In the limited space allowed for this article it is necessary to omit references to the stirring events which marked the recruiting of the Battalions of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade, the 185th in Cape Breton, the 193rd in Pictou, Colchester, Cumberland and Hants Counties, and the 219th in Halifax and the Western Counties of the Province. Each contributed to the popular enthusiasm, and through the agency of the press any unusual success in one part was heralded throughout the Province and bore fruit in distant sections.

In Halifax and the Western Counties, while there were many agencies at work, too numerous to mention, they naturally centred around the extraordinary series of meetings addressed by Colonel Borden and Captain Cutten, when, accompanied by the 85th Band, they made their historic tour, commencing at Lunenburg on February 26, 1916, and ending at Wolfville on March 12th. They touched at all the chief points on the Halifax and South Western Railway and returned by the Dominion Atlantic as far as Wolfville. While active recruiting in many places had preceded and prepared for their arrival, the extraordinary enthusiasm aroused by their speeches and by the martial strains of the band formed an epoch in each community.

Recruits enrolled were billeted in their own towns, and detachments marched into Camp Aldershot on June 1st from Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Bridgewater, Lockport, Caledonia, Shelburne, Clarke’s Harbor, Barrington, Yarmouth, Weymouth, Trenton, Digby, Bear River, Annapolis, Berwick, Bridgetown, Kentville, Wolfville, Dartmouth and Halifax.

The first Battalion orders on record were issued on March 6th by Major E. C. Phinney, who had been placed in temporary command of the 219th. Lieut. C. Holland was appointed Acting Adjutant. For some time the orders were chiefly concerned with the large accessions to the strength of the Battalion, daily reported, as the result of Colonel Borden’s successful tour, and the formation of the various detachments. These recruits were now arranged in four companies, “A” in Halifax, “B” comprising the territory from Mahone Bay to Clarke’s Harbor, “C” from Yarmouth to Bear River, and “D” from Annapolis to Wolfville.

The first public parade of “A” Company was on May 27th to St. Matthew’s Church to attend the memorial service for Lieutenant Campbell, who had been killed in action, and who was the son of Mr. G. S. Campbell, one of the most active spirits in the recruiting campaign.

In the history of the 219th there is a humorous distinction between the first funeral procession and the first actual funeral of one of its members. One night in the early spring a fire occurred in a house in Barrington Street. Unfortunately the inmates could not be extricated in time, and some fatalities resulted. The charred remains of one body was identified as that of Metrofan Meik, a Russian recruit in the 219th. The funeral took place from St. Mary’s Cathedral. A firing party was furnished by “C” Company of the 85th. The Last Post was sounded and full military honors paid to the dead. Next morning who should report in the orderly room but Metrofan himself, very much alive and feeling greatly the better for his leave, which had now expired. Who it was that was buried with military honors has never been discovered to this hour.

The first actual funeral of a soldier in the 219th took place on May 2nd, from the Military Hospital in Halifax. The deceased was Private Edwards, a native of England. The services were conducted by Hon. Captain MacKinnon.

It was on Wednesday, February 23rd, that a letter came from Ottawa authorizing the formation of the 219th and granting permission to appoint Major E. C. Phinney, of the 85th as temporary O.C. It was he who had the task of organizing the 219th, and the manner in which he accomplished this is a fine tribute to his executive ability. For the first few days he was assisted by Lieut. C. Holland, who acted as Adjutant. In the beginning of April a rumor was in circulation that the Highland Brigade was not to materialize and that the 85th was to proceed immediately Overseas. Rather than miss this opportunity of going to the Front, Major Phinney relinquished his position as Commanding Officer of the 219th and went back to his former position in the 85th.

On April 8th Lieut.-Col. N. H. Parsons became temporary C.O. of the 219th. He planned a tour of inspection, but his purpose was frustrated by a serious illness. Lieutenant Holland, who afterwards became Staff Captain in the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade, was succeeded as Acting Adjutant by Lieut. John S. Roper. He along with Major Rudland and Lieutenant Wylie had been one of a Military Committee to assist in the formation of the Battalion. He remained Adjutant throughout its whole history.

By May 4th Colonel Parsons felt sufficiently recovered to proceed with his tour of inspection, and during his absence the duties of command devolved on Major H. D. Creighton. But the atmosphere was surcharged with uncertainty and the Battalion was beginning to suffer for want of a permanent head. Lieut.-Col. Parsons returned to the 85th, and, with him, Major Creighton. At last on May 5th, Lieut.-Col. W. H. Muirhead assumed command. Immediately the unrest ceased, and the Battalion settled itself to the business of training.

On the outbreak of the War Colonel Muirhead went at once to the new camp at Valcartier and was given an appointment on the Divisional Headquarters Staff. But being unmarried and anxious to take his part in the actual fighting, he transferred to the Royal Canadian Dragoons before the First Canadian Contingent sailed, reverting to the rank of Lieutenant. Early in May, 1915, he crossed to France in the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, which included, with the Dragoons, the Strathcona Horse and the 2nd King Edward Horse. For nine months he was in the trenches, and witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the War.

In Canada the idea was gaining ground that new troops should be instructed in the latest methods of warfare, and this could only be done by bringing some of the officers from the Front. Colonel Muirhead was subsequently appointed second in command of the 112th, which was recruiting at the time, and he returned in January, 1916. As above stated he took over the 219th on May 5th. His keen intelligence, long familiarity with business methods, together with the stern experience he had known at the Front, fitted him in quite an exceptional manner for the command and training of a Battalion.

The Battalions at Camp Aldershot were arranged in order of seniority. Nearest to Aldershot Station was placed the 85th, and then in order the 185th, 193rd and 219th. Beyond the lines of the 219th were quartered the 97th, “The American Legion,” made up of men from the United States, who had come to take their share in the fight for the freedom of the world.

Later in the season the waste land beyond the 97th was cleared and became the home of the 246th, the reserve Unit of the Brigade. It might be of interest to mention that the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade wore Balmoral caps with feathers. The feathers were dark gray, but each one of them had a distinctive coloring. In the 85th, it was red; in the 185th, green; in the 193rd, blue; and in the 219th, purple.

Naturally changes took place in the personnel of the officers of the 219th, especially late in the season, when the 246th was formed. But the following list represents with fair accuracy the situation during most of the summer:

“A” Company—Major J. Rudland, Company Commander; Capt. H. A. Kent, Second in Command (Capt. Kent, after going Overseas, became Company Commander of “C” Company); Lieuts. V. G. Rae, E. R. Clayton, A. D. Macdonald, R. D. Graham.

“B” Company—Capt. M. C. Denton, Company Commander; Capt. E. C. Miller, Second in Command (after going Overseas Capt. Miller became Company Commander); Lieuts. W. M. L. Robertson, J. Belyea, A. C. King, E. J. Hallett.

“C” Company—Major A. K. Van Horne, Company Commander; (after going Overseas, Captain Kent); Lieut. G. D. Blackadar, Second in Command (after going Overseas, Capt. H. E. Crowell); Lieuts. H. E. Crowell, N. L. Chipman, W. J. Wright, Kenneth Campbell, who went over in a draft during the summer.

“D” Company—Capt. G. H. Cutten, Company Commander; Capt. W. Noblett, Second in Command (Capt. Cutten became Major in the 246th and Capt., afterwards Major, H. K. Emerson, recently returned from the front, took command of “D” Company); Lieuts. A. D. Borden, J. P. McFarlane, J. C. M. Vereker and E. R. Power.

In addition to these officers were Lieut. H. A. Love in charge of Signalling Section, and Lieut. W. L. Black of the Machine Gun Section.

During the summer Hon. Captain Father O’Sullivan was added. He was employed most of the time in raising the “Purple Feather Fund,” and spent only a week or two in camp.

The Battalion was fortunate in its Sergeant-Major, A. S. Ward, who blended a strict sense of duty with a genial disposition and secured alike the approbation of the officers and the respect of the men.

The Camp had not been long established at Aldershot when it was honored by a visit from Sir Sam Hughes, the Minister of Militia. On June 11th, at 6 a.m. the Brigade was paraded. Although there had only been a few days of united training, the impression produced upon the Minister was quite noticeable, and ever afterwards he showed a kindly appreciation of the Nova Scotia Highlanders.

On August 9th the Camp was honored by another distinguished visitor, Sir Robert Borden, the Premier of Canada, who was accompanied by the Hon. David MacKeen, the Lieut.-Governor of Nova Scotia. The March Past was excellent, and the Premier, a native of the Province, was pleased to speak words of heartfelt appreciation and encouragement. Another inspection was made on August 15th, but this was more of a formal military character and lacked the general significance of the previous reviews.

The red-letter days of the Brigade’s whole history at Aldershot were Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th of August. On Friday the Camp was thrown open to the public, who flocked thither from every part of the Province. The resources of the railway were taxed to the utmost. Fully eight thousand people visited the grounds and witnessed the March Past. They were relatives of “the boys,” and nothing revealed more clearly how tenderly the thought of the Province centred about the rows of white tents, where the flower of its manhood was encamped. By a happy thought the Camp Commandant, Col. W. E. Thompson, added to the ordinary review exercises a short march in column of route, so the men would pass immediately in front of their many friends.

