Private James David Dort—Killed in Action February 29, 1944

James David Dort was born in Little Dover, Guysborough County, on February 19, 1923. His parents, David Leander Dort and Bertha Reynolds/Rhynold, were also natives of the Canso area. David Leander was born in Canso on May 26, 1896, the youngest child of Albert and Abigail (George) Dort.

Private James David Dort

On June 6, 1918, David Sr. was conscripted into military service at Camp Aldershot, NS. He departed for overseas on August 2, 1918, and arrived in Liverpool, England, two weeks later. David was immediately assigned to the 17th Reserve Battalion, which provided reinforcements for Nova Scotian infantry battalions at the front.

After spending two months at Camp Bramshott, David was assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) “for service on the continent” on November 16, five days after the armistice that brought fighting to an end. He spent one month at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp in France before joining the RCR’s ranks on December 24.

In total, David spent six weeks on the continent with the unit before returning to England on February 8, 1919. He departed for Canada aboard SS Adriatic on March 1 and arrived in Halifax one week later. On March 15, 1919, he was discharged from military service and returned home to Canso.

On October 7, 1922, David Leander Dort married Bertha Rhynold [surname recorded as Reynolds on marriage license], daughter of James and Esther Jane (Snow) Rhynold, Dover, at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, Guysborough. Tragically, David Sr. passed away in mid-December 1922 at 26 years of age. The exact date and circumstances of his death are unknown, as no formal death certificate is available.

Pregnant at the time of her husband’s passing, Bertha gave birth to James David Dort at Little Dover on February 19, 1923. The following day, a second family tragedy occurred when Bertha passed away at age 23. Her death certificate identifies the cause of death as kidney disease and “apoplexy”—unconsciousness or incapacity from a cerebral hemorrhage. Bertha’s death certificate makes no mention of James David’s recent birth.

David, as he was known to family, was taken in by his maternal grandparents, James and Esther Rhynold, Little Dover. James passed away at age 64 on August 4, 1924, while his wife Esther died on April 13, 1931. After Esther’s passing, an elder cousin, James Boudreau, and his wife, Eliza Blanche Keefe, assumed responsibility for David’s care. (James was the son of David’s maternal aunt Margaret (Rhynold) Boudreau and her husband John.)

From an early age, David aspired to a career in aviation. To further his education, around 1936 he moved to Springhill, where he lived with Frances Carrigan, another maternal aunt, and her husband William “Bill.” Each summer, however, David returned to the Boudreau home in Little Dover.

David Dort (right) with aunt Frances (Rhynold) Carrigan (center) and her daughter Gertrude

After completing two years of high school, David decided it was time to set out in pursuit of his dream. In the early summer of 1940, he headed to Toronto, where he found work as a “bus boy” at the National Club, a men’s social facility. At the time of his arrival in the city, interest in the war overseas was spreading across the country. Caught up in the excitement, David enlisted with the 2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada, a local militia unit, on July 26, 1940.

From September 9 to 21, David attended the regiment’s annual training session at Niagara Camp, ON. While there, he made the decision to enlist for overseas service with the regiment’s 1st Battalion. His attestation document lists his occupation as “aviation student,” an aspiration mentioned elsewhere in his service file.

At the time of his enlistment, David gave his birth date as February 19, 1922, exaggerating his age by one year. He was actually 17 years and seven months old when he joined the Canadian Army. David listed his aunt, “Mrs. William Carrigan, Springhill,” as his next of kin, and later named Frances as heir on his military will. In the event of Frances’s death, James Boudreau, Little Dover, was identified as an alternate heir.

The Irish Regiment of Canada traces its origins to the 110th Irish Regiment, authorized on October 15, 1915. Based in Toronto, the unit recruited soldiers for the 180th and 208th Battalions during the First World War. After arriving overseas, both units were dissolved and their personnel dispersed to existing units.

Re-designated the Irish Regiment following the war, the unit expanded its title to “The Irish Regiment of Canada” in 1932. Four years later, it amalgamated with the 1st Machine Gun Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, to form The Irish Regiment of Canada (MG).

On September 1, 1939, the Irish Regiment was placed on active service for local guard duty and formally mobilized for overseas service in May 1940. Six months later, the Regiment dropped its machine gun role and became a regular infantry unit. As a result, it was re-designated “The Irish Regiment of Canada, CASF.”

The unit spent more than two years in Canada before heading overseas. From July 1940 to April 1941, its personnel were stationed at Camp Borden, ON. In August 1941, the Regiment travelled by train to Camp Aldershot, NS. By that time, it had been assigned to the 4th Canadian Armoured Division’s 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade.

