Monday 3 Jan 1916, Bramshott, UK
I just received Pater’s letter of
the 12th December telling me of your operation. That is the worst of
being so far away. Imagine you ill for a whole month and me knowing nothing of
it. Jove, Mater I am sorry to think of what you must have suffered. But I am so
thankful that things are going all right. [over] From Pater’s second letter it
would seem that you were well enough to have at least a bit of fun at
Christmas. I only hope the fun wasn’t too strong for you.
Just after I started
this letter I got a chance to get a pass so I took it. I left here about 9 a.m.
on the 6th, and went up to London. I telegraphed to Aunt Minnie to
see if it would be all right to come down there. It was, so I caught the 6.10
p.m. [over] train from Paddington for Stroud. But in the meantime I had a few
hours to kill so I got a seat at Drury Lane, and saw my first pantomime. It was
very fine. The story was ‘Puss in Boots’. The fairy tale ran all through the
play of course, and they kept quite strictly to the story. But really the main
thing was the intervals, which were devoted to ballets and funny scenes. The
scenery and costumes were [over] wonderful. The principal character, The
Duchess, was played by a man who was very funny. Altogether, I enjoyed it.
I got to
Stroud at about 9 p.m. Ettie was off duty during my stay and it made things
quite nice.
I took some
pictures there that I shall send you if they are any good. They were
exceedingly nice to me and I was glad to get there.
There is very little to write about, as things very much as
usual. We had a Canadian mail today, but nothing came for me. Perhaps to-night
there will be some.
Scanned letters located here.
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I want to
catch this mail tonight so I won’t be able to write a letter. I shall write
tomorrow. All is O.K. but I have some rather interesting new. No signs of
moving yet for us.
I have some news for you this letter
all right. You won’t be able to keep track of all my addresses.
Note 1: 1st Battalion, The Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF
Note 2: 27th (City of Winnepeg) Battalion, CEF
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9 Apr 1916: Car was transfered to the 5th Bn The Canadian Mounted Rifles (5CMR) and embarked for France that same day.
10 Apr 1916: Landed France, moved to the Canadian Base Depot at Le Havre; taken on strength 5CMR.
France
Dear P.
------------------------------------
France
Dear Pater;
Well we
have come “up the line, with the best of luck” as they say when you leave the
base depôt. It is quite literal
too, I think. First we have great weather as nice as one could wish. We left [censored]
with it and kept it all the way. We had a beautiful trip up for most of the
way. That part that was by day was grand. The [over] country is very fine, and
all was new and interesting. Generally the fellows make the trip in box cars,
but we were lucky enough to have coaches. We were told we had a long march
ahead of us to get here, but when we got off the train we were met by the
transport which carried all our kit, even our rifles. Then we only had about
two miles to go. We were put into very comfortable tents for the first two
nights with good grub and nice grass near us where we spent our day. These are
the [over] billets in which our battalion spends its rest out of the trenches.
Scanned letters located here.
“The 24th of May is the
Queen’s birthday, if you don’t give us a holiday we’ll all run away.” Well we
have it, strange to say, and “fireworks” galore.
Well about
our turn we have just done. [over] Friday evening, we left the support dug
outs, and marched up the communication trenches to the front line. Now,
trenches are generally of this shape generally [see Fig. 1] generally, but not
always, as circumstances demand, then when they are blown up with shells they
are remade as well as possible. Communications trenches are somewhat this shape
[see Fig. 2] [over]
Trenches are
made about four feet below ground, the sides are “revetted” with corrugated
iron, netting, canvas or sandbags, and timbers, the floors are slatted walks
about 18 inches wide, called “bath mats.” The sides are built up with sandbags
making generally about 6 feet high altogether. It was a dark night and we went
in single file up a combination of communication and fire trenches, some
destroyed, some unfinished, some low, some high. I was through a wood. Imagine
Parsons [over] bush with the trees broken, and all pitted with shot.
France
BOWBRIDGE,
Thanks for
your letter I received yesterday. Car sent a card as soon as he got to France
but nothing since. I hope you have heard news by this time. We have seen very little
of Edith. She left almost immediately to join Alec. And is now at Hindhead ***
from his camp. I think she finds it very quiet after Folkestone, which is full
of Canadians. She thought she and Alec could be able to come to *** but that
depends on his leave.
We had a
great surprise in Harry’s appointment as Commodore at Hong Kong it is a very
good berth and a pleasant place to live in. They don’t give you long to prepare
- almost a *** – not much ** a big **. Loreen goes with him and they have
decided via Canada and sail in the “Grampian” June 23 it is the pleasantest and
certainly safest, besides hoping to see some of you. They are due early in
August and I just time for a day or two stop in Ottawa. I have written to tell
Charlie he is often there and I expect will try to see them. I don’t know how
it will be for you.
------------------------------------
You
will, I expect be a bit anxious about me after the news comes about the big
action here. However though I was in the thick of it and I have ceased to
wonder how I came through, yet Mart [Martin Bluethner] and I came through almost without a
scratch.
It was a wonderful not to say a
dreadful experience, and you can imagine I am a pretty thankful boy. I shall
try to send this out with the ambulance in case we don’t go out ourselves to-night,
though we expect to. We have done our trick I think, and we deserve a rest.
------------------------------------
Weds 14 June 1916, Belgium (Ypres)
Jan. 3rd 1915 [1916]
Dear Mater;
 |
| Pages 4 & 1 |
 |
| Pages 2 & 3 |
 |
| Pages 8 & 5 |
Thursday I
spent a quiet day. Ettie and I went for a long walk. Then Uncle Alfie and I had
a game of billiards up at the Thrupp. They have a fine big table. [over]
In the
evening and indeed each evening, before going to bed Uncle Alfie and I sat up
and talked shop. He is a member of the V.T.C. as they call themselves,
(Veterans Training Corps) but called by Punch, “The Methusaliers.” I have been
teaching him the drill. We used matches etc and had regular drills. [Note 1]
 |
| Pages 6 & 7 |
Friday Ettie
and I took a long walk up the hills to an old stone town called Minchinhampton.
It was very pretty and quaint. [over]
I think I
told you about last time taking a motor trip up to Gloucester and Cheltenham so
I have seen quite a lot of the country.
Friday and
Saturday nights we went to moving picture shows. Saturday with both Aunt M. and
Uncle A. after which we went to Dr. Hardy’s, people whom Phil met when he was
here and became quite friendly with. Friday evening we went to call on a Mrs.
Fisher. They call her Cousin Kate. I [over] think she was a Partridge, but you
will probably know more about her than I. She was very nice to me anyway. We
played bridge and had tea there.
 |
| Pages 12 & 9 |
Saturday
morning Uncle A. and I went out shooting rabbits. We took ferrets with us and a
couple of men to help, and we got fourteen in a few hours.
Sunday
morning Ettie, Uncle A. and I went with Harold Chambers in his Ford away up
through Chalford and up the valley. We covered about 25 miles. It was [over] a
very pretty trip. I left there at two o’clock on Sunday and got back to camp
about 2 a.m.
 |
| Pages 10 & 11 |
I don’t think
I told you about my Christmas. Though as a matter of fact it wasn’t much to
tell about. For a few days before, I was receiving letters and parcels and this
really constituted [over] my Christmas. I got a parcel from Mrs Bluethner, one
from Bluethner’s girl and another from a friend of hers in London [Ontario]. A
girl I didn’t know very well but who was very nice about sending it. Then I got
your parcel and a box of cigars yesterday from Mrs Luke of Tillsonburg. The
apples haven’t come yet. I got the first copy of the Conservator [Note ] to-day dated
Dec. 9th. Though the Mail and Empire comes regularly. [over]
Christmas Eve
I was on canteen duty. I was in charge of the order at the men’s canteen, and
the men celebrated most joyously. Then on Christmas day, I was on guard at the
main detention barracks.
I had about
forty prisoners and ten guards. It wasn’t much fun, as, being Christmas, the
men were in anything but good humor. During
Christmas evening some of them broke a window [over] and ten escaped.
The fault lay
in a defective building and in the posting of the guards. I had posted mine by
precedent so I was all right. The person who first posted them made the
mistake. Of course
there was a big fuss made about it, and I was up before beaks and things, but I
was found to be nowhere to blame whatever, and the case against me was
dismissed. However the
investigations lasted till New Years Day and my week was spoilt. [over]
Well Mater I
do hope you will be all right again soon.
I want Pater
to use the money from my assignment to help things along after the operation.
They are rather expensive luxuries aren’t they, but I won’t need it.
Best love to
all
You loving
son Car.
Note 1: Local Home Guard civil defence organisation.
Note 2: The Conservator was the newspaper from Brampton, Ontario.
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Thurs 27 Jan 1916, Bramshott, UK
(602248 notice new no.)
Bramshott Camp
Jan 27th
1916
FEB 12 1916
Dear Pater;
I believe there is a mail going out tonight, so I shall try
to get a letter in.
There is very little to write about, as things very much as
usual. We had a Canadian mail today, but nothing came for me. Perhaps to-night
there will be some.
Tuesday night we had the anniversary of our battalion
organization. It was celebrated by a concert and a banquet.
The concert was in the men’s mess room, and we crammed
nearly two thousand in. The artists came from London
But the banquet was the funny part of it. We had invited
Sergeants from other battalions to come, and the [over] Sergeants mess room was
well filled.
The tables were set with actual table cloths and the
ordinary cutlery, and at each place was a bottle of beer. Before eating, we
toasted “The King and the Empire.”
The menu was quite grand, and really well cooked.
Soup (Tomato, I think)
Fish (Bloaters fried in crumbs)
Roast Chicken (very nice)
Boiled Potatoes
Greens (sprouts)
Roast Beef.
Celery and cheese
Fruit and nuts
Some of the toasts were quite funny. The subjects were very
normal, but oratory was not the strong point of the speakers and very covertly
I smiled much.
Then we had songs, recitations etc, which were very amusing.
I played the accompaniments to one fellow’s song. I had been
practicing it a bit, and the fellow really had a good voice. The others had
little time and less voice, and sang to a very much ad lib[over] accompaniment
by the drum Sergeant. Had we had time there are quite a number of the Sergeants
who have pretty fair voices. But these naturally wouldn’t sing without music,
so the others as usual were braver.
There was lots of beer taken, but the fellows were very
orderly, even so. We broke up at sharp twelve. I am company orderly sergeant
this week.
I got a letter from Phil a few days ago. Just a little late
for Christmas. Also a couple of letters from Norm. He is working in Cleveland
Well I must close now, I hope Mater is getting along well.
Love to
all,
Your
loving son
Car
P.S.
Feeling fine
Scanned letters located here.
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Thurs 3 Feb 1916, Bramshott, UK
Feb 3rd 1916
Dear P.
I want to
catch this mail tonight so I won’t be able to write a letter. I shall write
tomorrow. All is O.K. but I have some rather interesting new. No signs of
moving yet for us.
Love
Car
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Tues 8 Feb 1916, Bramshott, UK
Hindhead is one of the highest places in England , they
say, and a great summer resort. There are dozens of tremendous private hotels
within a short radius. You would wonder where the people come from to occupy
them. They are set here and there in among the trees, and scattered all around
through the district. Also there are many very fine [over] estates around. I am
looking forward to seeing this place in summer.
Bramshott Camp
February 8th
Dear Pater;
I wrote you
a card last post saying I expected to have some good news for you. This hasn’t
materialized yet, but I shall explain. A week or so ago we had orders to
prepare for a move to Shorncliffe. This later developed into three companies.
So there was a quandary as to who would go. The junior officers who were to go,
were detailed, the men to go were detailed, but we N.C.O.’s were asked to
volunteer. Now we have already volunteered and [over] as each detached company
went from Canada
we put in our names and volunteered again. This time we Sergeants thought it
time they detailed us to go. This they wouldn’t do, so we let things stand pat.
Our Colonel had a peculiar notion in his head, evidently wishing to keep us, as
he couldn’t go himself.
As a consequence, here we are with all the senior officers
and N.C.O.’s, and almost no men. The rest went to Shorncliffe, where there were
all split up into the 12th and 23rd reserve battalions. I
hear that we are receiving sufficient reinforcements from Canada to bring
us up [over] to strength. But in the meantime we are bereft of a battalion and
the band, the stretcher-bearers, and signallers are doing the fatigues.
