Largely a Legend

I am back from the campaign to Halifax with the 1^st Battalion, 92^nd Regiment of Gordon Highlanders and though there were many wounded, there were no fatalities. We were kitted in 1880 period uniforms and weapons.

The flight to Halifax was interrupted by a man who began to feel ill on the flight. They called for a doctor and I went up to see him.

He felt vaguely ill with tingling in his arms. While we talked he turned white and became unresponsive. I pulled him from his seat and lowered him to the floor.

Once on the floor it felt like he had a rapid, irregular pulse. We dragged him up the aisle to the galley to work on him and he came to as we started to work on him.

His palpable blood pressure was ~ 90 systolic. I put the AED on him and by then he was back in sinus rhythm with a rate of 60-70 beats per minute.

The captain had started an emergency descent to Denver by then and by the time we hit the ground the guy looked pretty good. The P-EMT’s took him away.

The gentleman had several significant risk factors for coronary artery disease including a father who had a heart attack at 39 y.o.. He never had chest pain like a heart attack. It seemed more like he went into and out of an arrhythmia. It seemed a bit more than a simple fainting spell.

Because of this interruption, we were in jeopardy of not making our connection to Halifax . I explained to the Continental rep. why we were going and that there were 15 of us on the flight. She made them hold the flight in Newark for us and upgraded Casey and me to first-class as an _expression of gratitude for my assistance. I may not be able to get him into coach again!

We got in late and were assigned a room and bunk in the barracks. Four hours later reveille was played by the piper of the regiment while slowly walking up and down the hallway. We popped up, went to breakfast in the base chow hall and came back and got into full kit for the day.

We went to the Citadel and got our ID’s. We then met our armorer and drew our rifles and bayonets and then marched out to the drill area.

Once on the drill field, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We got permission to expand the drill area and got everyone to shake off the jet lag and we got it together. I think we were all just half asleep.

After drill we broke for lunch. We ate either box lunches from the base or period-style lunches prepared in the old way by the Royal Marine Artillery crew. Both were excellent.

Our first performance on the parade ground went off flawlessly. The entire company had pulled it together and we nailed it. The Gatling gun crew had the crowd entranced. Compliments flowed like water from the garrison and spectators when we gathered off the field for refreshments.

That night in the barracks we cleaned our kit and most were out before taps played. It had been a long two days.

A hurricane had moved up the U.S. coast that night. When we got to the Citadel the next morning we were asked to perform in place of another regiment that had not arrived due to weather. We put on another great show.

I don’t know if the first day was for the garrison to judge our abilities, but after the second show we were asked to perform in a mock battle that afternoon.

We were one of three regiments on the field assigned to take a fortified hill position and artillery embrasure. The hill had about 45 degrees of slope and the grass was wet.

The brigade commander had us attack with Gatling gun and volleys of fire. When that failed, our boys were selected to flank the enemy gun position.

We formed a line, fixed bayonets and marched (climbed) in a perfect line, in-step up the hill to the right flank of the gun with the rifles with fixed bayonets at the charge-arms position. One slip and it could have been a disaster with 22” triangular bayonets on the ends of those rifles.

Once on the hill side, we wheeled in line on-the-center on the slope. This maneuver is not easy on level ground and we did it flawlessly on the hill side. We then fired all the rest of the ammo we had and then took the gun at bayonet point.

And the crowd went wild….

At the refreshment break after the battle we were complimented my many auld jock’s who know good drill when they see it. They commented on how splendidly we performed.

The really bad weather started that night. The next day we were invited to participate in another battle. Fog and a mist hung over the battleground.

This time the brigade attacked with artillery support. When this failed to break their line, we took the center and marched on their positions with bayonets fixed. The other two regiments flanked them and they surrendered.

That night the evening tattoo was cancelled due to the hurricane reaching Halifax . It was now a tropical storm but still had some punch. Casey and I were slated to man the Gatling gun for the show so we were very grateful that reason prevailed in the face of this downpour.

We returned to the barracks, cleaned our kit and got ready for another day in the ranks of the 1^{st BN}., 92^nd Regiment, Gordon Highlanders.

It was mixed weather on Saturday. We did another battle and we were sent into the center once again. This time we marched over their fortifications with bayonets fixed and chased the defenders over the top of the hill. The other regiments cut off their escape and their officer offered his sword to our commander.

That night we were assigned to the Gatling gun crew for the tattoo. The rain was on and off but not so bad that we had to cancel the show.

When the Gatling gun fired in the misty fog of twilight it put out a plume of fire about 2 feet in width and six to eight feet in length. It was amazing to stand so close to it and feel the concussion and see this dragon’s breath up close.

I tried to imagine being a Gordon of 1880 and being asked to attack a position defended by such a gun. It makes you realize what hell looked like on earth in the 19^th century.

The following morning we did slow march across the parade square and we did it well. We took over the garrison of the fort and set the guard.

Half the company was marched off on Church Parade through the town to St. Paul ’s Anglican chapel (the regimental chapel of the Citadel). There were three regiments under the command of our NCO and we all looked sharp marching to and from the service . We were warmly greeted by the town folks and the Archbishop.

That afternoon all the different regiments lined up on different areas of the square and the “Changing of the Guard” was reenacted. The 78^th Highlanders of the British army turned over the Halifax Citadel to the Royal Canadian Rifles as they had done so 100 years before. It was rather moving.

There were numerous dignitaries present. All the dignitaries wore Victorian period clothing. I hope the photo of Casey and me with the British Viceroy turns out well.

After the ceremony we fixed bayonets, uncased the colours and marched with several regiments from the Citadel to the HMS Scott at dockside while the pipers and drummers played, “Bonnie Charlie” as they had 100 years ago when this last North American fort of the British Empire was given to the Canadians to man. It felt like we were slipping in time.

At dockside we listened to more speeches and several members of each regiment were selected to march on board to commemorate the embarkation 100 years ago. The crowd cheered and we marched off and we were dismissed.

That night at the party for all the regiments a few of the garrison boys came over to talk to me. They asked how long Casey and I had been doing drill and were amazed that we had only been doing it since March for two hours on the weekend. Then I explained that the whole regiment only met once a month to drill as a group since we all had jobs and families. They were further shocked. They said that of all the groups who had come for this event that we were the best drilled/performing and kitted regiment. These guys are real pro’s who are phenomenal in their presentation, so this was no small tribute.

There are many anecdotes I could add, but I just wanted to paint with broad strokes to give you the big picture. When we get the photos straightened out I will send some, SVP.

We got a taste of the garrison life of a soldier in those days. It was tough, but there life was much tougher. We had better food, better hours and a warm shower to start and end the day.

The guys in “Bydand” (1st Bn. 92^nd Gordon Highlanders, Comm. Company) treated us really well and were so patient with the two newbies on campaign. I think they may want us back for future events.

I held sick call for the company every morning and treated gout, ingrown toenail with cellulitis, back injuries, knee injuries, and a multitude of cuts, scrapes, blisters and hangovers. I think they were grateful to have a “Doc” with them.

We did not get to see much of Halifax . What I did see wet my appetite and I want to go back and get a bigger slice.

Casey is “bored” today, on our first day back. He wants to go back to the Citadel and the barracks. When he is 16 y.o. he can go and spend three months in the summer as a member of the garrison (78^th Highlanders) as a summer job. He is keen to explore this option.

If I were 30 years younger, I think I’d join him!