Major John Welsford MacDonald

193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) CEF

London, England

Circa Late 1916

Major MacDonald poses for a portrait studio photo. It was taken shortly after he arrived in England from Canada in October 1916. He wears an officer’s uniform for the 193^rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). On his head is a balmoral with a 193^rd Battalion officer badge and full length feathers. His 193^rd Battalion collar badges are also visible. On his chest is a medal bar for the King George V Coronation Medal which was instituted in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V on June 22, 1911. At the time, Welsford was a captain in the 78^th Pictou Regiment “Highlanders” and was chosen to be a part of the Canadian contingent at the coronation.

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  25-1 (2-1.3)
Image Information:  Scan of of original photo
Source:  "A" Company, The Nova Scotia Highlanders 2024

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Short Biography and Record of Service

John Welsford MacDonald

John Welsford MacDonald was born on July 23, 1890 in Pictou, NS, the son of Edward Mortimer MacDonald, Canadian Minister of National Defence from 1923 to 1925, and Edith Lillian (Ives) MacDonald. Welsford grew up and went to school in Pictou. After graduating from Dalhousie University with a law degree, he set up his own legal practice in New Glasgow.

James M. Cameron, in his 1969 book “Pictonians in Arms” wrote:

His military service began in 1908, as a subaltern in the Pictou Company of the 78^th Colchester, Hants and Pictou Regiment Highlanders, in the tenure of Lt-Col. D.D. Cameron as commanding officer. His first camp training was at Truro in 1909. Upon formation of the militia infantry companies in Pictou County in 1910, as the 78^th Pictou Regiment “Highlanders,” Welsford MacDonald organized “A” Company of the regiment in Pictou. He qualified as lieutenant in the Infantry School directed by the Royal Canadian Regiment at Wellington Barracks, Halifax, in 1910, was promoted to captain, and in the same year commanded “A” Company of the regiment in camp training at Aldershot. In 1911 he was on parade with the Canadian Contingent in London at the Coronation of H.M. King George V.

In late 1915, after closing his legal practice, Welsford joined the 85^th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) as a supernumerary captain. With the formation of additional highland battalions to create the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade, on April 22, 1916, he enlisted in the 193^rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). His rank was captain and he recruited “D” Company and commanded detachments of the company. When the various detachments of 193^rd Battalion united and relocated to Camp Aldershot with the other battalions of the brigade later in the spring, Welsford became adjutant of the battalion and in September, 1916, was promoted to the rank of major. As commanding officer of “D” Company, he went overseas to England with the 193^rd Battalion on the RMS Olympic in October 1916. Shortly after its arrival in England, the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade was broken up and the 193^rd Battalion was disbanded to provide reinforcements for other units at the front. Many of the officers, including Welsford, were transferred to the 185^th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders) who were kept together to form a unit of the proposed 5^th Canadian Division. He trained with the 185^th Battalion in England and later became the battalion adjutant. In early 1918, the 185^th Battalion received news that they too would be broken up for reinforcements. On March 11, 1918, Welsford was posted to the 17^th Reserve Battalion located at Bramshott. On March 28, 1918, at his own request, he reverted to the rank of captain for the purpose of proceeding overseas. He arrived in France the following day as a reinforcement for the 44^th Battalion (Manitoba), later renamed as the 44^th Battalion (New Brunswick). He joined them in the field on April 14, 1918.

On the morning of August 10, 1918, the 44^th Battalion was involved in an attack to take a series of German trenches and the village of Frouquescourt, near Amiens in France. The attack was part of a larger Canadian operation to take Amiens and was the start of an offensive that later became known as Canada’s Hundred Days. The battalion attacked and captured the trenches but before they could take the village, they were held up by heavy machine gun fire. Several days after the battle the commanding officer of the 44^th Battalion, Lt-Col. R.D. Davies wrote in a report on operations:

Seeing that the unit was checked and that the barrage fire had stopped, I put up the red S.O.S. signal which was answered most promptly by a very fine barrage just in front of us in the village. Following this I asked all officers to work forward by infiltration into the village. A splendid response was made to this. Captain P. Neale, MC and Captain J.W. MacDonald led parties in the vicinity of North Wood on the left of the town, and gained a footing, but Captain Neale was killed and Captain MacDonald wounded.

Welsford MacDonald received a severe gunshot wound in the side which damaged a portion of his pelvic bone. He was evacuated from the battlefield and spent the next seven months in hospitals in France and England recuperating from his wound and from an operation for appendicitis.

Welsford was later awarded a Military Cross for his actions on August 10^th. The citation accompanying the award read:

Captain John Welsford MacDonald 44 Canadian Battalion Manitoba Regiment, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his company was held up by machine gun fire he took a party and worked around a flank, gaining a footing in the village. He fought hard, although isolated, until severely wounded by machine gun fire. He showed great courage and determination.

Welsford returned to Canada in February, 1919 and was demobilized on April 24, 1919 as medically unfit. He eventually returned to civilian life and married Mary Blanche Graham in 1924. They had one child together, a daughter. He also continued his militia service after the war. James M. Cameron, in his 1969 book “Pictonians in Arms” continues the narrative:

After a long period in hospital, he returned to civilian status, and in 1920 again formed “A” Company in Pictou, upon reorganization of the Pictou Highlanders following the First World War. He succeeded Colonel L.H. MacKenzie, DSO, as commanding officer in 1925. In 1930 he was promoted to colonel, and commanded the 18^th Highland Brigade, comprising the Pictou, Cumberland, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton Highlanders, until retirement from militia in 1935.

In civilian life, Welsford was an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly for Nova Scotia representing Pictou County from 1920 to 1925, Crown Prosecutor from 1933 to 1939 and Judge of the County Court from 1939 to 1964. He passed away on October 10, 1976 and was laid to rest in Haliburton Cemetery, Haliburton, Pictou County, NS.

The Colonel Welsford MacDonald Armoury in Pictou was named in his honour.