Joseph Leo “Joe” McNeary was born in Canso, Guysborough County, on February 9, 1924, the youngest of Walter Dennis and Mary (Maney) McNeary’s three children. Walter was also a Canso native, the son of Patrick McNeary and Martha Hanlon, while Mary was born in Guysborough Intervale, the daughter of Charles Maney and Mary Knocton. The couple married in Star of the Sea Church, Canso, on March 15, 1917.
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| Private Joseph Leo McNeary visiting Canso prior to departing for overseas |
Two daughters—Mary Martha (1917) and Stella Margaret (October 14, 1919) joined the McNeary family prior to Joe’s birth. Joe attended school until age 15, leaving “because of [an unidentified] illness.” He chose not to return after recovering, as he “preferred fishing” with his uncle.
After four years working in the inshore fishery, Joe was “called up” for compulsory military training under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) on August 18, 1943. The 1940 Canadian law established a nation-wide registration system for men of military service age, along with an initial six-week training program. While young men could be “conscripted” into home defence duties upon completing the course, many chose to voluntarily enlist once called to service.
Such was the case with Joe, who attested for service with the Canadian Army on August 21, 1943. Two weeks later, he was assigned to No. 60 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre, Yarmouth, where he received his introduction to military service. He remained there until mid-February 1944, when he was transferred to the 1st Canadian Training Brigade, Debert, NS, for additional drill and instruction.
Joe departed for overseas on April 5, 1944, and disembarked in the United Kingdom one week later. He immediately reported to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU), where he spent only 10 days before being transferred to the 12th Battalion, Canadian Base Reinforcement Group, on April 22, 1944.
Joe arrived overseas at a time when the Canadian Army was faced an increasing demand for infantry reinforcements. The 1st Canadian Division had landed in Sicily in July 1943 as part of a large Allied force that fought its way northward up the Italian peninsula throughout the ensuing nine months. In the spring of 1944, Allied forces in the United Kingdom were completing preparations for an invasion of German-occupied France. The only question was whether Joe was destined for Italy or France.
The answer came on May 28, 1944, when Joe was assigned to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders (NNSH). Initially established as a machine gun unit in 1936 following the amalgamation of militia units from Cumberland, Colchester and Hants Counties, the North Nova Scotia Regiment established its headquarters in Amherst after the outbreak of war overseas.
The unit was subsequently re-designated an infantry battalion and assigned to the 3rd Canadian Division’s 9th Brigade, where it served alongside the Highland Light Infantry of Canada (Waterloo, ON) and Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders (Cornwall, ON). The “North Novas” departed for overseas on July 18, 1941, and spent almost three years training and supporting British “home defence” efforts.
Private Joseph Leo McNeary joined the unit as its ranks completed final preparations for an impending invasion of German-occupied France. On June 3, 1944, the North Novas broke camp and travelled to Southampton, where they boarded a ship and awaited further orders while anchored off nearby Netley. The flotilla of vessels assembled in the inlet moved out to open sea at 1400 hours June 5 and “formed up” in preparation for departure, their precise destination still a mystery.
On June 6, 1944, the first wave of British, American and Commonwealth units came ashore on the beaches of Normandy, France, at approximately 0800 hours. Infantry units from the 3rd Canadian Division’s 7th and 8th Brigades landed on Juno Beach, where they successfully established a beach-head. At 1140 hours—one hour later than planned—the 9th Brigade’s North Novas boarded landing craft and headed toward a beach near Bernières-sur-Mer, slightly east of the main Juno Beach landings.
After gathering in an assembly area near the village in late afternoon, the battalion moved out toward its D-Day objective—an airfield near Carpiquet, on the outskirts of Caen. Over the next 24 hours, the inexperienced soldiers advanced almost 16 kilometers to the outskirts of Authie, less than five kilometers from their target. Allied units on both flanks, however, failed to keep pace with the advance, leaving the men exposed to enemy attack.