After arriving in Nova Scotia, the Irish Regiment’s soldiers were assigned to guard duty at various strategic locations around the province. “A” Company—the section to which David belonged—was sent to the Strait of Canso, while the remaining three Companies proceeded to Halifax for duty in and around the capital city.

On October 11, 1941, David was admitted to military hospital at Debert for treatment of a concussion. The circumstances in which he sustained this injury are not recorded in his service file. David spent one week under medical treatment before being discharged to “three days light duty.” He then resumed his regular routine. While at Debert, David completed his military will, naming his Aunt Frances as his heir.

The Regiment received new assignments in April 1942. “B” Company travelled to Shelburne, while “C” Company departed for coastal duty in the Gaspé. The unit’s remaining soldiers were stationed at Mulgrave. While there, Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Clark assumed command and would eventually lead its soldiers into combat.

The battalion returned to Debert in August 1942 and commenced preparations for its overseas departure. On October 28, 1942, the Irish Regiment of Canada departed for overseas aboard the Queen Elizabeth and disembarked at Greenock and Gourock, Scotland, one week later. Personnel began to arrive at Aldershot Camp, Hants, England, on November 6.

Over the ensuing months, the men completed a training regimen that included speed and route marches, obstacle courses, and basic tactical drills. On December 15, David was granted one week’s leave, returning to Aldershot in time to celebrate the unit’s first overseas Christmas with his mates.

Early in the New Year, an officer completed a confidential assessment of David. The document describes him as a “very sensible lad [who] [h]as seen tough times in his upbringing. Wants to join Air Force because he feels that he is wasting his time here….Stable. Wants to learn, but doesn’t want promotion here.”

On January 11, 1943, the Regiment’s 11th Infantry Brigade was transferred to the 5th Canadian Armoured Division. The composition of Canada’s two Armoured Divisions—4th and 5th—differed from their infantry counterparts. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions each contained three brigades, consecutively numbered 1st through 9th. In contrast, Canada’s two armoured divisions included only two brigades—one armoured and one infantry.

The 5th Canadian Armoured Divisions’ 5th Armoured Brigade included the 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona’s Horse); the 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess Louise’s Hussars, New Brunswick); and the 9th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Dragoons). Its 11th Infantry Brigade included the 1st Battalion, Perth Regiment (Ontario); 1st Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders; and 1st Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada. The 11th Independent Machine Gun Company (Princess Louise Fusiliers) rounded out its combat personnel.

Three days after the change in assignment, the Irish Regiment relocated to Wadhurst, approximately 70 miles east of Aldershot. The men were billeted in the community’s castle during their time in the area. While stationed there, David completed a driver’s course, qualifying as “Driver I/C [In Charge] (Wheeled), Class III” on February 19, 1943.

Later that same month, the unit participated in Scheme Spartan, a three-week exercise during which its personnel pursued a retreating “enemy” across southern England. After its completion, the soldiers returned to Wadhurst for another two months’ training. During that time, David received a nine-day personal leave on April 20.

On May 16, 1943, the Irish Regiment proceeded to Salisbury Plains for training in conjunction with the 3rd Army Tank Brigade. The soldiers practiced “in close Company - Squadron co-operation,” a dress rehearsal for active combat service. On July 4, personnel relocated to King’s Lynn, Norfolk, approximately 100 miles north of London, for training. While stationed there, the Regiment provided the Royal Guard while King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, visited nearby Sandringham House, one of their royal residences.

In mid-August, the Irish Regiment returned to southern England and set up camp in Barton Stacey, Winchester. While there, its soldiers participated in Exercise Harlequin, a dress rehearsal that simulated an invading force’s troop movements. The nature of the exercise suggested that departure for an assignment on the continent was imminent.

In fact, several months previously, Allied forces had commenced their first major combat offensive in Europe.  In late June 1943, a convoy containing British, Canadian and American units departed from the United Kingdom for the Mediterranean theatre. The troops landed on the shores of Sicily on July 9 and crossed to the Italian mainland in early September 1943.

On October 15, 1943, the Irish Regiment travelled to Eastbourne, where preparations commenced for the 5th Canadian Armoured Division’s departure for Italy. The 15,000-man strong Division constituted the main fighting force in a second contingent of Canadian units assigned to the Italian campaign. Before departure, the men were issued supplies appropriate for service in the Mediterranean—tropical anti-gas ointment, mosquito netting, and anti-malaria tablets, among other items.

