Vimy – April 9, 1917: What Every Canadian Should Know. We have all heard the name Vimy but most Canadians know very little about it. Here are the facts that every Canadian should know. The Location: Vimy is in northern France. It is about 270 Km north of Paris near the Belgian border. It is a land of rolling hills with the peak only 145 meters high.
World War I Project – April 2017 Read More »
The West Hants Historical Society is trying to compile a list of all the men and women from Hants County who served in World War 1 and 2. We plan to publish a book with all these names and we don’t want to leave anyone out; if your relatives or friends served in the military, please send us their details as described here.
World War I Project – January-March Read More »
With Remembrance Day occurring this month, we have a special video from Tim Reed to honour the 112th Regiment who were based in Windsor and spent many months training at Fort Edward before going overseas. The Flags of the 112th still hang in Christ Church in Windsor. They were honored at a special service in June 2016. Please enjoy watching this video and remember the men of our 112th Regiment.
World War I Project – November Read More »
One hundred years ago, on October 11, 1916, the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade left Camp Aldershot and boarded the troop ship “Olympic” in Halifax Harbour. They arrived in Liverpool, England on October 19, 1916 and continued their intensive training at Witley Camp in Surrey. There were 4 Battalions in the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade – the 85th , the 185th , the 193rd , and the 219th Battalions. That was over 4000 men, – all volunteers from Nova Scotia.
World War I Project – October Read More »
Hants County Soldiers – Where Were They From? The Soldiers were farmers, clerks, labourers, teachers, lumbermen, and ship builders. They came from many places in Hants County – from Hantsport to Shubenacadie and Vaughan to Noel and every village and town in between. Many never returned.
One hundred years ago in September 1916, there were 15 soldiers from Hants County killed in action…
World War I Project – September Read More »
Towards the end of July 1916, our 112th Battalion from Windsor set sail on the RMS Olympic from Halifax to Liverpool. It is interesting to learn that the Olympic was the first of 3 sister ships – the others were the more famous Titanic and the Britannic. All three ships were the same design, built in Belfast, and owned by the White Star Line. The Olympic started service in 1911, the Titanic in 1912, and the Britannic in 1914. We all know what happened to the Titanic on April 15, 1912. (The above photo was taken the month before in Belfast on March 6, 1912 – Olympic is on the left and Titanic on the right being outfitted for her maiden voyage). After the disaster, 24 lifeboats were added to the Olympic and the water tight bulkheads were improved.
World War I Project – August Read More »
In Europe, the War continued with no victories after two years of heavy fighting. The Battle of the Somme was taking hundreds of thousands of casualties. In Windsor, our men in the 112 th Battalion were preparing to join the battle.
The 112 th Battalion was formed in November 1915 with headquarters in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Men were recruited from all over Hants County, from the Annapolis Valley, and from the South Shore. Over 1500 men volunteered for service but only 1200 were accepted. The commanding officer was Lt Col. Hedley Tremaine of Windsor.
World War I Project – July Read More »
Because the surname “Hebert” looks so much like “Herbert”, it is frequently misspelled, and when I first saw reference to the Herbert River in Hants County, Nova Scotia, what came to mind was the Bear River at Digby, Nova Scotia. It appears as “Hebert R” (probably for early explorer Louis Hebert) on Lescarbot’s 1609 map. By 1720, “Hebert R” had become “Beare R”.
History of the Name of the Herbert River Read More »
The West Hants Historical Society salutes our soldiers from Hants County that died in June 1916. June 1916 – Battle of Mount Sorrel : Canadian soldiers were defending Mount Sorrel, a 30-metre hill with a commanding position overlooking the city of Ypres in Belgium. On June 2 nd 1916, German troops attacked and overwhelmed the Canadians. They captured Mount Sorrel along with nearby peaks Hill 61 and Hill 62. The Canadians tried to retake the Hills on June 3 rd but the Germans repelled the attack.
World War I Project – June Read More »
The West Hants Historical Society is saluting our local soldiers who died in World War 1. One hundred years ago this month, the following men were killed in action.
World War I Project – April Read More »