In late afternoon June 7, German infantry and armoured forces launched a series of counter-attacks near Authie, inflicting significant casualties on the North Novas’ ranks. What remained of its forward personnel retreated to Villons-les-Buissons, where the 9th Brigade established defensive positions. The North Novas’ war diary reported 10 “other ranks” (OR) killed, three officers and 27 OR wounded, and a shocking 195 OR ranks missing after the battalion’s first full day in Normandy.
The North Novas spent the next month in the vicinity of Villons-les-Buissons, rebuilding their ranks as Allied commanders developed plans for a break-out from the Normandy beach-head. On July 7, units began preparations for “Operation Charnwood,” the first phase of the plan. The North Novas were assigned the task of capturing Authie, the village where so many of their comrades were lost exactly one month before. Once the village was secured, the unit was to send out patrols to nearby Franqueville.
The Allied attack commenced at 0600 hours July 8 with a heavy aerial bombardment of German positions. The 8th British Division completed the first phase—the capture of Galamanche—by 0800 hours. One hour later, the second stage commenced, the North Novas following their 9th Brigade mates as they attacked Buron. The village was secured by 1045 hours, at which time the NNSH’s soldiers gathered in an orchard south of the location.
As the men awaited orders to advance toward Authie, German mortar fire and a nearby 88-mm gun shelled their location, inflicting significant casualties. The battalion finally moved out at 1530 hours, encountering heavy German shelling in addition to significant infantry and tank resistance. The soldiers nevertheless pressed forward and secured the village.
Around 1830 hours, the 7th Canadian Brigade passed through the North Novas’ lines and moved onward toward Cussy. As its units made progress, pressure on the Nova Scotians diminished considerably. The North Novas remained in Authie for the remainder of the day, one of its Companies establishing positions in Franqueville. According to the unit’s war diary, a total of nine officer and 192 other rank casualties occurred during the day’s fighting.
The following day, the remainder of the battalion moved forward to Franqueville during the morning and advanced to Vinot under heavy mortar fire later in the day. Simultaneously, other Allied units advanced into the western suburbs of Caen. A total of four officer and 61 OR reinforcements joined the unit as civilians welcomed the Nova Scotians “in a true French manner[,] appearing very pleased to see Allied troops in their presence.”
The North Novas remained in Vinot for several days, consolidating their defences amidst spasmodic artillery and mortar fire. Late in the evening of July 14, its personnel withdrew to Anisy for a three-day rest. Companies encamped “in old slit trenches… modified… for their needs” as the unit cleaned up during a welcome break from the forward area.
On July 17, the NNSH was informed of an impending attack on Faubourg de Vaucelles, located across the Orne River on the southern outskirts of Caen. The battalion moved out to an assembly area between Buron and Les Buissons at 1130 hours and commenced preparations for combat scheduled for the following day.
Prior to the attack, the North Novas would have to cross two Bailey bridges erected by Canadian engineers across a canal and the Orne River. Personnel rehearsed the maneuver during the day while Commanding Officer (CO) Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Petch met with the unit’s officers to review plans for the impending attack.
At 2330 hours, personnel moved out on foot to an assembly area along the Canal de Caen northeast of the city, where they settled in for the night. Aerial bombardment of the Canadian objectives commenced at 0700 hours July 18. One hour later, the 9th Brigade’s Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders crossed the two structures, dubbed “London Bridge” by the Canadian engineers who had assembled them,
The North Novas were across the Orne by 0900 hours and formed up behind the 8th Brigade, which was responsible for the operation’s first phase—clearing enemy forces from an industrial area along the river bank. The 8th Brigade’s Régiment de la Chaudière, however, was quickly pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, forcing commanders to revise the battle plan. The 8th Brigade remained in the factory area, “cleaning up” enemy resistance, while the NNSH advanced through its ranks and attacked Faubourg de Vaucelles.
The main advance was delayed for two hours as bulldozers repaired bomb craters, creating a route for vehicles to pass through the factory area. In the meantime, the NNSH moved forward on foot, encountering considerable sniper and mortar fire but no significant infantry resistance. By 2230 hours the unit had secured its objective with light casualties.