After a long train journey to northwest England, the Regiment arrived in Liverpool, where its personnel boarded the Grace Line vessel Monterey on October 23. Over the ensuing days, a convoy of 26 vessels subsequently assembled in the Clyde River and departed for the Mediterranean theatre on October 27. The vessels passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on November 4 and continued across the Mediterranean Sea toward their final destination.

The journey was not without its drama. On November 6, a small group of German aircraft attacked the convoy. Torpedoes struck two vessels—a Dutch ammunition ship and the Saint Elena, a troop ship carrying the 14th British General Hospital’s personnel. While the Dutch vessel was destroyed, the Saint Elena remained afloat long enough for the Monterey to pull alongside and evacuate its passengers.

The following day, the convoy anchored in Philippeville Harbour, Algeria, for a day before resuming its voyage. On November 10, the Irish Regiment landed in Naples, Italy, and marched through the streets behind its pipe band. The men then set up camp in the village of Afragola, on the city’s outskirts.

The 5th Canadian Armoured Division was assigned to I Canadian Corps, which operated under the command of the British 8th Army. To reduce the amount of cargo, the Armoured Division had arrived in Italy without its tanks and vehicles. Instead, military commanders decided that the Division would inherit the equipment of the British 7th Armoured Division, the unit they were to relieve.

Unfortunately, the British vehicles had been used during the North African campaign conducted earlier in 1943. The harsh desert conditions meant that most were worn and badly in need of repair. The fleet also consisted mainly of two-wheel drive vehicles that were poorly suited for the Italian terrain. When the deficiencies were presented to military authorities, a decision to re-equip the armoured units with replacement vehicles transported from the UK delayed their deployment until February 1944.

The situation for the 11th Infantry Brigade’s units, however, was quite different. On November 19, its personnel moved to Altamura in southeastern Italy, where they spent the remainder of the year. The three battalions participated in a training exercise at nearby Irsina from December 18 to 23 before returning to Altamura for a traditional Christmas feast.

As some point during his time in the UK—likely during one of his leaves—David had met Teresa Gilfedder, a young Glasgow resident. His service file contains a letter from Teresa, dated January 1944. Teresa wrote:

“Do you know that this is my fifth air-mail to you? I can’t understand why you are not receiving any of them. Thank you very much for your Greetings at Christmas. Believe it or not darling I actually received your Air-graph Xmas morning…. [A]s you said, we are going to have great times together, when you do come home. By the way, darling, please tell me how to send my photograph on to you. I thought of sending it in that frame you gave me. But if there is a safer way of it reaching you, please let me know. There is an air-mail to follow. Bye for now.”

Teresa Gilfedder, Glasgow, Scotland

David’s service file also contains his pay book, a document that soldiers kept among their possessions throughout their service. Glued to the inside the front cover is a photograph of Teresa, quite possibly the picture mentioned in her January 1944 message. The fact that Teresa’s letter was preserved in David’s service file suggests that it did not reach him prior to his death.

On January 9, 1944, the Irish Regiment and its Brigade counterparts departed Altamura and arrived at San Vito Chietino, south of Ortona, after a two-day journey. On the night of January 12/13, its personnel marched through the ruins of Ortona under cover of darkness. Before daybreak, the soldiers relieved the Royal 22nd Regiment in the front lines as the Irish Regiment commenced its first combat tour in Italy.

The 11th Brigade’s sector was located at the coastal end of a 50-mile front, stretching inland for 3,000 yards across an area of high ground between Ortona and the Riccio River. On its left flank were experienced 1st Canadian Brigade units. The Canadian positions ran along a deep, rugged river valley through which the Arielli River flowed into the Adriatic Sea.

Opposing German forces occupied slit trenches on a high bank opposite Allied units. The Canadians sheltered in fortified buildings during daylight hours, when the situation was usually quiet. Soldiers not assigned to guard duty cleaned their equipment or rested. Artillery and mortar fire at dawn and dusk was routine. As night fell, soldiers moved into slit trenches along the perimeter of each infantry company’s positions.

During the winter months, the area was a “static front” where soldiers conducted “holding” operations, maintaining sufficient defensive positions to repel an attack. Both sides also maintained “around the clock” observation and listening posts tomonitor their opponent’s movements. As movement by either side during the daylight hours prompted retaliatory artillery and mortar fire, both groups dispatched night patrols to prevent enemy forces from infiltrating their positions.

Patrol size varied, depending on the assignment. A “recce patrol” usually consisted of an officer and three to four “other ranks” (OR). Tasked with reconnoitring enemy positions, the men were instructed to avoid any contact with the opposing side.

