Chapter XXXIV: THE 63rd REGIMENT HALIFAX RIFLES

The 63rd Regiment, Halifax Rifles, was first organized as a Regiment in 1860, under the title of “The Halifax Volunteer Battalion.” The Volunteer Companies which then composed the Regiment had previously been acting as independent bodies. The first Colonel was Sir Willian Fenwick Williams, of Kars, and on March 16, 1860, Capt. William Chearnley (late of H.M. 8th King’s Regiment of Foot), who was in command of the Chebucto Greys, was by an order from Adjutant-General’s Office appointed Captain Commanding the Halifax Volunteer Battalion. This was the official date of the organization of the Unit, better known as the 63rd Halifax Rifles.

The Companies comprising the Regiment at its formation were the Scottish Rifles, Chebucto Greys, Mayflower Rifles, Halifax Rifles, Irish Rifles, and Dartmouth Rifles. In 1862 the Dartmouth Engineers joined the Regiment, which mustered seven Companies.

On November 10, 1862, the Halifax City Council presented the Regiment with its first set of colors. The presentation was made by the wife of the Mayor, Mrs. P. C. Hill. On the same date, Lady Mulgrave, wife of the Governor of Nova Scotia, in the name of the ladies of the City of Halifax, presented the Regiment with a silver bugle, which was to be shot for each year. This bugle is still in the possession of the Regiment.

In January, 1865, Captain Chearnley was appointed Lieut.-Colonel and the Battalion reorganized, two of the Companies, the Irish Rifles and Dartmouth Engineers, disbanding. The Halifax Rifles, which was double strength, took the place of the Irish Rifles—the muster now being six Companies. This Regiment had its first call for service in 1866, doing garrison duty during the alarm caused by the Fenian Raids into Canada. The service lasted from June 6th to July 31st.

In 1868 the Regiment was transferred from the Volunteer Force to the Active Militia, and was officially designated as the Halifax Volunteer Battalion of Rifles, and on May 13, 1870, the Militia Department having been regularly organized, the name changed to the 63rd Battalion of Rifles, and later to 63rd Regiment, Halifax Rifles, which name it retained up to and during the late Great War.

Successive Commanding Officers were as follows: Lieut.-Col. Chearnley, 1865 to 1871; Lieut.-Col. Andrew MacKinlay, 1871 to 1872; Lieut.-Colonel Pallister, 1872 to 1879; Lieut.-Col. J. W. Mackintosh, 1879 to 1890; Lieut.-Col. J. D. Walsh, 1890 to 1892; Lieut.-Col. T. J. Egan, 1892 to 1898; Lieut.-Col. John Crane, 1898 to 1903; Lieut.-Col. J. T. Twining, 1903 to 1908; Lieut.-Col. C. A. Gunning, 1908 to 1913; Lieut.-Col. I. W. Vidito, 1913 to 1917; Lieut.-Col. C. A. Mumford, 1917 until demobilized 1918.

The 63rd furnished 109 officers and men for service during the Northwest Rebellion. Major Walsh was in command, with Capts. Hechler, Cunningham and Fortune and Lieutenants Silver, James, Twining, McKie, Fletcher and Fiske. Captain Corbin was appointed Quartermaster of the Provisional Battalion. They entrained for the West on April 4, 1885, and returned to Halifax and rejoined their Unit July 24 of the same year. The Regiment also furnished sixty-one officers, non-commissioned officers and men for service in the South African War.

On the declaration of the Great War, August 4, 1914, the 63rd Regiment, Halifax Rifles was ordered out for service in defence of the Fortress of Halifax. One hundred men under the command of Capt. H. N. Clarke, with Capt. J, W. Logan, Lieut. E. R. Dennis and Lieut. F. H. M. Jones, proceeded at once to Wellington Barracks, and the remainder of the Unit was at once mobilized and proceeded under command to the various war stations assigned to it.

By August 5, 1914, the mobilization of the Unit being completed, the Regiment paraded in full strength under Lieut.-Col. I. W. Vidito, with Major W. E. Thompson Second in Command, and Capt. D. R. Turnbull, Adjutant, and proceeded to their new quarters, Wellington Barracks, where the Composite Company under Capt. H. N. Clarke was absorbed, the officers and men rejoining their old Companies.

On August 12th “B” Company proceeded to McNab’s Island under the command of Capt. C. A. Mumford, with Lieuts. C. N. Bennett and W. E. Doane. “D” Company, under Capt. H. F. Adams and Lieut. C. J. Roche, proceeded to York Redoubt. On August 18th “G” and “H” Companies proceeded to the Eastern Camp Site, Dartmouth. These two Companies were under the command of Major W. H. Conrod. “G” Company (Capt. E. A. Vossnack, Lieuts. G. S. Kinley and G. C. Sircom) occupied York Farm; “H” Company (Capt. H. N. Clarke and Lieuts. E. C. Phinney and J. W. Grant) occupied Kuhn’s Farm. On August 25th “D” Company under Capt. H. F. Adams moved from York Redoubt to Camperdown, and on the same date “A” Company (Capt. F. C. Kingdon, Lieut. R. C. McDonald); “C” Company (Capt. H. G. DeWolfe, Lieut. H. J. Stech) and “F” Company (Capt. J. W. Logan, Lieuts. G. M. Sylvester and F. H. Jones) moved to McNab’s Island. “E” Company (Capt. E. K. McKay, Lieuts. O. Vossnack and E. R. Dennis) moved to Lawlor’s Island. The last four Companies were under the command of Major W. E. Thompson. On August 30th headquarters and regimental details moved to McNab’s Island.

