This regiment was raised in 1936. The unit was raised of men from Cumberland, Colchester and Pictou counties. Nova Scotia had raised Scottish units for the First World War. The regiment had many Scottish decendants but took in anyone who wished to join.
My grandfather Ernest Cummings Rose joined the North Novies in 1939. He has spent most of his teenage years in Truro, Nova Scotia working at a typesetter for the local newspaper. Having learned to type, he applied to join the local militia regiment, which was the North Nova Scotia Highlanders.
Since he could type, he was assigned to the headquarters of the regiment, which is where he initially began his military service.
Following the British pattern, this regiment was the local regiment for the counties the men came from. Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou counties all have a strong amount of Scottish decendants. Many of the men were sons, brothers, cousins, and friends. Even as a young boy growing up in my hometown of Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, many of the men were veternans of this regiment. Every November 11, they would form up and march again, to remember those who didn't come back.
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders from wikipedia
Founded in 1936 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (M.G.) by the amalgamation of the Cumberland Highlanders, The Colchester and Hants Rifles, and 'C' Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were assigned to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. They landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. By that time, my grandfather was not with this regiment having transfered to the Royal Canadian Ordance Corps.
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