The following day, all Companies were “firmly in their positions and on a sharp lookout” for enemy counterattacks. German forces had evacuated the area quickly, leaving behind large quantities of wine and foodstuffs that the soldiers added to their supplies. The area was quiet as a total of 31 German prisoners of war, mostly young men ages 17 and 18, were taken during the day.
On July 20, the North Novas moved out to Bras, seven kilometers southeast of Vaucelles, where they relieved a British unit. Personnel travelled by motor carrier and were in position by 1330 hours. While the area was subjected to sporadic mortar fire and a group of Messerschmidt 109s strafed personnel with machine gun and rocket fire later in the day, the unit suffered no casualties.
Wet weather over the next two days turned local roads into a muddy quagmire. Meanwhile, the North Novas endured regular mortar and artillery shelling. On July 23, Company commanders visited the forward area for reconnaissance of Bourgébus and Tilly-la-Campagne, two locations atop Verrières Ridge south of Caen that were the next Canadian objectives. Personnel were scheduled to depart for the area after darkness the following day, in preparation for an attack in conjunction with the 2nd Canadian Division.
The North Novas would advance in “moonlight” created by searchlights, “the first attack of this nature that we have had, but it sounds quite feasible and all express confidence in it.” Once the unit had established control of Tilly-la-Campagne, the British 11th Armoured Division would pass through its lines and advance toward an area of high ground further south. The 9th Brigade’s Highland Light Infantry would follow in its wake. It was hoped that the attack would produce the major breakthrough that had eluded Allied forces since the D-Day landings.
Improved weather on July 24 dried out the roads, making vehicle traffic “much easier.” Meanwhile, the North Novas spent the day preparing for the impending attack. All four Companies “formed up” on the starting line at 0230 hours July 25, ready to move forward at H-Hour. While the lead platoons crossed the start line 30 minutes later, the searchlights did not come on as anticipated.
Word arrived at 0350 hours that the 2nd Canadian Division’s operation had been delayed by at least 30 minutes. The North Novas, having already committed to the task, continued to move forward. When the searchlights finally came on, they silhouetted the troops, making them “good targets for the enemy.”
German forces, however, did not initially open fire, allowing C Company to establish positions in front of Tilly-la-Campagne “without any difficulty.” Likewise, D Company appeared to have reached its assigned position on the village’s left. When A Company moved toward an area right of the village, German soldiers located in a large barn in front of the village “opened up with everything,” pinning down both A and C Companies.
While the North Novas were able to establish a position in an orchard along Tilly-la-Campagne’s northeastern corner and infiltrate parts of the village, they were unable to overcome enemy resistance, which had not been softened by a preliminary artillery barrage. To further complicate matters, Battalion Headquarters lost contact with most of the attacking groups as the fighting progressed.
At 0614 hours, North Nova CO Lt. Col. Petch requested tank support from the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse). In the meantime, the unit’s Bren carriers and several self-propelled anti-tank guns moved forward to support the soldiers deployed around the village. German counterfire, however, quickly targeted and neutralized the guns.
The Fort Garry Horse’s B Squadron soon arrived on the scene and moved forward west of the village. German Panther tanks and anti-tank guns immediately engaged the armoured vehicles, “cut[ting] the squadron to pieces” and destroying 11 of its tanks. The survivors retreated toward Bourgébus, from where they provided supporting fire from a distance.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Petch, through the one Company with whom he had contact, instructed his men to “dig in and hold on where they were.” By late afternoon, it was obvious that the soldiers in the village were at risk of being cut off by a German counterattack, prompting Petch to instruct his men to make their way back to Bourguébus once darkness arrived. Approximately 100 soldiers were able to retreat during the evening, while A Company’s commanding officer and a group of nine men made their way to safety during the early morning hours of July 26.
The situation for the remaining North Novas was grim. According to A Company’s commanding officer, small groups of men were still “holding out” in the village, but at least 10 German tanks and two infantry Companies had entered the area, making it “unlikely” that any of the remaining soldiers “would get out alive.”
