Perth Courier - World War I.
supplied by Christine M. Spencer of Northwestern University, Evanston, Il., USA.
Lanark
Document #9
In Flanders Field
In Flanders Field the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Field.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Lt. Col. John McCrae, M.D., Canadian Army
Perth Courier
Balderson Theater
Special!!—Extra!!—Special!!
Preparedness
Monday 30th April and 1st May
Judge for yourself when you see this great picture
The Battle Cry of Peace
Monday and Tuesday
And you will say it is without a doubt a perfect reproduction of conditions in the U.S. as they existed on the brink of the present great war
Special Prices for this great picture
Lower Floor 15 and 25 cents Balcony 15 cents Gallery 10 cents
Note: Pearl of the Army will be shown along with this picture
Perth Courier
Memorial Service in Asbury
A the close of the usual services at Asbury Methodist Church on Sunday evening last a short memorial service was held for the late Roy E. Wilson, who was reported killed in action on the 1st March. (photo of Roy Wilson). Rev. Thomas Brown conducted the service said the gallant soldier was a member of the congregation until he removed to Toronto only a short time before he enlisted. When the need arose for men to fight the battles of the Empire, he responded and threw himself with his usual vigor into the preparation for the great struggle. Before the outbreak of the hostilities it was said by many that our Canadian young men were so absorbed in sporting matters that they would not respond to the call for heroic services. The fact that so many thousands were overseas moved by high principle, has fully proved that the heart of the young Canadian manhood was good. Before the benediction was pronounced the organist, Mr. A. Hazell played the Dead March in Saul.
Photo of Pte. Arthur Johnston
Perth Boy’s Experiences in France
(Partial transcription only)
Pte. Arthur Johnston of town who has been on active service in France for many months writes the following account of experiences there to the Courier. Arthur has met many from this district and he claims 1917 to be the victory year. He is with the 78th Winnipeg Grenadiers.
(Partial Transcription: “……………in this village we found a clue to Jack Enright’s whereabouts and when he saw us enter the door of the cook house tears were plainly visible in his eyes but whether they were tears of joy at our presence or tears caused by the gas fumes of the onions he was slicing we know not. In another hut nearby we found Gerald Brown and for nearly a week this trio was together night and day after work and parade hours and dull care was unknown………..one night as we entered the army chaplain’s hut we beheld Pte. Bill Perry of Perth seated beside the warm fire and after a few preliminaries he put us wise to the whereabouts of several boys from Perth and vicinity and we immediately struck out on a hunt. The first bunch we met were T. Lett Simpson, Billy Strong, Harry Stafford and Ronald Scott of Lanark and then in succession of a few days the following: James Clyde Wilson, Joe Bennett, Mervyn Campbell, George Robinson, J. H. Smith, Paddy Mallin, “Red” Hauley, Lloyd A. Munroe, George Blackhurst, George Meighen, Jas. McManus, Denzill Mitchell, Philip Poline, Jack Sepo, Stan Hudson, Alf Stillard, Orville Noonan, George Earle and James Brady…our dugout in the trenches was easily roomy enough for three and cozy and warm and much more comfortable than many billets in which we have spent our rest periods. Our duties in the trenches were many and varied. There is always plenty of work to do and nearly always under enemy shell fire which luckily is becoming more inaccurate and wasteful every day and consists of more misses than hits. When our anti-aircraft guns shell the German aeroplanes it is somewhat more exciting to us than a hockey match. One of our fellows was with a party repairing dugouts and found a Canadian safety razor outfit and a number of blades labeled Red Cap made in Germany. Any Canadian who would use German made blades surely deserves to have his throat cut. Personally, we would prefer growing whiskers although they are strictly forbidden by military regulations was we are required to shave every morning and frequently have to get our shaving water from an adjacent shell hole.”
Several letters have been received lately by Pte. Ernest Ferrier, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ferrier, Scotch Line, who went overseas with the 130th Battalion and were among the first of the 130th to go to France, being with a draft for the 38th Battalion. Since a week or so before Christmas he has been engaged with the Canadian Engineers in tunneling work. Their work takes them right up to the front lines. Pte. Ferrier saw Pte. Tom Butler just a few days before he was killed in action and also Pte. Herbert Gibson just before he was wounded. Writing under the date of the 24th Feb., he tells of the work engaged in near the trenches. He says: (note, this is transcribed in part only) “Do you know there are moments when one could almost say he enjoyed thinking their shells are very pretty in a way. There are all sorts too. Some will light up the sky for over a minute. They generally explode before they get to the full height and then fall obliquely to the ground generally being extinguished by the time they reach the ground. And I rather like listening to a distant bombardment or two of our own shells going over to Fritz. At times everything is still and not a sound to be heard but not for any length of time. This afternoon we go up to the trenches. This time we are the last shift up and it is going to be good and dark going in. My, the ruins there are to see here. There is one village we passed through about the size of Lanark which has chiefly stone houses and there is not a whole wall left standing. The trees, elm and maple, have the tops and branches all smashed off. The land is wasted and will stay useless for years. I think the rations here are getting scarcer. At least we do not get the supply we did when we first came here. We were able to buy French bread from the civilians but it is very hard to get it now. There are any amount of wheat stacks in the country but there is not the help to thresh them and the mills they use are very slow. Things are getting in better shape to drive Fritz back every day and when he starts this time he will have to keep backing up. There were 32 of us came up to join this company before Christmas and one man killed and one wounded is the total casualties so far. But some day a shell may get a half dozen men.”