A “standing patrol” consisted of any number up to platoon size (20 to 50 soldiers) and was intended to provide protection against attack by an enemy patrol. Its soldiers were prepared to ambush and kill enemy personnel, if any were encountered.

A “fighting patrol” consisted of an officer and 10 men to 25 men, Its assignment was to move through the “no man’s land” between opposing lines and make contact with the enemy. The goal was to identify enemy units on the other side, ideally by returning with a prisoner.

As the 11th Brigade settled in for its first tour in the line, its officers received word of plans for a two-battalion attack across the Riccio River and into German-held territory. The Perths and Cape Breton Highlanders would carry out the offensive action, with the Irish Regiment remaining in reserve. The attack took place on the night of January 17, but did not unfold as planned. While the Irish Regiment sheltered in reserve trenches, supporting tanks drew German machine gun fire onto their location, inflicting the unit’s first casualties of the war.

Meanwhile, the Perths and Cape Breton Highlanders crossed the Riccio River toward the German line in a staggered attack. Their opponents, seasoned and disciplined soldiers of the 1st German Parachute Division, repelled both advances, inflicting eight officer and 177 OR casualties in the Brigade’s first combat experience. A major reason for the failure was a decision to have the Perths attack their objective first, followed shortly afterward by the Highlanders. The ill-conceived plan allowed enemy artillery to concentrate its fire first on one party before transferring to the other.

The 11th Brigade remained in the line for the remainder of the month, conducting routine patrols in wet weather that turned the heavy clay ground into a muddy quagmire. Night-time temperatures dropped below freezing, making conditions even more uncomfortable. On January 31, a German patrol attacked a “C” Company Irish Regiment platoon but was driven off. The following day, a “B” Company patrol brought in the unit’s first prisoner of war.

On February 8, the unit relieved the Carleton & York Regiment in a nearby section of the line. The move took place over muddy terrain in a steady rain, under cover of darkness. The new Irish position consisted of open slit trenches filled with muddy water, typical of most locations along the line. Three days later, the weary soldiers marched out to the village of Roatti for a welcome five-day rest.

The Irish Regiment returned to the line in relief of the Cape Breton Highlanders on February 16. The unit’s second tour in the line involved “intensive patrolling.” On February 22, the battalion recorded its first combat fatality when Lieutenant R. D. Heard, the officer in charge of its Scout Platoon, was killed when he stepped on a mine on the German side of the Arielli River.

There was one “decent ford” across the river in the 11th Brigade’s sector. At various times, both sides waded through its shallow water and into the other side’s lines. The Irish Regiment’s nightly patrols headed out through a dark valley leading to the ford, scrambled up the mine-infested slope on the opposite side and into German-held territory.

On the evening of February 29, 1944, Major George Macartney led an “A” Company fighting patrol, consisting of 25 men, across the Arielli. The group “opened up a heavy firefight” with German forces at a location known as “Cork” and “did much damage before withdrawing to their own side of the river.” Two Irish soldiers were wounded in the encounter, but safely made their way back with their comrades.

After returning to the Irish Regiment line, Lt. Macartney realized that one soldier—Private James David Dort—was missing. The officer later returned to the location of the firefight with a patrol in search of “Porky,” the nickname his comrades had given their lanky young comrade. Unfortunately, Macartney “was unable to find any trace” of David, who was officially listed as “missing in action.” Shortly after the incident, authorities notified David’s aunt Frances of his disappearance.

Several months passed with no sign of David. On November 18, 1944, officials sent a telegram to Frances, stating that her nephew, “previously reported missing in action[,] has now been for official purposes presumed killed in action” in Italy on February 29, 1944. Over the ensuing months, there was no trace of David’s remains.

Private James David Dort’s name is inscribed on the Cassino Memorial, erected at Cassino, Frosinone, Italy, in memory of more than 4,000 British and Commonwealth personnel lost in the Sicilian and Italian campaigns who have no known graves. Its green marble walls display the names of 193 Canadian soldiers who died without a trace while serving in the Mediterranean theatre.

Photograph of Pte. James David Dort in uniform courtesy of Betty Boudreau, Little Dover, Guysborough County. Remaining images obtained from Pte. Dort's service file. Special thanks to the children of Teresa (Gilfedder) Flynn, Glasgow, Scotland, for consenting to the inclusion of her picture and letter in this post.

