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Nick Pirgello's face was empty of any trace of emotion, save for a sardonic smile hovering around his mouth. His cold black eyes swept the group before him, and he was heard by those near him to murmur, almost as if to himself, "The vultures have gathered." The warden's voice, hard and clear, rang through the yard, 14Have you anything to say, Nick Pirgello?" "No!" The guards led the condemned man to the steps of the gallows. With a barely perceptible lift of his shoulders he commenced to walk up to the platform, and thc hangman. Stopping directly under the crossbeam of the scaffold he turned and faced the hushed group before him. The smile was gone. His face was like molded white marble, his eyes stared ahead unblinking. Swiftly, the hooded hangman slipped the black cowl over Pirgello's head and stepped back. Father Lundon began "I am the Resurrection and the Life . . . " The body of Nick Pirgello quivered in midair and then plunged through the trap. The rope from the crossbeam jerked and swayed, gradually becoming steady. His Majesty's government had foreclosed the mortgage. But there is a short postscript (0 the story of Nick Pirgello. When they cut down the body they noted his hands. One hand was opened. The other was clenched. Prying open the cold, stiff fingers they found a small gold crucifix. One arm of the crucifix was bent, so hard had the fingers gripped it. lB LITTLE BAY'S TWO HEROES by THOMAS HUSSEY The proud record: A V.C. in the first Great War and a D.F.C. in World War II TWO outstanding heroes from a small place of a few hundred people is the rare distinction that can be claimed by Little Bay James Thomas Head, Min e S , in D.f.C. Notre Dame Bay, well down on the northern coast of Newfoundland. Little Bay Mines was a thriving community of several thousand residents during the latter part of last century. But then the markets slumped and the copper mines there were forced to close. A great number of the families found their way to other parts of the world, many of them going to the Coal Mines at Glace Bay, Cape Breton. Among those going to Glace Bay were Mr. and Mrs. James Croak and Mr. and Mrs. James Head. JOHN BERNARD CROAK, V.C. John Bernard (Jack) Croak, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Croak, had been born at Little Bay on May 22nd, 1895, and was about four years old when his family left (here. He was educated in Nova Scotia and later went to the Canadian West, where he was residing ATLANTIC GUARDIAN
in 1914 when World War I broke out. He first joined up with the 55th Battalion and on August 6, 1915 transferred to the 13th Battalion, Royal Canadian Highlanders. When the Allied victory attack of 1918 opened the 13th Royal Canadian Highlanders were between two other crack Regiments, the 16th Canadian Scottish and the 14th Battalion Royal of Montreal. The tanks moved in, led by the pipers, (one tank had a piper sitting astride as it advanced), followed by the Highlanders. The advance was so swift and surprising that when they got through the first trenches Pte. Jack Croak was alone. Not alone with his Canadian comrades, but alone, this boy (rom Little Bay on the battlefields of France. In front of him was a German Machine Gun Post throwing bullets at him as he advanced. What could this lone Newfoundlander do? He threw a few hand grenades into the midst of the crew and when their fire stopped he jumped in and captured both gun and crew, even though he was severely wounded in the right arm By now his platoon was coming up and he rejoined them. Enemy fire was very heavy and they were Lorced to take cover. As soon as an opportunity came, Croak rushed forward alone again, but was soon followed by his comrades. The enemy gun crew were killed or captured and three guns taken. It was in this skirmish that Pte. Jack Croak was fatally wounded, dying shortly after. It was for this gallant action that he was awarded the coveted Victoria Cross. The (ollowing citation is from SEPTEMBER. 1948 the War Office Records;- "On August 8th, 1918 during the attack on Amiens Defense System, after being separated from his section, Private Croak encountered a machine gun nest in Ring Copse, which he dealt with by first bombing unassisted and then jumping into the post, taking the gun and crew prisoners. Shortly afterwards he was severely wounded in the right arm but refused to desist. HIn a few minutes his platoon which this soldier had rejoined, again encountered a very strong point, containing several machineguns and they were forced to take cover. Private Croak, however, seeing an opportunty dashed forward alone, and was almost immediatey followed by the remainder of the Platoon in a brilliant charge. He was the first to arrive at the trench line into which he led the men, capturing three machine guns and bayonetting or capturing the entire garrison. "The perseverance and courage of this gallant man were undoubtedly responsible for taking the strongest point in the whole days advance. "Private Croak was a g a i n severely wounded in the knee and died in a few minutes." The decoration was presented to his mother at the Government House in Halifax on November 22nd, 1918, by Lieutenant-Governor Grant. JAMES THOMAS HEAD, D.F.C. As mentioned previously Mr. and Mrs. James Head left Little Bay Mines in 1901 and, like the Croak's, moved to Glace Bay. They lived at Glace Bay for a 19