Immediately on arrival at their stations each Company started the work of digging trenches, placing wire entanglements, constructing blockhouses, dugouts, etc. The men were driven at top speed at this work, officers and men working all day as well as doing picquet duty at night.

During the early days of the War H.M. ship _Suffolk_, then engaged in hunting for the enemy cruiser _Karlsruhe_, called at Halifax in urgent need of coal, and was coaled in record time by the 63rd Regiment.

On August 22nd the first Overseas draft was called for and twenty-four non-commissioned officers and men under command of Lieuts. A. F. Major and G. L. Stairs, proceeded to Valcartier Camp. On November 25, 1914, forty-eight non-commissioned officers and men were transferred to the 25th Battalion, C.E.F., which was then being organized, and on December 6th Major W. H. Conrod, Lieuts. L. N. B. Bullock, G. C. Sircom and J. A. Grant were transferred to that Battalion.

Major W. E. Thompson was called in by Headquarters Military District No. 6 in December, 1914, to take over the work of Inspector of Outposts and Detachments throughout the district, with the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.

On May 20, 1915, Capt. Wm. Taylor, Lieuts. C. J. Roche and J. A. Watters, with thirty-three other ranks proceeded to Jamaica on military duty. On August 13, 1915, thirty-six other ranks were transferred to the 40th Battalion, then in training at Valcartier. In September, 1915, an Overseas Company was formed to which officers and men given permission to go Overseas were attached for training. From this time, all drafts from the 63rd for Overseas Units were taken from this Company.

An Overseas draft of 100 other ranks with Lieuts. W. D. Simpson, H. D. Hilton and C. D. Llwyd were struck off the strength of the 63rd Regiment on February 25, 1916.

Major H. F. Adams was appointed Officer Commanding Discharge Depot, Halifax, from July 1, 1916. A draft of eighty-eight other ranks under command of Lieuts. H. A. Creighton and Benj. Taylor embarked for Overseas on July 15, 1916. The Regiment was inspected by Field-Marshall H.R.H. Duke of Connaught on August 24, 1916.

The 63rd was placed on a four Company basis from November 1, 1917. The Company officers were: “A” Company, Capt. F. C. Kingdon, Lieuts. J. A. Watters, H. V. Wier, G. W. Churchill, H. S. Holloway. “B” Company, Capts. H. J. Steck, D. W. Kennedy, Lieuts. F. A. Taylor, C. S. Innes, H. R. McCaughin, G. R. Forbes. “C” Company, Capts. E. Ricketts, G. S. Kinley, Lieuts. T. L. Parkman, J. E. Milsom, C. N. Innes. “D” Company, Capts. O. F. Vossnack, W. Taylor, Lieuts. E. G. McMinn, W. R. R. Tayler, H. H. Irwin.

Lieut.-Col. I. W. Vidito was transferred to the Reserve of Officers on July 1, 1917, and was succeeded in the command of the Regiment by Lieut.-Col. C. A. Mumford. On the morning of December 6, 1917, five officers and 143 other ranks were detailed for relief work following the explosion at Halifax. On April 16, 1918, the 6th Battalion Canadian Garrison Regiment was authorized, and in May the 63rd Regiment was relieved from duty. The following named officers were transferred to the 6th Battalion: Lieut.-Col. C. A. Mumford, Capts. E. Ricketts, H. J. Steck, E. K. McKay, G. S. Kinley, Lieuts. H. V. Wier, J. A. Watters, E. G. McMinn, G. W. Churchill, J. E. Milsom, H. R. McCoughin, G. R. Forbes, R. J. Colwell.

The undermentioned officers were transferred to the 1st Nova Scotia Depot Battalion: Lieuts. H. A. Wilson, W. R. R. Tayler, H. S. Holloway, Majors A. R. McCleave and H. N. Clarke, Capts. F. C. Kingdon, J. D. Monoghan and Lieut. T. Parkman were relieved from active service.

On the organization of the First Canadian Contingent the Regiment volunteered for service Overseas, but much to the disappointment of all ranks had to continue its allotted duties in the defence of the Fortress of Halifax. Owing to the heavy demands on the Ordnance Department for clothing and equipment needed by troops preparing for embarkation the requirements of troops on Home Service could not be met until late in 1914, and for some time clothing was patched with flour sacks or any other material available, and worn out soles of boots were reinforced with shingles. In spite of all discouragements the 63rd faithfully performed the tasks assigned it, and when at last it was permitted to send drafts Overseas it became the ambition of all ranks to obtain a transfer to the Overseas Company. Altogether the Regiment supplied 70 officers and 815 other ranks for service at the Front.

