CSM John Angus McDonald

185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders)

England

Circa 1916-1918

John Angus McDonald was born in Middle River, Victoria County, Cape Breton, on June 18, 1894, the son of William and Catherine (Roberts) McDonald. He was a single farmer living in Nyanza, also in Victoria County, when he enlisted in the 185^th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders). He joined his unit in Broughton, near Sydney, NS, on April 17, 1916, and was issued the service number 878327, and initially the rank of private. Three days later he was appointed Provost Sergeant. His four years prior experience in the 94^th Victoria Regiment “Argyll Highlanders”, a local Cape Breton militia unit, probably played a part in his appointment.

John trained with the 185^th Battalion in Broughton during the early spring of 1916, and later at Aldershot, NS during the summer and fall. While at Aldershot John was promoted to Provost Sergeant Major. In October, John sailed overseas with the battalion to England where they were stationed at Witley Camp. While there, John was promoted to Acting Company Sergeant Major and later Company Sergeant Major. From the fall of 1916 to the winter of 1918, the 185^th Battalion continued to train in England until orders arrived that the unit was to be disbanded and its men sent as reinforcements for Canadian units already at the front. Probably to hasten his transfer to a fighting unit, on February 25, 1918, John, at his own request, “reverted to the ranks,” and was appointed to the rank of acting sergeant.

On March 1, 1918, John crossed the English Channel to France with a draft of 100 men from the 185 Battalion, reinforcements for the Royal Canadian Regiment. They joined their new unit a few days later at Cellars Camp, a rest camp at Neuville St Vaast, not far from Vimy Ridge. On March 6^th, the Royal Canadian Regiment moved back into the lines in the Avion sector of the front, relieving another Canadian unit.

John McDonald was killed in action three days later, on March 9, 1918. According to the war diary of the Royal Canadian Regiment for that day, there were no major actions, but they received considerable enemy artillery and trench mortar fire that killed one man. It is presumed that the man killed was Acting Sergeant John Angus McDonald. He was 25 year old and had only been with his new unit for less than a week.

John McDonald was laid to rest at Thelus Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

In the photo above, John wears a balmoral with a clearly defined 185th Battalion cap badge with feathers.

Photographer:  G. West & Son, Godalming, England
Ref. Number:  0-4 (2-1-13.4)
Image Information: Scan of original photo postcard
Source:  Robert MacLellan Collection