Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 163 continued ... continued ... Sydney, and was recruiting in Cape Breton. Gordon took command of “B” Company whose men came predominately from the coal mining towns of Glace Bay and New Waterford, and from the surrounding areas. He may have known many of the new recruits and their families from his time living in Glace Bay. In May of 1916, the 185th Battalion relocated to Aldershot, NS, where they joined their sister battalions of the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade. The brigade trained in earnest before sailing to England in October, 1916. Upon arrival in England, the 185th Battalion moved to Witley Camp where training continued. In December, 1916, Gordon was attached, for approximately a month, to the 193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), one of the four Nova Scotia Highland Brigade battalions. A short time later, in the spring of 1917, Gordon was transferred to the 17th Canadian Reserve Battalion located in Bramshott, England, where he assumed command of the battalion. That position was also short lived. In May, 1917, Gordon began a series of administrative staff postings with The Ministry of Overseas Military Forces of Canada (OMFC) in London which culminated in his appointment as Deputy Minister with the rank of colonel. His position saw him make frequent trips between OMFC Headquarters in London and the Canadian Corps Headquarters in France. He was heavily involved in negotiations between Canada and Britain over control of Canadian forces and with the repatriation of Canadian troops after the war. Gordon arrived back in Canada on October 31, 1919 and immediately reported for duty with OMFC in Ottawa. In April, 1920, he was posted back to London and was finally demobilized on January 5, 1921. After the war, the Harringtons moved back to Cape Breton where they bought a home in Sydney and Gordon opened a legal practice on Charlotte Street in Sydney. Gordon again fought for miners’ rights and, as before the war, he became legal counsel for the United Mine Workers of America in Cape Breton. In 1925, Gordon entered into a successful political career in provincial politics. He was elected conservative MLA representing either Cape Breton Centre or Cape Breton South, for three consecutive elections. He became Minister of Public Works and Mines and from 1930 to 1933, Premier of Nova Scotia. He continued to champion the rights of miners and to improve workers conditions for the working class. In the 1933 provincial election, Gordon won his seat but his government lost to the liberals under Angus L. MacDonald, a Cape Bretoner and another former officer of the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders). Gordon remained in the Nova Scotia house of Assembly until 1937. In 1918, while overseas, Gordon fell ill with the Spanish Influenza that was ravaging the world. He spent ten days in hospital. Throughout the rest of his life he continued to be plagued by health problems. It is not clear whether they were related to the Spanish Influenza and/or his very aggressive and stressful work ethic, both during and after the war. On July 4, 1943, Gordon Harrington passed away. He was only 59 years old. His wife Catherine passed away on June 17, 1956. They had no children. Both Gordon and Catherine were laid to rest at Camp Hill Cemetery in Halifax. Pte. Alphonsus Hickey WW II Killed in Action August 30, 1944 Alphonsus Hickey was born, raised and went to school in Whitney Pier, Sydney, NS. He came from a large family of six boys and two girls, the son of Euphemia “Femy” (née Gillis) Hickey from Whitney Pier, and Alphonse Hickey from Conception Bay, Newfoundland. His mother passed away in 1937 and his father died less than a year and a half after Alphonsus was killed. At the time of Alphonsus’ death overseas, all of his siblings were still living at home on East Broadway in Whitney Pier, except Peter who was also in the Canadian Forces. As the young Hickeys were growing up, their grandmother, Catherine Gillis also lived with them. They were all very close to her and thought of her as their mother.
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