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- Page 6: BETTER BY AIR - BEST BY AMERICAN To
- Page 13 and 14: • PASSENGER • AIR MAIL • AIR
- Page 15 and 16: THE CHALLENGE OF CONFEDERATION A s
- Page 17: ing the crude simplicity of its cou
- Page 22: while, but moved to the Canadian We
- Page 25 and 26: Story by DORA RUSSELL First in a ne
- Page 27 and 28: A more famlliar ",iew of A",ondaJe,
- Page 30 and 31: This imposinq array of modern up·t
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- Page 36 and 37: Bay Roberts erected this statue of
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- Page 41 and 42: The electric siqn you see above thi
- Page 44: Thirty-year old Mac Andrews, owner
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- Page 50 and 51: CR OSSIN) (BLA CKHEAD (BA Y Sundown
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in 1914 when World War I broke<br />
out. He first joined up with the<br />
55th Battalion and on August 6,<br />
1915 transferred to the 13th Battalion,<br />
Royal Canadian Highlanders.<br />
When the Allied victory attack<br />
of 1918 opened the 13th Royal<br />
Canadian Highlanders were between<br />
two other crack Regiments,<br />
the 16th Canadian Scottish and<br />
the 14th Battalion Royal of Montreal.<br />
The tanks moved in, led by<br />
the pipers, (one tank had a piper<br />
sitting astride as it advanced), followed<br />
by the Highlanders. The<br />
advance was so swift and surprising<br />
that when they got through the<br />
first trenches Pte. Jack Croak was<br />
alone. Not alone with his Canadian<br />
comrades, but alone, this boy<br />
(rom Little Bay on the battlefields<br />
of France.<br />
In front of him was a German<br />
Machine Gun Post throwing bullets<br />
at him as he advanced. What<br />
could this lone Newfoundlander<br />
do? He threw a few hand grenades<br />
into the midst of the crew and<br />
when their fire stopped he jumped<br />
in and captured both gun and<br />
crew, even though he was severely<br />
wounded in the right arm<br />
By now his platoon was coming<br />
up and he rejoined them. Enemy<br />
fire was very heavy and they were<br />
Lorced to take cover. As soon as<br />
an opportunity came, Croak rushed<br />
forward alone again, but was<br />
soon followed by his comrades.<br />
The enemy gun crew were killed<br />
or captured and three guns taken.<br />
It was in this skirmish that Pte.<br />
Jack Croak was fatally wounded,<br />
dying shortly after.<br />
It was for this gallant action<br />
that he was awarded the coveted<br />
Victoria Cross.<br />
The (ollowing citation is from<br />
SEPTEMBER. 1948<br />
the War Office Records;-<br />
"On August 8th, 1918 during the<br />
attack on Amiens Defense System,<br />
after being separated from his section,<br />
Private Croak encountered a<br />
machine gun nest in Ring Copse,<br />
which he dealt with by first bombing<br />
unassisted and then jumping<br />
into the post, taking the gun and<br />
crew prisoners. Shortly afterwards<br />
he was severely wounded<br />
in the right arm but refused to<br />
desist.<br />
HIn a few minutes his platoon<br />
which this soldier had rejoined,<br />
again encountered a very strong<br />
point, containing several machineguns<br />
and they were forced to take<br />
cover. Private Croak, however,<br />
seeing an opportunty dashed forward<br />
alone, and was almost immediatey<br />
followed by the remainder<br />
of the Platoon in a brilliant<br />
charge. He was the first to<br />
arrive at the trench line into which<br />
he led the men, capturing three<br />
machine guns and bayonetting or<br />
capturing the entire garrison.<br />
"The perseverance and courage<br />
of this gallant man were undoubtedly<br />
responsible for taking the<br />
strongest point in the whole days<br />
advance.<br />
"Private Croak was a g a i n<br />
severely wounded in the knee and<br />
died in a few minutes."<br />
The decoration was presented to<br />
his mother at the Government<br />
House in Halifax on November<br />
22nd, 1918, by Lieutenant-Governor<br />
Grant.<br />
JAMES THOMAS HEAD, D.F.C.<br />
As mentioned previously Mr.<br />
and Mrs. James Head left Little<br />
Bay Mines in 1901 and, like the<br />
Croak's, moved to Glace Bay.<br />
They lived at Glace Bay for a<br />
19
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