On Saturday morning Field-Marshall His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught arrived. Exhilarated by the enthusiasm of the previous day, the Brigade excelled itself in its manoeuvres, and especially in the March Past. His Royal Highness, who was too fine a soldier to be guilty of a meaningless expression, declared that he had not inspected anything finer in the Dominion of Canada.

One other function completes the tale of reviews. It was the presentation of colors by Lady Borden to the four Battalions on Monday, September 25th. No little practice was necessary for the involved movements connected with the ceremony. Once again the weather was propitious; the sunbeams kissed the silken colors as they were unfurled to the breeze, and rousing cheers greeted the declaration of the Premier that they would shortly be sent over the seas.

That afternoon a competition was commenced between the various platoons of the Brigade, which resulted in the award going to the “thirteenth platoon” of the 219th, and as a sign that they had won, they were permitted to wear their feathers with the edge trimmed.

On Friday, September 26th, a message arrived ordering the Brigade to be ready to go Overseas in six days, and cancelling all leave for officers and men. The announcement of this approaching embarkation would by itself have been sensational enough, but when it came accompanied by an order that no one should have the privilege of seeing his home again, the men were fairly stunned. All had counted on a “farewell” leave. At first everyone seemed paralyzed. Then their resolution took shape. It was not in the Colonel’s power to grant leave but, though a strict disciplinarian, he understood the situation and felt a deep sympathy for the men, and determined that his attitude should be as lenient as possible. The men were resolute to see their homes, many of which were in the vicinity of the Camp. Every effort was made to stop them. Cordons with fixed bayonets were placed around the station at Kentville. But all to no purpose. The majority simply rose and went. They hired motor cars, mounted horses, or even walked. For a moment there was a sense of alarm and humiliation, which quickly changed to confidence and pride as the men came streaming back, satisfied that they had seen their friends and ready to do their duty in facing the foe. This unauthorized farewell furlough was not confined to the 219th but was general in the 185th and the 193rd as well.

The six days’ warning was, of course, a mere preliminary measure but definite orders at last arrived for the 219th to march out on the 12th of October at 5 a.m. Never did Halifax seem lovelier than in the bright autumn air as the Battalion marched along Barrington Street and up Spring Garden Road and through South Park Street to the Common, where a vast company of friends and well-wishers had congregated to say good-bye. Ranks were broken and the soldiers mingled freely with the people. The “Fall In” sounded, the band struck up a lively air, and the march was resumed until the gates of the docks closed behind the last file. Opportunities of further adieus were granted in the afternoon within the limit of the dock, and then for the final time the troops climbed the long gangways to the decks of the transport.

All night the Olympic lay at the pier. On Friday afternoon she moved up to Bedford Basin. Life belts were passed out and alarms practised. During the afternoon, when rumors that we were doomed to several days’ detention in the basin were at their height, the anchor was quietly raised and almost noiselessly the ship began to glide down the harbor. But the movement was quickly noticed on shore, and the tooting of tugs and the cheering of the crowds that rushed to the pier heads showed that the “boys” had not been forgotten by their friends. The shades of night were gathering in as Cape Sambro fell astern, and the twinkle of its kindly light was Nova Scotia’s farewell. Betting in New York had run as high as twenty to one that the Olympic would be sunk because the notorious German submarine U53, which had committed serious depredations off Nantucket, was reported to be in the vicinity. Whatever anxiety may have been felt by those on the bridge, seemed not in the slightest degree to have reached the troops below, who had a confidence in the British seamanship that was almost sublime.

On Tuesday night two destroyers picked up the ship and acted as consorts. Wednesday morning the coast of Ireland was in view, and Wednesday evening anchor was dropped in the Mersey, the voyage having been completed in four days and nineteen hours. We sailed on a Friday, and the thirteenth at that, but war has exploded the superstitions of the world along with many other things.

Two or three hours were required for the disembarkation. Eight trains were required for the whole Brigade, and they were started at various intervals of time. The last two carried the 219th. It was nearly midnight when the train drew into the siding at Milford Station and, resuming their packs, the men began their two miles’ march into Camp.

Witley Camp was situated on Witley Common, a sandy tract covered with scattered pines, known as Scotch fir, and with few houses in the vicinity. Milford Village was a mile and a half away, and Godalming three miles. The nearest town was Guildford, eight miles off. The county was Surrey, and the landscape among the most picturesque in all England.

After the first cold snap that greeted the troops on their arrival, milder conditions prevailed; the air became balmy; the fresh, full foliage on the trees, and the fragrance of the flowers still in bloom seemed to carry summer into December. But as November drew into December cold mists settled into the valley where Witley Camp lay, and caused an acrid chill that seemed to eat into the marrow of the bone. Influenza (known as “flu” or “grippe”) invaded the Camp. The sick parade in the morning increased by leaps and bounds; the general hospital at Bramshott and the sick detention hut of the Brigade were filled and could take no more. A special hut in the Battalion lines was secured and in a few days crowded out, and even the spare accommodation in the medical room was covered with bed boards on which lay fevered and coughing men. December will remain to the troops at Witley Camp something of a nightmare.

