Prepared by J. R. Hind 24/01/2020.

Black Canadians have had a long and when given the opportunity, a glorious military history serving their country. 

I will try to explain how military service changed, most often to meet the needs of war rather than a social enlightenment but never the less tended to have a positive effect on lives Black citizens over many years. I will try to show this, using examples of specific individuals.

The issue of racial discrimination in the Canadian military, results in part from the close connection between the Canadian forces and the Imperial forces back to the founding of Canada. The reliance on the might of the Imperial army and the Royal Navy is the basis for this practice. From the capture of New France in 1759 through the War 0f 1812-14 there was a continuing dependence on the British Crown to protect the country. After the founding of the Dominion of Canada in 1867 the fledgling Canadian military adopted the structure and regulations and military traditions of the ‘mother country’.

 Over time, as the country matured so did the Canadian military. But it was a long time in coming for people of colour as follows:

 BRITISH MILITARY LAW – PRIOR TO THE GREAT WAR AND ON.

The Manual of Military Law classed ‘any Negro or person of colour’ as an ‘alien’   

Any person who is an alien may… ‘be enlisted in His Majesty’s regular forces, so, however, that the number of aliens serving together at any one time in any corps of the regular forces shall not exceed the proportion of one alien to every fifty British subjects.’

Once enlisted such an alien could ‘… not be capable of holding any higher rank in His Majesty’s regular forces than that of warrant officer or non-commissioned officer’.

Even the process of enlisting was discretionary: The Manual of Military Law provided that ‘… whether or not a man was accepted into the ranks depended on his colour or the way in which his colour was interpreted by a recruiting officer or an interviewing board”.  

Enlistment in England was voluntary until the end of 1915 but when conscription

came in those who did not report when receiving their call-up papers now faced the courts, under the Military Service Act (which did not come into effect in Canada until late 1917).

The Military Service Act created it’s own problems now. What to do with the black conscripts?

• Many black enlistments were rejected.
• Transfer to the British West Indies Regt.
• Prompting them to enlist in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. (No2 Construction Bn.). Pte. Thomas Bush 1024188 of Norfolk, England does appear on the Nominal Role of No. 2 Construction Bn. 28 March 1917, I did not see any others from the UK. 

The AMERICAN REVOLUTION

During the American Revolution, Blacks fought generally on the side of the British. The British governors of the thirteen colonies, in an effort to disrupt the rebel economy, by reducing the number of slaves available to do labour and to reinforce the ranks of area regiments. In 1775 the British Governor of Virginia promised emancipation to any Black slave who joined his army. 800 joined. The other governors also offered run-away slaves, (There where 300,000 slaves in the 13 Colonies) their freedom should they joined the British forces. Former slaves formed their own Corps, the Black Pioneers, which received commendations for bravery and conduct.

One such individual was Tony Small a run-away in South Carolina who joined the “Red coats”. In the battle of Eutaw Springs, it was during this battle that Tony carried the wounded Lord Edward Fitzgerald (1763 – 1798) off the battlefield saving the Lord’s life.

In February 1789, guided by compass, he traversed the country with his friend Lord Fitzgerald, from Frederickstown to Quebec, falling in with Indians by the way, with whom he fraternized; and made his way down the Mississippi to New Orleans. Making Tony Small one of the early explores of this area. He would accompany the Irish Lord back to England and Ireland. They were a handsome, peacock pair, one walking behind the other, but always together. Fitzgerald became involved in politics and was shot in 1798 

When the Americans finally won their independence many of the ‘freed slaves’ left for Canada along with the White UEL’s (United Empire Loyalists) who often took their slaves.

So it was that between the American Revolution and the War of 1812-14 many military trained Free Blacks came to settle in Upper and Lower Canada and the Maritimes.

With England smarting from it’s loss of the American Colonies and at the same time having to deal with the rise of French power and Napoleon few British ‘Regulars’ could be spared to defend the Canadian frontier. As a result, The ‘Citizen – Soldier’ or Militia became the standard for Canada’s military base. There were two main types of militia, the Active which were attached to garrisoned British units and Sedentary Militia who were very local and only called up when needed.

Active Militia’s often had Black men in their ranks, usually men who had served in the ARW. Sedentary Militia’s in the Kingston Niagara and Amherstburg areas, organized on a county basis, tended to be White.  

The WAR OF 1812 – 14

Once again the necessities of war created by the American invasion of Canada saw Black men recruited into Black Only regiments; Capt. Robert Runchey, encouraged by Samuel Pier Point a Black ACW veteran, raised a company of Black men known as the “COLOURED CORPS” or “COMPANY OF COLOURED MEN”.

Blacks fought on the side of the British during the war of 1812, they fought in the battle of Queenston Heights, and the Battle of Lundy’s Lane.

The primary use of many of the Black units were as ‘SERVICE’ units, cutting wood, building roads and hauling the supplies, most were not armed due to a lack of trust by their White officers.

The Rebellion of 1837 – 38 (Upper & Lower Canada).

Generally Black men enlisted in Militia regiments would have been called up where needed to quell the revolts in their areas such as the “PEI Fencibles”. Five companies of Black volunteers did take part in the in the Battle at Toronto, there is no evidence that Blacks were involved at the Battle of St. Eustache in Lower Canada.

The Rev. Josiah Henson served as Captain in the 2^nd Essex Company of Coloured Volunteers which help garrison Fort Malden for five months. This company was also involved in the capture of the schooner “Ann” in January 1838.

Although slavery had been abolished in the British empire by 1834, the Niagara riot (Solomon Moseby / Hackett) shows the insecurity of the Africans, and how little they could rely on the protection of their own government; nevertheless, when Mackenzie’s rebellion began that December, the Africans proved to be some of the strongest loyalists. They feared that a rebel victory would lead to annexation of Upper Canada to the United States and the reintroduction of slavery.

On December 11, 1837, Thomas Runchey, (a son of Robert of the War of 1812-14), was ordered to raise a corps of Africans, and a company of 50 men was in arms by December 15, under the command of James Sears. A second Black company was raised in Niagara under Hugh Eccles. Apparently, the men jailed as a result of the riot were released on condition they join one of the companies. The two companies were joined to together to form what was called the “Colored Corps” with a combined strength of about 130 men. The unit served along the Niagara frontier and Lake Erie shorline, from Chippewa to Drummondville during the winter. The Military or Jail was not unusual as you will hear later.

During the summer of 1838, however, when many militia units were to be disbanded as the rebel threat had largely passed, Runchey ran off with the money that was to have been paid to his men. Captain Sears paid the men out of his own pocket and he was not reimbursed by the government until 1840. Runchey, it appears, had deserted to the United States and never returned to Canada.

The colonial government after 1838 decided to reform the militia forces and sought to form a full battalion of 400 Africans, but this time, with no immediate emergency, few volunteers turned out. Africans, it appeared, had not fought to save the colonial government in Toronto, as much as they had fought to save their own distinct community.

Canadian Blacks in the British Imperial Forces.

The 1850’s saw the Britain’s Imperial forces involved in many parts of it’s far flung empire. Though Canada did not supply any units to these actions, Canadians did enlist and serve in many of these engagements. One such individual was:

William Hall was the first black man to win a VC. Born in 1827 in Nova Scotia, the son of a freed slave, Hall volunteered for the Royal Navy some time before 1852. In November 1857 he was part of the Naval Brigade from HMS ‘Shannon’ which helped to relieve the British Residency in Lucknow, winning the VC alongside Lieutenant Thomas Young. Hall remained with the Navy, rising to the position of Quartermaster and Petty Officer in HMS ‘Peterel’ before he retired in 1876.

His other awards and medals include:

• 1854 and 1855 the Turkish Crimean War Medal and the British Crimean War Medal
• 1856 was made Captain of the foretop
• On 19 Oct., 1901, the Duke of York, the future King George V, while visiting Halifax, was so impressed by Hall’s collection of medals. that he gave him a place of honour during a parade of British veterans.

