Cooks

219th Overseas Highland Battalion

Aldershot, NS

1916

A group of what appear to be cooks pose in front of the cook house displaying some of the tools of their trade. Two men in the back row hold knives and sharpeners and another holds a knife and a loaf of bread. The man on the right in the front appears to be peeling or slicing a potato. Note that the two men in the front both have cigarettes.  Only some of the men have been positively identified.

In the back row, on the far left is 282914 Pte. Cyril Edgar Hiltz. He was born in Martin’s River, Lunenburg County, NS and was living in Berwick, Kings County, NS, when he enlisted in the 219^th Battalion. He was a cook in civilian life. He went overseas to England with the 219^th Battalion. When they were disbanded he served in the 17^th Reserve Battalion and the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot. He remained in England until the war ended.

In the back row, third from the left, is 283459 Pte. Walter Scott Barkhouse from New Ross, Lunenburg County, NS. He was a barber in civilian life when he joined the 219^th Battalion. When the 219^th Battalion was disbanded in England, he served in the 17^th Reserve Battalion and the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot before being returned to Canada as medically unfit in the spring of 1918.

It is believed that one of the men in the photo may be 283262 Pte. Kenneth Ionel Deell who was born in Aylesford, Kings County, NS and was living in Berwick, also in Kings County, when he enlisted in the 219^th Battalion. He was a farmer in civilian life. He went to England with the 219^th Battalion and when they were disbanded, he was transferred to the 42^nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada). On January 29, 1917, he was severely wounded when he was hit in the head by a sniper’s bullet. He spent time in hospitals in France and England before being invalided back to Canada. He survived the war.

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  0-4 (21-1.2)
Image Information:  Scan of original photo postcard
Source:  Robert MacLellan Collection