Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar born 26 November 1898, a student. Parents Burton Menoah and Annie Eliza Hennigar of Chester, Lunenberg Co, Nova Scotia. Attested 25 February 1916 at Wolfville with 219th Overseas Battalion. He stood 5′ 5″ tall, 150 pounds, with fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.
Service of Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar
Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar awarded 96 hours detention for disobedience in September of 1916. Ralph sailed per SS OLYMPIC on 12 October 1916, and later SoS to 42nd Battalion on 5 December 1916.
42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada)
Organized in February 1915 initially under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel G S Cantlie. Mobilized at Montreal and also recruited in Montreal. Embarked from Montreal 10 June 1915 aboard HESPERIAN, and later disembarked England 19 June 1915 with a strength of 40 officers, 978 other ranks. Arrived in France 9 September 1915 with the 3rd Canadian Division, 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade and later reinforced by 20th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar entered the Western Front on 5 December 1916. Through November and December tours in the Crater Line followed by a period in support in the cellars of Neuville St. Vaast, another period in the front line, then a period in reserve at the Bois des Alleux succeeded each other with clock-like regularity and without special incident. Each period comprised five days and the troops, therefore, spent fifteen days in the forward area out of every twenty. The weather extremely wet and cold. A shortage of trench pumps and owing to the heavy casualties at the Somme the Battalion weaker than at any period in its history.
Christmas 1916
On Christmas Day, 1916, the second Christmas in France for the original members of the Battalion, spent at Mont St. Eloi. The Patricia’s having taken over the front line from the 42nd on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day itself, states the diary, mainly occupied by bath and pay parades, both essential to the comfort and cheer of the men. Christmas service held at the Y.M.C.A. Hut in the afternoon and in the evening a most enjoyable lecture given by Captain the Reverend W. A. Cameron on the Life of Burns.
The closing of the old year found the Battalion again in the front line preparing to celebrate the arrival of the new year by carrying out a raid against an enemy post near Common Crater. A good deal of information concerning this post previously gathered by patrolling and the operation decided upon carried out by a party of nine comprising Lieutenant John McNaughton and Lieutenant Charlie Stuart Martin, Sergeants Harold Van Allen Bealer and Smith, Corporal Plowe and Privates Maquard, Sedgewick, Richardson and Hepburn.
Awards
Lieutenants McNaughton and Martin subsequently received the Military Cross for their share in this raid and four of the other ranks decorated with the Military Medal.
Routine tours continues, few casualties sustained, but they included a high pro portion of killed, due largely to sniping over exposed points in the line. Battalion Sergeant-Major Macfarlane, who had given able and distinguished service throughout, slightly wounded in the arm and struck off strength om admission to hospital. Lieutenant Kenneth Archibald Campbell, a recently appointed officer, instantly killed by a sniper while standing in the bombing post on the lip of Vernon Crater.
Just prior to the final relief before proceeding to the training area for preliminary instruction in preparation for the Vimy Ridge attack, decided to carry out a raid on a somewhat more ambitious scale than had previously been attempted. At 9.15 o’clock on the morning of the 13th February the Battalion carried out a successful raid on the enemy’s trenches.
On February 14th the Highlanders relieved by the 22nd Canadian Battalion of the 2nd Division and the next day marched back to Divion, a small village near Bruay in the heart of the coal mining district. Here they remained for more than a month.
Sports
During the period at Divion, Brigade and Divisional sports carried out. The 42nd Battalion carried off the laurels in football by defeating in turn the 49th Battalion and the P.P.C.L.I.
Other recreation arrangements included occasional trips to Bruay to attend moving picture shows, and when the training period drawing to a close there an inspection of the Brigade by General Sir Julian Byng, the Corps Commander, after which the Brigade marched past. Also a Brigade parade for the presentation of decorations, an event at which the Highlanders represented by 6 officers and 9 other ranks.
Divion
On March 21st the training at Divion ended and the Battalion marched back to the Bois des Alleux where accommodation provided in bivouacs and tents. After the comforts of billets in Divion the deep mud and bitter cold offered a most unwelcome contrast.
Events developed quickly with the beginning of the tour. The Battalion disposed with “B” Company in the front line and “A” Company in close support. The relief complete well before midnight on March 22nd and the garrison had just settled down in their places when on the stroke of 3 o’clock on the morning of March 23rd the enemy exploded a tremendous mine on the Battalion front. There a rending blast and the whole area rocked for a moment. Lights in every dugout extinguished, extra trench stores, dishes and other movable articles crashed to the floor, while smoke, dust and debris were everywhere.
Durand Crater
At daylight it found that the enemy had evidently exploded re series of four large mines simultaneously. The new craters extended from Durand Crater in a northerly direction to a distance of 250 yards and consisted of a series of four separate craters merging into one. It promptly christened “Longfellow.”
The explosion of the mine itself caused no casualties but there were ·several shortly afterwards, including slight wounds sustained by Lieutenant L. C. Montgomery while making observations of the crater and by Lieutenant D. F. Small while reconnoitering the lip. The blowing of this mine completely changed the configuration of a large section of the front over which the Battalion to advance in the attack on the Ridge and formed a most dangerous obstacle which would have to be overcome just as the attacking troops jumped off.
The Durand Group
Further analysis of the DURAND mine in February 1998 concluded that, far from inert, the explosive ammonal under the top layers of the charge still in perfect working order and the instability of the primers and detonators posed a very real risk to the general public on the Surface. This mine charge subsequently made safe, as too was another, smaller mine – a CAMOUFLET designed to blow an enemy tunnel – further south within the “La Folie” system. It is not thought that any further charges – of British origin – exist within the Memorial Site boundary.