This gallant warrior died at his home in Avonport, Nova Scotia, on August 25.1904. 

A memorial was constructed to mark his bravery and still stands. In 1967 another plaque was placed on the memorial. It reads as follows: “This cairn marks the last resting place of William Hall V.C.”.

The American Civil War:

“Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States.” – – Frederick Douglass 

The early reversals of the northern Union forces and the significant number of casualties forced them to look a Black recruits for infantry units. 

Approximately 180,000 African Americans comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African Americans served in the Union Navy. Both free African-Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight. Some 900+ Blacks from Canada were part of the Union forces, 61 of those coming from Essex and Kent county.

Many of the Canadian Black may well have been ‘run-away’ slaves. Why risk their freedom and perhaps their life in this American war?

Wanted to help abolish slavery?

Had family in the confederate States still in bondage?

Wanted the $100 bounty for joining the Union Army?

The reasons are probably as varied as those that motivate and soldier to serve his country or a cause.

On July 17, 1862, Congress passed two acts allowing the enlistment of African Americans, but official enrollment occurred only after the September, 1862 issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation

In general, white soldiers and officers believed that black men lacked the courage to fight and fight well. In October, 1862, African American soldiers of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers silenced their critics by repulsing attacking Confederates at the battle of Island Mound, Missouri. By August, 1863, 14 Negro Regiments were in the field and ready for service. At the battle of Port Hudson, Louisiana, May 27, 1863, the African American soldiers bravely advanced over open ground in the face of deadly artillery fire. Although the attack failed, the black soldiers proved their capability to withstand the heat of battle.

Although black soldiers proved themselves as reputable soldiers, discrimination in pay and other areas remained widespread. According to the Militia Act of 1862, soldiers of African descent were to receive $10.00 a month, plus a clothing allowance of $3.50. Many regiments struggled for equal pay, some refusing any money until June 15, 1864, when Congress granted equal pay for all black soldiers.

In actual numbers, African American soldiers comprised 10% of the entire Union Army. Losses among African Americans were high, and from all reported casualties, approximately one-third of all African Americans enrolled in the military lost their lives during the Civil War

The first Black commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces was Major Martin Robinson Delany from Chatham, Ontario. He joined the Union Forces at the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65). Mary Ann Shadd would also take Black women into war with her recruitment of both Canadian and American Blacks.

The early reversals of the northern Union forces and the significant number of casualties forced them to look a Black recruits for infantry units. 

The South African War 1899 – 1902:

It was during the Boer War in the 1890’s, when the concept of the White man’s war came into vogue. Neither side in the conflict enlisted Black soldiers.

Though there were no Black enlistment’s the Canadian Government for the first time demanded that any Canadian unit sent to the conflict would not be absorbed into the Imperial Army and would be under Canadian Command. This would have a greater significance in the “Great War” twelve years later. 

The GREAT WAR 1914 –18

It would be W. W. I that would see the greatest change in Canada’s military an cement a new set of traditions and regulations that would be felt by Black Canadians from this point on.

With the outbreak of World War I, Black Canadians, like their White counterparts, flocked to the recruitment office. In the early days of August 1914 patriotic fever seemed as first to be colour-blind. This was particularly true in the Maritimes where many militia regiments had Black men in their ranks.

It must be remembered that although the Canadian government had exercised a degree of independence during the South African War the model of military organization and regulation was still based on the British Imperial Forces.

The 1910 Manual of Military Law stated that, ”any Negro or ‘person of colour’ was able to enlist in the army, but could not be capable of holding higher rank in His Majesty’s Forces than that of warrant officer or non-commissioned officer.”  

Prior to 1914 every applicant for a commission had to complete form MT393A. Among the many questions asked was whether the candidate was of “pure European descent.” Like the concentration camp, the notion of White superiority was not a German invention 

 Although the official military policy was that anybody who was of age and medically fit could join the army, it was up to the local officer of the regiment or the battalion to accept or reject the applicant. Officers at the local level still had the idea of the ‘White Man’s War’. They rejected Black applicants with expressions such as ‘we don’t want a checker board army’. A Colonel Ogilvie, the officer commanding Military District 11, Victoria B.C., expressed his views in a letter to the Military Council headquarters dated December 9, 1915 : ‘… Several cases of coloured applicants for enlistment have been reported on by Officers Commanding units and the universal opinion is that if this were allowed it would do much harm, as white men here will not serve in the same ranks with negros [sic] or coloured persons.

There were cases of Blacks being initially accepted in the recruitment office, leaving their job, arriving to join up with their Battalion to be insulted and told that there would be no coloured men serving in that battalion. It would be an insult to the White soldiers! They had to return home and try to pick up the pieces of their lives. There were Whites who were trying to rectify this situation, most notably Captain J. F. Tupper of Westville, Nova Scotia, and J.R.B. Whitney, publisher of the Canadian Observer. Whitney raised a platoon of Black men after being advised by Lieutenant-General The Hon. Sir Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and Defence, that they would be attached to an existing Canadian Battalion. Whitney raised the Regiment, but faced a road block Hughes had failed to mention. Acceptance of Whitney’s regiment was up to the discretion of the Battalion officers. No Battalion would accept the Black regiment. Whitney had to disband his regiment.

The horrors of the early battlefield casualties soon changed British attitudes and the BEF began to transfer many Indian Army regiments to the middle east and finally to the western front to reinforce British battalions. This use of non-white troops became paramount after the 1916 Battle of the Somme when the British and Commonwealth units suffered 60,000 casualties in the first week of fighting. The question of where to find replacement quickly took on great importance.

 It was decided by those in power that the best policy to follow would be the establishment of a non-combatant Black battalion. On May 11, 1916, the British War Office in London cabled the Governor General expressing its willingness to accept such a unit. In 1916 the population of Canada was between 7 and 8 million and the Black population was about 20,000.

On July 5, 1916, the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, was born. It was the first and only segregated battalion in Canada. Its headquarters were in Pictou, Nova Scotia. The battalion was to be made up of 1,049 men of all ranks, all officers save the Chaplin would be White. There was difficulty recruiting enough Blacks to make up the battalion, as there was a certain amount of resentment from the two years of rejection. And there was resentment that this segregated battalion was non-combatant.

To fill the ranks of this battalion, American Blacks were accepted as were Blacks from right across Canada. John Ware (the famous cowboy) and his two sons travelled from Alberta, to join the battalion. Rev. William Whitejoined the battalion as the Chaplain. He was given the rank of Captain, making him the only Black commissioned officer in the British or Canadian Army. During the same time period, there were over 600 army Officers in the United States Military.

 In the BEF Walter Tull the grandson of a slave in Barbadoes, orphaned at nine one of six, grew up in a Methodist-run orphanage he became a printer and a professional football player. With the out break of war he would be the first Black to receive a King’s Commission but unlike the Rev. Capt. White, Lieut. Tull served in an infantry battalion. MID for “gallantry and coolness” he led his men through battles in Italy and France. It was at the 2^nd Battle of the Somme that on 25 March, 1918 he was KIA. His men of the 23^rd Middlesex Regt. thought so much of him that they made “numerous sorties, under murderous  enemy fire to retrieve the fallen officers body.”        

The Black Battalion (No. 2 Construction) received orders to go overseas on March 17, 1917. Being 200 men under strength and therefore not a true Battalionthe Canadian commanding officer took a demotion to Major to remain with his men. Upon arrival in England they learned that a British Military rule the forbid “soldiers of colour” from leaving their camp would apply to the men of No. 2 Construction. By this time the CEF was well established a an independent Corp and would not subject the men to this demeaning treatment. The battalion was sent to France for training, and did great service laying rail lines. Some members of the battalion were transferred to other units, and a few Black Canadians ended up in the front line trenches.