Before dawn July 26, an exhausted group of North Novas withdrew toward Cormelles, arriving there at 0930 hours. The men were billeted in local houses, where they enjoyed a “well-earned rest, followed by an excellent meal.” The 3rd Canadian Division’s attack on Tilly-la-Campagne had failed completely, resulting in a total of 139 North Nova casualties—61 “all ranks” killed, another 46 soldiers wounded and 32 men taken prisoner.
In the immediate aftermath of the North Novas’ attack on Tilly-la-Campagne, Private Joseph Leo McNeary was reported “missing.” As the following days turned into months, there was no news of his fate. Understandably, his parents in Canso became increasingly concerned. A news item published in The Antigonish Casket, dated February 15, 1945, stated:
“Mr. and Mrs. Walter McNeary, Canso, have received word that their only son, Private Joseph McNeary, age 21, of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, has been missing in action in France since July 25, 1944…. Any returned soldier that knew of Pte…. McNeary [after] the landing in France on D-Day, please write to Mrs. Walter McNeary and kindly give me [sic] all the information you can of him.”
Another month passed before the family finally received word on Joe’s fate. By that time, Canadian officials came into possession of two German documents—Verlustmeldung [Casualty Report] and Grabmeldung [Grave Report]—that provided the crucial information. Joe was seriously wounded during the North Nova’s July 25 attack on Tilly-la-Campagne and was among the men taken prisoner that day. Admitted to German Field Hospital 501, Sées, with “abdominal and lung injuries,” he died of wounds at 0330 hours July 28, 1944, and was buried in the Municipal Cemetery, Sées, Orne, France.
On March 26, 1945, Canadian military authorities completed an Official Canadian Army Overseas Casualty Notification form, stating that Pte. Joseph Leo McNeary, “previously reported missing in action[, is] now officially reported to have been taken P.O.W. and died of wounds whilst P.O.W.” on July 28, 1944. A letter to Joe’s mother Mary, dated that same day, conveyed the tragic news to his family.
On an unknown date, Joe’s remains were transferred to the civilian section of Le Mans (West) Communal Cemetery, Sarthe, France, approximately 80 kilometers south of Sées. On July 22, 1975, his remains were transferred into a Commonwealth section of the cemetery, where a group of airmen and gunners from a number of British and Canadian units had been interred in September 1959. Available Commonwealth War Graves Commission records suggest that Joe’s grave had been overlooked at the time the section was created.
Both of Joe’s sisters pursued careers in nursing. Mary Martha, the oldest McNeary child, graduated from St. Martha’s School of Nursing, Antigonish, and worked in Inverness briefly before returning to Canso, where she joined the Eastern Memorial Hospital nursing staff. Mary also raised a family of three children—two sons and one daughter. She passed away in Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, in November 1987 and was laid to rest in Star of the Sea Cemetery, Canso.
Stella Margaret McNeary graduated from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing, Grace Bay, and initially joined the nursing staff of St. Rita’s Hospital, Sydney, NS. In 1944, Stella joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps, where she provided nursing services in military hospitals at Debert and Montreal. She later served as “nurse-in-charge” as the Red Cross Outpost Hospital, Neil’s Harbour, and worked as a Public Health Nurse in Guysborough County.
On August 15, 1952, Stella joined the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha, Bethany, Antigonish. Two years later, she pronounced first vows as Sister Peter Claver and took her final vows in 1957. After spending a decade in nursing care, first at St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, and St. Joseph’s Hospital, Grace Bay, Sister Peter spent four years on the Nursing faculty of St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish.
Sister Peter later completed courses for a Masters in Science in Nursing at Boston University and a Diploma in Pastoral Care at Andover Newton Theology Center Newton, MA. She went on to spend almost two decades in pastoral care at St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, and St. John’s Hospital, Lowell, MA. Sister Peter Claver retired to St. Martha’s Motherhouse, Bethany, in 2004, and passed away there on September 8, 2015, at 95 years of age.
Special thanks to Deborah Avery, Canso, NS, who provided a photograph of Private Joseph Leo McNeary.
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