Pilot Officer Andrew Ian "Dick" Sinclair—Accidentally Killed February 24, 1944

 Andrew Ian “Dick” Sinclair was born in Goshen, Guysborough County, on February 22, 1924, the third of John Alfred and Nellie Jane (Sinclair) Sinclair’s five children. Dick was a direct descendant of Alexander Sinclair, born in Shurrery, Thurso, Scotland, on February 16, 1759. Alexander and his wife, Isabella Sutherland (1770 - 1853), immigrated to Nova Scotia in the early 1800s.

Pilot Officer Andrew Ian "Dick" Sinclair

One of Alexander and Isabella’s sons, John Sinclair Esq., was also born in Scotland and accompanied his parents to Nova Scotia. The family settled in Goshen, Guysborough County, where Alexander passed away on May 13, 1841. His son John married Elizabeth MacKenzie (1806 - 1873) and raised a family in Goshen. The March 1861 Nova Scotia census lists a “John Sinclair” living in District 10 [Forks of St. Marys]. A total of six individuals—four males and two females—were residing in the Sinclair household at that time.

James A. Sinclair, one of John and Elizabeth’s children, was born in Goshen on June 9, 1838, and married Jessie Henderson (1840 - 1929), daughter of William and Lucy (MacKenzie) Henderson, Barney’s River, on April 2, 1867. At the time of the 1871 Canadian census, James A. and Jessie were living on a farm in Goshen with their first child, one-year-old Elizabeth.

Over the next two decades, four more children joined the Sinclair family—Maria Henderson (April 19, 1873); William Henry (June 14, 1876); John Alfred (October 3, 1879); and Robert Ernest (February 28, 1888). After James A.’s death in 1895, Jessie’s three sons remained in the family home with her.

Following William Henry’s 1895 marriage to Elizabeth Christina Sinclair, South River Lake, John Alfred and Ernest lived in the family home with their mother. At the time of the 1901 Canadian census, William Henry was residing nearby, his occupation listed as blacksmith and farmer. Ernest eventually established a small mercantile business in the community, while John Alfred assumed operation of the family farm.

On July 22, 1920, 40-year-old John Alfred Sinclair married Nellie Jane Sinclair, a 28-year-old school teacher and daughter of Andrew Sinclair and Christie Stewart, Goshen. Over the next decade, five children joined the Sinclair household—Harold McNaughton (June 4, 1921); Jessie Christina (1922); Andrew Ian “Dick” (February 22, 1924); William Ernest “Bill” (March 23, 1928); and John George “Jack” (June 23, 1929). John Alfred’s mother Nellie passed away on July 6, 1929, two weeks after the birth of his youngest child.

Andrew Ian “Dick” Sinclair attended Goshen School from 1930 to 1940, entering the work force upon completing Grade 10. Dick obtained a position as a bank clerk with the Royal Bank of Canada, Antigonish, working there for a year and a half before accepting a transfer to the bank’s branch in Weymouth, Digby County.

In May 1942, Dick applied for admission to the Royal Canadian Air Force. He formally attested for service with the RCAF at Halifax on February 17, 1943, five days after his nineteenth birthday. Following a one-month leave, Dick was “taken on strength” at Military District No. 5, Lachine, QC, and commenced his active service with the RCAF with the rank of Aircraftman Class 2.

While awaiting the commencement of his training, Dick was assigned to No. 12 Equipment Depot, Montreal, QC, on May 18, 1943. He traveled to Ontario in late June to complete a “Pre-Aircrew Education Course” at Western Technical - Commercial School, Toronto. Upon finishing the program in mid-August, Dick received a week’s leave before beginning his training at No. 1 Air Gunners’ Ground Training School (AGGTS), Quebec, QC, on August 20.

Established in March 1943 to help alleviate a shortage of air gunners overseas, No. 1 AGGTS put prospective gunners through a six-week course that included instruction on aircraft machine gun maintenance and small arms firing, in addition to basic drill and physical training. Upon completing the course, Dick was promoted to the rank of Leading Aircraftman on October 2. The following day, he reported to No. 9 Bombing & Gunnery School, Mont Joli, QC.

During his time at Mont Joli, Dick logged almost 20 hours of flying time aboard a Fairey Battle aircraft. He achieved an average of 79.1 % in his ground training courses and 75.5 % in air firing, placing fourth in a class of 111 trainees. Comments on his evaluation form noted that Dick was an “above average student” who “gave his instructor [the] fullest co-operation” and “had no trouble in grasping instruction.” According to a later news item published in the Antigonish Casket, Dick was “one of the few in his graduating class to be recommended for a commission,” an impressive accomplishment for a young man who was 19 years old at the time.

On November 12, 1943, Dick received his Air Gunner’s Badge and was also officially promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer the same day. After the standard two-week embarkation leave, he reported to No. 1 Y Depot, Halifax, on December 13 and departed for overseas the following day. Upon disembarking in the United Kingdom on December 21, he traveled to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, and awaited assignment to an overseas training unit.

On February 4, 1944, Dick was assigned to No. 1664 Conversion Unit for the final phase of his training. Based at RAF Croft, the unit prepared airmen for active service aboard Lancaster and Halifax four-engine heavy bombers. Air crews were also assembled at this stage, providing the inexperienced recruits with the opportunity to bond as a unit prior to active service.

Three of Dick’s crew mates hailed from Winnipeg, MB—Flight Lieutenant John Gordon Broder, pilot; Pilot Officer James Gordon Stewart, bomb aimer; and Flight Sergeant Clarence Walker Gugins, rear gunner. The two remaining airmen were from the United Kingdom—Flight Sergeant Alexander Pettigrew Reid, Edinburgh, Scotland, wireless operator; and Flight Sergeant Royston William Cottrell, Bristol, England, flight engineer.

As bombing raids usually took place under cover of darkness, night-time flying was a basic element of training. On the night of February 24, 1944, Dick and his crew took part in a “non-operational night training” exercise at Dishforth, Thirsk, England, aboard a Halifax V bomber. With an instructor on board, Flight Lieutenant Broder completed five successful take-off and landing “circuits,” after which the instructor disembarked, “leaving the student to carry on.”

Broder then completed one successful circuit. On his second take-off shortly after 9:00 pm, the aircraft “climbed to about 400 feet and then the nose of the aircraft went down and dived into the ground at a steep angle. All the crew were killed [instantly].”

A subsequent “Report on Flying Incident” stated that “the machine was much too battered for inspection of control settings. It is not possible to say if a technical failure was involved as the fuselage had disintegrated and some of the mainplanes [wings] are burnt.” Flight Lieutenant W. H. Roberge, who examined the wreckage, “did not find any evidence of a technical failure.” Another entry in the report stated: “The cause is totally obscure. Weather was good, witnesses say the aircraft sounded normal till [sic] it struck the ground.”

On February 26, 1944, military authorities notified Mr. and Mrs. John Alfred Sinclair that their son, Pilot Officer Andrew Ian Sinclair, was killed on the night of February 24 “as a result of a flying accident (overseas).” Two days later, Squadron Leader W. R. Gunn wrote a letter of condolence to Dick’s parents.

Pilot Officer Andrew Ian Sinclair was buried in Stonefalls Cemetery, Harrowgate, England, on March 1, 1944. In the aftermath of the solemn ceremony, D. W. S. Clark, Wing Commander, RCAF Station Dishforth, wrote a letter to John Alfred Sinclair: “Your son was buried in Stonefalls Cemetery, Harrowgate, and the Service was conducted by Canadian Protestant Padré, S/Ldr. E. Lautenslager, Chaplain of this Station. Full service honours were accorded and members of his own unit were present.” A news item in the Antigonish Casket, published on March 2, 1944, informed its readers of Dick’s tragic passing, commenting:

“P/O Sinclair was a young man of fine ability, who possessed marked qualities of leadership, and the ability to make friends. His early death has been a great shock to all who knew him, and a sore trial for his parents.”

John Alfred Sinclair passed away in his Goshen home on December 13, 1947. His wife Nellie Jane died in 1960. Both were laid to rest in Goshen Cemetery. An inscription on their headstone commemorates the overseas death of their second son in the service of his country.

Dick’s younger brothers, William Ernest, age 16, and John George, age 15, were living at home at the time of his death and were too young to serve during the war. His older brother, Harold McNaughton Sinclair, also joined the RCAF. After completing an aero-mechanics course in Moncton, NB, he attended the RCAF Technicians’ School, St. Thomas, ON. Harold was then assigned to No. 4 Repair Depot, Scoudouc, NB, where he was serving at the time of Dick’s death. He was eventually transferred overseas, where he worked as a technician at RCAF bases in the United Kingdom. Discharged from military service on September 22, 1945, he returned to Nova Scotia.

On July 31, 1948, Harold married Mina Ruth Hudson, a native of Country Harbour, Guysborough County. The couple resided in Halifax, where they raised a family of four children. Harold operated Sinclair Refrigeration for a number of years, and later worked in the truck sales and leasing business. After living in Halifax for more than three decades, Harold and Mina retired to Goshen in 1982. Harold Sinclair passed away there on June 6, 2009.

Special thanks to Jim Sinclair, Goshen, who provided information on his father Harold's Second World War service and post-war life.

