NorthShore Battallion 132, Canadian Expeditionary Forces (CEF)

From what I can find, from what I've read, and heard about the 132nd Batt. CEF it was a Batt., that men enlisted in but then not long after were transferred to another Batt. of Co. Not many remained in the 132nd..

Little by little, one by one these faces are getting names. An e-mail from Faye Massey tells me that her great great uncle is in this picture, fourth row, third one in from the right: P. Gallie

An email from Maureen Williams tells me the first man on the left in the second row, was Joseph Arseneau of Cambpellton, he was her Grandfather and photo was positively identified by her mother and her mother's brother as it being their father.

These names are possibly on this picture does anyone recognize them ?
This is a partial list I found which could be men of the 132nd Batt.

Lt-Col. G.W.Mersereau, Major F. H. Mersereau, Major L.D.Jones, Capt. W.J.Duncan
Captain H.P.Davis, Adjutant, Capt. Fred Burr, Rev. B.J.Murdock, Captain Lt. S.S.McLean as Chaplain, and signal officer Captain J.E.Park

It was also pointed out to me that the last man on the Right second row, according to his stripes (upside down) and the ensignia over the stripes means he was a bandmaster (Drum Major)

Another possible soldier here is Louis Cormier If he is in that picture he would be the second from left, second row. at the bottom.

Here is a list of some more names which may be on this picture, they are listed in the Campbellton Graphic of July 1916 but there is also a note saying these names are only names of recruits for the 132nd Batt..some may not have made it to the battalion.

Lt Col. G.W. Mersereau was this battalion's Commanding Officer
George Letourneau of Campbellton
William Boudreau of Campbellton
Richard W. Firth of Robinsonville
Peter Neuts Ostend of Belgium
Arthur Verrier, Lawrence, Mass
William J. LeBouffe Campbellton
Sydney Cool of Grand Cascapedia P.Q.
Felix N. LeBouffe, Ste Anne de Ristigouche
Daniel Dugay Campbellton
William Laurette Nouvelle West
Philip Vautour Campbellton
Henry Willett Balmoral
Peter Willett Dalhousie
William Girard Campbellton
Frank Blais Campbellton
Fred Watson Campbellton
John Thomas Clarke Campbellton
Willard Douglas Athol
Ritchie Duncan Campbellton
George A Underhill Campbellton
Edward Finney Sackville
Percy F. O'Connor Campbellton
John H. Floyd Campbellton
Charles E. Malley Campbellton
James P. Joudry Campbellton
Joseph Murray Campbellton
Harry E. Steeves Campbellton
Alphonse Malley Campbellton
Hans Frandsen Campbellton
George McIntyre Campbellton
George Lavoie Campbellton
Daniel Dewar Campbellton
Judson Nelson Campbellton
James Boudreau Campbellton
Angus Daigle Jacquet River
Charles Garette Campbellton
Harry W. Sullivan Campbellton
John Connors Campbellton
Trokin Ceyeroke Russia
James A. Kain Campbellton
John Boucher Campbellton
Ewart G Quinn Campbellton
James Roy Campbellton
Charles Vortig Campbellton
George F. McRae Campbellton
Patrick Wilmot Campbellton
Frank Dugay Campbellton
William Meade Campbellton
Gordon Hickey Campbellton
Charles Lepage Caplin P.Q.
Reginald J. Henry Campbellton
Benjamin Roy Seven Mile Ridge
Albert Robichaud Campbellton
George Allain Campbellton
Emile Dugay Campbellton
Charles Farrah Campbellton
Ben Gallon Campbellton
Frank W Harris Campbellton
Joseph Arseneau Campbellton
Lucien Levesque Campbellton
James Garry Campbellton
Armand Payne Campbellton
F. J. Ropert Gaspe
Dominique Arseneau St Omer P.Q.
Walter Sargent Campbellton
G. J. Harold Lapraike Campbellton
Joseph Martin Campbellton
Joseph Dion Nash Creek
Charles Bujold St Alphonse de Caplan
Sherman Tozer Cullen's Brook P.Q.
L.C. Calder Muffat's ?
Reuben L. Dickie Campbellton
W. Stanley Fraser Campbellton
George Matthew Campbellton
William H. Carroll Campbellton
George A. Lapraike Campbellton
Earl Lutes Campbellton
Charles S. D. MacAlister Campbellton
William Stopp Campbellton
George A. Mann Tide Head
John Quinn Campbellton
Harry Traverse Campbellton
Joseph Hill Ste Anne de Restigouche
Murray Gray Campbellton
Joseph Pinette Campbellton
Joseph McCullogh Campbellton
Arthur Dobson Campbellton
William Perch Campbellton
Sydney Major Campbellton
Stewart Main Campbellton
John R. Sharlong Campbellton
Phillip Martin Campbellton
Percy Harquail Campbellton
J.P. Bergeron Campbellton
R.B. Borden Campbellton
Harry Gallan Campbellton
Alex Paradis Campbellton
John Loubert Jacquet River
robert martin Campbellton
Philibert Rioux Campbellton
James Walter Clarke Campbellton
J.W. Howard Campbellton
C.R.Hamilton Campbellton
Daniel Fournier Eel River
George Harquail Eel River
Fred McDonald Campbellton
J. P. Tope Campbellton
Clarence Harris Flatlands
Russel Myles Tide Head
Fred Mann Tide Head
Albert Doiron Campbellton
R. Norman Campbellton
Walter Clarke Campbellton
Louis Cormier Campbellton
Fred Belliveau Campbellton
Vincent Deveaux Quiberin France
John B. Traverse Campbellton
George F. Miles Campbellton
A.D.Flowers Campbellton
George A. Thomas Upsalquitch
Hector Bujold Bonaventure
A.B.Munro Campbellton
D.Theriault Campbellton
Jos. A. Fairman Campbellton
J.R. Parker Campbellton
J. Jardine Campbellton
H. Lebans Campbellton
L. LeBlanc New Richmond
H. Bourdage Bonaventure
J. L. Paradis Campbellton
A. McDavid Campbellton
E.Soucier Campbellton
P. Gagnier Campbellton
L.J. Foley Campbellton
J. A. Parker Campbellton
Peter Allain L'Anse a la Barbe
F. LeBlanc Campbellton
P. Gallie Campbellton
Ben Kain Campbellton
George LaBillois Campbellton
J.W.Stewart Burnt Church NB
George Metzler Campbellton
John P. Roy Campbellton
Alp. Fournier Campbellton
Nap. Henry Campbellton
James Gallant Campbellton
Hans. Lundland Campbellton
Adolph Kelley Campbellton
Doiran Bouchie Athol
Armand Keeley Athol
John Ferguson Bathurst
James Simoneau St Alexis P.Q.
Amb. Hallahan Campbellton
J. S. Martin Athol
Amade Arbour Bonaventure
James Walker Campbellton

Amen !

It is also noted at the bottom of this article
A spring campaign off a large scale can only be made possible through the enlistment of every man of fighting age. The sooner a man enlists the sooner he will be ready for the task overseas.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A CANADIAN SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Peace keeping soldier stationed overseas.
The following is his request.
I think it is reasonable . . .

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due
to our Canadian service men and women for our being able to celebrate
these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of
what we owe.

Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who
sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this
small seed.

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