SHERBROOKE – John William “Jack” Tate had an adventurous heart and a wandering eye. Born in 1880, the eldest of 10 children to Daniel and Catherine Ann Tate of Melrose, he left home to see the world, travelling to Liverpool and China before the Great War changed everything.

He was already an “old man” when he enlisted in 1914, to fight for “King and Country.” He was a member of the newly formed Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Brigade — the best of Canada’s Expeditionary Force. And he was among those whom his commander called “magnificent” on that day in 1915 when, trying to save a wounded comrade on the Western Front, he was cut down by a German sniper, the first Nova Scotian to die in that war.

Private Jack Tate stood five-foot-nine, had dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

That we know any of this is thanks to local historians Meghann Jack and Bruce MacDonald; Deputy Warden James Fuller; and members of the Sherbrooke branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, who are launching a month-long project to commemorate St. Mary’s First World War heroes. Starting Nov. 2, 15 elegantly designed banners — each depicting the name, age, place of birth, rank, battalion and circumstances of death of an individual soldier from the municipality — are scheduled to go up in Sherbrooke’s public places.

Coloured in rich gold and brown hues — designed by South Shore graphic artist Marieka de Roos — the displays bear the motto,…