Lt Col Mike Watkins
In August 1998 tragedy struck. Whilst trying to gain entrance to an incline into “O” Sector – a mining system to the south of “La Folie” – Lt Col Mike Watkins killed when a section of clay sheared off.
Longfellow Crater
Notwithstanding the pressure and strain under which all ranks had been working during the consolidation of Longfellow Crater time found before the relief of the Battalion on the night of April 1st to carry out another most successful raid.
During the raid eight Battalion snipers under Corporal Cave stationed in the new posts along the lip of Longfellow Crater and from here numerous targets presented themselves during the confusion that followed the barrage. Sniper Hale fired twenty-four shots from No. 3 post and Sniper McGregor had twelve shots from the same place. “These men are both expert snipers,” ) states the report, “and had a good view of their targets so there is every reason to believe that a large percentage of their shots scored hits.” Thus, with the relief that evening, ended one of the most successful tours in the history of the Battalion.
Dumbell Camp
Following its relief on the night of April 1st the Battalion spent four uncomfortable days in bivouacs in Dumbell Camp, the weather having been wretchedly cold and wet and the camp a sea of mud.
Easter Sunday, April 8th, spent in getting the platoons into their proper places for moving into the assembly trenches and distribution of ammunition, bombs, sand bags, extra rations, tools and other material carried in the attack. The great Grange Tunnel, electrically lighted and supplied with water, was, with its numerous branches, tramways, recesses for supplies and rooms for Headquarters, of enormous value in facilitating the concentration of the troops and with 10 other similar tunnels on the Canadian front saved hundreds of lives.
Battle of Vimy Ridge
At 4 a.m. on April 9th the Companies began moving methodically out into their positions in the assembly trenches. The situation quiet and at 5.11 a.m. Major Ewing reported all Companies and details in position. The sky heavily overcast and a drizzle of rain, which later turned to sleet, falling, making visibility extremely bad. The battle opened at 5.29 with the staccato tapping of hundreds of machine guns across the front. One minute later came the crash of the tremendous concentration of artillery and the German positions leaped into flame. The barrage remained on the enemy front line for three minutes, then advanced in lifts of 75 yards at intervals of from three to five minutes.
Close on the heels of the barrage the Companies of the 42nd scrambled across the muddy craters as best they could, then re-formed with great steadiness just as though they were again rehearsing over the tapes at Bruay.
First Objective
By 5.35 they had crossed the craters and at 6.02 captured the first objective. Casualties were light to begin with, though the officers suffered heavily.
“B” and “D” Companies crossed the craters close behind the first wave·, passed on over the intermediate objective in perfect order and by 8 a.m. Major Pease, commanding the front line, able to report that the objective had been reached at all points on the Battalion front and consolidation under way.
Snipers
Sniping from the Hill became decidedly severe and casualties occurred with alarming frequency.
At 9.30 Major Ewing on returning to Battalion Headquarters reported that Lieutenant Wattam, Lieutenant Hilton and Medical Sergeant Owston killed by snipers between the time he left them in going forward to the final objective and returning to the intermediate objective.
Consolidation of the new position energetically pushed forward all through the afternoon in spite of the continued sniping which could not be adequately controlled. Enemy snipers concealed in the undergrowth behind logs and a steadily mounting casualty list testified to their marksmanship. Lieutenant Small killed and Lieutenants Stanley MacDonald and H. B. Trout wounded, together with numerous other ranks. An estimate of the casualties sent to the Brigade in the afternoon of the 9th 200 all ranks.
Private Hennigar Wounded
One of the wounded, Private Hennigar suffered a severe GSW left hip, bullet wound left buttock. Machine gun bullet entered the posterior part of his left hip. Entering with low velocity, the bullet fragmented, scattering shrapnel about the area. Compound fracture head of femur and acetabulum, with injury to sciatic nerve.
Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar admitted to No 12 General Hospital, Boulogne on 12 April 1917. Evacuated to the UK, and dangerously ill, 5 May 1917, 5th General Hospital, Leicester.
Dangerously Ill
Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar not doing well, 19 June 1917. Slight improvement, 3 July 1917. Bullet removed from hip on 12 September 1917. Seriously ill, 11 October 1917. Operated again on 13 October 1917. Draining tubes finally removed in April 1918, but Ralph’s left leg still paralyzed.
Private Ralph Emerson Hennigar admitted to No 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, 15 June 1918 in anticipation of proceeding home to Canada.
Camp Hill Hospital
Invalided to Canada 20 September 1918, and admitted to Camp Hill Hospital, Halifax on 1 October 1918.
With phantom pain in his atrophied left leg, his left leg amputated on 24 June 1919. Stump healed quickly by 11 July 1919. Partial loss of function of left hip and knee joint. Fitted with prosthetic on 9 February 1920 at Cogswell Military Hospital, Halifax. Minor operations for removal of bone fragments and electrical treat at Camp Hill Hospital. Total of eight operations, plus the amputation when finally discharged on 10 February 1920.
Ralph married Marion Reynolds Smith on 16 September 1927, in Lunenburg, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. He lived in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada for about 26 years. Ralph died 21 October 1965 at Chester, Nova Scotia. His son Ralph Emerson Hennigar, 83, died peacefully surrounded by family in South Shore Regional Hospital on 30 March 2016. Survived by is daughter Elizabeth (Hennigar) Hodges.
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