No one as yet seriously believed, or at least publicly announced, that the Highland Brigade would not be held together. Had not the Minister of Militia plighted his word to that effect? Had it not been a promise to the men when they enlisted? Towards the end of November, however, sinister rumors began to filter through and culminated on the 30th November in the call for the first draft for France. Immediately the Camp was in a hubbub of excitement, for the draft required 800 men from the Brigade, and this obviously meant its dismemberment. All reasonable means that might avert the blow were employed, but the order was explicit. No officers were to go except those in charge of drafts, and they were to return from France whenever their duty was accomplished. All non-commissioned officers chosen were to revert to the rank of private. Ultimately 115 went from the 219th under the command of Lieutenant King. The Brigadier addressed a few parting words, and to the strains of martial music and the skirl of the pipes the proud lads marched away leaving a thoughtful Camp behind. What was to be the fate of those who remained? Rumor again became busy, hope revived and old predictions were renewed, when once more with dramatic swiftness the axe fell and when it accomplished its business the Highland Brigade was no more. No one could have attempted to parry the blow more resolutely than the Brigadier. He felt keenly the pledges that had been given and the injustice to Nova Scotia; and his efforts were not without a measure of success. Two Battalions of the four were preserved, the 85th and the 185th. Into the 85th some 350 men, nearly all the Lieutenants and Major Rudland, were drafted from the 219th. A large number from the 193rd were put into the 185th. The 85th received orders to prepare at once to go Overseas, though this was not actually accomplished until February 10th. The 185th was “slated” for the Fifth Division, and it was to remain in Witley Camp. The remainder of the Highland Brigade were to proceed to Bramshott Camp. It was in the last week of December that the large draft, carefully selected and splendidly fit, changed their feathers from purple to red and went over to the lines of the 85th. The officers packed their kits and the happy fellowship of the Mess Room, that had lasted from the happy days of concentration in sunny Aldershot, was dissolved, alas, never in its completeness to reassemble again.

Between five and six hundred of the 219th Battalion still remained. Kits and trunks were packed, adieus paid, our temporary English home broken up, and promptly at 12 o’clock Saturday, December 30th; the Purple Feather ranks, now varied with blue and green and red feathers, moved off headed by the 85th Band. The Battalion settled down in a pleasant part of the Bramshott Camp, on the brow of a hill overlooking the picturesque dale through which flowed a streamlet gathered from the meadows of Haslemere, Shottermill and Hammer. It was the country of George Eliot and of Tennyson’s later years. Many travellers had come to it, but never any on so strange an errand.

Presently there appeared in Camp the Old 17th. It had been the first Nova Scotian Unit sent Overseas. Apart from its Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Colonel Cameron, it possessed hardly any Nova Scotians; it was officered and its ranks were filled almost exclusively by Western Canadians. This Battalion, like the famous Minotaur, had fed on the remnants of many others in its time. Would the Highland Brigade succumb to the usual fate or would it prove an indigestible morsel?

At the commencement of 1917 a change of policy was inaugurated affecting all the Canadian Camps in England. Witley was reserved for the Fifth Division. In the others the Training Brigades became reserve ones, which would have a full strength of 8,000 each, and each Reserve Battalion (2,000 in strength) would have some definite fighting Unit at the Front to which it would send reinforcements whenever required. The 17th was made a Reserve Battalion in the 5th Reserve Brigade; it was to reinforce the 25th and 85th and to be distinctively Nova Scotian; it was ordered to take over the 219th and 193rd. Officially the whale swallowed Jonah, but in the curious and unscriptural sequel Jonah took over the control of the whale from the inside. This second transformation was undoubtedly due to the fact that the 17th Reserve was to become a Nova Scotian Unit and naturally Nova Scotians assumed the dominant role; and these were to be found in the ranks of the Highland Brigade. But it was also due to a stubborn and persistent esprit de corps that had always characterized the 219th.

The formal transference took place on January 23rd, and that date marks the end of the 219th as a distinct military Unit, and forms a fitting close to this article. It has been the story of a splendid Battalion into which the Western Counties of Nova Scotia poured their best manhood with unstinted patriotism. It represents the finest sacrifice ever made by the loyal enthusiasm of that part of the Province. Fisherman, farmer, lumberman, student, minister, lawyer, doctor drilled side by side in a spirit of comradeship seldom excelled.

It is not given to this bloodless narrative to trace to the field of battle the brave men that filled the ranks, but in the tale of their Battalions they will be found to have played their part in the defence of civilization bravely and well, and to have left to their country the legacy of an imperishable example.