Even though Black men served their country and their comrades with great distinction credit earned was not always rewarded. Such was the case of Jeremiah Jones, enlisting in June of 1916 at the age of 39 this 6’ 6” man had a hard time making his way to the front in a combat unit because of the colour of his skin.

He persevered and on Easter Monday 1917 he went ‘over the top’ with the RCR’s as part of the Canadian Corps attack on the German stronghold at Vimy Ridge. A machine gun had pinned down he and the men of his unit when he volunteered to silence the gun. Single handedly he did just that, captured the gun and six prisoners. Jones said of the event: “I threw a hand bomb right into the nestand killed about seven of them…. I was going to throw another bomb, when they threw up their arms and called for mercy.”  

Jones forced the Germans to carry the machine gun back to the Canadian lines where he had them place it at the feet of his CO. For this the CO recommended him for the DCM second only to the VC. Senior officers dismissed the recommendation and Jeremiah received nothing. He would be later wounded at Vimy and again at Passchendale but survived the war.

A young Black man from Chatham also found himself in the infantry.

HOSEY , STANLEY Regimental number: 3131622 Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4517 – 3 Date of Birth 01/03/1897 @ Chatham, ON. Son of Cadmus Hosey of 277 Park Ave. E., Chatham, ON. A Labourer. Military Service Act No. 719073 AC. Attestation: 9/01/1918 @ Chatham, ON. to 1^st WOR.

HOSEY Initials: S Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment) Unit Text: 47th Bn. Date of Death: 01/11/1918 Service No: 3131622 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: A.2. 14. Cemetery: AULNOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Young Stanley was in some trouble with the law in late 1917 having relieved the GTR of a couple of cases of whiskey he found in their freight shed. When he came before the magistrate to be sentenced he said he “would rather go to the Army than to jail”. He had just recently been conscripted (drafted) under the MSA of 1917. The magistrate asked the sheriff to look into this and if true he would be released to the military.

It turned out to be true and Stanley went to the enlistment depot but found military life not to his liking it seems and deserted, only to be caught by the Provost back in Chatham and returned to Army life.

Sadly, for Stanley, he was taken into the Army 9/01/1918 and immediately shipped overseas, taken up by the 47^th Battalion he was involved in the last part of the German offensive and the last 100 days of the CEF push to end the war. Stanley was KIA ten days prior to the end of the “Great War” on 1/11/1918. 

At the end of the war, there was no official recognition of the contribution made by No. 2 Construction Battalion. The official history of Canada’s contribution to the Great War does not include any mention of this Battalion. There is a certain irony that in 1917, when the war had taken a toll on the volunteer army, conscription was put in place in Canada. Conscription now included Black Canadians who had been rejected earlier. Blacks were stopped on the streets and if they could not provide the necessary papers, were forced in to the army, and sent overseas.

World War II.

By 1939 when war once again broke out, this time with Nazi Germany Black Canadians found that the institutional discrimination that had rejected them in 1914 – 1916 had changed.

At least that was true in the Army.

In the Army there were no segregated units. The Navy and Air Force initially rejected Blacks, despite official regulations, the recruiting offices for those services still practiced the old racism of 1914, indicating that the Black recruit was simply unsuitable.

By wars end some blacks did serve in the Navy, seldom as deck ratings, many as cooks and stokers below deck. Generally, the RCAF maintained a racial prejudice to wars end maintaining that Blacks were unsuitable for both ground and air crew’s, and attitude that continued into the 1950’s. F/O Alan Bundy was the only black to serve as an RCAF aircrew officer in W.W.II, this was similar in the RAF.

 By the end of the war, there were several thousand Canadian Blacks serving in various branches of the Army. 58 Black enlistments from Chatham served and Guy Needham DOAS.

Over the next five decades the Canadian military all have opened to all visible minorities, the changing attitudes of the general public and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms did much to institutionalize anti-racism. Today Blacks are serving with distinction in every branch of the services, and hold ranks from private to senior officers.   

  CORPORL AINSWORTH DYE

………. 3PPCLI 1977 – 2002 

Killed by ‘friendly fire’ 17/04/2002 at Kandahar with Sgt. Marc Leger, Pte Richard Green, and Pte. Nathan Smith. 

Last updated 24/01/2020. 

1. R. Hind – “The search goes on…..”

Capt. Stewart McKeough,

Who Died in Defence Of His Mother-Land,

Somewhere in France, Sept. 15, 1916.

          By:  Edmund Eugene O’Connor

It was for you and I dear friends,

This Hero took a chance.

He sacrificed all life holds,

And died somewhere in France.

We used to see him on the street,

A man that all were pleased to meet.

During the hours of toil and leisure,

His whole life seemed a pleasure.

With all the boys he had the name,

Of being a sport in every game.

A really good fellow all the while,

Every word spelt with a smile.

But alas a day of deep thought came,

He was called to play a different game.

Indeed quite different to the rest,

One that calls for a manly breast.

Each day brought a deeper thought,

His duties were made clear,

With a heart and soul and all that is good,

He went as a volunteer.

His first drills were in Toronto,

After he left his home.

And when a few short months had passed,

He crossed the angry foam.

He was but a few days on the ocean,

Which he had never crossed before.

When at last old England was in sight,

And he landed safe on shore.

From the Mother-land, there came the command,

You boys must help the French.

They knew just what the order meant,

And soon were in the trench.

The Captain took his place, and had to face,

That terrible air of death.

The very thought that you might be caught,

Would take away your breath.

Alas the fatal hour came,

The voice of God called out his name.

And at the point of a German gun,

Great Britain lost a Hero son.

But God is just in his mercy,

His blessings never cease.

And he called Capt. McKeough, as he will call you,

To a home of eternal peace.

This poem was found in the family bible of the late Col. Ralph West, by his wife Norma.  Used with permission.

In 1948, Bairnsfather visited Chatham while on a lecture tour of Canada and the United States. He spoke at Chatham Vocational School and afterwards enjoyed the companionship of old veterans in both the Officers’ and Sergeants’ Messes of the Chatham Armoury. During the course of the festivities that night, he drew the famous “Old Bill” cartoon on the wall above the bar in the Sergeants’ Mess, where it remains today. He was given a quart of ‘good scotch’ in payment for his artwork. Shortly before his death in September 1959, Bairnsfather reproduced the cartoon for an Old Soldiers event, at the request of his “Chatham friend”, Staff Sgt. Percy Taylor.

Born in Stirling, Scotland. : Son of J. and Margret Murdoch; husband of Fannie Murdoch, of 15, Emma St., Chatham, Ontario, brother of William 6707. Prior to the war John (known as Jack to his friends) lived with his wife and child at 397 Queen Street, Chatham, ON. Worked as a butcher. He enlisted on 24 September, 1914 after completing his medical on the 23rd at Valcatier, PQ.

John was mistakenly reported as killed in action 18 February, 1915 at La Brasserie Chatham Daily Planet 1/03/1915. This a announcement, “caused considerable worry among the local friends of a Chatham man named John Murdock who enlisted from this city.” It had been reported that the Princess Patricia Light Infantry (P.P.C.L.I.) had been re-enforced in the trenches by soldiers of the Canadian force at Salisbury Plain. Chatham Daily Planet 1/03/1915. It turned out to be another John Murdock of 6 Comiston Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Mrs. J. Murdock of 397 Queen Street, Chatham received a letter from her husband Pte. John Murdock who was sitting in a crater during the battle of Langemarck. “Dear wife and baby: I take great pleasure in letting you know that I am alive yet. So far we had a big battle on the 23rd and 24th of April.”

He expects that his wife will have read about the battle before his letter arrives so goes on to say, “It was a terrible battle but we both (William Murdock) came through without a scratch. I will never forget it.” The casualties among the Chatham men was small, one killed and one missing plus a number wounded. “We had to cross an open field to charge the Germans and it certainly was terrible.” He has survived the charge but is not out of danger as he writes to his wife, “I am presently sitting out in a field in a hole in the ground, for we are afraid that the Germans will shell us at any time.”

