Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 9 Editor’s Comments: The following war service records and exploits of five WWI Chaplains, all from the Antigonish area of Nova Scotia, are extracts from a book entitled, “Catholics Of the Diocese of Antigonish, N.S. and The War 1914-1919” printed by St. Francis Xavier University Press. The more personal, first-hand accounts of their exploits are described in the book as being written, “By one who served with them overseas.” Service: Major Rev. Ronald C. MacGillivray, M.C Major Rev. Ronald C. MacGillivray, M.C., enlisted on October 1, 1915. In France he served as chaplain to the 2nd Canadian Division from November 15, 1915, to June 1916, when he was called home to Canada by the fatal illness of his father. After a few weeks’ furlough, he returned to England and took up the work of chaplain at Epsom Convalescent Hospital, remaining there until February 1917. In that month he re-joined the 2nd Division in France, staying with that Division until the close of the war. He returned to England in the winter of 1919, and, until June of that year, was chaplain at Cooden Beach Hospital. He then became Senior Chaplain at Witley Camp, where he remained until demobilization was completed. He took part in all the campaigns with the 2nd Division, except the Battle of the Somme – ten to fifteen in all. He saw much trench warfare and went “over the top” seven times. He was slightly gassed on one occasion, and was awarded the M.C., after the Battle of Cambrai, August 1918. Father MacGillivray has two brothers, both of whom were also in the service, Lieut. J.D. MacGillivray, M. M., and Lieut. C.J. MacGillivray. The family has, therefore, a military record of which it can well be proud. Diary Account: Major Rev. R.C. MacGillivray M.C. The war was nearly half over before I got to “Canada in Flanders.” It was already the end of May 1916. On June 3, occurred the blackest day in the history for the Canadian Corps, the break-through of the Germans at Sanctuary Wood in the Ypres Salient. Lack of adequate artillery protection left the C.M.R. brigade helpless when the German attack occurred, and they were forced to retire. The Canadian Corps avenged the defeat by its successful counter-attack of June 13. As I was merely in a Casualty Clearing Station, I did not see any of this fighting. Two Antigonish chaplains, however, shared in the dangers and difficulties of the Corps during that trying time, Father R.C. MacGillivray and the Father Miles N. Tompkins. Father MacGillivray had been with the Fourth Brigade since December 8, 1915. We crossed each other in the salient on Sunday, June 5. As Father MacGillivray’s father was dying he was then recalled to Canada on two month’s leave. Upon his return he had to wait his turn in England, impatient though he was to return to the Front. He got back to the Canadian Corps in February 1917 and took a very gallant part in all the great battles of 1917, from Vimy to Passchendaele, having his gallantry rewarded later by a Military Cross. In 1918 he was present in the Hundred Days’ fighting and distinguished himself by a “stunt” that showed that if he had not been a priest, he would have been a general. J.F.B. Livesay, in his book, “Canada’s Hundred Days,” gives the following authentic account of this exploit, which occurred during the Arras-Cambrai fighting of September 1918: continued.... WWI Chaplains from Antigonish, NS
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