From now on, almost anything may happen to us. We may be transferred
to another battalion as instructors, or anything like that. Now there are a few
battalions here who we know are short of N.C.O.’s and their reputation is
rather unsavoury. The 41st for instance, the French Canadians. So
Honey and I looked around a bit, and Capt. Caldwell, our junior Captain, (Major
Kay is away on a course) would most heartily recommend us for a commission, as
also would the Colonel if we [over] could find a battalion that needed us. All
we needed was some friend or acquaintance who would find a vacancy for us in a
battalion, speak to his Colonel. Then our officers would put in their
recommendation. They say our training is quite sufficient.
I spoke to Kift, you may remember my speaking of him in
Tillsonburg, he was the accountant there in the Standard. I nearly got in with
him originally. He has a commission as pay-master of the 37th who
are quartered next to us. Through him and the Tillsonburg negotiations I am
pretty well known to Colonel Bick. Kift promised to see the Colonel, and I
[over] expected by this time to have news of it for you, but up to now nothing
has materialized. I shall let you know as soon as anything happens. Bluethner
has decided to stick to his present course.
Did I tell you that Mr. Nevill is now Capt Nevill, paymaster
of the 126th Battalion of Haldimand.
Today we started a physical drill course for we N.C.O.’s who
are left. It will last probably about a week.
Sunday afternoon Bluethner and I went to Hindhead to call on
Capt. and Mrs Anderson, otherwise known as Molly. She seems to be pretty [over]
happy. Helen is coming here before long, and I would like to see her, poor
girl. But she spent her honeymoon here and naturally she doesn’t want to come
back too soon.
Again, I got a letter from Mr. Harrison of Tillsonburg, (the
Manager). He used to be in the Capital and Counties Bank at Haselmere, about
three miles from here, and had a Friday sub-branch at Grayshott about two miles
from here. He told me that Betty has been very sick with pleurisy, hope the
poor kiddie gets on all right. Also they have a son, born about October.
I received a box of apples today, which [over] I suppose
were yours. They came from Burlington ,
and were in fairly good condition. Thank you very much for them. Apples of all
things are welcome here. I feel ever so much better when I get fruit. The
apples sold here are vile.
 |
| 'Undershaw' Hindhead. Expatriate Canadian crime writer Grant Allen, a friend of Arthur Conan Doyle, praised the healthy air of Hindhead, in Surrey, England, of having cured him of tuberculosis. Conan Doyle visited Hindhead, about 40 miles south of London, and decided it was his “English Switzerland.” |
When we first arrived here there was a great dearth of
eating accommodation around here. It is the custom of Canadian soldiers, myself
being no exception, to go out and get a good meal away from camp. The British
soldiers are paid very little and spend correspondingly little, so the people
were taken by storm when we came. Now however at almost every village there is
a ‘Soldiers Club’ or something of that kind. A Town hall or a parish hall is
transformed into a club eating and games. (next envelope) [over] At Haselmere
there are two. One, St Christopher’s Hall is the parish hall where they serve
nice eatables, quite cheap, and have games and magazines, and a piano. This is
run by the women of the village. There are some of them quite nice. Quite often
I go there of an evening and have a meal, and then sit at the piano and start a
sing song. A couple of times I have gathered a bunch of fellows who were really
musical, and we managed quite a nice sextette. They have lots of music there
and I enjoy it very much. Generally after that, unless it is Sunday, I go over
to the moving picture [over] show across the road, where they have big crowds,
and pretty good pictures.
 |
| This is probably the photo taken in Haselmere. |
I am sending you some pictures with this letter, which will
go nicely with the collection also I got my picture taken at Haselmere which I
am having sent direct. I saw the pictures that had been done there, and I
believe they are artists. They charge fairly high prices but the work is
excellent.
The Conservator comes along regularly and the Mail. I am very
glad to get them. I pass the Conservator along to Molly. Sometime I wish you
would correct my number with both [over] papers. Both are wrong. When we came
here it was 402248, but we found that another battalion had the same numbers so
it is now 602248.
This letter is getting rather bulky, and I may have to
divide it in two envelopes I am glad that things are going all right with
Mater. I hope they go on.
I got a letter from Phil, and from Walter [possibly my
great-grandfather Walter Clarence Young] I haven’t answered them yet, but will
soon.
Well I must close now. I think best love to all.
Your loving
son
Car
Scanned letters located here.
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Weds 29 Mar 1916, Bramshott, UK
March 29th 1916
Dear
Pater;
I have some news for you this letter
all right. You won’t be able to keep track of all my addresses.
There was a call for a draft, and as
there seemed like a long delay here before we got over as N.C.O.’s we
volunteered to revert to privates and go. Out application was accepted, and
nine of us are going together as privates. Mart and I are able to keep together
I am glad to say. We have had two kit inspections today, and having all
unnecessary truck behind, we are ready to move off at a moment’s notice. Even
now, expecting to go tomorrow, things may be changed. Last night we expected to
go to the 1st C.M.R.,[Note 1] in fact we had definite orders to that effect,
but now we go to the 27th Batt. [Note 2] Hence, our address will be Pte
C.E.Y. (602248) 27th Battalion C.E.F. France.
I shall write as soon as I can.
Best love,
Your loving son
Car
Note 2: 27th (City of Winnepeg) Battalion, CEF
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Sat 8 Apr 1916, Bramshott, UK
April 8th 1916
Apl 25th
Dear Pater;
This letter must cancel my letter of
a week ago. I did rather a foolish thing at the time. As far as I knew, those
were all correct to date. I made the mistake of posting my letter off before I
actually got off. We got as far as the parade ground on the way to the station,
and Mart. [Martin Bluethner] and I were put on the waiting list. So we missed the draft. However
we are on another draft to the 5th C.M.R. We expect to leave
tomorrow morning. This time we shall not post our letters till we actually get
off. There were nine of us reduced ourselves [voluntarily reduced to Private] for the purpose, and [next] two of
us were left. My address will be just 602248 Pte. C.E.Y. 5th C.M.R.,
France.
I received
your letters today. Tell Sam Wilson that his parcel never came.
I saw Edith
at Hythe on Tuesday, and intended to see her again, but as soon as we are
warned for a draft we are confined to Barracks, so I haven’t been able to go
down again. She is staying at the house of a cousin of her husband’s, the
brigade major of our brigade, the 11th. She seems very comfortable.
Her husband is at Bordon Camp, near Bramshott, and she hadn’t seen him since
she came.
I think I
weigh about 165 now, though I am not sure. I certainly [next] am heavier than I
was. They took excellent care of us at the hospital and I had no ill effects
whatever from my measles. I spent my five days with Aunt Minnie and had a very
nice time. We actually had some sleigh riding on the hills behind the house.
You asked me
about Marion taking a course of nursing as was at first thought. It seems she
has abandoned the idea as she is back at school. I sent her one of my photos,
so you may give one each to Hester and Mammie. I thought they were very good.
The photographer at Haselmere certainly does some excellent work.
I am sending
you some more pictures and am enclosing some snaps. [over]
Well, things
are beginning now, and we ought to see some very interesting things. I haven’t
much fear about getting through all right. However if I can keep my face in the
right direction I don’t mind. Don’t worry too much about me. I won’t try any
foolish stunts. I don’t hanker after the V.C. and I shall keep my head down,
and try mainly for a whole skin.
By the way.
Do you remember my speaking of a fellow at my boarding house in Barrie, John
Walker, a Scotchman. He is my platoon officer here, though he isn’t going with
us. [over]
Funny isn’t
it, how you meet people. Another officer in the 17th [Bn CEF] was my
junior at Cayuga. Heaslip.
I don’t think
I mentioned at the time, that I remembered Hal’s birthday March 8th,
but I did.
I got a card
from Phil the other day.
Well Pater, I
must close.
Fond love to
Mater, Mammie, Ken, Kocken and yourself, and the others when you write, though
I shall write them too if I can.
Your loving son
Car
Scanned letters located here.
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9 Apr 1916: Car was transfered to the 5th Bn The Canadian Mounted Rifles (5CMR) and embarked for France that same day.
10 Apr 1916: Landed France, moved to the Canadian Base Depot at Le Havre; taken on strength 5CMR.
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Fri 14 Apr 1916, France (Field Postcard)
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Sun 23 April 1916, France (Postmark)
602248 Pte.C.E.Young
5th C.M.R.
Dear P.
Weather
very wet here but camp pretty fair. Feel very fine, and expect to go up before
long. This is the base depôt at
Le Havre. Training here rather interesting. Lots of love.
Car
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Thurs 27 April 1916, France (Postmark)
602248 Pte.C.E.Young
5th C.M.R.
Dear Pater;
We are
leaving today for the front line, the address will be the same. Haven’t had any
mail for a long time, but expect it will be waiting for me.
All O.K. Will write later.
Car
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Mon 1 May 1916, Ypres, Belgium
602248 Pte.C.E.Young
D.Coy
5th C.M.R.
France
1st May 1916
D.Coy
5th C.M.R.
1st May 1916
My Dear Mater;
We are quite within sound of the guns, and we hear them all
day and night. Especially it is interesting at night, as the flashes and flares
show very bright. We were just in time to catch the battalion coming out for
its rest, so we have all that time here before we go up. However we may [over]
go up to the trenches with a working party, perhaps tonight though as yet we
have not been warned for it. It is 4.30 p.m. and I am in the Y.M.C.A. but we
have just come back from a town near by, about three miles away, where we went
with our company to have a bath.
Needless to remark, the baths are scarce up the line, and
the fellows need one pretty badly when they come out. There we get a good hot
bath and a change of underwear. We were only today posted to our [over] companies,
and we seem to be with a very nice bunch. Mostly from Halifax
Most of the battalions especially the “mere” infantry carry
full packs when they go up the line, but we carry almost nothing. We leave our
packs here and get them again when we come out.
Sunday, I did my first guard as a private. [over] It is much
easier than as an N.C.O. Then I used to remain up all night and keep an eye on
the guard all the time, but as it is I do two hours on and four off. Then I
sleep, and keep pretty fresh. You would hardly know ne now. I have my hair all
cut short, and I expect it looks very funny. It is almost necessary, though, as
it is less to keep clean and free from visitors.
Bluethner is in the same section as I, and the others in the
same platoon. I say the others, but I don’t think I told you who [over] they
are. One is a red-headed namesake of mine, Alec Young who hails from Australia
We are all privates now, and get along pretty well together.
We have quite an interesting time watching the aeroplanes. The air is never
free from their hum, and nearly all the time either one of theirs or of ours is
being shelled in full view from here. It is quite - - It is quite marvellous
the unconcern of the people here. Quite close to the guns, and even shelled
sometimes, they carry on their farming and making [over] money out of the
soldiers as if nothing was happening. Then the birds sing, the mills turn
lazily, the blossoms are out and spring is rife. Altogether it makes you
wonder.
As I write it might be a terrific thunder storm raging a few
miles away with occasionally some more distinct crashes. Somebody is getting a
warm time. However all [over] the fellows, even those who have been up are
quite happy, and we will do our trick again soon and then get another rest.
Do not worry about me Mater and Pater, I shall be all O.K.
and I shall write again soon.
The best of love to all, your loving son
Car
I got a couple of your letters, the last one with Hester’s
and Walter’s letters enclosed. Thank you very much. Also thank Mammie for her
card, I shall write her too. I also got letters from Bessie + Norm.
Note: According to
the unit's War Diary, on 1 May 1916, 5 CMR was located at rest in 'Camp A'.
This camp was probably located approximately 6 miles west of Ypres, between
Vlamertinghe and Poperinghe and north of Brandhoek.
------------------------------------
Sun 14 May 1916, Ypres, Belgium
Belgium
May 14th 1916
29th 15 days
Dear Mater;
I
have just come out of church in the cinema hut. We have all our church parades
even with rifles and gas helmets.
We are in the reserve billets just
now, and go up into the front line tomorrow night. However, things seem very
quiet along our front just now, and I don’t [over] expect we will have a very
warm time. These billets are low huts like the lofts of a barn without sides,
the roof coming down to the ground. We sleep on the floor, with about sixteen
in a hut. We have an overcoat, blanket and oil sheet. We put the sheet on the
floor, and then I put my feet into the arms of my coat, button it up, put a
belt around my waist and then put my blanket over all [over] with my pack for a
pillow. I sleep pretty comfortably. It gets pretty cold in the mornings.