Though Jack professes to be not “downhearted yet” he has seen much and knows his odds are not good. “I certainly do wish the whole war was over with me over in Canada once again. I don’t think we will ever come through such a battle again.”

Jack fought at the battle of Langemarcke on the 23rd and 24th of April, 1915. In a letter to his wife, printed in the Chatham Daily Planet 28/06/1915 he writes, “It was a terrible battle but we [Jack and William] both came through without a scratch. I will never forget it.”

Monday June 21st 1915 the front page of the Chatham Daily Planet announces sad news to many Chatham families. In particular to Mrs. Jack Murdock. “Her tear-dimmed eyes swollen through incessant weeping, he voice trembling with uncontrollable emotion, her arms holding to her breast the bright innocent little two year old baby”, war has come home to 397 Queen street. A cable was received by Mrs. Murdock from the Presbyterian minister Rev. Mackie from the small Scottish town of Pollock, the home town of Jack’s cousin William Murdock. Rev. Mackie broke the news of Jacks death.

In the same issue of the paper was published a letter from Jack written on June 2nd . “we have just come out of the trenches after being there for thirteen days, but we did not loose many this time.” He was glad to get his wife’s letters and papers and tobacco. “There are six of us Chatham boys together. Just now we are lying around” His cousin Bill (Murdock) is in the same unit but in another platoon.

“I tell you Fannie it is awful to see the ruins here – homes all smashed, towns laid to ruins, it makes your blood run cold to see.” He promises his baby daughter to bring her a “nice doll and something from Scotland and that she must be a good girl”. He says the Canadians are gaining a good reputation, “The Germans call us the Wild Indians. We certainly go after them every chance we get.”

He has just heard that Bill Murdock has gone to hospital . “He is sick and not wounded. He is not in very bad condition”. He closes with “Well goodbye. Love to you both with lots of kisses and hoping for a safe return. From you loving husband. JACK.”

JACK MURDOCK’S FAREWELL TO HIS FAMILY – Chatham Daily Planet 21 June, 1915.

It is not clear who was the author of this article “WAR IS THE CAUSE OF MANY PATHETIC SCENES”, there was no byline on attached to it. Transcribed as printed. – J. R. Hind 26/03/05

The red sun of approaching noon glinted own upon a grim looking soldier-laden train and scores of broken hearts. Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters clustered about the cars and fought through the jam of human bodies for last farewells with loved ones. Tears dimmed many eyes. On the top most branch of a near by maple a robin flung his note of “Peace – Peace” to the wavering breeze and lied – lied. There was little evidence of peace in the hustle and bustle attending the departure of Chatham’s division of the First Canadian Contingent. Officers hurried here and there issuing orders; men of the rank and file, some white-faced, but unmoved, others whose cheeks glistened with an occasional tear, sauntered through the long stretch of train and mingled with the swarms of unknown, unfeeling lookers-on.

From one of the windows of a dusty coach, a bare-headed soldier, thrust forth his arms. His brow was moist with perspiration; on his bronzed face was a look of grim determination. But his eyes read entreaty as his long, muscular arms were extended to the mere infant that crooned on a mother’s breast, close at hand. a smile of recognition showed on the baby’s chubby countenance. The next instant the cooing morsel of humanity was clasped in a fervent embrace to the heart of the father who was going forth to battle for the rights of the country he loved so well. The veteran rained kiss after kiss on the infant’s face and as the little white hands of his child played triumphantly with his moustache, a tear – another and another stole from beneath his eye lashes and dimmed his sight.

Back in the crowd a woman swooned. The heart-rending sobs of a sixteen year old girl were plainly heard. Men turned aside with some unexplained able pounding in their own breasts. The distant engine whistled dismally, and the cars were slowly beginning to move. Reverently the soldier returned the youngster to his wife’s arms. Leaning further from the window he kissed her his last farewell. The train gathered speed; a last weird shriek in the distant yards, and he was gone.
That was last August and the scene is one that will never be forgotten. Today, a little mother, and the same little child, are awaiting a father’s return, that cannot be.

Over in the Flanders country, somewhere near the torn and bleeding village of Fesubert, Lance-Corporal Jack Murdock lies dead and buried, the customary rude cross of white erect above the mound of black earth that covers his gallant form. He lies there, another Chatham hero, who has given his life in the terrible struggle with the merciless Hun.

The incessant roar of the big guns and the sharp rattle of the rifle fire will resound about his remains for weeks and probably months to come. The spring floods of next year will probably wipe away any remains of his hastily constructed grave. Then the last trace of a gallent soldier will have been removed.

In Chatham there is a darkened Queen street home, where a little mother is struggling to console herself to the loss of a dear husband. An unknowing child plays about the house unable to comprehend his mother’s grief-racked condition. On a little table are several pressed flowers a daisy and two or three grass bells – that were picked by her Jack from a Flander’s wood, shortly after the recent terrible battle of Langemarck.

The flowers, a few censor-attacked letters, are all of a material nature that Mrs. Murdoch has to remind her of her soldier husband’s battle for the right in far away France. The mother’s love is strong however, and in that, and the fact that he died with his face to the foe, one of the bravest of the brave, may come the much hopes for relief.

Private John (Jack) Murdoch 6708, 1st Battalion (Western Ontario Regiment was killed in action 15 June, I915, age 42. Vimy Memorial (No Known Grave Site)

The Chatham Daily Planet 28/06/1915 reports, “LANCE CORPORAL JACK MURDOCK MAY BE ALIVE’. It seems a Mr. H. G. Reed; financier of the A.O.U.W fraternal lodge that Jack belongs to has been making inquires of the Militia Department in Ottawa and received the following message. “Answering your inquiry 19th June, number 6709, Private John Murdoch 1st Battalion, not on any official casualty lists received at headquarters to date.”

Mrs. Murdock is, “now buoyed with the hope the first message concerning her husband is without foundation.”

The faint hope that Jack had in fact survived his last battle came to a tragic conclusion in a letter received by William Murdock’s wife Edith. The letter dated June 16th ,1915 opens, “Darling Wife and Son: Just a line to let you know I am well and have come through another terrible time. Edith how can I tell you poor Jack fell. I can’t say more but tell Fannie that he died a noble death as did the rest of the Chatham boys.”

The charge of the 1st Battalion (Western Ontario Regiment that day in June as Will says “was a magnificent sight to see the boys go over the trench but the sad returning looking for chums.” The list of Chatham killed that William knew of at the time, was nine, including Jack and seven more wounded or missing. “I have not a man left in No. 1 section. I can’t write any more today as I am too much upset. With a prayer to Almighty God for sparing me to my sweetest love, I must close. Love to you and my wee son. W. Murcock” Chatham Daily Planet 2/07/1915

MURDOCH, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: Canadian Rank: Lance Corporal Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment) Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 42 Date of Death: 15/06/1915 Service No: 6708 Additional information: Son of J. and Marget Murdoch; husband of Fannie Murdoch, of 15, Emma St., Chatham, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Cemetery: VIMY MEMORIAL CWGC

CRAWFORD, RICHARD GILPIN. Rank: LT Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2124 – 22 Date of Birth 13/01/0000.

Born in Tilbury, Kent, ON. the only son of Mr. & Mrs.W. C. Crawford a merchant of that city. “Dick’ attended Tilbury Separate School, then Upper Canada College in Toronto until 1911 and finally Royal Military College (No. 932), in Kingston. A civil engineer / surveyor prior to the war and a Lieut. In the Essex Fusillers, he enlisted on the 17th of August, 1914 completing his medical at Valcatier, PQ 31 August, 1914 a member of the 9th Battalion C.E.F. He would transfer to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in charge of a 60 man reinforcement detail. The 22 year old Richard was not married but engaged to Miss Reva English of Harwich Township.

A letter originally printed in the Tilbury Times, reprinted in the Chatham Daily Planet 25/03/1915, dated 23rd of February describes Richard’s activities in England two weeks after the 1st Division had left for France. “The contingent moved out some two weeks ago, leaving millions worth of stores of the 3rd Brigade.” He goes on to describe his efforts to collect all of these stores from “over a hundred huts, guard them and provide, or rather procure, transport to move to Salisbury and Tidworth..” After some description of some of the stores involved he goes on to say, “There is little chance of our leaving for another month. We expect to go to billets near Dover from Tidworth.” Richard would arrive in France on 23/03/1915 in charge of 60 men for the PPCLI.

“LIEUT. CRAWFORD WRITES LETTER FROM THE FRONT” appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 26/04/1915. Many letters from men of the 1st Contingent appeared uncensored in local papers in the early months and well into 1915. The letter dated France, March 26th 1915 tells that this is his second day in France after leaving Tidworth, England to the martial music of, “at least two bands and everyone taking us by the hand, we moved out at 11:45”, on way to Southampton.

Their ship with hundreds of other troops left Southampton about “seven o’clock” and the trip across the channel was like sailing on a “mill pond”. While crossing the channel Crawford reported that the ship’s movements, “reminded one of a frightened deer. She would dart out of the harbor, all at once stop’ listen, and then creep along for a while and take to her heels for dear life.” The trip up the river took “six delightful hours” during which Lieut. Crawford and another officer slept on the deck, “a finer sleep I never expected to have”, he said.

As the ship proceeded up the river to Rouen, there was continual cheering, ” you would scarcely know France was in the biggest war of her life”. A closer examination of who was doing the cheering revealed, “there was no young men on the banks”. When the officers focused the binoculars on the people cheering, “there were none of the smiles that mark the French people the world over”, an observation that would be the look of the French soldiers.

In a second letter addressed from, “God Knows Where” , Night of March 28. Now in Flanders a few miles behind the line, “I have 175 men in my charge from two crack regiments of England”. He is with another officer from the P.P.C.I.L. and is anxious to turn these men over to their commanding officer and join their on regiment. After leaving Rouen they have been travelling by train and marching and sleeping wherever they could find a spot, “I had a great sleep on the floor of the coaches”.

Lieut. Crawford was quick to apply the situation of the French to Canada, “Would I be light hearted marching to a trench a few miles out of Tilbury, knowing that it would be worse than death for my people.

Tired of minding the stores Lieut. Crawford has himself transferred to the P.P.C.I.L which as part of the 27th British Division were is moving into the area of Bellewaerde Lake near Ypres on the 23rd of March, 1915.

A telegram from Ottawa arrived at the home of Mr. W. C. Crawford, the 16th of May 1915 notifying him that his son “Dick” had been wounded in the abdomen while serving with the ‘Princess Pats’. Mr. Crawford immediately got into communication with a Miss Howe in England, a great family friend. Miss Howe contacted the War Office to follow-up on Richard’s condition.

It was a sad telegram that she had to send to a worried father informing him that “the wounded Lieutenant had died of his wounds in No.2 Clearing Hospital in France. He had been in the thick of the action since joining the Princess Pats and “gave a good account of himself. He is indeed worthy of being included in the list of the heroes of the present war.”

There was some confusion as to whether or not Lieut. Crawford had sustained a fatal wound. An article in the Chatham Daily Planet 28/05/1915, “Lieut. Crawford May Be Alive”, raised some hope since the injury and death had not been published in the regular casualty list.

The following days paper cast a pall over the previous days optimism with a printing of several letters from France received by Dick’s parents in Tilbury. The first dated 9th May, 1915 from Nursing Sister Katherine Mathers, nurse in charge of No. 2 Field Hospital. Sister Mathers writes,” I write to say your son, Lieut. R. G. Crawford, P.P.C.L.I., has been brought in here (Clearing Station General Headquarters, British Exped. Force) VERY severely wounding in the abdomen.” The sisters concludes her letter with,”Your son shall have every care and attention. I write in haste as we are VERY busy”.

The following day W.T. Kempster, Chaplain of the 9th Field Hospital, 3rd Division, in France, writes to Mrs. Crawford. “Dear Mrs. Crawford: You will have heard from other sources that your son Lieut. R. G. Crawford, P.P.C.L.I. has died from wounds received in the recent heavy fighting.” Chaplain Kempster goes on to say to say that he was with Richard when he died. He goes on to say, “he felt deeply for you and his father and please mention, he said, my little girl Reva.”

The following is the last letter written home by Lieut. Crawford, printed in the Chatham Daily Planet 29/05/1915, along with the two above.

“Reserve, May 6th 1915.

Dearest Father:
Best of health and have been fighting hard.

The poor regiment has been badly cut up lately. Fifteen days in trenches. . . . 70 men and 3 officers.

One days shelling (day before yesterday) was concentrated from both sides and on our front for over 12 hours, 150 men and 3 officers, including the colonel who was rather badly wounded. Small percentage of men killed. We expect to march away back for two weeks rest almost at once.

We have gone through their gas and I know that if their battalion comes into close quarters with us that very few prisoners that will be taken after their disgusting gas. Of course I know that as an officer, I should not say this but I know how the boys feel and how I feel.
I hope to be able to give you a good account of what has been taking place here the last two weeks, very soon. A lot of good movements have taken place and hard fighting. I am certainly not seeing it from a back seat at present. Had a bath today,cold but great. First time I had cloths off in three weeks.

Love to all.
Dick

P.S. Have been able to keep cool up to the present and am much pleased about it.”

Three days later Richard “Dick” Crawford would die of wounds at No. 2 Stationary Hospital.

CRAWFORD, RICHARD GILPIN Initials: R G Nationality: Canadian Rank: Lieutenant Regiment: Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Age: 23 Date of Death: 09/05/1915 Additional information: Son of William C. and Annie Gilpin Cawford, of 51, Water St., Chatham, Ontario. Native of Tilbury, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: I. 10. Cemetery: BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY (NORD) CWGC.

Richard would be Mentioned In Dispatches 30/11/15 by Field Marshal Sir John French for, “Gallent and distinguished service in the field”. The War Book of Upper Canada College – 1923.

A large memorial service was held at St. Andrew’s Church, Tilbury for Lieut. Crawford on the 31st of May. Chatham Daily Planet 1/06/1915.

A letter received by W. C. Crawford from Lieut.Col. Rogers, Commandant, St. Martin’ s Plain, England related some additional details concerning Lieut. Crawford’s death, was printed in the Chatham Daily Planet 8/07/1915. He had enclosed some letters received from Major Pelly and also from the Adjutant of the P.P.C.L.I., he also mentions a letter from the men of Richards platoon that he should have already received.

Lieut. Col. Rogers thanked Mr. Crawford for, “the Pump Gun which you have so very kindly turned over to me – I shall treasure it amongst my most treasured possessions.” He is sorry that it would be impossible under the present situation to suitably mark the grave with a stone marker. There is neither a fitting place at present nor the financial resources for a 6 foot 6 inch high cross as suggested by Mr. Crawford, not to mention the “$125 – $130” to letter and install such a monument.

Major Pelly described the situations around the death of Lieut. Crawford. He was, “wounded early in the morning of May 8th at Bellewaerde Lake”. The young officer had been hit by a piece of high explosive shrapnel while he was in a trench, “attending to his duties.” He was removed some 100 yards from where he fell by four of his men, “who were exposed to heavy shell and machine gun fire to a dugout”.

While in the dugout he was properly bandaged by the Medical Orderlies and made as comfortable as possible. “About noon the same day a large high explosive shell fell on the dugout and Lieut. Crawford was again wounded, this time in the right foot. Even though he was seriously wounded he objected to anyone making any “fuss over him”.