On Thursday morning Mr. and Mrs. J. H Armstrong received the following letter from their son Fred:
Somewhere in France
Monday, 5th March, 1917
Dear Mother and All:
I was back to see George Dittrick yesterday; I got a ride all the way there but had to hike it back. There was a pleasant surprise for me when I got there. He was getting ready to go and see Harman Warren so I joined him and when I got there Fred Lappin and George Rock were there. This was about 3:00 so we went to the nearest photographer but he was out much to our sorrow. Bill Wright was to have been there but did not show up. We then went back to Harmon’s place and partook of a most delightful repast. I was so full that when I got up from the table I could not stand up straight and the thought of having so far to walk made it worse. Both George Rock and Fred Lappin wish to be remembered to both you and dad. I suppose by this time you will have heard about poor Roy Wilson. I was right near where it happened and knew about it a couple of hours afterwards. Ronald Wilson of Port Elmsley was with him but is ok. I met Fred McCallum. I was broke and he had just been paid so we had a slight blowout. That’s the spirit of the dear old Perth boys out here. I met George Meighen and Jim Wilson and quite a few others I knew in the last few days so I have been kept quite busy. Fred McCallum looks fine. I hear P. S. D. Harding is here also Bill Wright and Ed Fraser are here so I will be busy tonight. The 38th have organized a band and there is one fellow who used to play in the Perth Band, his name is Sepo. This is all for now, Fred
“A” Co., 38th Battalion, B.E.F. France
Pte Fred Adams 787153
Lt. Herb Taylor has returned overseas having spent two months on leave here.
Capt. W. G. Blair, A.M.C., formerly of Fallbrook, is now in France.
Pte. R. Vaughan of Portage du Fort who enlisted in Renfrew as a member of the 130th has been killed in action.
Word has been received that Pte. D.C. MacFarlane, formerly of the Bank of Ottawa staff, Cobden, has been admitted to #1 Hospital in France suffering from gunshot wounds in the face. Letters received from the other Cobden boys stated they were all well.
Mr. and Mrs. James Class (Closs?), 11th Line Drummond, received word that their eldest son Pte. Thomas had suffered a badly lacerated hand and was admitted to Warwick Hospital in England on the 10th March. He enlisted with a Pioneer Battalion at Prince Rupert.
Lt. Basil M. Morris, second son of ex-Mayor James L. Morris of Pembroke has been killed in action in a flying accident “somewhere in France” according to information which has been received by his father. The young man had been at the front for about two years and only recently transferred to the Royal Flying Corps; and it is thought that it was during the course of tuition that he met his death. His elder brother, Ramsay, is with the Canadian forces in France and a cousin, Desmond, son of Sheriff Morris, is in that land also with an artillery brigade. Mr. Morris himself while Mayor of Pembroke and since has done much recruiting and all measure of patriotic effort.
Capt. W. G. Ferguson, quartermaster of the 240th Overseas Battalion of Renfrew is one of a number of officers chosen to begin an aggressive campaign to secure men for forestry work in England and France. The territory allotted to him extends from Ottawa to Montreal to Brockville and from Brockville north to Perth and Lanark. Captain Ferguson headquarters will be at Brockville where he is now quartered and he will work with Major Howard, senior officer of the 230th Battalion in getting forestry recruits for the 230th. All recruits secured will be quartered at Brockville.
U.S. Declares War Against Germany
President Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany and Wednesday night the request was granted and passed the Senate by a majority of 82 to 6. The test of the war resolution follows: “Whereas the Imperial German Government has committed repeated acts of war against the government of the people of the U.S.A. therefore be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the U.S.A. in Congress assembled that the state of war between the United States and the Imperial German Government which has thus been thrust upon us is hereby formally declared”.
Pte. Denzill Mitchell of the 38th Battalion was reported severely wounded on Wednesday’s casualty list. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Mitchell of Basin Street, Perth.
Sgt. George Wilson of the 240th Battalion, Renfrew, spent several days in town this week and expects the 240th will go overseas this month.
Nursing Sister E. M. Willison, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N.(?) S.S. Willison, Pembroke has been appointed matron of one of the army hospitals in France. She has been in France for months.
A letter has been received from Flight Lt. Randolph(?) White now a prisoner of war in Wahn, Germany. It gave his friends the first history of the injuries he received saying that the doctor assures him he would not lose either of his arms(?). This would indicate that when (illegible words) to earth he was wounded in (illegible words.)
Lt. Col. Gerald White, M.P. Pembroke who took one of the earliest Forestry battalions to England has been appointed deputy to Lord Lovat in directing a forestry operation in France, according to a dispatch from London. Lt. Col. White also brought over a reinforcement for his battalion.
A German family in Black River New York, is in receipt of a post card which had passed the censors. On the card it said that it would be well to remove the stamp as another of that kind might never be seen. The family removed the stamp and underneath found the words “we are starving”.
Balderson Theatre
Tuesday, April 17, 8:00 p.m.