However, very seldom lately I get any
sleep in the night. We have working parties nearly every night. We carry bandolier,
rifle and gas helmet, and go up the line in London buses. Our fatigues as
privates on the side of the line, are all right though. It is all clean work.
We generally work [over] with pick and shovel, or carry sandbags or something
like that. We have about four or five miles to walk on the way up and again
back. Then we have to wait a bit for the buses on the way back. Then it gets a
bit cold. We generally get back by daylight. The sun rises early here. It gets
light about 3.30. We then sleep all morning.
The shells around us, over us and in
the distance are [over] really nothing more now than very interesting. I
haven’t had any nearer than about fifty yards. There’s not the slightest use of
worrying though. Your chances of getting hit are very slim. No need to worry
about me. It is a fine life, and I like it. Of course the trenches will be
something new again.
This letter won’t be censored, I
expect. I don’t suppose there is the slightest harm in telling [over] you we
are in the Ypres salient. I have seen Ypres and it is certainly marvellous, and
a bit awe inspiring.
Dinner call has just blown, and I
shall postpone finishing this till after. We use our mess tins, and line up at
the cookhouse which is a shack with the field kitchens in it. The meals are
very good much better than we have had for a long time. We eat them in our
huts. [over] Well, I have finished my dinner. The best we have had for a long
time. Beefsteak, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread and tea. It certainly tastes
good.
Last night I was in a minstrel show. I
sang in a trio with two fellows in our platoon. Just around the corner from us
is a big moving picture show. The 49th band permanently is [over] the
orchestra. Then they have a nice piano, with a fellow playing it who plays
extremely well. We just sang a couple of very old songs, “Tenting to-night” [Note 1] and a popular chorus. We were
all black face, and we did pretty well. There was captain as interlocutor, and
a major, a lieutenant and a mixture for the chorus. They have excellent [over]
pictures there every night. It always strikes me as rather remarkable to have
places like this actually at times where there is plenty of shell fire. Why
there are batteries a long way back from this. This war certainly upsets all
precedents.
I received your parcel with three
pairs of socks a day or [over] two ago, and thank you very much. Yesterday I
received a big parcel of cheroots from Phil, which have been on the way for
several months. In fact, Phil told me he expected them to arrive in time for
Christmas.
I have met a great many fellows here
that I have known. Most of them 34th fellows who came over in [over]
drafts. At the last camp I was in, I was watching a ball game when I saw Cecil
Peaker, Marvel’s cousin, playing [Note
2]. He is a lieutenant in the 1st C.M.R. John Walker from Barrie
is in our battalion also.
 |
| An early American literary magazine that ran 1903 to 1931 |
One thing I would like occasionally if
you could send them to me is magazines. The Popular, or Windsor [over] or
something like that. I believe they are sent easily enough, and reading matter
of any kind is very scarce.
You asked me a while ago about Marion
training as a nurse. She expected to, but I think she has abandoned the idea. I
wish you could meet the Nevill’s, they are certainly nice. Needless to remark,
Marion is not the least nice. [over]
Well, when we get back after this, we
shall have some great tales to tell. It’s certainly an ill wind that blows
nobody any good. One of the best things is the way Bluethner and I are able to
stick together. We are in the same section [usually a body of 8 men] under a
Lance corporal from Nova Scotia. His name is Merriam. He was an accountant in
[over] the Royal Bank [of Canada] in one of the small braches there. Most of
the fellows here are young. A much younger lot than we had in the other
battalion. The 5th comes from Halifax, but there are other drafts in
them.
I am going over now to look up Stanley
Higgs who is in the 15th [Note
3] near here. He was drafted there from the 37th.
Well Mater and Pater, I must close
now.
Best love to all, your loving son.
Car
Pte. C.E. Young
602248
‘D’ Coy
5th C.M.R.
France
Note
1: 'Tenting Tonight', a popular song dating from the American Civil
War; listen to it here.
Note
2: Cecil Howard
Peaker, was born in Brockville, Ontario 21 November 1893 and was a Civil
Servant until attested into the 8th Bn Canadian Mounted Rifles at
Ottawa, 4 January 1915. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website indicates
that Lt Peaker of the 4th CMR (N.B. Uncle Car
may have mistaken the 1st for the 4th Bn) died on 2 June
1916 and is commemorated at the Ypres Menin Gate memorial (no known grave). He
was the son of Mrs. Rose Peaker, of 411 Riverdale Avenue, Ottawa, and the late
W. J. Peaker.
Note
3: Stanley Stocker
Higgs was born in Nassau, British West Indies on 9 January 1895 and was a bank
clerk until attested into the 37th Bn CEF (raised in Halton County,
Ontario, broken up for drafts in England) at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario on 26
May 1915. He was subsequently commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 15th
Bn CEF (originally raised from the 48th
Highlanders of Canada, Toronto). He survived the war and is believed to have
passed away in 1985, aged 89.
------------------------------------
Weds 24 May 1916, Ypres, Belgium
24th of May 1916
Dear Mater +
Pater;
“The 24th of May is the
Queen’s birthday, if you don’t give us a holiday we’ll all run away.” Well we
have it, strange to say, and “fireworks” galore.
Last night
about ten o’clock we were relieved in the trenches, and we marched out to our
billets where we spend eight days. I am lying on my “floor space”, I was going
to say bunk. Taking a well earned rest. [over]
Our first
four days up were in supports where we did very little during the day, mostly
just sleep. At night we were out on working parties. Jove, there is so much to
tell, I could write volumes, but I shall try just to give you an idea of what
we did. At present I am feeling fine, no nerves shattered, no shell shock and
very much of a whole skin. In fact very happy. Which in no small measure is due
to your parcel with the socks, cakes + coffee which with your letter with
Mater’s + Pats [over] + some papers came last night. Nothing seems so welcome
as letters and eatables. The parcel was fine. I am going to make a few
suggestions for next parcel, which, however will not limit you at all. Any
kinds of cakes, coffee, (such as you did send) cocoa or tea, gum, chocolate,
candy, especially homemade, the peanuts were fine, in fact anything to eat,
whether solid or delicacy.
In the
Y.M.C.A. here we [over] can buy biscuits, beans, canned fruit, chocolate, tea, (made)
+ tobacco. When we go up we take a supply with us, but these don’t last long.
And parcels are delivered in the trenches, and don’t they taste good then. I
never appreciated good eats so much as now. Up there we draw as rations, ham,
cooked meat, bread, butter, jam or marmalade and tea, which we make there. They
are not too plentiful, and we get a bit hungry sometimes.
 |
| Figure 1 |
 |
| Figure 2 |
From the
surface you can’t see anything but mounds of earth and shell holes, but the
whole is a perfect maze of trenches, any one could get lost in them. We were
going to the point of the salient, just where a year ago our fellows had their
big scrap battle.
The German
lines were [over] almost all around us, and their flares lit up the place
nearly continuously. From every side were machine guns, rifles and bombs,
going. At first it seemed that every one was trained on us, but we soon got
accustomed to it. Imagine this long column of men, nearly in silence stumbling
along in single file carrying our equipment and rifles of course.
Suddenly
there would be a crack-crack crack, about forty or fifty shots, in ten seconds
[over] almost at our ear. We who were new, ducked like lightening, but only
because we didn’t know the different sound of our own gun or a gun trained at
us. It stopped, and we went on. Soon there would be a little more different
series of cracks, and a wheeow – wheeow wheeow near us. This time everyone
ducked. Right this time.
But when
Fritzie turns his gun on you, you nearly always get this warning, so we now don’t
mind it any more than someone throwing snow balls. It is marvellous how many
thousand shots are wasted we don’t mind bullets a bit. It is only strays we
don’t like, or maybe a little buck from Fritz. In this way we finally come to
the trenches. Imagine a slight rise in the bush, just a mass of sandbags [over]
piles of earth, mud, water, wires, trees, tin, unsavoury smells, and general
seeming chaos, which gradually resolved itself into trenches, remade and
rebuilt after numerous shellings. We swapped instructions with the fellows in
our ***, loaded our rifles, fixed bayonets, and stood to. Shortly I was
detailed for [a] carrying party, so I [over] took off my equipment, and taking
just a few cartridges, my rifle and gas bag, I returned up the communications
for rations.
Fritz made it
a bit hot for us, but no one was hit. We got our rations in sandbags and
returned. I got back about one a.m. I put on my stuff again, and we sat on the
firing step to take turns at sentry. My turn came about 1:30 o’clock, and it
was a bit queer to stand up with your head over the parapet. You seemed to
think that [over] Fritz could easily see you, especially when his flares went
up. He was about 50 yards away, and as we have canvas coverings on our shell
helmets, we were just like the parapet. I took things a bit gingerly at first,
but I soon got accustomed to it. There were tall trees in rows on either side
of us, and a bunch just in front of us, and very indistinctly we could [over]
see his parapet in the distance. Between us, in to “no man’s land” was low
undergrowth and some old trenches. The barbed wire was hidden by the growth.
The flares are like a magnified Roman candle burning blue-white for about 15
seconds. They show up everything. We use them too.
One thing
that takes getting accustomed to is his explosive bullets. I suppose they are
just dum dums [Note 1]. The snipers use them, and when they hit a tree or parapet they
[over] go off with a sharp crack. Fritzie is no sport.
About two
thirty it broke day, and we stood down, but were ready. During daylight sentry
is kept with a periscope. About four we had breakfast and turned in for a
snooze. At eleven thirty I was called and put in a working party, filling
sandbags to make a dug out. Eight o’clock, dusk was stand to again and [over]
we sat on the step and smoked, and did alternate sentry. By the way, smokes,
especially cigarettes are nearly our one means of passing time. The issue
cigarettes are poor, and those you sent are fine. Also we very much need
reading matter, I wish you would send some magazines.
To continue,
we stood down at the usual time and had breakfast, and I went into my dug out
to snooze. It only had a tin roof, and there was a sandbag on top. One of
Fritz’s snipers had a spike on me, and he tore that bag into little pieces with
[over] dum dums. Of course I was quite safe as I had the parapet behind me, but
he spoilt my sleep.
In the
evening I did another working party, sentry the rest of the night, and all was
as usual till about noon. Fritz then threw over a few shells. He regretted it.
I was on duty with a periscope and our gunners began. We threw over about
thirty to his one. We tore his front line to bits. Some of the 43rd [Note 2] fellows told [over] me afterwards that they could see the Germans running like
rats for the rear. I hardly blame them. Fritz came back of course and things
were lively for a bit, but he did very little damage. *** we have him beaten by
miles for artillery or anything he tries now, and he knows it. It was my first
bombardment, but I didn’t mind a bit. The night was quiet as anything on our
front. We seemed to have given him more than enough.
Tuesday again
was quiet and Tuesday night we were relieved. We had a long march of about ten
miles. We got to camp about two a.m. and then after breakfast [over] we went to
sleep. It was great to get our clothes partly off, and into a blanket, on a
smooth floor without the lumps of the equipment.
Your sending
the underwear was an especially happy thought. Though it hasn’t arrived yet, I
shall appreciate it when it comes. This thick stuff rather harbours things. The
socks just fit and I think the loose knit will be best.
The 5th
C.M.R. comes from Halifax
Well Mater I
must close now.
On the
address simply this will do,
602248 Pte C.E.Young
5th C.M.R.
(C.E.F.)
No need to
put Army P.O. London. Don’t forget 5th C.M.R. There is a
brigade you know. 1,2, 4, + 5. [Note 3]
I must have
missed one of your letters, as I didn’t know she was sick. I certainly am glad
she is better. Give her my love of course.
Is my money
still coming regularly? [over] It ought to, I haven’t changed my assignment.
You haven’t mentioned it lately.
Who is Mae,
in your office? You haven’t told me. Is it Mae Elliot?
Well, don’t
worry about me, I shall be O.K.
Best of love,
Your loving
son
Car
Note 1: Informally
known as a Dum-dum or dumdum, this is a bullet designed to expand on
impact, increasing the point of impact in diameter to limit penetration and/or produce a larger wound. The Hague Convention of 1899 bans the use of dumdum bullets as
several nations (including Germany) claimed the wounds inflicted were excessive
and inhumane. I do not believe any combatant state used dumdum bullets during
the war, but bullets may have been locally manufactured by troops.
Note 2: 43rd Bn (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) CEF.
Note 3: The 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Cdn Division consisted of the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Bns Canadian Mounted Rifles.
-------------------------------------
Weds 31 May 1916, Stroud, Gloucestershire
THE ELMS,
BOWBRIDGE,
STROUD
May 31 1916
My dear Clarence –
Thanks for
your letter I received yesterday. Car sent a card as soon as he got to France
but nothing since. I hope you have heard news by this time. We have seen very little
of Edith. She left almost immediately to join Alec. And is now at Hindhead ***
from his camp. I think she finds it very quiet after Folkestone, which is full
of Canadians. She thought she and Alec could be able to come to *** but that
depends on his leave.
We had a
great surprise in Harry’s appointment as Commodore at Hong Kong it is a very
good berth and a pleasant place to live in. They don’t give you long to prepare
- almost a *** – not much ** a big **. Loreen goes with him and they have
decided via Canada and sail in the “Grampian” June 23 it is the pleasantest and
certainly safest, besides hoping to see some of you. They are due early in
August and I just time for a day or two stop in Ottawa. I have written to tell
Charlie he is often there and I expect will try to see them. I don’t know how
it will be for you.
*** I wish
you could manage it. *** came here from Scotland and had been coming and going
busy with shopping. It will be a very
different life from England they don’t take much notice of the war all
that way off, and have gay times, which means plenty of clothes. I am glad
Fanny is so much better, what relief for you both. My best love to her and to
you from all.
Minnie
Chambers
How
disappointing you won’t see Phil yet but I suppose he is doing well in Burma. I
will get *** to write *** *** they go through Toronto if by day may be *** see
her then.
Note: A letter from Car's Aunt Minnie to Car's father, Clarence. I have found transcribing this letter a bit tricky. If you can help, please do!
------------------------------------
Sat 3 Jun 1916, Ypres, Belgium
France June 3rd
1916
[20 / 17 days]
My Dear Pater;
During the thick of it we carried a
chum of ours back to the dressing station, and we remained there for the night.
We were very tired and stiff, so we were glad they wouldn’t let us [over] return.
But at least we are safe, I think, and well.
Best love to all
Your loving son
Car
------------------------------------
------------------------------------
Mon 12 June 1916, Belgium
 |
| Telegram sent by Uncle Alfie (in Stroud, England) notifying Car's father that he and Martin Bluethner are safe after the Battle of Mount Sorrel. |
14/6/16
Dear Mater:
Just a line to let you know I am well and all goes merrily. With the officers’ permission I sent you yesterday a cutting from the *** Chronicle showing our part in the latest scrap. We certainly had a warm time, but Mark and I are quite safe, also Alec. Young who was with us. The other fellow we have been with Fred Sargeant was not there, he has a staff job owing to Varicose veins.
We lost one very fine fellow out of our section, Lt Ralph Borden. We were very sorry [next page] to lose him.
We are still back in the big barn. The weather is very wet and the mud very bad. However it would be worse up the line.
I am afraid poor John Walker is gone. He was wounded, and is reported missing, so I am afraid he is gone. He was only lately married in
There is a meagre chance that I might be able to get a pass to England
I surely hope so. It will make a nice change. I received your last letter enclosing Hesters + (Phils) letters and a parcel and both *** sent to the 27th Battalion with socks, cake + paper. It was fine. The cake was still good, *** the parcel was a bit a bit crumpled. I think it would be a *** ***
They sometimes get a wee bit crumpled. Would it be too much to ask to send me a new autostrop razor. I lost my equipment in the battle.
Best love
Car
Note: These 2 letter were written subsequent to the Battle of Mount Sorrel in which Car's unit, 5 CMR, was engaged in as part of 8 Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. Located in the SE of the Ypres sector, his unit suffered nearly 50% casualties in this action; 63 of all ranks were killed in action and included the Commanding Officer, Lt Col G H Baker MP. The General Officer Commanding 3rd Canadian Division, Maj Gen M S Mercer CB, was also killed in action on 3 June. Further information on this battle may be found at the Canadian War Museum site, here: Mount Sorrel 1916.
 |
| Grave of Lt Col Baker Poperinghe New Military Cemetery |
------------------------------------
Sat 24 June 1916, Belgium (Ypres)
JULY 12 1916
24th June 1916.
My Dear Pater;
I received your letter of June 14th with Mater’s
and Phil’s enclosed. The mails seem to be a bit upset again as letters are not
coming a bit regularly. I am writing this in a big Y.M.C.A. tent set up on the
grounds of our billet, which is very handy for us. Obviously then we are still
in the billets and I don’t know when we go up again. As it is [over] we are
quite comfortable here and not worrying.
Well, our stripes are wandering back again. This morning the
Captain told us he was going to give us two for the present [promoted Corporal] and the third later
[promoted Sergeant] when things got
a bit settled by the wounded fellows coming back again. I am quite happy as a
private, but it is a bit of satisfaction to know that you are appreciated a
bit. The Captain’s name by the way, is Pines. I think he comes from N.S. but I
don’t quite [over] know. At any rate he is an extremely decent chap, and all
like him very well.
I have got several parcels lately. I got one of some cigarettes
from Mrs. Higgs, whose son you may remember, Stan, was camping with us in Barrie England
I am looking forward to your parcels with the eats and
magazines. The fags are also very welcome. The underwear I don’t think I told
you fits just right and is just what I want. I like the coffee very much too.
The paper on your boxes doesn’t tear at all but the boxes crush a bit. Tin or
wood would stand better, I think.
That Bramshott clipping was very clever, and true to life.
Talk about [over] cuckoos though. They abound here, especially up at the
trenches. Especially when the firing is heavy the birds sing all night too.
Poor beggars, I suppose they can’t get to sleep. I am fully expecting a new
race of birds to evolve from this fact. I fully expect lack of sleep might be
as responsible for turning feathers grey as it does on occasions for hair.
Hence new variety of grey birds. [over]
I was fairly close to Lieut. McDonald [Note 1] whose clipping you sent me. I say close, but perhaps
thirty yards. Quite safe as a matter of fact as we are in trenches.
Our regiment now is no longer a N.S. or Quebec
unit, we have absorbed so many reinforcing drafts during our stay here that we
are from Canada
Poor John Walker [Note
3] seems to be gone. He told me he came here, mainly to avenge another
fellow who was killed with the “Pats” early in the war. This was Frank Lawrence
[Note 4] he used to be at the
boarding house in Barrie when I was there. I knew him quite well. I told you he
had been married only shortly before this, I think.
In the “Y” here at present they have a [over] gramophone
going playing some very nice violin music. The Y.M.C.A. here is doing wonders.
Too much praise cannot be given them. They have their officers or chaplains in
the trenches with us, and their huts and tents away up under fire. In one place
they have a bar (dry of course) in a dug out, in the support line. When we came
out of it last time and arrived there they gave us hot porridge, cocoa
chocolate, beans, cigarettes etc. And we were certainly in a condition to need
it. Then when we got back to our rest camp they opened up the hut at 2.30 a.m.
and helped us out again. I wish you would mention some [over] of this to one of
the papers, I mean about the “Y”. The deserve all that is coming to them.
I wish you would change my address at the Mail and Empire,
and Conservator. It is still going to Bramshott, and I only get about a quarter
of them and very irregularly. I think you could safely address them 602248
“Cpl” C. E. Young. D. Coy “5th Batt. Can. France
The weather here is pretty wet just now, and consequently
pretty muddy. You must have had great times with the old “Etto – By – Cokee”
up. I haven’t your letter with me so I may have missed something. I shall put
it in next time, however.
In the meantime I shall close. Love to all.
Your loving son
Car
The music is somewhat distracting.
Note 1: Walker, J G
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Death: 13 June 1916
Regiment: 13th Bn CEF
Cemetery: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Note 2: 'The Pats' are the Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry
Note 3: Macdonald, N M
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Death:19 May 1916
Age: 25
Regiment: 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles
Cemetery: Poperinghe New Military Cemetery
Additional Information: Son of Lt. Col. R. T. Macdonald
(C.A.M.C.) and Annie Elizabeth Macdonald, of Sutton, P.O. Quebec. Educated at
Trinity College School, Port Hope, and a Graduate of McGill College, Montreal,
as BSc.
Note 4: Lawrence, Frank Deane
Rank: Private
Service No: 51296
Date of Death: 4 May 1915
Age: 33
Regiment: Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
(Eastern Ontario Regiment)
Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Additional Information: Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Peter
Lawrence, of "Thornbrake," Fountainhall
Rd. , Edinburgh , Scotland Edinburgh Academy , Scotland
Tues 25 July 1916, Belgium (Ypres)
[Note 1]
Dear Mater;
I sent you a card the other day but they are rather
unsatisfactory aren’t they. It is pretty hard to write, though mostly because
you can’t write anything about what you are doing. All I can say is I have been
to the trenches again and am out again all right. I am not feeling quite O.K. I
haven’t been bit or anything, but just a bit rundown I think. I shall be all
right probably in a few days. I wonder how I gave the impression at the battle
of perhaps being hurt. Of course we were pretty badly shaken up, but I wasn’t
[over] hit at all.
You have asked me a number of questions in your letters that
I am afraid I haven’t answered altogether. My letters get mislaid in the moving
etc. Tell Bessie [?] I got her letter and enjoyed it immensely. It was
extremely nice of her to write. I shall answer it and maybe shall send another.
I also got her fudge in your parcel and it was great. I also got a letter and a
pair of socks from Marvel both equally appreciated. Your cake was fine. I have received
parcels VI, VII & VIII. Everything [over] in them is great. The papers used
for packing get here quicker than by mail and I enjoy them. The parcels are in
much better condition than before. Even the cake which was only in a cardboard
box was not broken at all. Just when I arrived back from the trenches I got
your two boxes VII & VIII and your last letter written when Pater was in Detroit and two letters from Marion .
In the trenches I got your parcel of magazines “The American”,
“Romance” etc. and the “Saturday Nights.” Jove but they were nice to get! I
don’t quite know if I acknowledged a couple of parcels of magazines I got back
at [over] the farm. My “Mails” don’t come very regularly as they are still
going via the 34th at Bramshott, the local papers the same. The
boracic acid [Note 2] has come in
well for several things for myself and others. The oranges were fine one was a
little bit soft, but it was a great idea to put them in the wax.
Jove, Mater, I have just this minute got parcel VI (it must
have been V got before) with the toilet outfit etc. I had hardly expected it so
soon, and it was certainly a welcome [over] surprise. Everything was pretty
badly needed. I rather hated to ask for the razor as they are pretty expensive
but it is certainly fine to have it. The brush rather brings back Christmas
memories. Didn’t I give Pater one like that a couple of years ago. You should
have seen me when I came out of the trenches. I had nearly a weeks growth on.
Bluethner also got a new set and then I used his. He lost his others when I
lost mine.
Funny that I was just speaking about oranges. These, in VI
had gone bad somehow. They must have been longer on the road. My very close
friends of the domestic zoo [Note 3]
don’t seem to do anything but thrive on Keanting’s. They certainly are
determined little beggars. [over] However I don’t mind them very much now. The lifebuoy
is almost a necessity, and the Palmolive will be a luxury. I also got a parcel
from Ettie tonight with a small cake and a couple of books. She is extremely
good to me. These are “The Card” by Arnold Bennett, and The 39 Steps by John
Buchan.
I am orderly corporal this week and haven’t too much to do.
Well Mater, I must close for now. Best love to all.
Your loving son
Car.
P.S. You asked me about communion. I get one about every
month, Mater.
C
Note 1: Despite addressed from France, the battalion was located in Ypres, Belgium.
Note 2: Boric acid, used to kill lice.
Note 3: ‘Domestic
zoo’ – lice.
Scanned letters located here.
