other Units which made up the Brigade. It will suffice to remark, however, that this magnificent body of fighting men—“the very flower of Nova Scotia’s manhood”—after being noted by the military leaders and authorities in England “as the finest body of troops sent over from Canada,” was, under the exigencies of military supervision, finally broken up in England, and reorganized into two Battalions, the 85th Battalion, Nova Scotia Highlanders, and the 185th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders. The latter Battalion—“siol nan gaisgeach mora”—became a splendid Unit in the so-called Fifth Division, but was denied the privilege and glory of seeing service in France as a Unit. The record of their compatriots, “D” Company of the 85th Battalion, at Virny and Passchendaele, a most glorious record, is sufficient proof that had the 185th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders, got to France as a Unit, the name not only of Nova Scotia Province but also of the Island of Cape Breton would to-day be shining with still greater glory than that which they now possess for brilliant military achievement in the late War. As it was, however, the records of individual officers and men of the 185th Battalion who had transferred to the 85th and other Units on the 185th being broken up just before the initial drive of 1918, were such as to give a noble name not only to themselves individually, but also to the 185th Battalion and Cape Breton Island, where this splendid Unit of fighting men was recruited.
Reverting now to the 85th Battalion as such, after due training, and many inexplicable disappointments in earlier sailing for Overseas, the 85th Battalion, and the other Units of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade, broke camp on October 11, 1916, and sailed for England on October 13, 1916, aboard H.M. Transport Olympic. The 85th and the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade disembarked at Liverpool on October 19, 1916, and immediately entrained for Witley Camp, Surrey, arriving in Camp the same evening. Following the breaking up of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade, and the reorganization of the 85th, the Battalion sailed for France on February 10, 1917, going into training for service in the Field at Gouy Servins, Bouvigny, and Bouvigny Wood, from which quarters the Battalion moved up to Music Hall Line, in the reserves, to take part as “a working Unit” in the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9, 1917).
Including Vimy, the 85th Battalion was in the following engagements—Vimy, April 9 to 14, 1917; “The Triangle,” June 20, 1917; Ontario Trench, June 26, 1917; Eleu dit Leauvette and the Horse Shoe, June 28, 1917; Lens, July to October, 1917; Passchendaele, October 28 to November 2, 1917; Arleux, June, 1918; Fompoux, July, 1918; Amiens, August 8 to 11, 1918; Arras (Drocourt-Queant Line), September 2 to 5, 1918; Cambrai (Bourlon), September 25 to October 2, 1918; Valenciennes, November, 1918; Quievrechain, November, 1918; Honnelle River. November, 1918.
What the Battalion did after the signing of the Armistice is of no military significance. It returned from France to England on May 1, 1919, took part in the Great March of Triumph through London on May 3, 1919; sailed from England for Canada on May 31, 1919; and arrived at Halifax on June 8. 1919, and two days later marched through the City of Halifax, which was en fête to give the Unit a memorably joyous welcome home. It was not, however, a welcome from the city, but from the whole Province, and it is estimated that 60,000 outside visitors—friends and relatives—of the returned victors must have been present among the citizens of Halifax to witness the home-coming parade of the 85th Battalion, Nova Scotia Highlanders. A week later (June 15, 1919), a remnant company of the Battalion fell in at Grafton Park, Halifax, and headed by the Royal Canadian Regiment Band, marched with its King’s and Regimental Colors to Government House, where the colors were deposited in the presence of His Honor Lieutenant-Governor Grant, Colonel W. E. Thompson, D.O.C., M.D. No. 6, and Staff. On the occasion Lieut.-Col. James Layton Ralston, C.M.G., D.S.O., with Bar, Commanding the 85th, read an address of farewell to the officers and N.C.O.’s and men assembled—and thus the history of the 85th Battalion, Nova Scotia Highlanders, as a fighting Unit, came to an end.
In the proper places there will be explicit observations on the achievements of the Battalion, individual officers, N.C.O.’s and men on the Field. In the meantime, following is a summary of the honors and awards (259 in total) that belong to the Battalion:—