"D" Company Soldiers

193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders)

Westville, Nova Scotia

Circa May, 1916

This photo is believed to have been taken in Westville, Pictou County, NS, just before the 193rd Battalion moved to Aldershot, NS, in May, 1916. Note that several of the newer recruits have not yet been issued uniforms. Most of the men in the photo are from Westville. Only two have been positively identified.

Second from the left, with the rank of lance corporal, is George Saunders.

On the far left is Lieut. John James Murray. He was born and raised in Rocklin, a small community near Westville. He enlisted in the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) on October 4, 1915 with the rank of private. In early May, 1916, he was appointed to the commissioned rank of lieutenant and transferred to the newly raised 193rd Battalion. In England, when the 193rd Battalion was disbanded, he was transferred to the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders). He saw action in France with the 4th Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps and was wounded on September 29, 1918. He rejoined his unit a couple of days after the war ended. He was demobilized from the army in June, 1919, after his return to Canada.

It is unfortunate that in the original photo there is a black stain directly over the face of one of the men in the back row. This couldn't be repaired in the restored image above.

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  18-7 (1-21-1.4)
Image Information:  Scan of original photo
Source:  Pictou County Military Museum, Westville, NS, 2023