------------------------------------
Weds 9 Aug 1916, Belgium (Ypres)
9/8/16
Dear Pater;
This is the first chance I have had
to write you for a while. I have been quite busy. When we came out of the line
last time we did a long march back to our farm. En route we stopped off for a
night. The day had been pretty hot, and the march long, and when we stopped I
found your parcel No. IX waiting for me. I was out of reading matter so the
papers were extremely acceptable. Then I was out of smokes so the cigarettes
were great. We had some pretty good water, so we first made some lemonade with
the lemons and sugar. It was fine, and quite homey. [over]
In fact the whole
parcel was good to get. I also got the magazines. It was the night previous, I
think. I am writing this in a big tent of the soldiers’ institute, a church
affair. We have left our farm, after we marched in this morning, though it was
pretty hot and we were tired, I found a fine tennis court, two, in fact, - clay
– and I had a couple of sets. I shall have some more presently. The Institute
supplies gear, even to shoes. Fancy this, almost – in fact, it is at times
under shell fire. By the way, this is the same place where they have the big
moving picture show and the band.
I received your letter
in which you enclosed those of Mrs Wigley and Phil.
I am without Bluethner
this trip and I miss him. He has blood poison or something like that in his
knee and [over] gone to the hospital. Nothing very serious, I expect, though
painful. However, it will be a good rest. I had a touch of it in my hands, and
my knee but though I was very miserable for a while, I am all right again now.
The food is a lot lacking in greens, and change, and the ground is pretty rank,
so one has to be just at bit careful.
The weather is very
hot and dry, but we generally have a bit of breeze, so we don’t mind it much. I
have a fifth badge [5 CMR badge]
that I shall try to send you. It is quite pretty. Last time up we lost our
Captain of whom I told you before, Capt. Pineo. [over] I never knew a man more
universally respected and liked by everyone than he. Even those newly over here
were the same. Everyone, not only in the Company but the battalion, liked him
and his loss is very much felt. He came from somewhere in Nova Scotia [Note 1].
We played a bit of
baseball back at the farm, but they worked us most of the time. We lost a
couple of games this trip.
Well I shall close
now, best love to all,
Your loving son
Car
P.S.
I am very sorry to have left you so
long without a letter, but this letter was written before I went in and I
hadn’t a chance to get it censored. I since received your letter of July 30th
enclosing Uncle Charlies, Phils and Phil’s letters. We are out for a few days
for a little rest, and we are living in some new dugouts, that are quite nice. Small
[over] but being new, clean.
I got a parcel from
Ettie yesterday with a cake and a book. “Almayer’s Folly” by Jos. Conrad. It is
not as good as the others.
The other day I ran
across young Dowling who used to be in the Dominion. He is a lieutenant in the
4th CMR. I only saw him for a minute, but I shall look him up again.
I also passed “Ralph Connor” of novelist fame [Note 2]. [over]
I must close this now
to catch the mail. I am feeling pretty tired, but fairly well. Sleep is what I
need, and I can get it here.
Best love to all
Your loving son
Car
 |
| Henry Hoyt Pineo, 1914 |
Note 1: Captain
Henry Hoyt Pineo was born on 9 Sep 1891, in Waterville, Kings County, Nova Scotia.
He was the only son of William Welsford Pineo and Laura Hoyt Pineo and brother
to Maude, Kathleen, and Muriel Pineo. Henry
graduated B.A. from Acadia University in 1912 and LL.B. from Dalhousie
University in 1914. He was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1914. He was
attested into the 6th Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles CEF on 13 Apr
1915 in Amherst, Nova Scotia; he gave his profession as Barrister at Law and declared
7 years of previous service in the Canadian Militia with the 14th
Kings Canadian Hussars. By 1916, he had transferred from 6 CMR. On 21 July, as Officer
Commanding, D Company, 5 CMR, he was one of 5 men killed in action by German
trench mortars whilst in the Ypres salient. He is buried in Poperinghe New
Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Note 2: Rev. Dr.
Charles William Gordon, or Ralph Connor, was a Presbyterian minister and popular
Canadian novelist of the period. He served as Chaplain to the 43rd (Cameron
Highlanders) Battalion CEF then subsequently as senior chaplain in 9th
Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division (5 CMR served in 8th Bde,
3rd Cdn Division).
Scanned letters located here.
------------------------------------
Mon 4 Sept 1916, France
France 4th Sept. 16
Dear Pater;
I haven’t much news to
give you, but I shall write anyway. I am on a course just at present, or rather
just finishing. It has been for about for four days, and a very nice course.
Our hours are easy and the meals are better. I haven’t been at our billets
lately, but I hear there are a couple of parcels there for m. I go back today,
and I shall tell you how [over] the parcel goes.
I met Art Wilson [Note 1] on the street the other day and
I was very glad to see him. He is a Sergeant in the C.F.A. [Canadian Field
Artillery] I am continually meeting fellows from the 34th [Bn, CEF]
or others that I know. I met two fellows in the P.P.C.L.I. [Princess Patricia’s
Canadian Light Infantry] from home. Harold Heasley, [Note 2] a brother of Herb’s, who used to be in the choir, and Roy
Bartlett [Note 3], whose father
keeps the shoe store.
The course is taken by
N.C.O.s. and men from each battalion in the brigade, and we have some great [over]
stories to swap.
I hear that the
Canadian papers are publishing stories about the Canadians’ whereabouts. I
suppose you have seen them. They aren’t all there yet, but we expect to go
before long (merely rumour this.). [Note
4]
I think I told you
that Mark had been sick, but he is all right again and back at work. Sundays
are peculiar out here. When we are back we have service, but up the line we
seldom know [over] the day of the week or month. Last Sunday we had service in
a field, and then communion in the barn. We have a straw covered floor at one
end of the thatched barn. At one end is a table with a white cloth and
generally quite a nice silver service set. (I mean p***n and cup). The other
sounds poor doesn’t it? Then all the fellows kneel in the straw, generally with
equipment and rifles. Sometimes the Chaplain is a churchman, and sometimes he
isn’t. They seem to switch around a lot.
Today we are not
getting to church. [over]
Later –
I got back to
billets and found the two parcels – X & XI, the book and magazines, also
your last letter, August 13th with Mater’s and Hester’s. The same
day I got some more cheroots from Phil. The parcels are fine.
I was pretty badly
in need of a clean pair of socks. I appreciate all the work you do on them,
Mater, and they are just right for size, and are so comfortable. [over] I think I have received all you have sent.
I wear them for a couple of washes, then I turn them in and they are washed and
issued to other fellows. But there is nothing like your socks, they are so soft
and comfortable.
I am nearly
finished with the book I like it very much. Bluethner has read it too, and
liked it. The cake arrived in fine condition, and everyone pronounced it extra
good. We had the lobster for tea last night. [over] In
fact every single thing was fine. I don’t know that there is anything special I
want. You think of nearly everything. The parcels help life along immensely.
I intended to tell
you before, that “no news is good news” from me. I can’t make a regular day to
write as our movements don’t conform any certain day. No matter how slightly I
might be wounded you would be notified by telegraph. And by the way, I [over]
told Marion the same thing, so if such should come along, I wish you would just
drop her a line, till I can write myself. She might worry a bit too. Not that I
am counting on anything of course.
Stewart Jarvis is
lucky, isn’t he? I wish I could do the same thing. Perhaps I may.
Your loving son,
Car
I heard from
Marion the other day that she had passed her senior matriculation. Pretty good
isn’t it? This will finish her schooling I expect. Mr. Nevill is up at Camp Borden
[Note 5] and Harold is working on a farm.
I her from Ettie
quite often, and she sends me some parcels.
Do you remember
Hilliard who used to be teller in Cayuga when I went there. You can see his
picture in my album. I have heard from him a couple [over] of times. He came
over with the first contingent, and is wounded in England.
I think I told you
about Ethel Jennings being engaged to an officer in the 60th Batt. I
saw in a Canadian paper that he was killed.
Well I must close
now. Best wishes to all.
Your loving son
Car
Note 1: Given the
proximity of Regimental Numbers with Car, this is likely to be Arthur Wilson,
Regimental number: 602246, born 12 June 1888 in Lincolnshire, UK. A telephone
fitter from 21 Church St, Stratford, Ontario, he enlisted on 23 Jan 1915 and
listed previous service with the Middlesex Regiment (British Army). Reference:
RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 10434 – 34.
Note 2: The Heasley of
best fit for this reference may be Gunner Harold R Heasley, Regimental number:
2085433, born 1 Aug 1895. He joined the artillery, gave his occupation as
draughtsman and the address of his next of kin in Montreal, Quebec. Reference:
RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4215 - 25
Note 3: This is probably Roy
Douglas Bartlett, Regimental number: 487433, born 23 Jan 1893 and gave his
occupation as student. He was attested on 15 Dec 1915 in Toronto into the 5th
Overseas Universities Company. He gave his address as Brampton, Ontario and
likely knew Car from school. Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 484 –
23.
Note 4: This letter is
likely to have been written as the Canadian Corps moved from Belgium to France
in preparation for the fighting in the Somme. Presumably, Car is referencing rumours
that the Canadians are joining the battle (on going since 1 July 1916).
Note 5: Camp Borden is an
Army garrison north of Toronto.
I have
received parcels XIV & XV and thank you very much for them. XV had Mabel’s parcel of candy, and her
letter. Please thank her for it, and say
I shall write her myself before long.
The candy was great.
------------------------------------
Thurs 21 Sept 1916, France
France 21/9/16
My Dear Pater;
Just a line to let you know that
all goes well and I am O.K. We are
moving around a great deal lately and we don’t get much time to write. I have sent you quite a few cards lately,
though they are rather measley aren’t.
Bluethner and I are still together and came through the last action
[over] together. I received your last
letter and parcel XIII for both of which many thanks.
More later,
Best love to all,
Your loving son
Car
------------------------------------
Weds 18 Oct 1916, France
France 18th
Oct 16
My Dear Pater;
I don’t
feel much like writing a letter tonight for some reason or other, but I shall
try anyway. We are out of the trenches
for a while, and we hope that we get a bit easier bit of the country to hold
next trip. However our destination is as
usual a mystery. Just now we are
billeted in a town. The men are in the
barn and I am with the Sergeants, as the Company clerk. It keeps me pretty busy a good deal of the
time, and we have a table here for the writing.
The idea of being in the house
implies more than it really carries. I
sleep on the brick floor, and about the only advantage we have is the table
[over] and the stove. This only goes in
the day time and we do a bit of the cooking on it.
These
French towns are very peculiar places, and nearly all alike. The farmers don’t seem to have any houses in
the country at all, but they live in the towns, and consequently the streets of
the towns are lined with barns. These
are made of wood, and plastered with mud.
The broadside of the barn is on the street, and has a big door to the
street. Inside is the courtyard with the
stables at the sides, and the house as the fourth side. In the centre of the courtyard invariably
reposes the manure heap. In fact the
famers have a bright outlook on life. There
are streets and streets of these barns.
The stores are few and very poor, and [over] the towns are peopled
entirely by old men and women, mostly old, too.
I have
a great time with the French. I can get
on better here than in some places, but they go so fast sometimes that I get a
bit behind. However, for all practical
purposes, it goes. I can act as
interpreter for the house.
I have
received parcels XIV & XV and thank you very much for them. XV had Mabel’s parcel of candy, and her
letter. Please thank her for it, and say
I shall write her myself before long.
The candy was great.
Yesterday
I got a parcel of magazines [Note 1]
and found in one Mammie’s note for that as a birthday present. I am writing her this mail. I also received your other parcel with the
[over] Popular and Windsor. I like those
two magazines always.
Well
Mater I must close now, I have very little news.
Best
love to all.
Your loving son
Car
Note 1: The
Popular Magazine was an American journal published from 1903 to 1931 and was one
of the forerunners of the general adventure pulps that would reach their height
of popularity in the 1920s and 30s. The
Windsor Magazine was a British monthly illustrated publication published from 1895
to 1939 and described itself as "An Illustrated Monthly for Men and Women."
------------------------------------
Thurs 2 Nov 1916, France
France 2/11/16
Dear Pater,
It is quite a while since I wrote you;
though I have sent plenty of post cards.
At present we are in the trenches, but
out of the big push. We are in what is
locally termed an Old Man’s Home. A very
quiet part of the line. It is of course,
welcome in the extreme. After we left
the Somme, we did a series of long marches.
