The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record

April 15th, 2015

Aug. 21, 1941 – Springhill Record – Sports Plays Prominent Part in Aldershot Camp

     Under canvas since Aug. 2nd, members of the North Nova Scotia Battalion at Aldershot are beginning to show the effects of their training.  They are rapidly rounding into smarter soldiers and taking pride in their work.  When their period of training is over there will be many of them volunteering for the active forces.  Only the other day some nine members of “B” Company went before the Medical Board but at the time of writing it is uncertain as to how many passed the test.

     Camp baseball has been backward this year.  This has been due in large measure to the reduction of War Service Units in the Aldershot area.  Last year the Y.M.C.A. supplied all the equipment the boys needed and the team had a large share of its own equipment as well.  This year it is more difficult to secure the equipment and the boys had to play their first hard ball game without practice.  Even at that they gave the I.T.C. camp a thrill, going into the eighth inning with a score of 1-1.  A foul-line drive gave the Camp team a two-run edge to win. Jimmy Mont, former hurler for Halifax, pitched against the Springhill youngsters, while Eddie Matthews pitched stellar ball for our boys. 

     Other duties kept your reporter from seeing this game, but Capt. James Miller, who organized the game for the boys, was high in his praise of their work.  The hurling of Matthews was particularly brilliant and he attracted much attention among ball fans, particularly the Major in charge of the I.T.C. team, who expressed the lanky youngster had a world of stuff on the ball.

     Last year we had Eddie hurl a few innings in a game against the Camp team and we were much impressed with his work.  We are told the seniors have the youngster on their lineup. If they have they will find him more than useful in their play-downs.

     Another lad who gave an exhibition was young Tabor, who caught his first game.  He did a swell job as the score would indicate. 

     The camp was disappointed this year when Leonard Boss and “Siki” Leadbetter failed to put in an appearance.  These boys highlighted the camp ball last year and they don’t forget good performers over there. 

     During the balance of the camp period we hope to see the boys in a number of games.  They are well set in camp life and as soon as the day’s work is over they want baseball or sports of one kind or another.

Win Rifle Meet

     The North Nova Scotia Battalion rifle team, comprising Major Donaldson, Major Vincent, Capt. Allbon and Lieut. Trenholm, won the first rifle meet on the range Wednesday afternoon last week, topping seven other teams in the non-permanent

Camp.  The two hundred and five hundred year ranges were used for the meet but it is only fair to say that the targets were no seriously damaged at the longer range.  Included among the teams was one from Camp Headquarters, led by Col. J. Adamson, who is in charge of the non-permanent camp and doing a swell job.  This competition is to be continued this week both on the rifle range and on the revolver range.

Wooden Cook-Houses

Perhaps the biggest and most noteworthy improvement in the camp this year is the construction of permanent cook-houses.  Everything else s under canvas.  The cooks this year were given a two weeks’ course prior to the arrival of the battalion and the soundness of this move has been amply justified.  We have yet to hear the boys complain of the quality or quantity of the food supplied.

Sept. 4, 1941 – Coal Output Soars

     The coal output of the Cumberland Railway and Coal Company for the month of August high over the same month last year, according to figures released today by the Company.  The increase amounted to 7,750 tons.  In August 1940 the Company raised 49,837, while the hoist for 1941 was 57,587 tons. 

     This increase must be gratifying to the Company in view of the slow-down tactics being employed at other mines in the District.

Oct. 9, 1941 – Receives Souvenir

     Verna Jean Fisher was the pleased recipient of a ring fashioned from a piece of the propeller of a Nazi plane and sent to her by L-Col. “Al” Rector, of Springhill, serving overseas.  This is the second souvenir Verna Jean has had from Mr. Rector.  A very interesting letter accompanied the ring.  In closing Mr. Rector said “All the boys have their fingers crossed for the safe arrival of this letter.”  Needless to say a letter of thanks and a poem is on the way “over.”  Our fingers are crossed too for its safe arrival.