Officers

185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders)

England

Circa 1917

The men are wearing their new kilts that had been issued in August of 1917.

An interesting note about this photo is that many of the officers in the photo were former officers from the 193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) which had been raised in Truro, NS. The 193rd Battalion was disbanded in England in December, 1916 and some of the officers and men were transferred to the 185th Battalion. Sadly, the fate of the 185th Battalion was to follow that of its sister battalion, the 193rd , when in early 1918, the 185th Battalion was also disbanded. Reinforcing drafts were immediately sent to Nova Scotia battalions at the front while the rest of the men were transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott to be used as reinforcements later.

In the list below, military ranks are ranks at the time the photo was taken. Place names are home addresses at time of enlistment. If different, the places of birth are also listed. Names preceded with an * are men who transferred from the 193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders).

Front Row, Sitting on the Ground, Left to Right:
1.  Lieut. George Delmar Crowell, Sydney, NS
2.  Lieut. Harold Newton Price, Moncton, NB
3.  Lieut. Douglas Morgan Wiswell, Halifax, NS
4.  *Lieut. Percy Thorne Andrews, Bathurst, NB, born in Middleton, NS
5.  Lieut. Edmund Maurice Johnstone, Sydney, NS, born in Victoria Mines, NS
6.  Lieut. Arthur Milton Fraser, Sydney, NS, born in New Glasgow, NS (Killed in Action with the Royal Canadian Regiment on August 26, 1918.)

2nd Row, Seated, Left to Right:
1.  Capt. Ralph MacDougall, Mulgrave, NS, born in Whycocomagh, NS
2.  Capt. Angus Lewis MacDonald, Port Hood, NS, born in Dunvegan, NS (Became premier of Nova Scotia from 1933 to 1940 and then again from 1945 to 1954.)
3.  Lieut. Cecil Wiggons Sutherland, North Sydney, NS, born in Sackville, NB
4.  Capt. John McIsaac, Halifax, NS, born in Inverness, NS
5.  *Major John Welsford MacDonald, Pictou, NS
6.  Lt-Col. Frank Parker Day, Halifax, NS, born in Shubenacadie, NS (commanding officer)
7.  *Major James Philip LeGallais, Truro, NS
8.  Capt.William Wallace Nicholson, Baddeck, NS, born in Middle River, NS
9.  Capt. Alexander MacDonald, West Bay, NS
10.  *Capt. Frederick Bulmer Schurman, Truro, NS
11.  Lieut. Thomas Dickson Archibald Purves

3rd Row, Standing, Left to Right:
1.  Lieut. John “Black Jack” MacKenzie, Centreville, NB, born in Red Islands, NS
2.  *Lieut. Herbert DeWolfe Cunningham, Aldershot, NS, born in Guysboro, NS
3.  *Lieut. Cecil Jeffries Markham
4.  Capt. John Alexander Munro, Aldershot, NS, born in Truro, NS (medical officer)
5.  *Lt-Col. Robert John S. Langford, born in India (second in command) (former commanding officer of the 193rd Battalion)
6.  *Capt. Frederick Cecil Baird, Truro, NS
7.  Lieut. John David MacKenzie, Baddeck, NS
8.  Lieut. Donald Neil “Big Dan” MacDonald, Middle River, NS
9.  Lieut. David Livingstone, born in Boularderi, NS (Killed in Action with the Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade on October 10, 1918)
10.  *Lieut. Donald Joseph MacGillivray, Antigonish, NS, born in New Westminister, BC
11.  *Lieut. James Matthew Soy, Stellarton, NS
12.  *Lieut. Henry Findlay Ormon

4th Row, Back, Left to Right:
1.  *Lieut. William Edwin MacDonald, born in Stellarton, NS
2.  *Lieut. Thomas Edgar Logan, born in Elmsdale, NS
3.  *Lieut. John Owen MacLeod, born in Six Mile Brook, NS (Killed in Action with the 85th Battalion on September 2, 1918.)
4.  Lieut. Joseph Hartley MacIvor, born in Baddeck Bridge, NS (Killed in Action on August 10, 1918.)
5.  *Lieut. John James Murray, born in Rocklin, NS
6.  Lieut. Leslie George McCorison, Baddeck, NS, born in Belfast, Maine, USA
7.  Lieut. Clement MacLeod, Halifax, NS, born in Mabou, NS
8.  *Capt. George James McQuarrie, New Glasgow, NS, born in Rockport, Mass., USA
9.  *Lieut. Hugh Archibald Dickson, Truro, NS
10.  *Lieut. Harold Charles Lowther, born in Oxford, NS

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  0-4 (2-1.2)
Image Information:  Scan of original photo
Source:  Robert MacLellan Collection 
 

Warrant Officers, Staff-Sergeants and Sergeants

185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders)