BATTLE OF COURCELETTE
Moving Picture of British Tanks in Action with Canadians
The Most Realistic War Picture Ever Taken
50 cents and 25 cents
Matinee Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
Mr. and Mrs. John Wilson of town received the following telegram from the officer in charge of records at Ottawa on Thursday morning: “We regret to inform you Lt. Herbert John Wilson, infantry, is officially reported wounded on the 9th April, 1917. Will send further particulars when received.” Herb is one of Perth’s well known young men and much sympathy is extended to his parents here. He and Lt. Woods, also of the 130th were the only two from this battalion to be transferred to the 10th after landing in England and it was one month to the day from the time they left Halifax until they slept in the trenches in France. In a letter received by his parents on Tuesday Herb said he had just seen his brother Clyde who was well. It is to be hoped Lt. Wilson is not severely wounded and will be around again in due time.
Capt. J. W. Warren, M.D., who recently went overseas with a draft of Queen’s Medical Corps in writing to his mother Mrs. J. Wilson of Harper says: “I have a fine position here at Bramschott Camp in England. I am the medical officer of the 6th Brigade Hospital. All cases from this brigade have to go through my hospital. If they are very severe and require special nursing for any length of time I send them to Bramschott Military Hospital so I have the cases that I can cure and get back to the lines in a short time. I have full charge of everything pertaining to hospital diets, treatment, etc and it is going to be a great experience for me”. He also says Queen’s University has done more in this war than any other university in the Dominion and he is proud to be a graduate of Queen’s.
Mrs. R. W. Wood, of Elizabethtown, has received an interesting letter from her husband, Sgt. R.W. Wood of the 166th Battalion. He has been transferred to a forestry unit and is at Kippernack (?) Camp, Narin, Scotland. He is in charge of a harness shop in the camp. Capt. J. L. P. McLaren, who has been overseas for the past 8 months with the 238th Forestry Battalion of eastern Ontario returned to Canada last Monday via the steamer Grampian on three month’s leave and arrived in Perth on Thursday morning. Three weeks after arriving in England Capt. McLaren was detailed for duty in France with a draft of Canadian foresters and they were stationed immediately in the rear of the firing line at the mouth of the Somme. Capt. McLaren was in command of a company of foresters and they erected the first replica of a Canadian sawmill in France. Their duties have been to cut timber for bridges, trench reinforcements, ties for railways, pickets and barbed wire entanglements and everything in the wood line necessary for the warfare. Capt. McLaren says that district men who went overseas with him are all in splendid health. Sgt. James Cameron is a mill foreman now, Corp. William Keays and Corp Stiller are engaged in the mill erected near the Somme while Pte. Badour has been engaged chiefly has a woodsman. Pte Archie McLaren is engaged as a night engineer at the Somme mill. All these men have good positions and like their work.
Trooper Wolford Charlton has returned from Toronto and will spend the summer months with friends in Perth.
Lt. Lawrence Cairns, son of Walter Cairns of Edmonton, who is with a Kingston battalion, visited his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Dowson on Good Friday, previous to going overseas.
Staff Sgt. William Lloyd Hossie, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Hossie of Bathurst, who went overseas with a Winnipeg battalion, two years ago, was married on the 14th November 14th last to Eleanor Cullins of London, England. Staff Sgt. Hossie is now a clerk in the Canadian Pay (?) Office in London.
In the list of casualties this week appears the names of the following from the district:
Wounded:
Pte. Ernest H. Hammond of Pembroke
Pte. Henry Joseph Leonard, Cobden
Pte. Townley, and P. Boland of Pembroke
Pte. John Clough, Renfrew
Pte. John F. Foster of Merrickville has been killed in action.
Photo of Sgt. Stuart Wilson and Sgt. Norman A. Wilson
Sgt. Stuart Wilson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wilson, Scotch Line, went overseas with the Western University Corps of Edmonton, 19th Battalion. His picture was inadvertently mentioned last week as being that of Sgt. Norman Wilson.
Sgt. Norman A. Wilson has received his second promotion on the field but is now in the hospital in England as a result of rheumatism. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Wilson, Frank, Alberta, formerly of Perth.
Perth Collegiate Institute was visited on Monday of this week by Dr. S. Beatty of the University of Toronto as a representative of the Trades and Labour Branch of the Provincial Government. Mr. F. Forsyth, B. S. A., District Agricultural Representative was also present. These two gentlemen endeavored to impress upon the Collegiate Institute boys that there is a responsibility resting upon each boy to do his share in assisting the farmers of this country to extract the maximum food production from the farms under their charge. The plan to be adopted is to place boys with farmers who have gone into the service or their help has. There is being organized a card registration of boy labor available for farm work. Farmers seeking school boy labor can make application to Mr. Forsythe.
Among those who died for Canada and the Empire on Vimy Ridge was Lt. Benjamin G. Pierce whose father Rev. Barry Pierce, retired Methodist clergyman once lived in Perth when a young man and was a cousin of Messrs Butler in those days.
A letter was received from Pte. Fred Adams, A Co., 38th Battalion, #787163, by Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Adams, stating that many of the 130th boys were near his unit the 38th. He is somewhere in France.