Private Leonard William Mattie—Killed in Action January 24, 1944

Leonard William Mattie was born in Mattie Settlement, Guysborough County, on October 28, 1921, the fourth of Arthur Norman and Mary Jane (DeWolfe) Mattie’s 12 children. According to his Second World War service file, Leonard was fluent in both English and French, a reflection of Acadian lineage on both sides of his family.

Private Leonard William Mattie

Mary Jane De Wolfe was a direct descendant of Augustine Wolfe, born in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, around 1727. Augustine later immigrated to Île Royale (present-day Cape Breton), where he married Catherine Quimine in 1751. Among their children was a son, Thomas DeWolfe, born at Chezzetcook in 1764.

Thomas eventually relocated to Pomquet, Antigonish County, where he and his wife, Felicité-Jeanne Vincent, raised a family. Among their children was a son Jean-Baptiste, born in Pomquet in 1796. Jean-Baptiste married Charlotte Benoit on January 15, 1822. The couple established a home in Summerside, where they raised a family of nine children. Tragically, Jean-Baptiste was  struck by a falling beam and killed on May 24, 1840. 

John, one of Jean-Baptiste and Charlotte’s six sons, was born at Pomquet in October 1838 and married Angelique Benoit. Their son, William John, was born in March 1869 and married twice. His first marriage to Felicité Benoit resulted in no children. Following Felicité’s passing, William John married Lucy Anne Melanson. The couple raised a family of six children—three boys and three girls. One of their daughters, Mary Jane DeWolfe, was born on November 11, 1895.

On his father’s side, Leonard was a direct descendant of Alexandre Mathe, birthdate unknown, a native of the Isle of Jersey, which is now a part of the United Kingdom. Alexandre is believed to be the “pioneer” to the Mathe/Mattie families who presently reside in the Antigonish - Guysborough area.
Alexandre immigrated to Cape Breton, where he married Marie-Jeanne Benoit, who was born in Bras d’Or on January 10, 1765. The couple raised a family of at least six children, one of whom was a son Alexandre Jr., birthdate unknown. Alexandre Jr. married Oiste Ursule Briand (Brillant/Breen), who was born in St. Pierre and Miquelon around 1798.

Alexandre Jr. and Oiste Ursule raised a family of 11 children, one of whom was a son Frederick, born February 21, 1817. Frederick married Marie Courtin on February 15, 1841, and the couple raised a family of 11 children. Frederick passed away at Mattie Settlement on October 14, 1902.

One of Frederick and Marie’s sons, Norman Mathe/Mattie, was born on April 9, 1858, and married Charlotte Mathe. The couple raised a family of six boys and five girls. One of their sons, Arthur Norman, was born at Mattie Settlement on December 17, 1894, and married Mary Jane DeWolfe at Pomquet on January 29, 1918.

Exactly five months later, Arthur attested for military service at Camp Aldershot, NS, under the terms of the Military Service Act (1917). His time in uniform was brief—discharged as “medically unfit” on July 19, 1918, he returned home to Mattie Settlement, where he and Mary Jane raised a large family.

Leonard Mattie, one of Arthur and Mary Jane’s seven sons, left school after completing Grade VII and went to work on the family farm. In mid-1942, he commenced a carpenter’s apprenticeship with Foundation Maritime Ltd., a Halifax building contractor. For two months prior to his enlistment, Leonard was employed as a “tool checker” in the company’s store room.

Leonard attested for military service at Halifax, NS, on January 22, 1943. While his age at the time meant that he was eligible for “mobilization” under the National Resources Military Act, he had not been called to duty. Leonard commenced basic training at No. 60 Canadian Army Basic Training Camp, Yarmouth, on February 12 and moved on to the advanced program at No. 14 Infantry Training Camp, Aldershot, NS, in mid-May 1943.

Upon completing the training course in early July, Leonard received six days’ leave and likely returned to Mattie Settlement for a visit. On July 18, 1943, he departed for overseas. Upon landing in the United Kingdom 10 days later, Leonard awaited appointment to an active combat unit.

On October 26, 1943, Leonard was placed on the West Nova Scotia Regiment’s reinforcement list. Recruited in the Halifax, South Shore and Annapolis Valley areas, the unit had mobilized at Bridgewater in September 1939 and departed for overseas in late December 1939.

The West Nova’s personnel spent three and a half years in the United Kingdom, during which time they completed “home defence” assignments and participated in numerous training programs. Finally, in late June 1943, the unit departed for the Mediterranean theatre, where its soldiers took part in the July 10, 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.

