A brand new constructing at a army coaching web site in Nova Scotia’s Kings County has been named in honor of two brothers who served in Canada’s first and solely all-Black battalion. The Personal Frederick L. Landsay and Personal James E. Landsay Constructing is positioned in Kentville, throughout the fifth Canadian Division Assist Group Detachment Aldershot.
Frederick and James Landsay grew up within the former group of Pine Woods in North Kentville. They enlisted in August 1916 throughout the First World Battle, becoming a member of the No. 2 Building Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Power, which included over 750 Black males primarily from Nova Scotia and Ontario. On the time, James was in his early 20s, whereas Frederick, born in 1899, was nonetheless a teen.
Earlier than enlisting, the Landsay brothers have been farmers. As soon as abroad, Frederick served within the Canadian Forestry Corps, whereas James labored on sustaining and establishing railways. These roles have been essential for guaranteeing the motion of sources and communication throughout the warfare. Main Jake Rideout from the Halifax Rifles highlighted how the Canadian railway troops considerably enhanced the warfare effort, significantly given the logistical challenges posed by climate and terrain.
Brigadier Common Mark Parsons, commander of the fifth Canadian Division, emphasised that the members of the No. 2 Building Battalion not solely fought for Canada but in addition for his or her proper to serve. They confronted prejudice and racism, with many different Canadians unwilling to struggle alongside them. Regardless of being a segregated unit, many of the battalion’s management was white, reflecting the racial biases of the time.
Though the battalion didn’t interact in fight, its members carried out important duties, together with gathering wooden and working mills in southeast France. When the warfare concluded, these contributions went largely unrecognized, and the unit was disbanded with out ceremony on September 15, 1920.
After the warfare, Frederick returned to Canada, married, and settled in Halifax, although little is thought about his later life. James, who remained single, handed away within the Nineteen Sixties on the age of 74.
In July 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Truro, Nova Scotia, to apologize on behalf of the federal authorities for the racial discrimination that members of the battalion confronted earlier than, throughout, and after their service. This acknowledgment came to visit a century after the battalion was disbanded. Earlier this yr, a monument honoring the No. 2 Building Battalion was unveiled in Amherst, Nova Scotia.
Colonel M.P. Williams, commander of the fifth Canadian Division Assist Group, acknowledged that the constructing named after the Landsay brothers will function a long-lasting reminder of the battalion’s significance and historical past. He famous {that a} group was denied recognition for its heroes attributable to a mixture of overt and unstated racism, highlighting the significance of honoring the contributions of the No. 2 Building Battalion.