They were heavy, but the weather and the roads were both good so we didn’t
mid much. [over]
Finally, we arrived at a village where
we put in six days rest, and then came up here.
At present, I am in a deep dug out, that is quite home like. My job as Company clerk keeps me here and
keeps me busy. This dug out is quite far
back from the front line, and we live like kings. With me there is our Company Serg. Major, his
batman, and a runner. The batman does
the cooking on a brazier. Our meals are
somewhat irregular owing to duties, but [over] good when they come.
Last night, for instance we had
lobster stew. We had got canned lobster
from a canteen, and with tinned milk and butter it made a fine stew. This with some of your coffee and cake made a
fine tea. By the way, whenever you need
weight for the parcels, canned goods are always welcome, such as lobster or any
delicacies like that.
Your parcel no XVIII came in last
night. The cake was in fine condition,
and tastes great. We are going to [over]
have afternoon tea (I mean coffee) today, and use some. The socks are getting very necessary
now. The mud is very bad, and it is hard
to keep dry. In this trench we have
rubber boots but they belong here and we may not have them next trench.
You would be amazed at the miles and
miles of trenches here, literally miles.
Our dug out is quite large. The
entrance is in the side of the trench, about four feet square, and then there
are about 12 steps [over] coming down.
The shaft is sloped about like this \ and is well timbered. At the bottom there are two rooms, one where
I am, with two bunks, a bench, and some shelves, and a small desk, for
furniture. We have a lantern and candles
for light. The room is about 12 x 6 x
5. The other room is about twice as long
but has only one bunk. We do the cooking
there.
Our main trouble is rats. They are very large fine rats of beautiful
grey and almost black colour and as tame and almost as large as cats. Of course, we get pretty well accustomed to
them, but they could be done without.
One good thing though is that there seem only few of the other and
smaller animals here (crawly ones I mean).
That is a big item.
This letter was delayed in writing
over night, and since beginning I have received your letter of Oct. 15th. I am glad every one seems well.
How did Rig Sproule happen to get
home, was he disabled [?] [over]
Martin [Bluethner] is OK and wishes to
be remembered to you.
I hope your cold is better, this is
rather cold-time, isn’t it?
We have a young fellow in the
signallers from near Snelgrove [Note 1]. His name is Harry Severson. I discovered him by censoring mail, which is
my job, and seeing his letters go to Snelgrove and Brampton. I am passing the local papers on to him. He went to High School there, but a few years
later than I.
Another fellow I have [over] seen
several times is Clayt. Laird. Old Jimmy’s
eldest son. He used to play lacrosse and
hockey. He is in the 3rd
Pioneers. [Note 2] Another was Harold Holmes, son of W.H.
Holmes the blacksmith. He is driving a
motor transport.
I didn’t see Amy’s brother, as we
moved shortly after I got your letter, but I shall look him up when I can. Squak Deacon got a nice Blighty, as the saying
is, a nice clean bullet wound in the leg.
Dowling was also wounded, though I don’t know any particulars. [over] I am going to try and pull a few wires
to get a commission. I think I have done
my share of rough work and I have had quite a lot of experience. Of course it will be pretty difficult to do,
as they give them mostly to fellows who have been here a year. However there is no harm trying.
Do you think our friend Dick Blain [Note 3] could start anything from your
end of the line? I would like to get one
in England for a while, but then that is the hard part of it. They don’t mind as much [over] granting them
out here, but they have to let one out of the country. Besides, there are so many trying. Still better, I would like one in Canada. I have had all kinds of courses, so I could
take up nearly kind of work.
Don’t think I am merely trying to get
out of this, as I am quite willing to stay and finish up, but when I see some
of the fellows who have commissions it makes me a bit sore, and if I could
combine that and a rest, it would be very fine. [over]
I think I must close now. Best love to all.
Your
loving son
Car.
Note 1: Snelgrove was a village near to
Brampton, Ontario; it has now been subsumed into the urban area of the city.
Note 2: This refers to Clayton Laird,
Regimental No.140626, born 5 Nov 1890 in Brampton. He worked as a clerk before being attested into
the CEF in 1915 and was discharged 1919. He served initially with the 3rd
Canadian Pioneer Battalion, then subsequently with the 75th
Battalion CEF. He died at Sunnybrook
Hospital, Toronto on 6 Mar 62.
 |
| The Hon. Richard Blain |
Note 3: Richard Blain (1857-1926) was the
Conservative Member of Parliament for the County of Peel (Ontario) from 1900 to
1917 and then served in the Canadian Senate from 1917 until his death.
------------------------------------
started several and been interrupted. I shall write again in a day or so.
This afternoon, being Sunday (we just suddenly discovered
it) one of the runners and I got out a prayer book, and seated in front of a
brazier, with the officers asleep in the bunks around, we quietly held a
service of two. It was quite nice.
Sun 12 November 1916, France (Arras)
Sunday
France 12/11/16
My Dear Mater;
I have just got your and Pater’s
letter of Oct 23rd. I am sorry that you have been worrying about my
being out in the cold, Mater. If conditions continue as they are at present, I
will not be out at all.
Being company clerk I stay at the
bottom of a deep dugout most of the time, and really have a fine time. I stay
here with the sergeant major, his batman and a runner. We cook our own meals after our own fashion,
and manage to pass the time very well. In fact, in this part of the line,
everybody has deep, safe dugouts to sleep in, when they are not working at the
trench which continually falls in in places. But pshaw [Note
1], Mater this is a fine place. Quiet and [over] comfortable.
The only thing which bothers me is the hour. I have to write reports at all
hours of the day and night. But even so I get lots of sleep, lots to eat, and
altogether, everything goes well.
I don’t know whether I told you or
not, but the underwear is fine and very welcome, and the socks and gloves are
both welcome. I won’t need your band for the tummy. They catch the animals too
easily.
We will be issued with leather coats
in a few days and they are waterproof and warm. Added to this, we have long
rubber boots which keep our feet dry. I think the whole winter will probably be
spent somewhere in this district, and if so, we will spend a very easy and
comfortable one.
It seems funny to hear [over] of women
in the offices. I know Katie McKechnie, of course, and she was always clever at
school.
Just by the way, here, tell Pater that
auto strop razor strops can be bought separately a fellow here has just
received one in a parcel, put up separate.
Now, Mater, I have thought out a few
suggestions for parcels that have become possible through our changed
conditions. Such things as sauces, such as mushroom, or some walnut
pickles always will be most useful and welcome.
In the trenches we have our mess with
just four, and in billets we have a mess with about ten. I go with the
sergeants there. The soda alcohol will be welcome.
It will seem funny without the
McFaddens and the Boulters. The Boulters have been going for so long, that I
wonder if they will really go after all. [over]
I haven’t received any cheroots from
Phil lately, but I expect they will come along soon like the idea of Will
cigarettes.
I wonder if you could get me another
pipe. I lost the last one you sent, at the Somme.
We are in the 5th Brigade
and the 3rd Division. I don’t quite know about the commanders. I
think the Brigadier is Hemsley, and division is Lipsett, but I don’t know for
sure. Our present company commander is J.S.E. Todd. He comes from Brownsburg
P.Q. He is no relation to the Todds we know. Then at present we have Lieut.
J.H. Jones a B.B.N.A. [Bank of British North America]
man from Dawson City., A. W. Thorne from Moncton N.B. and Felix Bolte a U. of T.
student from Toronto. Our regular C.O. is J.R. Barnes of N.S. He is away sick
at the present, but may be back before long. I think Capt. Todd is only
temporary [Note 2].
We have had so many changes in Officers that we hardly know who we [over] really
have. The Coy Serg Major is W.J. Holmes. He is a South African man and won a
Military Medal at the Somme. He is a very decent chap, quiet and easy to get
along with.
I hardly expect a pass before the New
Year sometime. They are slow in getting around to my turn.
I suppose you got an echo of the
excitement of the U.S. election. We heard by wire th[at] Hughes got in, but we
haven’t got the paper yet. We get the English papers here, even in the trenches
about a day or two late.
The Mail & Empire hasn’t changed
my address yet, so I get it about a month old, and very irregularly.
The trigger mittens will be nice, and
I may find a time when they will be specially useful. As it is, I haven’t used
my rifle, fired it that is, since I left the Somme. The others you sent have
come in very useful. Especially they were [over] good on the march up here,
when it was cold. The weather lately has been wet, but not cold.
I don’t think I shall need a sweater.
We have one issued and while it is not very thick, it will be enough with the
leather coat, and overcoat.
I made a great scoop the other day.
One of the fellows picked up a fine pair of Army Binoculars (Prismatic) on the
Somme, and got tired of carrying them. I bought them for five francs. They will
be a bit useful here, and if I get a chance on pass, I shall send them home.
Coupled with my duties as Company Clerk, I am an observer, and in charge of the
runners. A great many messages are sent by runners as telephones etc. are so
easily tapped.
I am very glad you liked the
miniature. I got it done when I was in England and forgot about it when I left.
I[t] was then still unfinished. The people [over] in Haselmere were very nice
about forwarding it. I rather felt as if I had done a foolish thing in getting
it done, as it is not quite customary for young hopefuls to do such things.
However, if you like it, I am very glad I got it.
I can’t quite figure out just where I
shall be for Christmas, in the trenches or out. It won’t make much difference
though. It will be simply a quiet time, either place. I shall try to get some
souvenir or something to send you. But needless to say, however much I would
like to get you something, you may have to take the wire for the dud.
At any rate, Mater don’t worry. I am
in a more comfortable place here than I ever was since I came over and I would
say almost safe.
Any time now you want to picture me,
think of me a down in a twenty foot dugout, or else in a nice comfortable barn
or old house, with the windows stopped up, and a nice fire going. [over] Jove, this is an epistle I am writing,
this trip, isn’t it?
It is about eleven o’clock p.m. and I
am going to have supper and then make a trip to the front line for
observations, and then go to bed. I am writing by candle light, our only light
over here. By the way, candles as weight are always good. We are issued
with some, and buy some, but the supply always is below the demand. Just a few,
from time to time. Also a pencil every now and then, and as you have
been doing, a piece of soap about once a month, and some shaving
cream once in two or through months. That sounds for ahead, doesn’t it?
According to Lloyd George though, I suppose we may expect it. Here’s hoping he
doesn’t know.
For supper tonight we will have canned
sausage, fried potatoes, toast and tea. There is a canteen in the trenches and
we can buy some stuff. We have breakfast about 10 am with generally bacon,
potatoes, toast and tea, then [over] lunch about 1 p.m. and supper at about
midnight. That is in the trenches, of course. I have been doing a good deal of
the cooking lately, and we have a great time disguising our bully beef, for
instance. I mash it, fry it, boil it and mix it with onions, beans, potatoes,
or anything we can get. Sometimes I made a soup out of it. I kept a stock pot
for a while.
I made some lobster stew the other day,
in fact we have it quite often. Once can of lobster and a tin and a half of
milk with water, butter and pepper & salt boiled a little, make[s] enough
for four. We can get Quaker Oats here, and we make it whenever we have enough
milk. Tonight we had grapenuts. A couple of days ago I fried some porridge that
was cold, and made a sauce of sugar syrup flavoured with a little peach jam,
and colored with a little cocoa. It was quite a success.
So, you see, if you can get any [over]
semi prepared dishes we can make them up easily. Generally we can get a brazier
and lots of coke and charcoal.
Marion is going back to school at
Cayuga this year to try her second part. I suppose it is just as well to go
through with it. Something to do anyway.
I would like to be where I could hear
some music. I miss that a great deal. I wonder if could get me a small hymns
and prayer book that I could carry around with me. I haven’t had a church
service for a couple of months, I think. This is the time of year we ought to
be practicing carols and Christmas anthems. Have Pater play some on the piano,
I’ll listen.
Well Mater, I wish this whole business
would finish up, don’t you? But cheer up, it can’t be for so very much longer.
Isn’t Mammie wonderful the way she
gets to church etc. [over]
I am afraid the letter I wrote here
was pretty hurried, but I shall write again before long.
Well Mater & Pater, I had better
close now. Very best love to all.
Your loving son
Car.
Note
1: An expression of
contempt or impatience. ‘‘Poison? Pshaw! The very idea!’’