20th March, 1917
Just s few lines to let you know that I am still alive and well as usual. I am still with the 38th in the same unit with George Dittrick. We went into the trenches a week ago and came out today. I had a couple very narrow escapes but it did not bother me much. About 3:30 there just passed a guard when a whiz bang came over and killed him. He was only a few feet away from me when he got it. I met Arthur Johnston near the front lines also Graham Howie, Arnold Fuller, Everett Adams and a bunch of the old band who are near here. They just landed a week ago and all look fine. Fred
Since the reported missing of Archie Sinclair of Perth two years ago there has been hope that he was alive and a prisoner of war but definite word in regards to his death reached Perth the latter part of last week in a letter from W. H. Hooper, at present at Murron, Switzerland to Dr. Beeman of town. Dr. Beeman wrote to Capt. Hooper in regards to Archie Sinclair and in a reply received the letter gave particulars of his death at a place midway between St. Julien and Langemarck in Belgium. In his letter which was dated 25th March, Capt. Hooper says: “Pte. Archie Sinclair of Perth was killed about or between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. on the 24th April, 1915 at a place between St. Julien and Langemarck in Belgium. He was a very good soldier and a credit to his family. I had attempted while in Germany to get word to his family that he had died but apparently word never got through. Please tell his father and mother that I am proud to have associated with a boy such as Archie. Should I ever arrive home, I am looking forward to meeting them in Perth when I will be able to thank them personally for the gift they have given to their country. Archie died the death of a hero and his parents ought to be proud to be known as the father and mother of Archie Sinclair. There is nothing I can say that will make their grief easier to bear than to say that were I the father of such a boy I could not have desired no better an end for him.” Capt. Hooper further describes in his letter clearly how Archie met his death which was in a truly diabolical manner at the hands of the Germans. “On April 24, 1915 being in command of an advance position between St. Julien and Langemarck in Belgium I was ordered to hold a certain position until the people in the rear had time to get properly entrenches. My lookouts reported that the retirement was on and I prepared to evacuate my position as soon as I received word to do so. Time passed and I got no order and I could see I was getting surrounded. As my ammunition was running low I figured it out that it was better to have a few men with plenty of ammunition than to have a large number with only a small amount. Accordingly I gave an order for all but a certain ten men to go back and report to battalion headquarters. Some time after an order came to retire but it was too late. Also, from my advanced position I could see that unless there was a diversion the enemy would get around and cut off the men whom I had sent back to battalion headquarters. I therefore ordered rapid firing to stop this happening and I succeeded but the added delay gave them a chance to creep up on our left flank and they caught us with machine guns. Archie Sinclair and Roy McIntyre of Lanark were in the lot told to get back to headquarters. I had ordered a reserve machine gun position to be placed on the edge of the woods and I now gave the order to get to those woods and to man the gun. However, we were all wounded getting to it so I gave word for all to reach the shallow trenches at the further edge of the wood. Here to my surprise I found Archie and McIntyre among others. They pulled all they could into the trench and opened fire on the advancing enemy – they brought them to a stand still and they had to surround us and take us finally in the rear. Archie being near me placed me on my back in a small hold and acting on instinct acted as eyes for me that all unwounded were to try to get back. I am practically certain that Archie was not wounded. Although he told me he was slightly wounded when I demanded why he had not gone back with the others. About 12 of those boys fought like demons and although I could not do anything but lay there they kept me informed as to what was going on. I remember Archie, McIntyre and Boreland getting ammunition off the dead boys in order to keep up their stock. We had a regular little hole all our own for a while and then quietness. We found out Archie and I were almost alone Boreland, McIntyre and Ormsby were gone and in looking up to tell me who the others were Archie himself was hit in the shoulder. He said that it did not hurt but it bled quite a lot. All was very quiet bout this time and as I said that I was feeling cold he rolled over to me, went to stoop over and fell like a log. He had fainted away; that finished me also. After a long time I was awakened by him asking me if he could get anything for me; as to himself he said he never felt better in his life. We sent a few minutes whispering, wondering what had happened. When close by we heard shots and sometimes cries. Archie said ‘my God they are shooting our wounded boys’. Just then a Hun who had put an extra shot into poor Ormsby although he was just breathing his last turned at the sound of Archie’s voice and said ‘rouse’. I forgot to mention that when we came to we found that the first line of Germans had taken away or thrown away from the space all around us all rifles, etc. On being told to ‘rouse’ Archie stood up and put his unwounded right arm to show him that he was unarmed and the brute shot him down at a distance of five or six feet. He fell at this time away from me and died. I am sure that his death would have been painless for although I lay and for some hours afterwards there, in my conscious moments I spoke to him he never answered. This is all I know but such as it is it is the absolute truth of the case. It is true that if Archie and the others had obeyed the order and gone back leaving us alone they might have gotten back safely but they took the soldiers’ choice and I am sure that their loved ones would not have had them do otherwise.”
Casualties:
1. Photo accompanies this of Lt. William John McLean, who was killed in action in France last week and a telegram reached Perth Thursday evening of last week stating briefly to his father David McLean of Drummond that his son had officially been reported killed in action on the 9th April. Lt. McLean had been in France seven months and is thought to have been killed in the Vimy Ridge battle on the 9th April. He was one among the man Canadians who fell in that glorious advance and paid the supreme sacrifice. Lt. McLean’s death was heard of with deep regret by all here. He enlisted with the 130th in Perth in the winter of 1916 and went overseas with the battalion in September of last year. He was in England but two weeks when in company with Lt. Joseph McAmmond, formerly of Montreal and Lt. John Watt, formerly of Peterboro and who were with the 130th; he was drafted into another battalion and went immediately to France and has been engaged quite regularly in the trenches since September last. Lt. McLean was 26 years old and was practicing dentistry in Toronto up to a year previous to joining the 130th. He took his degree at McGill in Montreal and a post graduate course at Toronto. In September he married Marguerite Wilson, son of A.T. Wilson of Toronto who is now residing in Toronto. Lt. McLean is survived by his wife, father, two brothers, Ray and Thomas at home and by two sisters Isobel and Marguerite in New York. In the last letter received from him dated 8 March, Lt. McLean gave the impression that some big work was ahead of them. The activity in the air where they were located was more than usual while Fritz was retiring at the Somme and Bapaume was in their hands. Concluding he said: “we have a hot place now and there is something doing all the time. I brought my platoon out the other night under heavy fire but was lucky—losing no one. The officer who took over from me was killed just a few minutes after I left him. The day before I came out I was buried by a Heinie shell but escaped any serious injury. Just got a shaking up. Our barrage fire is very heavy at times and the noise is terrible”.
2. Photo accompanies this of Pte. Denzil Mitchell who was seriously wounded by gunshot in the nick and eye on the 4th April and on Friday last his parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Mitchell of town received a telegram from the record office stating that Denzil had been officially reported as having died of wounds at #7 General Hospital in Etapes(?), France on the 11th April. Denzil had been with the 38th Battalion throughout, joining the unit in July of 1815 and soon afterwards went to Bermuda. The 38th left Bermuda for England in July of 1916 and the following August went to France. No word had been received from Denzil since January of this year. He had taken part in much of the heavy fighting and eventually received such serious wounding as to result in his demise. He was 21 years of age and is survived by his parents and one brother Dalton in town and a sister Mrs. George Barr of Bedford. In Asbury Church on Sunday evening the pastor, Rev. Thomas Brown, spoke in regards to the deceased at the close of the service as one who had showed a great example and had fallen that truth and light might prevail. The Dead March in Saul was played by the organist.
3. Gunner Gordon Scott, son of Rev. and Mrs. Scott of St. Andrew’s Manse was wounded in the left shoulder on the 4th April and is now at #7 General Hospital at Etapes(?). A telegram from the Record Office on Friday last conveyed the information to his parents. Gordon had been in France since last Christmas with the 39th Battery during which time he has been on active duty. All our sincere hopes is that the wound is not serious.
4. Photo accompanies of Lt. Herb Wilson—Following the reported wounding of Lt. Herb Wilson a cable was received on Sunday evening last from him stating that he was in England, slightly wounded and well cared for. All will hear with considerable relief that Herb’s wounds are slight.
5. Photo accompanies of Pte. Leonard Noonan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Noonan, of Burgess who was on Monday officially reported wounded by gunshot in the neck. Leonard went overseas with the 179th (Regina) Highlanders last fall and was in England only two weeks before going to France.
6. Major Hugh Cameron Ferguson, husband of Gladys Code of Perth, was reported slightly wounded on Monday last.
7. A telegram on Thursday at noon from the Record Office in Ottawa stated that Pte. Chester McKinnon of McDonald’s Corners was officially reported seriously ill with gunshot wounds in the right thigh received on 14th April. He is now in #32 Stationary Hospital at Wemereux, France.
8. Word was received by telegram by William Hamilton of town that his cousin Pte. Gordon Hamill had been seriously wounded. He was formerly a resident of Perth.
9. Thursday morning a telegram from the Record Office to Mrs. Elizabeth Inwood of Drummond informed here of the admittance of her son Pte. Wilbert John Inwood to the Stationary Hospital at Wemereux, France on the 10th April suffering from a slight gunshot wound.
10. Pte. Fred Bourns, son of Thomas Bourns of Ottay Lake was reported on Tuesday on the casualty list as died of pneumonia. He enlisted with the 212 Western Battalion and was transferred to the 97th. He had been in France several months and died at #12 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne, France. At the time of enlisting he was in the West.
11. Pte Alexander Reid Baird of Montreal who enlisted in Perth in the fall of 1915 with the 130th Battalion was on Monday’s casualty list as reported killed in action. He had been in France since last February with the 75th Battalion going overseas with the 130th last fall. Before enlisting with the 130th he resided in Montreal. His parents live in Glasgow, Scotland.
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hope received a cable from their son Major John Hope on Sunday stating that he was well and on duty in France.
Casualties:
1. Photo accompanied this notice. Pte. Alvin S. Wilson died of wounds. To his parents Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Wilson of Perth there came on Sunday morning last the sad intelligence that Pte. Alvin Wilson had been admitted to the #32 Stationary Hospital at Wimeroux, France on 11th April suffering from gunshot wounds in the left shoulder and side. This word soon gave place to the news received by telegram the following Monday morning stating that he had died of his wounds in #2 Australian General Hospital on the 19th April. Alvin Wilson was born in Perth 18 years ago and would have been 19 years old on October next. He was one of the youngest going overseas from Perth. He attended Perth public schools and Collegiate Institute, enlisting with the brass band of the 130th in 1916 and going overseas with that unit in September of last year. He trained at West Sandling Camp in England for some time and was then transferred to Shoreham by the sea and later returned to East Sandling from there he went to France on the 26th Feb. last with a draft for the 75th Battalion in which were the late Roy Wilson his cousin and the late Thomas Butler and Jack Scott, all of the 130th here. In the last letter received from Alvin he makes much of being in training on the plains of Rouen where Napoleon Bonaparte reviewed his troops there. Here there are a number of fine cathedrals one dating in its erection as far back as 1202. He had just then been informed of the death of his cousin Roy Wilson by Jack Scott. The latter had soon afterwards left for a location five miles away. Alvin and Jack were Perth Collegiate Institute chums and had stayed together as much as possible while overseas. In his letter Alvin said that he was ready for anything that came. He was a promising young man of fine physique and manly bearing and his death at such an early age although in a great cause and in a struggle which has brought luster to Canadians and Canadian troops, is to be much regretted. Thus another is added to the young men from this district who have given and give and another family mourns for a son who will never return and who now sleeps with the Empire’s fallen beneath the soil in France. He is survived by his parents and two sisters Doris and Helene and brother Murrey.
2, Killed In Action, Sgt. Graham Howie (photo accompanies article)
The home of Mr. and Mrs. John Howie of Perth is another to which the war has brought sorrow within the week, their second son, Sgt. G. Howie having been killed in action on the 10th April. He was among those to give his life in the Vimy Ridge engagement. Being a machinist by trade, he enlisted at Hamilton with the Canadian Engineers and went overseas with the 1st Contingent. Previous to enlisting he had been living in Hamilton some two years. He was the only surviving man of his company after the Vimy Ridge battle on the 9th and the following day he too fell never to rise. He had seen much of the war and this was his third time in France having returned to England two previous times through serious illness from pleurisy. Graham Howie had but reached his 21st year and is survived by his parents and three brothers Alexander Howie of Smith’s Falls, William and John Howie of Perth and two sisters, Annie and Mathilda at home. The last letter received from him was written in France on the 1st April in which he stated that he was very busy and in good health. He had met nearly everyone he knew—practically all the Perth boys, since his sojourn in France and met others he knew from Hamilton. He was deeply interested in the war and the many movements that were being made. Sgt. Howie joined the Masonic Edwin Lodge 125 at Hythe(?), England on Aug. 8, 1916.
3. Pte. Russell Dickson, died of wounds. Photo accompanies notice
By telegraph on Wednesday morning were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dickson of town informed of the death of their son Russell Dickson from wounds on the 12th April in #22 Casualty Clearing Station. His wounds consisted of gun shot wounds to the right thigh. He went overseas with the 130th Battalion and to France with the 3rd Canadian Battalion. He had been in France several months and is survived by his parents and two sisters.
4. Pte. Stewart Moodie—To Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Moodie of the Scotch Line the sad intelligence came on Tuesday of the death of their son Pte. Stewart Moodie in #18 Casualty Clearing Station in France from wounds on 11th April. He enlisted over a year ago with the 93rd (?) Battalion at Peterboro and had been in the trenches 8 months. He was but 20 years of age on March last and had lived at home up to the time of enlisting. His brother Robert Moodie only last week sailed with the 181st(?) 131st (?) Battalion of Brandon for overseas. He is survived by his parents, four brothers, Alexander of the Scotch Line, Robert on his way overseas and Donald and Harold at home and six sisters Mrs. Ernest Imeson of North Elmsley, Misses Reba, Jean, Ethel, Mary and Margaret at home.
5. Pte Ross Parker Dowdall, wounded—Pte Dowdall is the son of Mr. Samuel Dowdall of Bolingbroke and has been admitted to the #2 Hospital, Wimereux, France with a gun shot wound in the side. He is with the mounted rifles.
6 Sgt. John Thornton, wounded. Sgt. Thornton, of Lanark, has been slightly wounded. He was with the infantry and is now in the #30 General Hospital in Calais.
7. Pte Keith Walker. Photo accompanies the notice. Pte. Walker, son of Mrs. John Walker of town, who is with the Motor Transport in Africa, is reported seriously ill with fever and is in the general hospital at Dari in Salem(?).
The Courier received a letter this week from Sub. Lt. Charles Watt. Charlie is stationed at Gibraltar and says: “This all powerful blue pencil of the censor puts the lid on any real news I could write. It is hard for me to realize that in the season called winter is almost gone by because I have seen none of it. I have been very lucky here in the Motor Boat Patrol as the boys in the North Sea have had a very cold, disagreeable winter. They send the Courier to me and the farther away a fellow gets the more he appreciates the local sheet.”
Arthur M. Johnson of Perth – On Wednesday evening, 21st March, the writer had the solemn privilege of standing before the grave of the late Pte. Roy R. Wilson former Perth townsman, neighbor and close acquaintance. Somewhere in France the cemetery is situated in a valley which must have been beautiful to look upon before the war but is now wasted, destroyed and dotted with shell holes and covered with a thin coat of snow. In the near distance can be seen a French village, now in ruins. It is only a few hundred yards from the German front line trenches but at this writing has not been touched by enemy shells. It is from possible to describe in words my feelings as I stood there alone and penciled in my pocket diary the following simple words of identification which appeared on the wooden marker: Pte. R.R. Wilson, 787072, 75th Batt. Canadians. The grave is in the center of two other comrades’ graves of the same battalion: Pte. N.B. Crellin, 164087 on the right and Pte. A.Z. Tuffts, 787768 on the left. As I saluted in respect to the memory of the departed and returned to duty ours and the enemy’s guns were silent. It was to be. We passed the cemetery this afternoon on our way to rest billets. I trust the knowledge that Roy’s remains received a respectful burial will be some solace to the sorrowing relatives and host of acquaintances in Canada. France, 25th March, 1917.
George Farmer and Kenneth McEwen have arrived safely in England with the Divisional troops.
Mr. Mel Kennedy of town has enlisted with a railway construction corps in Ottawa and has the rank of sergeant. He has been recruiting in this district during the week.
Pte. W. Rodelll who made his home with County Road Commissioner William Watters near Innisville has been wounded. Four Carleton Place men appeared in the casualty lists this week: Pte. Arthur Macguire, Pte. George Crawford and Pte. Lewis as wounded and Pte. Harold McDiarmid as wounded in the thigh and suffering from gas.
Earl McIlraith, son of Mr. and Mrs. James McIlraith of Hopetown enlisted in the west with the Royal Flying Corps and visited with his parents on Friday and Saturday last before leaving for Halifax where he sailed for England to train. Earl attended the Perth Collegiate Institute for several years before going west.
Photo of Staff Sergeant B. L. Ferrier, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ferrier of Gore Street. He enlisted in Calgary with the Army Medical Corps and has been in Folkestone, England upwards of two years acting as assistant director in training the branch he is with having the administration of all the hospitals in that area which comprise about 7,000 beds.
William Butler of Harper on Thursday of last week received a letter from Chaplain Major Baynes Reed of the 75th C. Batt. In which his son Thomas Butler was serving when he was killed in France during a heavy bombardment.
In the Field, 5th March, 1917
Mr. W. H. Butler
Dear Sir:
I regret to have to write and confirm the news which doubtless you have already received of the death of your son Pte. Thomas Butler 787151, 75th Battalion Canadians. He was killed in action against the enemy on the 1st March when the battalion had heavy losses including our Colonel and Adjutant. The body was buried on the 4th March in the Villies-Au-Bois Station Military Cemetery—one of the finest in France. A cross has been erected with his name and number and unit and the grave will be properly cared for all time. I doubt if any words of mine can at all lessen the sorrow which you must feel but may I point out to you that your son gave his life and thereby made the supreme sacrifice while doing his duty for his king and country in their time of need. Surely this cruel war with all its consequent sorrow and suffering must be the working out of some great plan under the knowledge of the Father the full meaning of which is hidden from us now.
Lt. Benjamin Clifford Pierce who was mentioned in last week’s issue as being killed in action at Vimy Ridge was a son of Rev. Barry Pierce, retired Methodist clergyman at Kingston and who once lived in Perth. Lt. Pierce enlisted with the 59th Battalion under Lt. Col. H.J. Dawson and in England when the unit was broken up was transferred to the 4th Mounted Rifles with which he remained until he met a soldier’s death in the great engagement which claimed so many of Canada’s best young men and which brought everlasting glory to the land of the Maple Leaf. The deceased Lt. was born at the parsonage at Capt Ozo, Gaspe, Quebec on 5th November, 1890. He was educated at Perth and Kingston Collegiate Institutes and at Queen’s University receiving the degree of B.S. in 1912. In 1914 he received his commission as both Ontario and Dominion Land Surveyor. Another brother, Lt. Gordon B. Pierce is in France as regimental quartermaster of the 50th Battalion, Calgary. He is survived by his parents Rev. and Mrs. Barry Pierce of Kingston and two sisters Mildred, an undergraduate at Queen’s and Muriel, attending public school, his brother in France and Mr. J.W. Pierce of Pembroke. Mrs. Henry James of town is an aunt of the late Lt. Pierce.
Franktown Correspondent: Sgt. A. Gibbons, the returned wounded soldier who addressed a good meeting here in the Orange Hall, was well received except by some critics who took it upon themselves to oppose his coming amongst us for reasons best known to themselves but which nobody cared to hear. Strange to say these unlikely, cruel and intensely disloyal sentiments were expected of those parties who prate most loudly about their loyalty to King and the old flag—especially about the time of the Dominion elections and if there is a possibility of any government pap to be sucked—then you will hear their shouts. But the real truth is that they do not know what real loyalty to the Empire means. A special sermon on “our part in winning the war” was preached in the Presbyterian Church on Sabbath afternoon last. Pte. Harold Edwards was wounded at the front on the 8th April and is now in a hospital in France. Harold is one of the gallant soldier boys of Franktown.
Duncan Affleck, son of John Affleck of Middleville was killed in action on the 12th April.
Photo of Pte. Beechum Bates, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bates of Lanark, now overseas with the 15th Railway Construction Battalion – he is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Bates.
Photo of Pte. Joseph M. Bennett, son of Mrs. John Bennett of Market Street, Perth, who went overseas with the 130th and is now in France with the 3rd Canadian Battalion attached to the 1st Canadian Entrenching Battalion.
Pte. Everett Doyle of town was formally presented with the Military Medal which had been awarded him at a banquet held in the city hall in Kingston last Monday evening by the Kingston Veterans Association when over 600 sat down to the tables. In the audience were the returned soldiers and lady guests, officers, NCO’s and men of the garrison, representatives of the Royal Military College of Kingston, city council members and guests from Watertown, New York and Toronto. Everett Doyle and Corp. T .J. Fletcher, 9th Field Company of Canadian Engineers, whose home is in Gananoque, were presented with medals by Brig. General T.D.R. hemming, G.O.C., who in making the presentations said the recipients were reticent about stating what had been done to merit the medals but he understood Pte. Doyle had been sent with a message to a certain point, had been lost, but eventually reached his destination while Corp. Fletcher had volunteered to go forward of the front trench line, take 100 men, and dig a new trench and carry back wounded. As the boys received their medals they were greeted with loud applause. The Military Medal presented to Pte. Doyle has the words “for bravery under fire” on one side and a picture of King George and insignia on the other side being of silver and slightly larger than a half dollar coin of the realm.
The following letter was received by John Gibson of Harper from his brother Herbert Gibson who is in the hospital in England as a result of his wounds. In the letter he tells of the last occasion on which he saw the late Tom Butler of Harper. He says in part:
Mrs. Chanter, the nurse, gave me a Canadian paper yesterday and I saw a lot of the 130th boys’ names in the wounded list, my own included, though they have my number wrong. But I could hardly believe my eyes when in the list of killed I found Tom Butler’s name. I am hoping it is a mistake but I know it is his number and I fear the worst. I heard that Roy Wilson was killed but his name did not appear on the list. It was Tommy’s first time in the line and he had never been in a bombardment before. It was a terrible fire for a new man to face. He had been in some hot places before and had an idea of what it was like and I thought it all my nerves could stand. I saw Tommy about 2:00 am on the 1st March as we passed out of the caves to take our places in the line of attack. He was in a party detailed to help any section in need of help such as an attack on a machine gun position and was on the extreme left of our position while I was with my bombing party on the extreme right so there was perhaps 400 yards between us. I asked a number of fellows in the dressing station if they had seen Tom but could get no word of him. But I thought perhaps he was helping to bring in wounded so that was all I knew about him. If you have no definite word of him do not say anything about what I have written; if you have you may tell these few details to his father. It may be some consolation to him to know these facts which are all I know about his death.
Perth Upon Tay chapter of the I.O.D.E. held a sock drive during the months of March and April, the splendid result was 304 pairs brought in which have already been sent to France to local boys.
Mrs. D. J. Mitchell received a letter from the chaplain of the 38th Battalion on Wednesday in regard to her son the late Denzil Mitchell, who died of wounds on the 11th April. The letter was written on the 30th March, several days before her son’s death and goes to show the care the wounded boys are receiving. The chaplain said “you will have already received official information that your son is wounded as feel sure you are anxiously waiting for further news, so I am writing to you. He has been brought to #2 Casualty Clearing Station and I am very sorry indeed to have to tell you his wound is of a very serious nature and his condition is causing some anxiety. It is my last wish to give you any unnecessary uneasiness. He is bearing it all very bravely. You may rest assured he is receiving all possible care and attention. Everything possible will be done for him and I trust for your sake he will be spared.
The following letter was received on Tuesday from the late Lt. William McLean by his father and was written some two weeks before he was killed in action.
France, 23rd March, 1917
Dear Father:
I have been here a matter of ten days and in all am ok. I really was not much involved in anything and was lucky to be out of the line at the time or it might have been very warm. I caught a series of chills, followed by fever, and was threatened with pneumonia and was rather sick for a while. This has been a pretty hard winter here. Mud all the time and cold and rain. Much of the time it was impossible to keep dry for any length. The last trip to the trenches was the worst it was five miles into the line and every step you nearly tore the soles off your boots pulling them out of the mud. Then the mud in the line is still worse and to add to our trouble and discomfort our friends across the way insist on coming over on us. Fortunately, we have him good. In conjunction with his raid he puts on a bombardment the worst I have yet experienced. Shells absolutely rained on our trenches for about two hours. I did not expect to come out of it and in fact was practically buried several times. I came through this barrage twice more by blind luck more than anything else. I was very lucky considering all that were killed about 15 of them and they did not quite reach our trenches. Caught them with machine gun fire and bombs. The next night I was taken sick and came out of the trenches two days later. Great news is coming down the line and from the Egyptian front. I suppose you have already heard about several of the boys of the 130th being killed. Roy Wilson was shot with an explosive bullet through the chest and killed. I saw Joe de Hertel for a little while just before I came in here. He was at headquarters. This line is one great graveyard. The French are rather careless about burying their dead, burying them any old place. Shell fire unearths them and they rebury them sometimes. The Canadians are very particular and every grave is carefully recorded and marked. The British are also very careful in this respect. In places the graves are almost numberless. The “Land of Graves” applies to northern France. We scarcely think of them or notice them till we have to bury a comrade—or one of the boys you have grown to love. Our snipers are the best in the world as I am sure the enemy knows full well.