NOVA-SCOTIA-L Archives

From: "Carolyn Wallace" <>
Subject: Military News items-1942
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 21:40:11 -0300

Eastern Chronicle, New Glasgow, N.S.- Tuesday, 17 March 1942

Stellarton Men Get Commissions
Three Stellarton boys who have been attending the officers' training
school at Brockville, Ontario, have been successful in obtaining their
commissions and have graduated with the rank of lieutenants. They are Lieut.
Reginald Fields, Lieut, Peter Chaisson and Lieut.Elmer Mattie.
They are home on leave visiting their parents and are receiving
congratulations on their achievement. Lieut. Peter Chaisson was very active
in sports, being a member of Stellarton Junior Hockey Club and the Albion
Senior Baseball Club previous to the outbreak of the war.
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Major D.D. MacDonald, K.C.
Major D.D. MacDonald, K.C. who is in Halifax during the war as Judge
Advocate in the army service was home over the weekend visiting his sister.
The visit was a brief one but his very many friends were indeed glad to see
him. He is looking well and kept extremely busy, he says so evidently the
hard work agrees with him.
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Gallant Carrier Pigeon Saves Lives
Of Four Airmen
London- Winkie, a tough little carrier pigeon, oil soaked and doused in
the icy North sea, flew 100 miles to her home loft and thereby saved the
lives of four crew members of a Royal Air Force Beaufort bomber which
crashed on the way back from an offensive patrol off Norway. The air
ministry told her story tonight.
Just before the plane went down the wireless operator managed to send a
weak S.O.S. which was caught at the plane's base. The craft sank a minute
after it hit the water and Winkie's cage was broken open. As the crew
climbed into a rubber dinghy Winkie struggled out of the oily water and took
off for home.
Pigeon Fancier James Ross of Dundee reported to the authorities that she
had returned . Her code number showed what plane she had been in. A check of
her known flying speed helped in computing where she had left the plane, and
a Royal Netherlands Air Force reconnaissance plane which was sent out
located the dinghy.
Winkie, treated to a special feed, strutted in her cage at a party in her
honor while fliers made speeches and gave Ross-for Winkie- a bronze plaque
with the figure of a tiny pigeon flying over the sea. Inscribed on the
plaque was the squadron's thanks to a gallant bird.
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Medal Awarded At Parkdale
Following inspection of the troops at Parkdale Training Centre by
Brigadier W.W. Foster, C.S. M. Hugh MacLean of New Glasgow, now stationed at
Parkdale, was presented with the Canadian Efficiency Medal.
The medal is a silver one, bearing the King's head and is awarded for
more than 12 years service. C.M.S. MacLean served overseas for more than
three years, going over with the 193rd Highland Brigade and serving with the
R.C.R. in the First Great War.
After the war he joined the militia, becoming Company Sergeant Major with
the Pictou Highlanders and going with them on active service at the outbreak
of the present war in 1939. He has been stationed at Parkdale since the
training centre was opened. Previously he had been employed as a brakeman
with the C.N.R. on the night express from Sydney to Truro.
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Stellarton Man
Stellarton, March 15- Sergeant Major Daniel MacLellan of Stellarton has
been awarded the Canadian Efficiency Medal by the Department of National
Defence for long service in the army.
Sergeant Major MacLellan has over 12 years service with the Canadian
non-permanent active militia. Previous to enlisting for active service in
September 1939, with the Pictou Highlanders he was an employee of the Acadia
Coal Company and was very active in sport, especially in softball circles.
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Carolyn Wallace

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