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North Nova Scotia Highlanders Badge.
1940

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The North Nova Scotia Highlander Regiment was mobilized 24 May 1940. The regiment embarked for the United Kingdom on 21 July 1941and landed at Normandy on D-day 6 June 1944 with the Canadian Infantry Division.

The following Shelburne County soldiers, who were killed in action, belonged to this regiment: Vilhelm "Bill" Boggild, Herbert Malcolm Brannen, Belton La Forrest Cunningham, George Mitchell Dash, David King Goulden, Albert "Edward" Harding, Robert "Glenwright" Newell, James "Edsel" Nickerson and Harvey Francis Williams.

Two books provide detailed information on the day to day events in the regiment's history: Bird, Will R. "No Retreating Footsteps. The Story of the Nova ScotiaHighlanders" and "The Two Jacks: The Amazing Adventures of Major Jack Veness & Major Jack Fairweather".

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Boggild,Vilhelm 'Bill'. Corporal. North Nova Scotia Highlanders. 1925 to 1945.
1943

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Boggild, Vilhelm "Bill" Kruuse F66822. Corporal. North Nova Scotia Highlanders. Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. 1925 to 1945.
Bill Boggild was working as a camp clerk in Caledonia, Queens County for the Mersey Paper Company, when he enlisted 3 April 1943 at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He entered the No.2 Canadian Army University Course at Acadia University in August of 1943 and graduated in May of 1944. Following advanced infantry training he went overseas in October 1944. Bill was with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in the successful Battle for the Scheldt and was killed after the crossing of the Rhine. At the time of his death his brother Captain Kai was in the RCNVR on the HMS Dryade; his brother F/L Carl, a member of the RCAF, was a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III, Germany and his brother Paul was living at home in Lockeport.
Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Grave 4, Row A, Plot 19, Gelderland, Netherlands.

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Bower, Charles Glenwood. Trooper.
1941

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Bower,Charles "Glenwood" F5170. Trooper.
4th Reconnaissance Regiment. 4th Princess Louise Guards. Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.
1920 to 1944.

Glen was a labourer when he enlisted 6 April 1941 in Yarmouth. He went overseas on 19 August 1942 with a tank unit and was in action in the Sicilian campaign before proceeding to mainland Italy. At Riccione, a sea-side resort on the Adriactic Coast, he recieved mortar shell wounds to his head, arm and chest at 1630 hours and died at 2215 hours. Buried at Moro River Canadian War Cemetery, at Grave 6, Row A, Plot 6, Italy.

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Smith, James Nathaniel. Gunner. Carleton and York Regiment. 1910 to 1944.
1943

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Smith, James Nathaniel. Gunner. Carleton and York Regiment. Royal Canadian Infantry Corps.
1910 to 1944.

James Nathaniel Smith was a truck driver when he enlisted in Yarmouth on 9 August 1941. He embarked for the United Kingdom 1 March 1942. Jim married Winnifred Mary Court on 8 May 1943 at the Parish Church, Busbridge, Surrey, England. Three weeks later he left for the Mediterranean Theatre of War. In a sympathy letter written to his wife from Italy on 8 June 1944 an officer explains "...he was killed by shellfire on the 19th of May during the assault on the "Gustave" line. It was due to the unexcelled bravery of your husband and others that this line and subsequently the "Adoph Hitler" line was... [the letter is part of a framed memorabilia collage and the remaining lines are behind the frame].
Buried at Cassino War Cemetery, Plot 4, Row C Grave 15 Italy.

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Allen, Arnold Howard and his older brother Morton at Aldershot, Nova Scotia.
1941

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Allen, Arnold F78029. Private. Cape Breton Highlanders. 2nd Battalion, Algonquin Regiment. 1922 to 1945.

Arnold Allen married Joyce Bent in Kentville, Nova Scotia on 26 April 1944 and some time later embarked for England. There he switched to the Second Battalion, Algonquin Regiment, Royal Canadian Rifle Infantry and was sent to France on 25 August 1944. Arnold was in Belgium when he was reported missing on 14 September 1944. On 3 January 1945 word was received that he was a prisoner of war in the German camp at Leipzeg. Arnold was killed, during an Allied Air Raid when bombs were dropped on the camp where he was held. His daughter, Johanna Arnold Allen was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, one week before her father was killed on 22 February 1945. Arnold is buried at Groesbeek Canadian Military Cemetery, Grave 1, Row D Plot 12, Gelderland, Netherlands.

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Atwood, Percy Coleman. Rifleman.
1940

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Atwood, Percy Coleman F40870. Rifleman. Royal Rifles of Canada. 1921 to 1941.

Percy Atwood enlisted on 16 July 1940. He trained in Aldershot and then was assigned to the Royal Rifles of Canada. He continued his training with the regiment, in Newfoundland from December 1940 until August 1941. The regiment embarked for Hong Kong 27 of October 1941. Percy, sent a telegram to his mother from Hong Kong telling her of his safe arrival on 17 November 1941.
After eighteen days of fighting, the last seven days of which were marked with continuous air and artillery bombardment, the British Government of Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanese on 25 December 1941. Percy was killed on the 23 December 1941. His attestation papers show he was on a patrol party of 30 soldiers, under a British Officer, approaching Repulse Bay Hotel. There were "a few bursts of enemy machine gun fire which killed Atwood outright". He is commemorated on the Sai Wan War Memorial, Column 24, Hong Kong.

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Goulden, David King. Private. North Nova Scotia Highlanders. 1919 to 1944.
1943

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Goulden, David King F40237. Private. North Nova Scotia Highlanders. Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. 1919 to 1944.

David was awarded on 11 May 1944 a Good Conduct Badge. He landed at Normandy on 6 June 1944 and received special mention when, during the fierce fighting, he mounted the hulls of two Sherman tanks to rescue the commanders. [Shelburne Coast Guard 6 July 1944]. On 8 July 1944 he received a slight shrapnel wound, from a mortar shell fragment, on his right jaw and cheek. David was killed in action on 9 October 1944 during the Battle for the Belgian Channel Ports. He is buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Maldegem, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium in Row E, Plot 1, Grave 11.