Officers

25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles)

Circa Late 1918

The photo is believed to have been taken in France.

Seated in the middle row, seventh from the left, is Major Chalmers Jack Mersereau, the commanding officer of the battalion who was appointed temporary command on September 4, 1918 when the previous commander, Frank Parker Day, became ill. He was promoted to the rank of acting lieutenant-colonel a month later on October 13, 1918, and eventually took the unit home. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for actions prior to joining the 25th Battalion.

In the middle row, sixth from the left is Major Guy MacLean Matheson, one of the most highly decorated Nova Scotian officers of the war. Guy Matheson was born in Inlet Baddeck, Victoria County, Cape Breton. He had served over six years in the 94th Victoria Regiment "Argyll Highlanders," a prewar highland militia unit in Cape Breton. On November 27, 1914, he enlisted with the rank of private, in the 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles). He went overseas with the 25th Battalion and served with them throughout the war where he was wounded three times, earned a Military Medal, a Military Cross, and a Distinguished Service Order, and was Mentioned in Despatches. He ended the war with the rank of major. After returning home, his involvement with the militia continued. From 1920 to 1921, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Guy Matheson was the commanding officer of the Cape Breton Highlanders.

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  0-4 (12-2.3)
Image Information:  Scan of original photo
Restoration Status: - Very high
Source:  Robert MacLellan Collection

Pipe Band

25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles)

Circa Late 1918

The photo is believed to have been taken in France.

Seated in the middle row behind the large bass drum is Pipe Major John "Jock" Carson who was originally from Greenock, Scotland. He joined the 25th Battalion on January 19, 1915, in Halifax, and was appointed pipe major of the pipe band, a position he maintained for the duration of the war.

The only other man positively identified in the photo is Pte. John Hector McKinnon seated in the middle row, second from the right. He was a piper in the band and was from Framboise, Richmond County, Cape Breton. He survived the war and retured home.

While overseas, the pipe band adopted a goat which became the battalion mascot. He was called Robert the Bruce. He is in the front centre of the photo. Robert the Bruce accompanied the battalion home in 1919 and retired to a farm in Cape Breton that belonged to one of the battalion's men.

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  18-3 (1.2)
Image Information:  Received as electronic file
Restoration Status: - Very high
Source:  Janet Towes, Bristol, New Hampshire
 

Sergeants

25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles)

Circa Late 1918

The photo is believed to have been taken in France. The men are unidentified. 

Photographer:  Unknown
Ref. Number:  23-4 (2.4)
Image Information:  Scan of original photo
Restoration Status:  None
Source:  Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum