In 1914, came the long-expected news that the British Empire was at war with the Imperial German Government. With this announcement, came the voluntary enlistments of the following young men from Miminegash. Of these soldiers, George Robert Goldsmith Wilkinson was killed in action on August 9, 1918 on the Second Day of the Battle of Amiens. Harry (Job) Costain was badly wounded in 1918, and Guy Mclnnis would have died on the battlefield except for the timely arrival of Australian troops who carried the dying soldier on one of their backs to a battalion medical aid station where his life was saved.

Many of the men from Prince Edward Island started their military careers in the famous 105th Infantry Battalion. While this infantry battalion trained

together, and its esprit de corps became legendary, this battalion was broken up upon arriving in England to increase the enlisted strength of other units. Much of

the 104th Infantry Battalion was made up of replacements from the 105th Infan— try Battalion and the 132nd Infantry Battalion.

Members of the Miminegash Methodist Church who served for King and

Country in World War I: Terrence Howard Costain

George (Elijah) Costain Charles Edward (Ned) Mclnnis Henry (Job) Costain Wilbert Russell Mclnnis

Harry (Job) Costain Cecil Palmer

Henry (Paul) Costain William A. Rix

John Guy Mclnnis George Robert Goldsmith Wilkinson

PLAQUE IN THE MIMINEGASH METHODIST CHURCH

25th Nova Scotia Overseas Battalion George R.G. Wilkinson Company A, 25th Battalion, C.E.F. Killed in Action at Amiens, France August 9, 1918 For God, For Truth, For Liberty Erected by His Comrades in Arms of the Miminegash Sunday School

37. MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR I EXPERIENCES

During the interviw with Wilbert Russell Mclnnis, St. Lawrence, Prince Edward Island, on September 28, 1980, this former infantry soldier of World War I remembered some events connected with himself and his friends.

Wilbert Russell Mclnnis enlisted in the 105th Infantry Battalion where he served until receiving a disabling knee injury. After recovering, Wilbert Mclnnis was assigned to the 10th Engineers until the end of the war.

Mr. Mclnnis recalled an event that happened in a village near Amiens, France where George Wilkinson was killed in action. One of the soldiers was walking towards a flooded, deserted mine for the purpose of taking a bath. Changing his mind about the bath for the moment, the soldier entered a building where an army cook was attempting to prepare a meal. Also present at the

154