The following is a list of officers who served with the Regiment at various times during the War. Those who went Overseas are marked *: *Lieut. A. B. Anderson; Capt. H. F. Adams (now Lieut.-Col. R. O.); *Lieut. A. A. Allenback; *Lieut. W. B. Arthur; *Lieut. H. P. Bell (Captain C.E.F.); *Lieut. C. W. Bennett (killed in action); *Lieut. L. N. B. Bullock (D.S.O. and Bar—Lieut.-Colonel C.E.F.); *Lieut. F. A. Brewster (M.C.); *Lieut. G. A. Campbell (killed in action); *Major W. H. Conrod; *Major H. N. Clarke; Lieut. J. H. Congdon; Lieut. G. W. Churchill; *Lieut. W. L. Coleman; Lieut. H. J. Crosskill; *Lieut. R. J. Colwell; *Lieut. T. F. Campbell; *Lieut. C. H. Colwell; *Lieut. A. H. Creighton; *Lieut. H. A. Creighton; *Lieut. B. Currie (Captain C.E.F.); Capt. H. G. DeWolf; Lieut. W. H. Dennis; *Lieut. E. R. Dennis (M.C., killed in action); *Major F. W. W. Doane; *Lieut. H. W. L. Doane; *Lieut. W. E. E. Doane (killed in action); *Lieut. S. Downer; *Lieut. J. S. Davie (M.C., Major C.E.F.); Lieut. R. F. Davison; *Lieut. A. C. Delacroix; *Lieut. E. R. Eddy; Lieut. R. G. Forbes; *Lieut. W. G. Foster (killed in action); *Lieut. P. W. Freeman; Lieut. L. A. Gastonquay; *Lieut. G. H. Gillis (D.F.C., Captain C.E.F.); *Lieut. J. A. Grant; *Lieut. W. P. Grant; *Lieut. R. J. Harris (died); *Lieut. J. A. Harris; *Lieut. H. E. Hilton (killed in action); *Lieut. H. S. Holloway; *Lieut. W. A. Hendry; *Lieut. E. J. Hallett (M.C.); *Lieut. E. A. Hartling; Lieut. H. H. Irwin; *Lieut. C. S. Innes; *Lieut. Colin Innes; *Lieut. F. H. Jones (M.C.); Capt. R. J. Huston; *Lieut. A. E. Jubien; Capt. F. C. Kingdon; *Lieut. A. L. A. Kane; Lieut. D. W. Kennedy; Lieut. A. W. Kidner; *Lieut. G. S. Kinley (Captain C.E.F.); *Lieut. G. H. Keeler (M.C.); Lieut. J. H. LeBlanc; *Lieut. C. D. Llwyd (M.C., killed in action); *Major J. W. Logan; *Lieut. G. R. Leslie; *Lieut. O. W. Lingham; *Lieut. A T. Lewis (M.C., Captain C.E.F.); *Lieut. A. F. Major (killed in action); Lieut J. E. Milson; Capt. R. A. Milson; Lieut.-Col. C. A. Mumford; Lieut. J. D. Monaghan; Capt. A. R. McCleave; Capt. E. K. McKay; *Lieut. R. C. McDonald; Lieut.-Col. J. W. McMillan (Chaplain); *Lieut. Geo. O. McDonald (drowned); Lieut. E. J. McMinn; Lieut. H. R. McCoughin; *Lieut. A. T. McDonald (Major C.E.F.); Lieut. T. L. Parkman; *Lieut. P. R. Phillips (M.C.); *Lieut. E. C. Phinney (Lieut.-Col. C.E.F.); *Lieut. G. C. Pickford; Capt. E. Ricketts; *Lieut. C. Roche (killed in action); Lieut. G. B. Robertson; *Lieut. W. M. Rogers; *Lieut. J. S. Roy; *Lieut. C. E. Scarfe; *Lieut. W. D. Simpson; *Lieut. G. C. Sircom; *Lieut. W. J. Stairs; *Lieut. G. L. Stairs (killed in action); Lieut. H. J. Stech; *Lieut. E. S. Smith; *Lieut. G. M. Sylvester (killed in action); *Lieut. B. A. Taylor (killed in action); *Major W. E. Thompson (Colonel D.O.C., Military District No. 6); Capt. W. Taylor; Lieut. J. F. Taylor; Lieut. F. A. Taylor; Capt. D. R. Turnbull; *Lieut. W. R. R. Tayler, Lieut.-Col. I. W. Vidito; Capt. E. A. Vossnack; Capt. O. F. Vossnack; Lieut. J. A. Watters; Lieut. H. V. Wier; *Lieut. H. A. Wilson; Lieut. P. J. Webb; Lieut. R. E. Wellard; Lieut. H. H. Westbrooke; Lieut. A. B. West.