Once it was dark he was taken to a dressing station by stretcher bearer and then by ambulance to the nearest hospital 9 miles away, “he died there of his wounds.”

The year after the untimely death of Lieut. Crawford, an article appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 15/06/1916 with the provocative headline “PRINCESS PATS DRIVEN TO DESPERATION WHEN ON OF THE OFFICERS WAS CRUCIFIED”. The article developed from an extract of a letter written by R. P ADAMS of Saskatoon to W. A. HUTTON of Tilbury.

Private Paddy Burns Account of the Death of Lieut R. R. G. Crawford.
As told by R. P. Adams.

The year after the untimely death of Lieut. Crawford, an article appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 15/06/1916 with the provocative headline “PRINCESS PATS DRIVEN TO DESPERATION WHEN ON OF THE OFFICERS WAS CRUCIFIED”. The article developed from an extract of a letter written by R. P ADAMS of Saskatoon to W. A. HUTTON of Tilbury.

“Saskatoon, June 3, 1916
W. A. Hutton Esq.,
Tilbury, Ontario.

Dear Sir.

I was talking to private Paddy Burns of Unity, Sask. , a returned soldier, who fought under the late Lieut. Crawford, one of our Tilbury boys, we should all be proud of, and I think it should be made known throughout our community of his bravery and heroic work as told by Private Burns.

He says Lieutenant Crawford who was wounded by a piece of shell, while fighting at Chateau Hooge, proved himself a hero from start to finish, always thinking of his men and exposing himself to give them orders, and encourage them on to victory.

Just before the great battle, one of the Princess Pat’s officers, who was wounded was found crucified by the Germans, and this drove both officers and men to desperation.

The Germans had a very large army, at least twenty men to every one of the allies, but the Princess Pat’s drove them back five miles and no one could have stopped them had they been supplied with munitions and men, but they got neither, and their ranks were wiped out to only 80 men, who were nearly all wounded, out of the hundred men in Lieut. Crawford’s platoon, only ten came back alive.

The last order that he was able to give was: “Fire like blazes boys; we have them going now.’

General French in addressing the remainder of the Princess Pat’s, after the battle, said they were offered up as a sacrifice in order to save the British empire, and they had bee found not wanting, invincible, impregnable, stone-wallers.

Lieut. Crawford passed away about twenty-four hours after he was wounded, saying the sacrifice was not too great for his King and country.

This is just as I got it from one who fought under our young hero and he sys, he cannot find words to express himself, for Crawford was not only a leader but a fighter, and would not ask men to do what he would not do himself.

Paddy says that only ten minutes before he was wounded he called to the second lieutenant to keep down or he would be hit. But it was a hard struggle, and while his men a shell struck him passing through his stomach. He was taken back to hospital. There he asked the doctor if it were possible for a man to live in his condition. The doctor replied evasively, that it all depended on how badly he was lacerated. It was soon learned that there was no hope.

You may publish this, if you wish, as I am sure the sad facts will be of interest to all who knew the heroic young soldier.

Yours sincerely.

R. P. Adams.

Transcribed by J. R. Hind 25/06/205.

There is no doubt that at least some of the accounts in this letter Pte. Burns was not likely privy to and at least some elaboration of the events has been made by Pte. Burns and Mr. Adams.

See Attestation record CRAWFORD R G Lt. copied.
See CRAWFORD R G Lt. Memory of.
Upper Canada College – “Roll of Service 1914 – 1918”.

25 November 1893 – 9 July, 1916

The early summer of 1914 had been one of the better ones in years; southwestern Ontario was enjoying the respite from a bitter winter. The crops were planted once again and summer activities were being enjoyed with little attention being paid to the problems in the Balkans, which were pushing the European nations on an uncontrollable march to war.

With the assassination of an Australian Crown Prince in Bosnia the dye was cast. On 3 August 1914 the German Imperial army rolled through neutral Belgium, its “Schlieffen Plan” now into effect would strike a mortal blow at France before turning on Russia. Britain, which had signed a treaty to protect Belgium’s neutrality, issued an ultimatum to Germany to withdraw and when midnight on the 4th passed, the ultimatum expired and a state of war existed between Britain and Germany. It was not, however, just between these two great powers, when Britain declared war; she involved the whole of her Empire, including Canada.

On the 6th of August, the Minister of Militia, Sam Hughs informed the commanding officers of 226 militia units that a Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) would be organized. Hughs wrote “The intention is to mobilize a contingent at Valcartier, PQ., where to secure the selection of the fittest more men will be assembled than in the first instance will be required”. How wrong that proved to be.

It is in this convulsing world that young Victor George Pyne found himself in mid-summer of 1914. Born in Reading, Berkshire, England the 25th of November, 1893, this young man would be but one of many that would soon find himself in the hell of the ‘Western Front’, mired in the mud and struggles of the Great War 1914-18. His was a long journey from Reading England, to a spot on the western front near Hooge Chateau in the West-Vlaanderen area of Belgium, in the horrible days of the summer of 1916.

The son of William and Harriet Pyne, Victor was the third of five boys, his father William Pyne, a watch maker, passed away in 1900 leaving Mrs. Pyne to raise the boys. One can only imagine how hard a task this must have been in turn of the last century in England. Without the ‘social safety net’ that we take for granted today, many parents in similar circumstances, turned to the few organizations to offer aid available in England at that time, a ‘work house’, or the Barnardo Society, or a like type charity.

Victor is standing in front of his father, Howard next to his father

So it was that in 1907 Victor and his older brother Howard left England to find a new life in Canada. After crossing the Atlantic they landed in Portland, Maine, on the east coast of the United States instead of Halifax because of a storm. They eventually reached Ridgetown after a stop in Toronto on 8 March, 1907. Victor was fourteen, Howard one year older in a new land.

Here the brothers were split up, Victor going to the farm of Harry Smith, his mother and two sisters, at lot 11, on the 10th concession of Howard Township. Howard went to the farm of Sherman Dempster about a mile away at lot 6 on the 11th. As luck would have it Victor’s placement was a happy one, becoming one of the family at the Smith’s farm.

It seems that Victor’s stay with the Smith’s was mostly a pleasant time. Hard work, to be sure, but that was the nature of farming in those days. There was wood to cut and fields to plow with Dan, the horse. Then weeding and cultivating to allow the crops to develop, but the climate of southwestern Ontario suited both crops and the development of young boys and Victor appears to have thrived in his new home.

He made friends in the area, joined fraternal orders (the Son’s of England) with Harry Smith and enjoyed shooting competitions at local ‘turkey shoots’. An activity that would stand him in good stead all too soon. As it is with all young people Victor eventually left Harry and his wife Daisy and their young son Floyd, some time in late 1910 to strike out on his own.

It was while working for the Bell Telephone company in Chatham, in August 1914, Victor took up the call to serve his new country, part of that old British Empire, in military service. He was not, like many who rallied to the call to arms, without some military experience, being a member of the 24th Militia in Chatham. He signed up for military service on the 8th of August, 1914 as service number 6727 and on August the 21 boarded the C.P.R with 118 other men from Kent county for the trip to the new army camp at Valcartier, Quebec.

Victor in the uniform of the 24th Kent Regt. 1914

It is remarkable, given the size of the country, how quickly the son’s of Canada answered Sam Hughs’ call. By the 22nd of September, when Victor arrived at Valcartier, Quebec, he was one of 32,000 there, of the over 100,000 that had already volunteered. Valcartier was a happy time at camp for most, but short lived. On the 26th troop ships began to load at Quebec City, moving to the Gaspe’ Basin and by October the 4th Victor’s ship SS Laurentis sailed with 31 other ships carrying Canada’s first contingent across the Atlantic to Britain

After a peaceful crossing the troops began to disembark in the English ports of Plymouth and Devonport on the 14th of October. There they boarded trains for the trip to the British Army’s training area at Salisbury Plain to “hone their fighting skills”.

The 1st Canadian Battalion stayed on Salisbury Plain for approximately four weeks of unremitting misery. The week after the Canadians arrived for training it started to rain and rained for 89 of the next 123 days, “All was wetness and misery.” wrote many troops home. Though the weather helped the Canadians become accustomed to the weather they would find at the front, it allowed little opportunity to properly train for the rigors of front line war. Nor to prove out the effectiveness of the Ross rifle, fine for target practice but which would prove to be woefully and tragically lacking in the mud of Flanders.

The trip to the front was not an easy one, winter storms in the English Channel kept troops on ship for a week before landing at St. Nazaire. Loaded into box cars on the 13th of February, marked “Men – 40 – Horses 8” they started a 43 hour ride to the front lines then near Hazelbrouck, in northern France, finally billeted at Merris on the 16th. A few weeks later they visited a ‘quiet’ area of the trenches for indoctrination with a British unit.

The 3rd of March found the Canadians taking over 6000 meters of a quiet sector of the front line near Fleurbaix. A terrible spot where a trench dug a meter deep was quickly half filled with “foul smelling water”. This proved to be close to the British attack on Neuve Chapelle which started on the 10th of March. The Canadians job in this action was to “hold the enemy to their ground”. Though ‘quiet’ 68 Canadians were killed and 210 wounded.

On the 12th of May Victor wrote home to his brother “I am still quite well and getting along fine.” He then goes on to say “we had a hot time of it the latter part of last month. I was one of the lucky ones and came out safe, but I shall never forget that day. The day he’s talking about is the 23rd of April, the day the face of war changed when the Germans started an attack by opening 5700 cylinders of poisonous chlorine gas

For the best part of three days the Canadians fought a desperate battle, poorly trained and with rifles that often jammed, they fought with determination, if they lost, they would leave an open hole for the Germans to pour through to Paris. Victor writes, “there was shrapnel, bullets, coal boxes (bombs), poisonous gas and everything else coming over on us as we advanced up a hill {Mauser Ridge), but anyhow we kept right on going until we got to the top.”

Over the 23 – 26th of April battles were fought at Mauser Ridge, Kitchener’s Wood, Mouse trap farm and St. Julien to name but a few of the horrendous engagements which now are collectively know as the “Second Battle of Ypres”. “I would like to tell you all about it but cannot” Victor writes to Howard. It’s little wonder he can not describe the desperate struggle that left 6700 casualties to the 1st Canadian Division.

Over the 23 – 26th of April battles were fought at Mauser Ridge, Kitchener’s Wood, Mouse trap farm and St. Julien to name but a few of the horrendous engagements which now are collectively know as the “Second Battle of Ypres”. “I would like to tell you all about it but cannot” Victor writes to Howard. It’s little wonder he can not describe the desperate struggle that left 6700 casualties to the 1st Canadian Division.

Seriously wounded in the thigh, shoulder, scalp and abdomen near Festubert one of the engagements that made up the Battle of Givenchy, Victor is evacuated to the South General Hospital in Oxford, England. After 52 days in hospital he had recovered enough to be released. In today’s modern warfare this would be enough for a trip back home out of the war, but such was not the case then.

On March the 2nd he was certified “Fit for Duty” by the Medical Board at Shorncliffe and sent back to the front. He was taken back on strength with the 1st Battalion on 6 April, 1916. Victor rejoined his unit, still involved in the Givenchy area, which until June was relatively quiet. That changed on the 15th of June when, in support of a French attack at Artois, the Canadians launched an attack on the strong German position in front of them. As was so often the case, by the 19th the French attack had ended in failure and the Canadian’s counted their casualties.

The last known photo of Cpl. Pyne taken in London, England before he returned to France

So it was on the 27th of June the Canadians moved again, this time to Ploegsteert or as the troops called it, “Plugstreet”. The warm summer months were a period of relative inactivity where there seemed to be an attitude of “live and let live”. One soldier described this time, “life as good as it could be in the trenches”. The official War Diary of the 1st Battalion, for the days of July 6th through the 9th described it as a period of mostly artillery duels between the Canadians and the Germans on Mount Sorrell.

Then on the 9th of July, the official war diary reports, “Enemy guns ranged on our position, — intense bombardment of our whole area.” At 10 P.M. “shells landing around Battalion Headquarters – about 100 men killed or wounded” Two days later a message came from 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade relieving the Canadians from that sector of the front. 29 Officers and other ranks killed, 95 wounded and 12 missing. One of the killed was Victor George Pyne at 22 years old, died of his wounds.

On 25 August, 1916 C.S.M (Company Sergeant Major) J. Barr wrote to Jack, Victor’s younger brother in England informing him of Victor’s death. Killed by a trench mortar, CSM Barr writes, “I’m sure all missed him as much as I’ve ever missed a comrade. He was liked by all ranks.” And so it was that on a hot summer day the young man, who was born in England, grew into a young man in Canada, lost his life in a corner of Belgium. And so, a life with so much promise becomes a sad tale in a terrible conflict.

It is said that Canada came of age as a country in the blood and gore of World War I, the Great War to end all wars. There is no doubt that we did come of age as a country and at a fearful price. The sacrifices of the youth of our country, in this war and others that followed, now allow us to be free in a world, still so full of tyranny, hate and death. We now have the freedom to choose where and when we send our military into harms way. We must never forget the sacrifices of those like Victor who laid down their lives for what we take for granted today

Victor Pyne has not been forgotten, each November 11th his name is read out at the cenotaph in Ridgetown, Ontario along with the others from his adopted town who lost their lives also in the service of their country in the two Great Wars and other conflicts. It was heart warming for this writer that in March of 2010, while on a tour of Vimy Ridge and other military cemeteries in the Ypres area students from John McGregor High School in Chatham, ON., they took time to stop by Victor’s grave site to pay their respects; I’m sure Victor would have been pleased for their company.

Published in the Ridgetown Independent – Remembrance Day issue November 2003.

The Ivison family beginning with the father of the three Sergeants’ in the photo above was the first to go to war in 1914 with the 1st Battalion Canadian Expeditionalry Force (C.E.F.)

Joseph Ivison Sr. was born in Carlisle, England on the 31st of March, 1882 and had served seven years in the military in England with the “Cumberland Volunteer Artillery Howitzer Battery”, before coming to Canada. He was married to Mary Foster and had been working at the William Gray & Sons Company in Chatham making $3.00 a day. I was enough to afford a house at 175 Colbourne St., in Chatham. Joe was also a well known footballer likely skills learned while he was in England.

Like many in August of 1914 he was prepared to enlist in the army and he with 114 other local men boarded the train to take him to Valcartier, PQ. where he became Service number 6690. Joe was thirty two, unusually tall for the time at 6 foot 3 inches likely a man that the younger soldiers from Chatham and Kent County would look up to.

Joe wrote many letter home to his wife and friends and supplied a personal insight to the trial that the CEF would endure when they finally reached “France”.

Joe wrote to his friend Postman, Sidney Carter from Camp Bustard on the Salisbury Plain, Chatham Daily Planet 16/02/1915, “All Of The Chatham Boys in Good Shape”. His only complaint is the, “way our mail is being handled”. He says he is spending a lot of time around the cook tent implying that he’s becoming a cook and has his friends LaMarsh and Rayner to keep him company. He concludes the letter by talking about the future, “I myself am in the “pink of condition” and you won’t have to look for a centre half back when I get home again.”  [Clayton LaMarsh and George Rayner at the Water Detail for D-Company of the 1st Battalion]

Joseph and the other men from Chatham and Kent were involved in the 2nd Battle of Ypres and the engagements that followed that first “blooding” of the CEF. A letter written 17/06/1915 from Joseph to his wife carried some good news that, “I am well and safe, after the battle of 15 June.” However he goes on to report that, “with the deepest feelings of regret that I tell you about Joe JOINER and Dick DENNIS. They were both killed on Tuesday evening in our attack”. Chatham Daily Planet 2/07/1915

Joseph fought in the battles at Langemarck and Festubert and came through both unscathed. “We certainly suffered severely but our company did some splendid work and the wonder of it is how any of them got through.” He reports that that No. 4 company led the attack with the rest of the battalion following. At the end of that battle he tells that of 13 platoons ‘old Chatham boys’ only Sergt. SHEFF, W. MURDOCK, A. BATES, H. TACK, J. MOORE, W. EASTON, William COMPTON and J. IVISON survived unscathed. “we are a badly bent battalion, right now we lost all but two officers, Major SMITH, GORDON and Lt. McDONALD (former Sergt. Maj) were killed and CHESHAM and METCALF wounded.”  Chatham Daily Planet 14/07/1915.

