Saying thanks
First World War surgeons recognized through remembrance project
It’s never too late to say thanks.
At a recent ceremony at Taigh Na Mara veteran’s home and long term care facility, Dr. Ron Stewart unveiled a remembrance project he has worked on for more than 12 years, to recognize the commitment and sacrifice of two former Glace Bay surgeons: Dr. Kenneth Angus MacCuish and Dr. Walter Leonard MacLean who gave so much to the community and to the country a century ago.
“We are focusing on them today as for us in medicine they represent sacrifice and they represent what is good about the medical profession,” Stewart said.
However, Stewart said each of us would have had relatives that served, people in the reserve or elsewhere.
“In honouring these two we are honouring all of them and all of you.”
Stewart said his project began after entering the Dalhousie Medical School building one day about 12 years ago and seeing a row of photographs of surgeons who had been killed in the First World War.
Stewart said having family that participated in the wars it struck a cord and he felt it deserved preservation.
A few years later during renovations of the building the photographs were removed.
“I was quite distressed over that.”
Stewart said the photographs were eventually located but damaged in the process of storage. However, he suddenly recognized one as a surgeon from Glace Bay and another from Cape Breton and began to look into their lives and careers.
“It sent me on a quest, a journey of discovery.”
Stewart said Dalhousie Medical School provided support for the project.
Portraits of Dr. Kenneth Angus MacCuish and Dr. Walter Leonard MacLean were unveiled to remain at Taigh Na Mara.
Dr. MacCuish, originally of St. Peters, and Dr. Walter Leonard MacLean, originally of Alberta, both worked at the former St. Joseph Hospital in Glace Bay, which was located at one time where Taigh Na Mara is now situated.
Ronald McInnis, an advanced care paramedic with EHS, assisted Stewart with the project.
McInnis said he grew up in the coal mining family and this project is near and dear to his heart.
“There is no doubt in my mind many of my family would have been treated by these two surgeons.”
McInnis spoke of the sacrifice and bravery of these surgeons during the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, which endured the worst rains in 30 years, and the ground was covered with millions of artillery shells.
“It was so bad many of the soldiers and horses drown in the craters,” he said.
“It was damp, it was wet, it was cold and these two surgeons took it on, saying they were going to go over there and were going to help our boys.”
On Oct. 31, 1917, MacCuish died of shrapnel injuries after rushing to replace a fellow surgeon who was killed during a bombardment of their aid post. MacLean, who was advanced in blood transfusions, died Nov. 9, 1917 while treating casualties at the aid station.
CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke said with these surgeons being
remembered a century later shows remembrance has no time line or expiry date.
“It inspires us to continue as a society and as democratic Canadians, to come together to recognize and it’s also the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the sons of this community who have served this country so nobly and at the same time gave the ultimate extreme sacrifice.”
Clarke said one couldn’t imagine what their eyes would have seen, yet they showed strength in providing care for those in the battlefield and serving their fellow comrades.
Dr. John Steeves, president of the Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association, said to honour two of Dalhousie’s former graduates is a privilege.
“They say we advance on the shoulders of those before us and there’s nothing truer than that in the field of surgery,” he said.
“These two individuals here at the time certainly dedicated their lives to the community and to the nation.”
Trish Walsh, resident care manager for Taigh Na Mara, said the long-term care facility was pleased to take part in honouring two local surgeons and thanked Stewart and his team for their research and planning.
“It is fitting their memories will be kept alive in the Glace Bay home of fellow veterans.
“It inspires us to continue as a society and as democratic Canadians, to come together to recognize and it’s also the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the sons of this community who have served this country so nobly and at the same time gave the ultimate extreme sacrifice.” CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke