Historian recalls contributions of Pictou Landing First Nation soliders

“Even the local newspaper in New Glasgow printed that he had killed about 70 enemy soldiers during his time overseas. He was quite the hero.” Clyde Macdonald Historian

As Canada wraps up its celebration of National Indigenous History Month during the month of June, Pictou County historian and retired judge Clyde Macdonald’s mind has been reflecting on Indigenous soldiers who served in the First World War and, in particular, four Pictou Landing First Nation men who fought for Canada.

“It’s just amazing the sacrifices they made,” Macdonald said.

All four of the men he has researched not only enlisted and served overseas, but were seriously injured in action.

“They all came home with their wounds,” Macdonald said.

Macdonald is currently researching about Private Stephen Toney for an upcoming book. Toney became famous as a sniper during his service.

“Stephen Toney turned out to be a bonafide war hero,” Macdonald says. “He was a sniper and was referred to as a crack shot.”

Born around 1876, Toney was about 40 years old when he enlisted on March 29, 1916 at Pictou and joined the 193 Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

He was eventually transferred to the 85th Battalion, the Nova Scotia Highlanders. Toney would receive lots of press for his sniping ability during that period, Macdonald said.

“Even the local newspaper in New Glasgow printed that he had killed about 70 enemy soldiers during his time overseas. He was quite the hero.”

Macdonald said the 70 kills number was never authenticated and Toney himself would indicate he had killed at least 20 German enemy soldiers.

Toney was eventually poisoned in a gas attack in June of 1917. That resulted in him having chronic bronchitis and it also affected his eyes.

Because of it, he had to give up his career as a sniper.

After he came home from the war, the New Glasgow Mayor at the time, H.G. Grant, as well as a group of New Glasgow town representatives, honoured Toney and two other Pictou County Mi’kmaq soldiers with the Scroll of Honour in recognition of their service.

Three other men that Macdonald has researched and written about are Private Noel Francis, Private Michael Prosper, and Private Thomas Wilmot. Their stories are told in his book Notable Events in Pictou County which was published in 2005. All three of these Mi’kmaq men enlisted in April 2016 and served in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force with the 106th Battalion of the Nova Scotia Rifles. There were about 965 men in the battalion and six were indigenous.

NOEL FRANCIS

According to Macdonald, Francis was 23 when he enlisted and landed in France on Sept. 28, 1916. He served until he was wounded at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917.

A machine gun bullet entered the inner side of his left thigh and emerged on the inner side of his knee. The joint was not injured but it caused lasting damage.

Despite being sent to hospital, Francis developed pain in both knees and was later classified being unfit for military service because of his wounds.

“His disability was 70 per cent over 100 per cent,” Macdonald says.

He was eligible to receive the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, Macdonald stated.

Francis later contracted tuberculosis and died on May 28, 1923 and his war records state that his death was due to service.

MICHAEL PROSPER

Prosper enlisted at Truro on April 29, 1916 when he was 28. He sailed out of Halifax on July 15, 1916 and arrived in England 10 days later where he was transferred to the 26th Battalion and went on to serve in France beginning in October 1916.

On Nov. 6, 1917, he was wounded by a piece of shrapnel from a shell that wounded the right side of his abdomen.

After recovering, Prosper returned to the 26th Battalion and returned to the trenches in October 1918 and stayed until the end of the war. He was eligible to receive the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

THOMAS WILMOT

Wilmot was 26 years old when he enlisted and sailed on July 15, 1916 from Halifax to England and transferred to the 40th Canadian Reserve Battalion and later the 25th Battalion. He arrived in France on Nov. 28.

On Aug. 27, 1918 while in action, he was shot in his left foot in France. He was invalided back to England on Aug. 31 and posted to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot. He was honourably discharged at Halifax on March 21, 1919.

On July 19, 1918, he received the Good Conduct Badge and was eligible to receive the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died on Dec. 24, 1920. It is unclear whether his death was related to his service.