It became evident in Joe’s writing that the war and the loss of close friends was a profound effect on him in particular when writing to the wife of his friend Pte. Joseph Joiner (6692) [Ivison’s number was 6690}  His letter begins: “What a lovely day it is and the last of January, it just reminds me of one of those mild days of spring which we were all delighted to enjoy back in the “old Bung”.” The ‘veteran soldier’ is too practical to forget the fickled weather of Western Europe, “we must not bark too soon, as last February and March were both bad weather out here.” He reflects that by the time Mrs. Joiner receives this letter, “the First Battalion will have been along the firing line twelve months.”

“If I could pen my thoughts of the last year I would give you a resume of our work, but abler pens than mine would fail. Then again, I am sure there are some thoughts which could only bring pain to several of us, so you will excuse me; won’t you?”

Mrs. Joiner had sent a photo of herself with her son Austin, which he took great pleasure and pride in receiving. “I was surprised to see Austin in the uniform of a soldier, I did not think he was old enough, but we must not criticize, but what an example it must be – yes, and a shame also – to many of the stalwart men you must still have hanging around in Kent County.”

One of the first men to answer the ‘call to the colours’ in August of 1914 as a member of the “Fighting First” Joe returned to Chatham on the noon C. P. R. train on the 19th of September, 1916, almost two years to the day of his departure. It was unfortunate that this soldier, who had served so well in the early battles of the war, was only met by a few close friends there was no official welcome due to a lack of notification, perhaps by Joe’s design.

During the war years Joe and another 1st Contingent man Clifford Morrice would be advocating to local politicians to find jobs for returning veterans during and after the war and both were involved in organizing what became the Veterans of the Great War Association, later to become what we know today as the the “Legion’.

Joseph Ivison is buried in Maple Leaf Cemetery, Chatham ON., with his wife Mary E. FOSTER. Joseph died in 1951, his tomb stone bears the emblem of the Kent Regiment.

When the Second World War began the Ivison’s were to be represented by three sons Hugh, Joseph and Wilfred.

IVISON, JOSEPH HENRY. Service No: A/50204 Sergeant, Regiment: Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C. Born 10/09/1908 at Chatham, ON. The oldest son of Joseph and Mary E. Ivison, of Chatham, Ontario. His brother Wilfred (A50203) also fell; other siblings included Hugh and Ida. Joseph the father, served in the 1st Bn. CEF (6690) in the 1st Contingent and was one of the early veteran to be invalided home. Joe attended Central Public School and Chatham Vocational School. After leaving school he worked as a plumber and at Willards Hardware (1927 – 32), then at the Ontario Steel Plant on St. George St., Chatham

Joe, Fred (Wilfred) and Hugh enlisted 14 August, 1940 in Chatham, ON. At the time Joe had married and divorced Verna Hebblethwaite and he had two children from a common-law marrage, June Evelyn and Shirley Mary. Joe was accepted in the Junior Leaders Course at Magantic, PC for NCO training.

All three of the Ivison brothers went to France as Sargeants in the Essex Scottish Regt. Joe was killed by a German sniper in actions in the Caen area during the Normandy campaign. Hugh heard of Joes death when some men in his section saw Joe’s helmet hanging on a cross. Joe’s mother was notified by the Chatham police.

Age: 37, KIA –  Date of Death: 21/07/1944, in France.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: VII. D . 3.
Cemetery: BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY. Christ Church, Chatham. – Roll of Honour. Index of Overseas Deaths.

IVISON, ‘ Fred’ WILFRED. Service No: A/50203,  Sergeant, Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C. The youngest son of Joseph and Mary E. Ivison, of Chatham, Ontario. Joseph the father served in the 1st Bn. CEF (6690) in the 1st Contingent and was one of the early veteran to be invalided home. Fred along with brothers Joe and Hugh joined the 1st Kents when they mobilized in 1940. He trained with the regiment in Chatham, London, Halifax Niagara Falls and New Westminister, BC. He was processed overseas as a reinforcement and along with his other two brothers were posted with the Essex Scottish in England before moving to France.

Married the husband of Lillian (nee Cruse) Ivison, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Cruse of Chatham, Fred and Lillian had three sons. Prior to enlisting Fred was employed at International Harvester and was a member of the Kent Regt. for several years before the outbreak of war.  His brother Joseph Henry also fell.

It was reported that Fred was killed in a slit trench near Ifs, south of the city of Cean, France. Hit in the head by a shell fragment from a German Tiger tank. His brother Hugh was a member of the buriel party. After the loss of Wilfred, Hugh was transferred back to Canada posted in London, ON. as an instructor. The Canadian government had a policy that the last surviving son was ordered to withdraw from combat.

Age: 34, DOW – Date of Death: 01/08/1944, in France. His brother Joseph Henry also fell.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. A. 7.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY. Christ Church, Chatham. – Roll of Honour. Index of Overseas Deaths.

IVISON, HUGH J. Sgt. A50202, Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Son of Joseph and Mary E. Ivison, of Chatham, Ontario. Joseph the father served in the 1st Bn. CEF (6690) in the 1st Contingent and was one of the early veteran to be invalided home.

Married, the husband of Lillian Ivison, of Chatham they had a daughter in January of 1945 and were living in the Stringer Block on King St. in Chatham.  His brothers Joseph Henry and Wifred who fell in service. IODE(P).

Hugh trained in Chatham No. 12 BTC., London, Halifax, Westminister BC. and Quebec before he and his two brothers went overseas with the Essex Scottish Regt. He saw action in France and Belgium before being returned home. Reported returned from overseas duty 18/12/1944. Hugh was transferred back to Canada posted in London, ON. as an instructor. The Canadian government had a policy that the last surviving son was ordered to withdraw from combat. Sgt. Hugh J. was reported as passing away 27/08/1991. LM-LP. CDN 18/01/45.

In this largely static war of attrition, the Canadian Corps came to be valued as one of the most effective military formations on the Western Front, for they were masters of the hazardous techniques of offensive warfare. Their first full-scale demonstration of this came in April 1917, at Vimy Ridge, which they captured with superb planning and preparation, resulting in casualty levels far below the norm. Vimy was the pinnacle of Canadian military achievement in the First World War.

Early in October 1918, Cambrai was captured. Then, in an uninterrupted advance, the Canadian forces fought their way through Valenciennes and Mont Houy and reached Mons on November 11, the historic day the Armistice ending the War took effect.

This was largely an army of citizen-soldiers, but by November 11, 1918, they were recognized as consummate professionals. In the First World War, 70 Canadian heroes, one of them a resident of Chatham-Kent, won the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross (VC). Many more would receive other decorations for gallantry.

Four long years of war transformed Canada from a colony to a nation, and the veterans who fought for our freedom will never be forgotten. At a cost of nearly a quarter of a million casualties, Canada grew, with sorrow for the fallen, yet with a new pride and increased awareness of nationhood. Eventually, Canadians would become peacekeepers to the world. Instead of fighting to restore peace, they would stand between combatants to preserve it. This prime military role supports Canada’s foreign policy to this day.