Mount Sorrel Photo: Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada

Austin Arthur d’Entremont was born November 1, 1896, in West Pubnico, Yarmouth Co., NS the son of Louis Norbert (1869-1927) and Josephine Celina d’Entremont (1872-1955). The second eldest in a family of nine children, Austin had five brothers, Harry, Donald, Basil, Elmer, and Robert and three sisters, Marie, Emma, and Virginie. Prior to his military service he was employed as a steamship fireman. Also referred to as a stoker, the fireman was responsible for the coal and keeping the engines running aboard ship; maintaining the fires in the ship’s boilers. Sapper d’Entremont (Service Number 733746) enlistment in Yarmouth, NS, at the age of 19 on January 3, 1916, with the 112th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. At enlistment, he was 5 foot, 4 inches with a fair complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He sailed for England with his unit on July 23, aboard the SS Olympic and arrived in Liverpool seven days later on July 31, 1916. On December 22, he was assigned to 112th Battalion Garrison Duty at Bramshott Camp in Hampshire. In the new year, he was assigned to the Labour Battalion on January 28, 1917. By February 11, his unit had crossed the channel, disembarking in Le Havre, France. Austin then served in the Labour Battalion, and what became the Railway Battalions, for the duration of the war. Three years later, he returned home arriving in Halifax on February 25, 1919, on the Empress of Britain. He was then discharged on March 18, 1919, in Halifax. Austin survived the war but passed away at the age 25 on November 10, 1921 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. His body was returned to Nova Scotia and was laid to rest in the Saint Pierre Parish Cemetery in Middle West Pubnico. The following two postcards were sent to Austin for the holidays. The first, from his mother Josephine, and the second, from his godmother Monique d’Entremont.