Description
Colonial Auxiliary Decoration, Canadian Issue, George V Cypher issue, Honorary Major Heber Munroe Pattillo, 75th Lunenberg Regiment.
Grew up in Luneberg N.S. and later lived in Assiniboia, NW Territories.
Silver with Silver Gilt Crown and fitted with an original decorative silver oak leaf brooch bar.
Impressed on the reverse: “Hon-Major H.M. Pattillo -:- 75th Lunenberg Regiment.”
Neat official correction to “75th” only.
Produced by “V&S” Vaughan and Sons of Birmingham, hallmark dated “O” for 1913 production in Birmingham.
Award announced Army Order 114 of 1918.
The 75th Lunenberg Regiment had been first established during 1870, in the town of Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Following later amalgamations it is now part of the West Nova Scotia Regiment, a primary reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.
Bridgewater Bulletin 01 September 1937, page 6, column 3
H.M. PATILLO
The sudden passing on Tuesday afternoon last of H. M. Patillo, well-known insurance man of this town, has occasioned wide spread regret. Mr. Patillo had been suffering from a serious heart ailment for some time past and for a few days had not been feeling in the best of health. He succumbed instantly to a heart seizure at the wheel of his car while driving to Bridgewater with Mrs. Patillo from his summer home in Crescent Beach.
He was a son of the late T. R. Patillo and Mrs. Patillo of Bridgewater, and was born about 70 years ago. In his earlier years he was associated with his brother Joseph, in a general store business in Bridgewater, and later conducted a business in his own name.
There survive his widow (the former Miss Jessie Trefry, daughter of the late Captain R. R. Trefry and Mrs. Trefry, of Bridgewater); three brothers, Dr. Richard Patillo and Joseph Patillo, of Chicago, and A. S. Patillo of Halifax; and one sister, Mrs. W. H. VanAlstyne, (Ethel) of Toronto.
A brother, T. S. Patillo, of Truro, predeceased him a few months ago. On Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, the funeral was held from Holy Trinity Anglican Church and thence the body was borne to its final resting place in Brookside cemetery. Services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. G.W. Bullock. The full vested choir of Holy Trinity rendered three hymns, “Unto the Hills Around Do I Lift Up,”, “The Sands of Time are Sinking” and “Where the Light for Ever Shineth”. A profusion of beautiful flowers which banked the casket and were later placed at the grave, testified to the high esteem in which Mr. Patillo was held by a widely extended circle of friends.
Honorary Major Heber Munroe Pattillo, was born in Liverpool, Queens County, Nova Scotia on 17th January 1868
The son of local Nova Scotians of “Scotch” Origins, Thomas Roberts Patillo (1833-1910) and Mary Jane Starr (1836-1927).
His Grandfather was also a Thomas Roberts Pattillo, born during 1800 in Chester, Lunenberg.
His Grandfather, by way of his mother, was Colonel Richard Starr, of Starr’s Point.
As of 1881, the family had relocated close by to the town of Lunenberg, where Major Pattillo would spend most of his life.
However they would be upended when a potential opportunity arose to relocate a mammoth 2500 miles from Lunenberg, one of the farthest east coast towns of Canada all the way to the “North West Territories.”
The family all moved to Moose Jaw, in Assiniboia West, NWT, Canada.
The move was likely the bright idea of his father, who was a keen sportsman, he knew the Canadian Outdoors like few others and was a skilled hunter.
It seems that the rest of the family did not appreciate the move, so they returned home another 2,500 miles to Nova Scotia not long after the census was taken.
They were at least back home in Bridgewater on 19th May 1894, as the local mail of 19th May 1894 recounts an amusing account of his father, a keen Salmon Fisherman having got into “A BATTLE AT BRIDGEWATER”.
His father had gone out early in the morning with his children to fish at a Famous local Salmon pool and were met there by 3 Army Officers from Halifax, his father got into quite the scuffle involving him whacking the Major over the head with his Salmon Gaff and might have involved the “Elder Patillo grabbing a flying leg with his teeth.”
After his return, he married a local girl from Brookville in Digby County, NS, who had been living in Bridgewater, Lunenberg.
They married in Bridgewater, Lunenberg on 30th December 1896, and would remain married until Heber’s death 40 years later.
Heber appears to have worked in the town as a Furniture Dealer.
He ran the local “Pattillo Store” in Bridgewater with his father.
Also a Freemason, with the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia.
He was appointed as the Paymaster to the local Lunenberg Regiment on 22nd April 1898. He had already been a serving Lieutenant.
By the time of earning his decoration about 20 years later, he was the Honorary Major.
The obituary of his father, provides further information about the family, and their devoted connection
“Thomas R. Pattillo, died this morning at 21 Tobin Street, in the 77th Years of his Age. For many years Mr Pattillo was one of the leading merchants of Liverpool, Nova Scotia for 10 years he was principal of the Academy at that town, his ability being recognized by everybody.
He was appointed School Inspector for Queens and Lunenberg Counties. He and his family removed to Bridgewater on his appointment, where he lived up to a few years ago.
Mr Pattillo resigned from the inspectatorship and the present inspector Mackintosh was appointed to succeed him. Mr Pattillo again engaged in the dry good business, opening up a very large store at Bridgewater.
Mr Pattillo was greatly interested in politics and was, in years gone by, one of the best known politicians in Lunenberg County.
About 2 years ago Mr Pattillo and his family removed to Halifax, taking up their abode on Mitchell Street, where they resided until a month ago, when they removed to Tobin Street.
Mr Pattillo is survived by a Widow and 6 Children, Mrs Pattillo is a Daughter of the late Colonel Richard Starr, of Starr’s Point.
The Children are Miss Ethel, residing with her parents and 5 sons, T.S. is in business at Truro, Dr R.S. is practising his profession at Chicago, where J.B. another brother, also lived.
Heber Munro and A. Sydney are in Business at Bridgewater.
The late Mr Pattillo was an ardent sportsman. He not only was a sportsman but he knew how to tell a good story of the adventures which eh had during the half century of more of his sporting career.
A few years ago he published a book entitled Salmon Fishing in Nova Scotia, told in simple pleasing style, the story of his adventures iis an entrancing one.
Not only did he, in his book, describe Salmon Fishing on the LaHave and other rivers of the province, but moose hunting, duck shooting and other pastimes were also described.
He was a keen observer of nature and knew the ways of the stream and the wood as few have had the good fortune to known them. His book is full of information on sport and he gives a good idea of what sport in the old days was.”
