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Biography
Major Reverend Ronald Cameron MacGillivray was born September 20, 1885 in St. Joseph, Antigonish County. He was the son of Angus MacGillivray and Mary Cameron. MacGillivray was educated at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish and the College of Propoganda in Rome. He was ordained as a priest May 29, 1915 in Rome following his studies at the Urban College of Propaganda. He returned to Nova Scotia in the summer of 1915.
MacGillivray enlisted with the Canadian Chaplans with the 25th Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Halifax on October 1, 1915. His attestation paper upon enlistment stated that he had prior experience as he served 3 years as Sergent in the 18th Field Battalion. Once in Europe, MacGillivray was posted to the 5th Infantry Brigade Headquarters on Novemeber 12, 1915. He was then posted to the 4th Canadian Infantry Bridage on the field in France on December 23, 1915. MacGillivray was later transferred to the 5th Canadian Field Ambulance Rest Station in Mont Noire, France on Feburary 16, 1916. In June of 1916, MacGillivray returned home to Canada. He was granted this leave because his father was dying at home in Antigonish. He returned to serve in Europe two months later in August of 1916 when he was posted to the Canadian Convalencent Home in Epsom, France. In March of 1917, MacGillivray was posted to the 5th Canadian Infantry Bridage in France. With this unit he engaged in the battles of Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele. The following year, MacGillivray was transferred to the 26th Battalion in France on March 1, 1918. While serving early on with this unit, MacGillivray was diagnosised with Pluerisy at the 42nd Casualty Station on March 24, 1918. He was later admitted to St. John’s Hospital in Etaples on March 26. MacGillivray was sent to England shortly after, and admitted to the 3nd Western General Hospital in Manchester April 7, 1918. He was subsquently admitted to the Canadian Convalenscent Officers Hospital in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire on May 21, 1918 and was discharged the following month. Once recovered, MacGillivray returned duty with the 26th Battalion, stationed near Boulogne, France on July 10, 1918. MacGillivary actions were notable in this unit. His actions near Vrery, France in September of 1918 were recorded in J. F. B. Lindsey’s book “Canada’s Hundred Days” and subsequently in an article in the book “Catholics of the Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and the Great War” by Saint Francis Xavier University Press. He was awarded the Military Cross Janurary 11, 1919 for his gallantry in service. By the spring of 1919, MacGillivray was posted in England to serve with Princess Patricia’s Red Cross Hospital at Cooden Camp, East Sussex on April 10, 1919. He was then transfered to Witley Camp in Surrey on May 28, 1919. MacGillivray embarked for Canada on the R.M.S. Cedric September 4, 1919 and disembarked in Halifax September 12, 1919. He was discharged due to demobization the same day.
Following the war, MacGillivray served as a priest for the Diocese of Antigonish. He served as an asistant for parishes in Port Hood, Inverness County; Glace Bay, Cape Breton County and parishes in Pictou County before serving as Pastor for the parish in St. Andrews, Antigonish County in 1932. While in St. Andrews, MacGillivray helped establish the Catholic Women’s League (the C.W.L.) for the community in 1933. In 1934, MacGillivray was sent to Sydney, Cape Breton and served as the Pastor for Sacred Heart Parish in Sydney.
In the 1940s, MacGillivray served in the Second World with the Canadain Chaplancy Services from Decemeber 29, 1941 to December 29, 1945. He was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.), and 8 military decorations for his contributions to the war.
Following the Second World War, MacGillivray returned to serving as Pastor for Sacred Heart Parish in Sydney. He was named Victor General in 1961. Major Reverend MacGillivray died Janurary 23, 1963 in Sydney, Cape Breton. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
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