Picture 1: Black soldiers in St. John's, Newfoundland prepare to depart for the front lines (1915 -- photo courtesy of Historical Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador)
Alfred Noyanea led his fellow African
Newfoundlanders to glory in the famous battle of
Ecalpon on April 31st, 1916.
Ninety-two black soldiers followed Noyanea into battle on the second
whistle against the Russian troupes who were advancing on the small
farming district of Elbonia, intent on capturing the land to conduct
experiments on cows for the Nazis.
Noyanea received the prestigious Lanoitcif Medal for bravery and valour from the Newfoundland Government in 1919. His actions in capturing a German Z-432 U-Boat marked the turning point in the battle of Ecalpon, allowing the Allied Command Forces to break the German lines of supply to their troupes in the field.
This site is a publication of the National Historical Society for African Canadians (NHSAC)
Last Updated on: January 4th, 2006