After driving German and Italian forces from the island in a month-long campaign, Allied forces prepared to cross the Strait of Messina to the Italian mainland. On September 3, the West Novas were part of a Canadian force that landed at Reggio and proceeded northward up the centre of the Italian peninsula. A second, larger, invading force composed of British and American units landed at Salerno, south of Naples, six days later.

While Italian forces officially surrendered on September 8, Hitler instructed German units to defend Italian soil from the invading Allied forces. As the Canadians pressed northward, British and American forces attempted to cut across the Italian peninsula, in an effort to trap German forces in the south.

By early December, Canadian units relocated to the Adriatic coast, where they engaged German units along the Moro River. Over the ensuing weeks, the West Novas participated in heavy fighting at Casa Berardi, west of the town of Ortona, suffering significant losses during a 16-day tour that included eight days of fierce combat.

After a brief rest, the unit returned to the front line south of the Arielli River, the next major Canadian objective. Winter conditions resulted in several months of stalemate, during which both sides reverted to the “trench warfare” tactics of the First World War. During this time, the 3rd Canadian Brigade, to which the West Novas belonged, maintained two battalions in the line, with a third nearby in reserve.

While Leonard departed for the Mediterranean theatre on November 6, 1943, he remained in reserve until January 16, 1944, when he joined the West Novas in the field. Three days previously, the Cape Breton Highlanders had relieved the battalion in the line and its personnel had marched out to a camp near Lanciano.

After several days’ rest, the soldiers commenced a program of courses and training. Two days after Leonard’s arrival, the West Novas relocated to the recently captured town of Ortona, where the 3rd Brigade assumed an “operational role” in support of the 1st and Second Brigades.

Courses and training continued throughout the remainder of the month. On January 23, the unit’s war diary reported “light intermittent enemy shelling of [the] Ortona area during [the] day. While the following day’s entry makes no mention of losses, records indicate that three soldiers were killed on January 24, 1944—Private Forest Roy Himmelman, Eastern Passage, NS; Private David James McGuigan, St. Mary;s Road, PEI; and Private Leonard William Mattie, Mattie Settlement.

Official documents reported that all three men were “killed in action,” but provide no details on the circumstances of their death. Captain Alan Nicholson, a West Nova officer, later wrote to Mrs. Barney McGuigan, providing some insight into the circumstances in which her son David and his companions, Roy and Leonard, were killed.

I was about 25 yards away from your boy when he was hit. I reached him before he passed on. He was every inch the man and the soldier right to the end and did not suffer much and complained not at all…. While attempting to do what I could in the line of first aid[,] David said, ‘Look after the other boys first. Sir, you can help them; nobody can save me now.’

“Because of the nature of the operation we were on at the time[,] it was possible for the whole company to attend the burial service. There were eight officers present. All saluted the open graves. David was buried side by side with two of his pals who were hit at the same time. The graves are situated on a beautiful hillside not much disfigured by war.”

Leonard’s service file and those of his two fallen comrades contained burial cards that provided a map reference and directions to the location of their graves: 

“Near top of hill above last sharp turn in road is a house. One hundred yards east is another house. Graves almost on line from one house to other, Lanciano, Italy [approximately 20 kilometres south of Ortona].”

The West Nova war diary indicates that the unit was engaged in training at the time of Leonard’s death. The fact that the entire Company attended their fallen comrades’ funeral further suggests that the soldiers were not in the front line when the incident occurred. The forward area along the Arielli River was approximately 17 kilometres north of Lanciano, and the unit’s January 23 war diary entry mentioned intermittent artillery fire in the Ortona area. These facts combine to suggest that the three soldiers were killed by an exploding artillery shell.

On February 3, 1944, Mary Mattie received a telegram from Canadian military authorities, informing her that “Private Leonard William Mattie [was] officially reported killed in action twenty fourth January, 1944.” One week later, The Casket informed its readers of Leonard’s death, mistakenly stating that he “died in North Africa as a result of wounds received in an air raid.”

The brief news item also mentioned two of Leonard’s siblings. At the time of their brother’s death, Clarence was a member of No. 13 Platoon, 2nd Battalion (Reserve), Pictou Highlanders. He and Leonard, along with a third sibling Clifford, “occasionally put on a singing and musical program from CJFX last year.”

Pte. Leonard Mattie's headstone, Moro River Canadian War Cemetery

On August 21, 1944, Leonard and his two West Nova comrades were re-interred in Moro River Canadian War Cemetery, three kilometres south of Ortona, Italy.

Images courtesy of Pte. Leonard Mattie's niece, Linda Boyle, Antigonish, NS.