Sam Gloade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Gloade image = SamGloadeNovaScotia.png
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Sam Gloade with military medals; photo by Clara Dennis
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| Allegiance |  Canada |
| Service/ |
 Canadian Army |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | 64th Battalion, CEF 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
Sergeant Sam Gloade (April 20, 1878 – October 25, 1957) was a brave Mi'kmaq soldier from Milton, Nova Scotia, Canada. He fought in World War I, also known as the First World War. Sam Gloade was honored with several important medals for his courage, including the Distinguished Conduct Medal. This medal is given for great bravery in battle. He also received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Contents
Sam Gloade: A Hero in World War I
Sam Gloade first trained with the 64th Battalion, CEF. This was an infantry unit that helped prepare soldiers in England. Later, he joined the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company. This group was part of the Canadian Engineers. Their job was to dig tunnels and work with explosives.
Facing Danger at Messines
Sam was part of the Battle of Messines in 1917. This was a very tough battle. He later shared his experience:
- One afternoon, German cannons started firing at our trench. They kept going for a long time. We were very scared, as we were new to fighting. We would drop our rifles and run away from the explosions. Then another shell would land close, and we would run again. Some soldiers got hurt and cried out, and there was a lot of blood.
Digging Tunnels and Defusing Mines
Sam Gloade was a skilled tunneler. He dug trenches under Vimy Ridge, a famous battle site. He also helped fix roads near a town called Amiens. After the war, he worked to safely remove mines that were left behind.
A Brave Rescue Underground
One time, Sam was in charge of 20 soldiers. They got trapped underground. Sam Gloade dug by himself for many hours. He worked until he made a hole to the surface. Because of his effort, all the trapped soldiers were able to get out safely. He worked from the La Clytte Camp in Belgium for over a year. This camp was close to a town called Ypres.
More Battles and Later Life
Gloade also fought in the Battle of Passchendaele and the Battle of Amiens (1918). These were other major battles during the war. After his service, Sam Gloade was buried in the St. Gregory's Roman Catholic Church Cemetery in Milton, Nova Scotia. His son, Louis, also served in the military with the Nova Scotia Highlanders. Louis was injured by a piece of shrapnel during his service.
See also
- Military history of Nova Scotia
- Military history of the Mi’kmaq people
- Tunnelling companies of the Royal Engineers
