Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 133 continued ... continued ... Angus Campbell (b. 1886) was from Campbells Mountain, Inverness County and after the war he settled in Western Canada. Dan Morrison (b.1883) was originally from Blues Mills, Inverness County. He immigrated to Boston before the War, and returned to Nova Scotia to enlist in the 25th Battalion, and after the conflict returned to Boston where he was active in several pipe bands. Brothers David (b. 1879) and William Brand (b. 1897) had immigrated to Halifax Nova Scotia several years before the war. William led his company into battle at Vimy Ridge and was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for Conspicuous Gallantry. He was unscathed during most of the war but in 1918 he was near a high explosive shell that caused severe shellshock and led to his eventual discharge as being “medically unfit”. Arthur Lavery (b. 1884) was from Shettleston, Scotland but had immigrated to Cape Breton where he was employed as a coal miner. Prior to leaving Scotland, Lavery had served for three years with the 93rd Regiment. After the war he returned to his home at Sydney Mines, Cape Breton. James Cant was born at Dundee, Scotland in 1883 and listed his occupation as boilermaker. He learned to play the pipes as a youth and at the age of 15 tried to volunteer for service in the Boer War as a piper. He was refused because of his age but later did serve with 3rd Battalion Black Watch for almost 2 years. He immigrated to NewYork in 1906 and later settled in Boston where he was Pipe Major of the Highland Dress Association Pipe Band. During the War, James developed severe varicose veins and was discharged as medically unfit in 1917. His wife, Mary was from Nova Scotia and after the war he spent time both in Halifax and Boston. Piping continued in the family and his two sons were pipers; Alan, who was Pipe Major of the Halifax Rifles Pipe Band, and James, who played with the Boston Legion in the United States. John ‘Jock’ Carson (b. 1880) was originally from Greenock, Scotland and he had also immigrated to New York and later settled in Boston several years before the War. Carson, too, had previous military experience, having served eight years with the 5th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He married Margaret MacKinnon of West Bay, Cape Breton during the early days in Halifax and in 1915 he was appointed Pipe Major of the 25th Battalion with the rank of Sergeant. Carson was a fighting piper, and had gone over the top five times during the war for which he received three decorations. At the battle of Courcelette, the 25th was paired with 22nd regiment (The Vandoos) and Carson, known after the battle as “Jock, The Lone Piper of Courcelette”, was shot and passed out. When he regained consciousness, he was still clutching his pipe chanter and discovered that the rest of instrument had been shot away. In 1919, H.R.H., Prince Edward, The Prince of Wales, presented him with a new set of silver mounted bagpipes on behalf of the Commanding Officer and officers of the 25th Battalion. After Carson’s death, Carson’s widow, Margaret donated the presentation bagpipe to the Province of Nova Scotia in a moving ceremony in Halifax in 1950. Carson’s son, John, played a few final tunes on the bagpipe before putting them back in the box and depositing them at the Provincial Archives. This set of bagpipes was for many years housed in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia but are now on loan to the Army Museum also in Halifax, NS. Pipe Major Carson is credited with composing at least one pipe tune, a lament simply titled Courcelette. Unfortunately, this tune, which commemorates one of the toughest battles of the First World War, has been lost. The Battle of Courcelette, The Highland Dress Pipe Band, Boston, c. 1910 Front row: Drum Major John Maclean (Cape Breton), Pipe Major Jim Cant, Joe Morrison, Duncan Grant, Pipe Sergeant ‘Jock’ Carson. Next row: George Martin, Billy Smith, Jack Urqhuart (bass) Dan Morrison (Cape Breton). The others remain unidentified. Mike MacDougall, Angus Campbell, and Dan Morrison represented Cape Breton and were all descended from Highland immigrants to the island in the early 19th century, The Scottish pipers included William Brand, David Brand, Arthur Lavery, James Cant, John ‘Jock’ Carson, and Walter Telfer. Carson’s bagpipe as presented by H.R.H. Prince Edward, The Prince of Wales
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