Note 2: Personalities mentioned:
 |
| Maj Gen Louis James Lipsett |
Major General Louis James Lipsett CB, CMG (14 June 1874 – 14 October
1918), was a senior officer in the British Army and Canadian Expeditionary
Force during the First World War. He commanded the 3rd Canadian Division during
some of the bitterest battles of the war, taking over in 1915 after his
predecessor was killed. He himself was killed in action less than a month
before the end of the war during a reconnaissance mission observing German
positions along the River Selle (Courtesy Wikipedia).
The Canadian
Corps by 1916 consisted of 4 front line divisions plus supporting arms and
services. Each division consisted of 3
brigades of 4 infantry battalions. The 3rd Canadian Division was formed
in France in December 1915 and served on the Western Front until the end of
hostilities. The first General Officer
Commanding was Major-General Malcolm Mercer who was killed in action at the Battle
of Mount Sorrel on 3 June 1916 (see Uncle Car’s entry for that period).
Although Car
states he was in the 5th Brigade, in fact 5 CMR was in
the 8th Brigade with 1, 2 and 4 CMR.
 |
| Lt Felix Olivier Bolte |
Lt Felix Olivier Bolte (22 April 1894 – 2 September 1918)
was appointed to the 35th Bn CEF in May 1915. He subsequently joined 5CMR at the front in
June 1916. He was injured with shell shock at the Somme in September 1916 and
returned to England. After recovery, he
eventually returned to France in March 1918 and joined the 3rd Bn
CEF. He was killed in action on 2 September 1918 during the attack on the
Drocourt-Queant line, near Cagnicourt and is buried at the nearby Dominion
Cemetery.
Arthur Wellington Thorne of Havelock, Kings County, New
Brunswick was born on 11 July 1872 and was attested into the 115th Battalion
(New Brunswick), CEF on 6 March 1916. The
battalion embarked for Britain on 23 July 1916 and subsequently provided
reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. He gave his occupation as lumberman and
survived the war. He died 28 February
1958, in Havelock, NB.
Major John Todd (the son of David Todd of Lachute,
Quebec) was born in Quebec City on 1 July 1890 as was attested into the CEF on
1 June 1915. He listed is trade as
machinist and previously served in the 17th Hussars of the Canadian
Militia, and was a member of the 1910 Canadian Coronation Contingent.
The
Canadian Coronation Contingent was a guard of honour, composed of members of
the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, assembled distinctly for
participation in the coronation ceremonies of King George V in London.
Major Todd is
awarded the Military Cross on July 23, 1917.
Major Todd is mentioned several times in the 5th CMR War Diary, including
this excerpt from June 1917:
Vimy Defences, June 5th,
1917
“The advanced machine
gun post withdrew to a selected point. The enemy were driven off by our bombing
squads and Lewis Gun crews on either side of the railroad track. Our men attempted to follow the enemy up but
were unable to owing to our artillery barrage coming down in front of the enemy
line. Heavy casualties were caused to
the enemy. Great credit is due to Major
J. S. Todd O.C. of "D" Coy. on which company frontage the action took
place, for his capable handling of his Company under trying conditions. Lieut. Holmes of the same company greatly
distinguished himself in the attack (See recommendations for honours &
awards marked).”
The War Diary
entry for August 21st, 1917 includes a note that Major Todd was accidentally
shot in the foot through no fault of his own.
He survived the war and was mentioned as being present at the last Mess
Dinner of the 5CMR at the Windsor Hotel, Montreal on the 4th April
1919.
George Roland Barnes was born on 23 April 1895 in Hampton,
New Brunswick. He signed his Attestation Paper as a Lieutenant on 9 April 1915,
with the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles at Amherst, Nova Scotia, at the age of 19,
2 weeks shy of his twentieth birthday, naming his next-of-kin as his mother,
T.W. Barnes of Hampton. He stated that
he had previous service with the 8th Princess Louise's New Brunswick Hussars as
a Lieutenant, that he was not married and that his trade was that of (Forestry)
Student. The 6th Canadian Mounted Rifle Battalion was organized on March 15,
1915 in Amherst, the unit sailing for England on 18 July. Barnes entered the
French theatre on 24 October 1915, followed by a transfer 9 weeks later, to
5CMR on January 2, 1916. Lieutenant
George Roland Barnes was awarded the Military Cross in August 1916. His
citation, dated July 22, 1916, reads as follows:
For conspicuous
gallantry when reconnoitring the enemy's movements after their advance, and for
his prompt action in repelling their attack. He showed great, coolness during 38
hours of continuous action.
For his
actions that day, he was recommended for promotion to Temporary Captain and
assumed the rank of Acting Major while in command. He was admitted to No. 14
General Hospital at Boulogne on 2 October 1916, with "P.U.O. severe"
(Pyrexia of Unknown Origin = fever), which was later diagnosed officially as
‘Trench Fever’. After being released from medical care at the end of the month,
he returned to his unit in the field. Two weeks after his return to 5CMR, while
in battle at Neuvelle Ste. Vaast (near Arras) on 14 November, Barnes suffered a
gunshot wound to the anterior portion of his right upper forearm, shattering
his ulna and radius. He was initially treated at No. 42 Casualty Clearing
Station but was subsequently evacuated and admitted to Duchess of Westminster's
(No.1 Red Cross) Hospital at Le Touquet. While in hospital at Le Touquet, he
was awarded the Bar to the Military Cross.
His citation, dated November 25, 1916, reads as follows:
For conspicuous gallantry
in action. He led his company with great courage and initiative, gaining his
objective. Later, he consolidated and maintained his position for thirty-six
hours until relieved. He has on many previous occasions done very fine work.
He was
subsequently evacuated to England, his stay in hospital lasting four and a half
months, before receiving his discharge in April 1917. He was transferred to
Kitchener Hospital in Brighton, but was returned to Canada for further
treatment in June. He had a long
recuperation from the injury but was
declared ‘Fit for General Service as an Officer’ at No. 7 District Depot in Saint John, New Brunswick, on 25 October 1918. Nevertheless, he was subsequently admitted to the Dominion Orthopaedic Hospital in Toronto in 1919, where he received special orthopaedic treatment. He was discharged from service on 10 January 1920. He eventually returned to New Brunswick and died at Saint John on 6 July 1979, at the age of 84.
declared ‘Fit for General Service as an Officer’ at No. 7 District Depot in Saint John, New Brunswick, on 25 October 1918. Nevertheless, he was subsequently admitted to the Dominion Orthopaedic Hospital in Toronto in 1919, where he received special orthopaedic treatment. He was discharged from service on 10 January 1920. He eventually returned to New Brunswick and died at Saint John on 6 July 1979, at the age of 84.
Walter John Holmes was born on 31 March 1880 in Bushey,
Hertfordshire, England. He initially
enlisted on 14 February 1915 in Sussex, N.B. and was attested into the 6th
Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF on 31 March 1915 at Amherst, Nova Scotia. He gave his occupation as farmer and his next
of kin was listed as John Holmes, 52 Totteridge Ave, High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire, England.
He sailed for England in July 1915, was briefly hospitalised in England for gonorrhoea in September 1915, arrived in France on 24 October 1915, and was taken on strength of 5 CMR on 3 January 1916.
He stated he
had 5 years’ service in South Africa on his Attestation Form. Records indicate he served as a Private in A Division, the
South African Constabulary and was slightly wounded in action on 13 Dec 1901 at
Roodewal, western Transvaal.
He sailed for England in July 1915, was briefly hospitalised in England for gonorrhoea in September 1915, arrived in France on 24 October 1915, and was taken on strength of 5 CMR on 3 January 1916.
He was
promoted Company Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class 2) in the field on 20 September
1916 (on the death of CSM McGarry) and was subsequently gazetted Lieutenant on
8 May 1917. He was awarded the Military
Medal on 17 Nov 1916 (Gazetted 6 January 1917). His citation from an entry in the battalion War Diary, 3 Nov 1916, reads:
He won the Military Cross on 22
August 1917, also for bravery in the field.
His citation reads:
#111240 Sgt. J. HOLMES
“During engagement 1st
& 2nd October 1916 made a reconnaissance during which he located
an enemy bombing patrol working round the left flank of the position we had
captured. He collected a party of men and
led them in a bayonet charge across the open causing heavy casualties to enemy
patrol, a second party of the enemy was dealt with by him in a similar manner,
his prompt action helped to inspire then men at a critical moment.”
For conspicuous
gallantry and devotion to duty on numerous occasions. He made daring personal
reconnaissances of the enemy wire bringing back valuable information.
Afterward, when in charge of an advanced bombing post which had run short of
bombs he sent back his two men for a further supply and attacked the enemy
single-handed driving them back and holding his post until reinforcements
arrived. His work has always been characterised by alertness and initiative.
He was
wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the head at Lens on 24 August 1917
and was evacuated back to England later that month. He was in the 1st Eastern General
Hospital at Cambridge and convalesced in England for the latter part of
1918. His medical records also note shell
shock. On his recovery, on 19 Feb 1918 he
was posted to the Depot of the Quebec Regiment in Bramshott, attached to the
Canadian Musketry Camp, Mytchett Ranges.
His Assigned
Pay records gives his date of marriage as 28 November 1917 and changes his pay from
his father to his wife, Sarah Jane Holmes (of Brook House, Bishop Moncton,
North Yorkshire) on 1 January 1918. He
sailed for Canada on 31 July 1919 and was demobilised from service on 9 Aug
1919. In addition to the MC and MM, he
was subsequently awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory
Medal. On discharge, he gave his address
as c/o Mrs A Gunn, 112 Grange St, Saint John, N.B. although a subsequent address
appears for Upper Jemseg, Queens County, N.B.
------------------------------------
------------------------------------
Tues 14 November 1916, France (Arras)
My Dear Mrs McBride,
Just a line to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I am spending this Christmas in the trenches, I expect. It will be quite a change, but not so bad after all.
I took part in the Big Push [Note 1] for a while but
we are now in a rather quieter place, and it is quite a welcome change.
How is Archie getting on in Germany? When he gets back he
will be able to speak like a Fritz, I bet.
Best love to all Mrs McBride.
Yours sincerely,
Car
Cpl C.E. Young
602248
‘D’ Company
5th Can. Mounted Rifles
France
Note 1: The ‘Big Push’ references the Battle of the
Somme, July to November 1916.
------------------------------------
Fri 1 December 1916, France (Arras)
France 1/12/16
Dear Mater and all the family,
This must be the sum and substance of
my Christmas to you this year, with hopes for better luck next.
Please put into each stocking, a large
bunch of love done up in tissue paper, tied with ribbon and stuck with
Christmas stickers.
I shall be thinking of you all, Mamie
– Pater, Kocken, Hester, Walter, Frances, Harold, Kiddie, Ken, and not even
forgetting Amy.
I shall follow you all through the day
as I know you will spend [over] it.
I so hope that Hester is all right
again, by the way, and able to come over.
Don’t worry about me being
uncomfortable at all. Outside of the
fact that I shall be away from home, I expect I shall be very comfortable and I
shall spend the day with you quite easily.
I told you in the last letter how I expected to be situated then, and it
is as near to a home as I have seen out here yet. I am lucky, also, for unless something turns
up which is quite unlikely, I can spend as much time as I wish in my
dugout. So much [over] for being eddicated
[?]. Some of the fellows though are not
quite so lucky. They have to spend the
nights out on listening posts where it gets extremely cold. Though as a matter of fact, with the
exception of a few, they are all new fellows, and as I have had my turn at all
that, it is pretty well coming to me.
I got my first Christmas parcel
yesterday. A handkerchief from the Young
Ladies Bible Class.
I have two parcels to acknowledge from
you Mater. [Parcels] XIX
& XX. They were both very fine. The toilet things came in just right, I was
[over] out of them. And the socks and
mitts. I gave Martin [Note 1] a pair of half gloves and of long ones. I am keeping the others. I fully expect we will get much colder
weather very shortly. This part of
France is colder than Belgium. There is
quite a bit of mud, even now, and the socks come in all the time. In [Parcel] XX all the eatables were very nice and the honey was a great treat.
A couple of nights ago I invited
Martin down for dinner. He was in the
front line, and my dugout is rear supports.
