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No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canadian
Expeditionary Force, July 05, 1916 - September 15, 1920.
For two years Canadian Blacks petitioned the government for inclusion in the
expeditionary forces. Many reasons were
given why Blacks could
enlist, yet few actually made it into uniform. Finally, in July, 1916, Blacks
were given the opportunity to enlist in a Construction Battalion. This was the
first and only all Black battalion in Canadian military history. The majority
of men wre from Nova Scotia, with others from New Brunswick, Ontario, and
Western Canada. Over 10% of Canada's Black population served during the war.
No. 2 Construction Battalion was commanded by Lt.Colonel D.H. Sutherland, a
prominent Nova Scotia railway contractor. Headquartered in Pictou, and later
Truro, over 250 men were sent to New Brunswick in early 1917 to load rails for
the Grand Trunk Railway.
In March, 1917 the unit embarked aboard the troopship Scotland for Liverpool.
Landing in England on April 8, the unit was shortly redesignated a Construction
Company and underwent further training in road building, and building
restoration.
On May 17, 1917 the unit crossed the Channel for France. Attached to No.5
District, Canadian Forestry Corps, the men of the unit were also engaged in
road and railway construction.
After a year of support duty, the unit was finally authorized for service at
the front. Understrength, the unit did not see full front service before the
armistice was signed in November, 1918.
In December, 1918 the unit joined the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot in Bramshott
Camp, England. In January, 1919 No.2 Construction Company returned to Halifax
for demobilization.
Richards senior (Father, left) served in WWI, and Richards junior (Son, right)
served in WWII
Rankin Wheary's family were of Loyalist descent. His father was
from Woodstock, his mother from Scotland and was not Black. Rankin went to
school in Woodstock until 1911. He was an outstanding baseball player, playing
for local, junior, and school teams.
Private Wheary joined the 104th New Brunswick Battalion in Sussex on January
12, 1916. On June 28, 1916 he sailed with his unit to England. He was a member
of the 104th Battalion baseball team. On December 4, 1916 he was transferred to
the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles. He was invalided to England with trench fever
and chill blanes (trench feet).
In August, 1917 Private Wheary was transferred to the 13th Reserve Battalion
where he played on the Battalion baseball team. In March, 1918 he was
transferred to the 26th New Brunswick Battalion where he played short stop for
the Battalion baseball team. While playing with the 26th Battalion the team won
the 2nd Division Championship in June ,1918.
On October 7, 1918 Rankin was killed by artillery fire at the battle of
Cambrai. During that same month five other members of the Battalion's baseball
team were killed.
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Brunswick Community College - Saint John.