Descendants of African Nova Scotian war hero Jeremiah Jones, who overcame racial barriers to enlist in the army, and then single-handedly stormed and captured a German machine-gun nest, were presented with an honorary plaque by Parks Canada staff at a private ceremony on Citadel Hill in Halifax today.

A commemorative panel displaying Jones's photograph and story is now part of a special exhibit located in the trench surrounding the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

The exhibit, called Hometown Heroes, was organized by Parks Canada in the lead-up to Canada's 150th anniversary as a way to commemorate individuals who made unique contributions to the war effort during the First and Second World Wars.

Marie Francis, granddaughter of Jeremiah Jones, said her grandfather — who everybody called "Daddy Jones" — was 58 when he enlisted in the 106th infantry battalion from Truro. His act of heroism occurred at Vimy Ridge in 1917.

'Scared the life out of them'

"The Allies were pinned down and he volunteered" to try and capture a German machine-gun nest, Francis told CBC's Information Morning.

"He manoeuvred around the nest and he went in and scared the life out of them," she said. "Because here is this big black man and he knew a bit of German.

"He captured the machine-gun nest and then marched them back to the front lines," Francis said. Then, she said, Jones threw his machine-gun down in front of the battalion leader and asked: "Is this thing any good to you?"

A patriot

Jones was a patriot, she said.

"He loved Canada, always did."

He taught his grandchildren to love their country and "do what is right," she said, and "it's right for all men to serve and to protect freedom."

Francis was only a young girl when she knew her grandfather. He died when she was 11 years old.

She said she remembers a tall, strong man, "a man of few words but he was a man of action."

She said he was a proud member of the black community in Nova Scotia and would lend money to those in need.

Challenged racism

He, like his own father and grandfather, were men of integrity, Francis said, "who challenged — in a quiet way — the racism of the day." She said he taught his grandchildren, "there's nothing that we couldn't do, there was nowhere that we couldn't go."

Francis said she's pleased that Parks Canada is honouring her grandfather in this way. "What it means to me is that finally his act of bravery was acknowledged.

"But it also means that as black people that we too have a place in history, particularly in Nova Scotia because we don't hear the history," she said. "Whatever we learned about black history came through our people, word of mouth, and now so much is being documented."

Awarded posthumously

Jones was recommended for a Distinguished Conduct Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross for recognizing gallantry in action, following his act of heroism at Vimy Ridge. It was never awarded.

In 2010, after decades of campaigning by supporters, the Canadian government posthumously awarded Jones a Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service.