I grilled steak over coke in the
brazier. Then I sliced potatoes, put
them in a frying pan [over] put milk and butter, pepper & salt & a
little water on them. Then I covered it
up with a deep plate (smothered it) and so put it on the fire for about half an
hour. The result was fine. The Murphys were boiled, steamed, creamed
& fried. Actually a marvellous
process.
Then I did likewise to some sliced
onions, but fried them afterward. Into
the onions I put the steak, covered it and smuvvered it again. Result, Beefsteak smothered in onions, and
creamed potatoes. Next we had toast, and
coffee. To finish we had more toast, with honey, & your cakes.
Not a bad meal for soldiers in the
field [over]. This we topped off with a
little native wine and some of the Wills cigarettes.
This was about midnight. I have lots of fun with the meals. Somewhere near meal time, Paddy comes to me
and says “What’s for dinner Youngy?” I
say “What’s the material” and then he enumerates what has come in the rations
and what has been bought at the canteen.
Though lately the canteen is rather a negative factor. So I rack my brains for a sufficient disguise
for each article. He is rather new to
cooking, and if it is anything intricate I cook it myself. Of course – having so much experience myself
–etc. etc. – But I will [over] say in self defence that I haven’t spoilt
anything yet. We don’t often have
exactly the same thing twice, for all that our rations are about the same all
the time.
I generally manage to disguise ‘em.
Last night Bluethner [Note
1] was in, and we gave him some crab stew, with
toast, tea (your tea) and raspberry jam.
I am enclosing a badge of the
battalion. I have been a long time
getting it. I have replaced the one I
had, and this one has been through the 3rd battle of Ypres and
several battles at the Somme, to say nothing of travels all over France and Belgium
[over] and in trenches galore. I shall
send more, later for the others.
Well Mater, I am pretty busy so I
shall close. I shall write again, soon,
but as this is the one that ought to arrive about Christmas I shall wish you
all a Merry Christmas.
And I want it to be a Merry one, no
reason at all why not, and I shall be Merry with you.
Loads of love to all
Your loving son
Car
Note 1: Car’s friend Martin Bluethner.
Note 2: 5CMR with 8th Canadian
Infantry Brigade was deployed in the Arras region of France during this period.
5/12/16
Many thanks Pater.
C.
------------------------------------
Tues 5 Dec 1916, France (Postcard)
Many thanks Pater.
C.
------------------------------------
Friday 22 Dec 1916, France
[Delivery in Canada
stamped Jan 10 1917]
22/12/16
My Dear Pater,
Just a note to enclose a picture taken a few days ago. I am afraid I have left it pretty long, but I have
started several and been interrupted. I shall write again in a day or so.
All well and hope you are too.
Your loving son,
Car
------------------------------------
31/12/16
My Dear Pater
This, I am afraid, will also be a short letter. I am rather
writing under difficulties.
This is written in the front line, or rather under the front line, in a dugout.
I thought I had seen some mud in different places, but
without doubt this mud has all previous records beaten. Bairnsfather’s pictures
[Note 1] will never be fantastic after this. But to a certain extent I am out
of it, of course, to go anyplace I must as the others do, but I don’t have to
go much. That is the advantage of my little job.
Well, Christmas is over and done with. We were in very
comfortable dugouts and put in a pretty good time. We had a quiet morning and
had dinner about noon. For dinner we [over] had roast beef with potatoes,
carrots, turnips and onions, but first of all we had crab stew as the fish
course. Then we had cakes, fruit, nuts and raisins and tea.
Course etc. were interrupted with toasts. We had whisky,
wine and tea for the toasts.
We had a long table the length of the dugout, with twelve
candles in tinholders to light us. There were ten of us sitting on a long
bench.
We had a good feed and there was plenty of it. It was
ordered from the nearby town and brought in specifically.
After dinner we had a bit of a concert, and then the
afternoon was quiet.
In the evening we had more [over] concert and raised a
racket generally.
It was quite a new kind of Christmas, but we did quite well
under the circumstances.
We received your parcels all right, XXII was in time and was
great. XXIII came just a few nights ago. I got a parcel from Marion, Ettie,
Uncle Charlie, Ottawa, Christ Church, and several enclosures from some of
Bluethners girls. Altogether I did very well.
I sent you a picture a few days ago, of some of the
sergeants. Standing, left No.1 is Sgt Day the C.A.M.C. man attached to the
company. No.2 is Sgt Larry Young from Halifax. No.4 is Bunny Weldon from
Dartmouth. He is a great talker, but a great [over] worker as well. He is an
Agricultural College man and a great specialist in farming, nice fellow though.
No. 5 is “Shephy” the (Sgt Shephenson) incorrigible. He has no more fear than
the shell itself of anything animals or otherwise. He is a very funny old boy,
and a general favourite. Next is Brockbank. He has been with the transport
‘till just lately, and owing to some friction with his officer asked to be
returned. I believe he is sorry now that he did. A bit grovely, but not a bad
fellow.
Then comes Gillis, “The Byng Boy.” Big, jolly, lazy, and
good tempered, but quite imperturbable. Altogether a good fellow. [over]
Then is Sergt Major Holmes. I have been living with him all
along, and we get along splendidly. He is one of the finest men in the company,
and won a Military Medal on the Somme, though he deserved much more.
He was everywhere at once, and pulled us out of a pretty
tight pinch.
Then comes Tom Martin the biggest liar in the battalion, and
teller of tall yarns. He knows all, does all, but making allowances for little
things, he is all right. Next is old George Pearson our Quartermaster Sergeant.
Much of a nondescript old boy. All were at the feed but old George.
This trip in, I am not with the S.M. [Sergeant Major]. I am
at [over] Company Headquarters.
We have a kitchen attached to the dugout, and you would have
laughed to see the cook yesterday and today. It rained and the water came down
the dugout, so that our friend the cook was standing on an oil can stand, with
the water just about up the brazier to the fire. He had about four days growth
of beard, and is round and tubby. It was a picture after Bairnfather’s heart.
The mud is truly awful but the cheerfulness is wonderful.
Most have long rubber boots, and the mud is in some places over these. That is,
to the hips. But our friend Fritz is as bad or worse, that is one comfort.
[over]
We had the first psalm for 30th a.m. and the
hymns Soldiers of Christ Arise, and Peace, Perfect, Peace.
I am enclosing a cutting about our company commander. Since
this was written he has a bar to his
M.C. [Military Cross] and is a major. [Note: See 12 November biography]
Well I must close now.
Best love to all.
Your loving son
Car
Note 1: Captain Charles Bruce Bairnsfather (1887 – 1959) was
a prominent British humorist and cartoonist. His best-known cartoon character
is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in Bairnsfather's weekly ‘Fragments
from France’ cartoons published weekly in The Bystander magazine during the
First World War. (Wikipedia)
Old Bill was depicted as an elderly, pipe-smoking British
"tommy" with a walrus moustache. The
character achieved a great deal
of popularity during World War I where it was considered a major morale booster
for the British troops. (Wikipedia)
 |
| (Wikimedia) |
5th Bn Canadian Mounted Rifles – War Diary
Front Line (Arras)
Dec 30. Weather wet. Wind S.W. Situation quiet.
The continuous rain rendered trenches almost uninhabitable.
Dugouts caved in, in many cases and trenches full in at places, others filling
with mud and water. The new men showed up well in trying conditions. Everybody
hard at work trying to improve conditions. Enemy evidently in a worse plight,
small parties being seen during the day, leaving the front in full equipment,
going overland to his supports. Our snipers claimed 11 hits. Enemy front
patrolled at night, but found no enemy patrols.
Dec 31. Weather misty and cold. Wind S.W. Situation normal.
The hard work put in by our men during the past few days is
making a little impression on the mud and water, but conditions are still very
bad. Enemy put over a large number of Trench Mortars during the day, evidently
in retaliation for the good work of our simpers yesterday, but inflicted no
casualties. The old Year passed out uneventfully on our front.
RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4949, Microfilm reel number:
T-10760, T-10759--T-10760, File number: 473, File part: 1
Sgt Tom Martin (111320):
Thomas William Martin attested into the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles at Amherst,
Nova Scotia on 6 Jul 1915. He was a 36
year old sanitation engineer, born in Halifax on 3 Oct 1878. He was married to
Florence Elizabeth Martin, whose address was given as 306 Richmond St,
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and had previously served with the 63rd
Halifax Rifles in the pre-war Canadian Militia. He went overseas in late 1915,
joining 5CMR as a Sergeant in January 1917. He served with the battalion at
Ypres and the Somme throughout 1916, being awarded the Military Medal for
Bravery in the Field in Oct 1916 (Somme) and was commissioned as a Temporary
Lieutenant in 5CMR, with effect 20 Feb 1917.
He was wounded at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. He was
discharged from hospital the following month, and was then granted leave to
Canada 16 May to 16 Jul 1917. This leave was extended to September, but he was
retained in Canada for further medical treatment. Tom Martin subsequently
re-attested into the 260th Battalion (Canadian Rifles), Canadian Siberian
Expeditionary Force from 4 Oct 1918, commissioned a Lieutenant, and sailed to
Vladivostok on SS Protesilaus on 26 Dec 1918. The Canadian force was withdrawn
after several months’ service and Lt Martin was discharged from the Army on 29
May 1919. His final address was given as 383 Agricola St, Halifax, NS.
Tom Martin died aged 65 on 11 Apr 1944 and is buried at Gate
of Heaven Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Sgt Lawrence Joseph ‘Larry’
Young (111536): Was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30 May 1896. He was
attested into the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles on 13 March 1915 at
Halifax. He named his mother, Cecilia Young, as his next of kin with her
address at 145 Creighton St, Halifax. He subsequently transferred to 5CMR (6CMR
did not serve as a formed unit); his brothers John and Wilfred also served in
the CEF). He was promoted to Sergeant in July 1916, and was subsequently
commissioned Temporary Lieutenant with effect 1 Jul 1917, returning to 5CMR in the
following November. He was wounded on 2 Jun 1916 (at Mont Sorrel) as well as on
28 Aug 1918 (during Final Hundred Days offensive). He was awarded the Military
Cross, gazetted on 22 Jun 1918. He returned to Canada, and was demobilised in
Mar 1919.
Private Henry
Brocklebank (1108): Was born in Bolton, Lancashire in 1877, and enlisted
into the PPCLI in 1914, aged 37. He was married to Margaret and lived at 169
Wood St, Hamilton, Ontario. He was subsequently accidently killed by an
exploding bomb at Mont-St.-Eloi 2 January 1917.
Sergeant William Stevenson (111472): Was born in
Saint John, New Brunswick in 1885, and enlisted in the 5th Bn
Canadian Mounted Rifles in 1915, aged 29. He gave his occupation as private
detective and his next of kin was his wife, Annie, of 117 St Patrick St, Saint
John, NB. He was awarded the Military Medal (London Gazette, 11 May 1917.) for
his actions over the period of 16 months, notably at Courcelette in 1916.
Sergeant Arthur Hare ('Bunny') Weldon (111513): Was
born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1894 and, having previously served in the Canadian Militia 66th Fusiliers, attested into the 6th Bn
Canadian Mounted Rifles, aged 21, on 5 Apr 1915. He gave his occupation as college student. He was promoted Sergeant on 1 October 1915, and was subsequently wounded at Mont Sorrel in June 1916, subsequently
commissioned as a Lieutenant with effect 1 July 1917. He returned to Canadia and was demobilised in January 1919. He died aged 70, in Halifax in 1964.
Sgt Arthur Edward Gillis (111196): Born in Sackville,
New Brunswick in 1886, he was a 29 year old Railway Ticket Agent who attested into
the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles in Amherst, Nova Scotia on 30 March 1915. He landed in France in October 1915 and in January 1916, with many
other members of 6 CMR, was drafted to 5 CMR. Sgt Gillis was wounded
at the Somme in September 1916 and
(alongside previously mentioned Sgts
Young and Weldon) was commissioned Temporary Lieutenant in July
1917. He re-joined 5 CMR in December 1917 and served in the unit through to
being wounded in the final days of the war, on 7 November 1918. He was awarded
the Military Cross in June 1918, and subsequently demobilised in Canada on
8 July 1919.
 |
| Lt Arthur 'Art' Gillis (courtesy Mr P McLellan) |
CQMS George Pearson: No further information.
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