England

Circa 1917

First Row, Seated, Left to Right:
1.  Sgt. G.L. Johnson
2.  Sgt. N. McLean
3.  Sgt.  J.W. Miles
4.  CSM J.W. Manners
5.  CSM J.A. McDonald
6.  CSM M.L. McLean
7.  CSM J. Kellock
8.  BQMS B.H.H. Brinkman
9.  RSM J. Mackness
10.  QMS H.P. McKinnon
11.  CQMS G.J. Brennan
12.  CQMS M.E. Faulkner
13.  CQMS J.N. Monaghan
14.  CQMS H.W. Graham
15.  Sgt. A.J. Rowe
16.  Sgt. W.O. Mitchell
17.  Sgt. W. Mcl. Borden
18.  Arm-Sgt. G.P. Hull

Second Row, Standing, left to Right:
1.  Pipe-Major A.M. Dare
2.  Sgt. F.J. Glabais
3.  Sgt. A. Grant
4.  Sgt. F. Taylor
5.  Sgt. C.P. Logan
6.  Sgt. C. Gaukrodger
7.  Sgt. N.W. McKenzie
8.  Sgt. D.W. Nelson
9.  Sgt. J. Spiers
10.  Sgt. J.C. MacDonald
11.  Sgt. M. McMillan
12.  Sgt. L.E. Davidson
13.  Sgt. R. Wooff
14.  Sgt. J.D. Chisholm
15.  Sgt. W.M. Lawrence
16.  Sgt. W. Brady
17.  Sgt. H.G. MacNeil

Third Row, Standing, left to Right:
1.  Sgt. M.F. McLeod
2.  Sgt. H.R. Burns
3.  Sgt. P. Sodero
4.  Sgt. R.C. Hatherley
5.  Sgt. G.M. Wattling
6.  Sgt. H.W. Murdock
7.  Sgt. J.G. McGee
8.  Sgt. F.L. West
9.  Sgt. H.W. Chase
10.  Sgt. D. McLean
11.  Sgt. J.E. Toms
12.  Sgt. C.J. MacDonald
13.  Sgt. F.B. Bowles
14.  Sgt. C.E. Proctor
15.  Sgt. G.R. Saunders
16.  Sgt. S.F. Garland
17.  Sgt. W.L. Blair

Fourth Row, Standing, Left to Right:
1.  Sgt. A. McIsaac
2.  Sgt. F.M. Carter
3.  Sgt. C.E. Grant
4.  Sgt. C.R. McIntosh
5.  Sgt. E.A. Fulton
6.  Sgt. T. Chisholm
7.  Sgt. R.M. Ellis
8.  Sgt. C. Daly
9.  Sgt. J.E. Carroll
10.  Sgt. O. Hynes
11.  Sgt. C. Jameson
12.  Sgt. W.F. Oldroyd
13.  Sgt. W.R. Sehrr
14.  Sgt. R.J. Macdonald
15.  Sgt. B. McLeod
16.  Sgt. G.W. Merlin

The names and ranks above are as printed below the original photo.

Photographer:  West & Son, Godalming, England
Ref. Number:  16-3 (2.2)
Image Information:  Received as electronic file
Source:  Bruce F. MacDonald, Antigonish, NS, 2016 
 

The Battalion Sergeant-Major and Four Sergeant-Majors

185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders)

England

Circa 1917

Seated on the left is Battalion Sergeant-Major Joseph Mackness who was born in London, England. He joined the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) in Halifax in December, 1915. With the raising of the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders) a short time later, he was transferred to that unit. His attestation records list his wife as living in Peterboro, Ontario. Prior to enlisting, Mackness served 17 years in the Royal Canadian Regiment.

Seated on the right is Company Sergeant-Major John Kellock who was born in Scotland. He joined the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) in Halifax and was later transferred to the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders). Kellock's prior military experience included 4.5 years in the Black Watch.

Standing on the far left is Company Sergeant-Major John William Manners who was born on the Isle of Wight. It is believed he was living in Truro, NS, when he enlisted in August, 1914. It is unclear which unit he joined, but he was later transferred to the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders). Manners was a veteran of the Boer War in South Africa. 

Standing in the centre is Company Sergeant-Major Murdock Lauchlin McLean who was born in Whycocomagh, Victoria County, Cape Breton. He joined the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) in Halifax, in October, 1915, and was later transferred to the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders). Previous military experience included militia service in the 94th Victoria Regiment "Argyll Highlanders". McLean was a blacksmith before the war.

Standing on the far right is Company Sergeant Major John Angus McDonald who was born in Middle River, Victoria County, Cape Breton. He was living in Nyanza, also in Victoria County, when he joined the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders) in Broughton, NS. McDonald was a farmer before the war and had four years militia service in the 94th Victoria Regiment "Argyle Highlanders".

Photographer:  West & Son, Godalming, England
Ref. Number:  0-1 (3-2-4.2)
Image Information:  Scan of a photocopy
Source:  Cape Breton Highlanders Museum, Sydney, NS, 2011 
 

Group of  Unidentified Soldiers

185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders)

England

Circa 1917-1918

With the plaque on the ground in front of them, it appears they have won an award. Note the piper on the left and an officer in the centre.

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  0-4 (2-2.2)
Image Information:  Scan of original photo postcard
Source:  Robert MacLellan Collection