John Beatty Gorman
| "My father was John Beatty Gorman from Merigomish. He was in the
service corps and a member of the Pictou Highlanders. He was
overseas for several years and the duration of the second world war.
He talked little about it but did on occasion over the years. He
came back with six medals which I have and later received another
one from Holland, another from the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires
and two from the Royal Canadian Legion before passing away. Mr. Gorman worked 38 years after the war with the Canadian National Railway and Via Rail as an Express Agent, mostly on the road (rails) and 27 years as a full-time Commissionaire at a number of locations, including Citadel Hill, York Redoubt and C.F.S. Mill Cove until he retired at the age of 84. Dad periodically spoke of his service telling us that he landed in Sicily or Italy, progressing through many countries, including France, Belgium and Holland during that campaign. He also spoke of being in England, Camp Borden, etc. He once told me he started out with the North Nova Scotia Regiment as a signals type, changing to the Pictou Highlanders and the Service Corps so he would go overseas earlier. He transported supplies, equipment and personnel, etc to the front, I believe. Some papers we have show him being recruited in Westville. John Beatty Gorman was a great man in his own way, also wise and friendly. He told me he attended the Merigomish one-room school which still stands as a community hall. He told me the school had all grades in the same room. The house he lived in is still standing on a nearby hill. It was a very sad day on December 2nd., 2003 when he passed away while out deer hunting at his camp near Lake Rossignol, in Queens County." |
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