THE CANADIAN CORPS
Tranquil Canadian lines---German reconnaissance--Incident at "Plug
Street"--Pte. Bruno saves Capt. Tidy--A sniper's month--Sharpshooters'
compact--Sergt. Ballendine--The Ross rifle--"No Man's Land"--Our
bombers--Sergt. William Tabernacle--His new profession--General Sir Sam
Hughes' visit--Canadian patriotism--Civilian armies--"Last Word of
Kings"--Art of the "soldier's speech"--Lord Kitchener's
inspiration--Lord Roberts and the Indians--General Hughes arrives in
France--At British Headquarters--Consultation with King Albert--Meeting
with Prince Alexander of Teck--Conference with General Alderson--The
second Canadian Contingent--In the firing line--Many friends--General
Burstall's artillery--Inspection of cavalry--Meeting with Prince of
Wales--The Princess Patricias--Conference with Sir Douglas
Haig--General Hughes' suggestions--Meeting with General Foch--Impressed
with General Joffre--The ruin at Rheims--General Hughes' message on
departure--A quiet August--The Canadian Corps--General Alderson's New
Command--An appreciation of a gallant Commander--Conclusion.
"Fortes a fortibus creantur."
Brave men are created by brave men.
Save for the great interest aroused by the visit of the Prime Minister,
Sir Robert Borden, an almost uncanny tranquillity reigned along the
whole Canadian front during the month of July.
The enemy soon became aware that new troops had taken up the position,
and reconnaissance parties were very active in endeavouring to
ascertain precisely what troops they now had opposite them. They had
probably caught a few words from our trenches which were sufficient to
tell them that they were now opposed to Canadians, and they were no
doubt anxious to discover whether they were confronted by the
experienced veterans who had proved their qualities at Ypres, or
whether their opponents were the soldiers of the 2nd Division, as yet
fresh to the field of war.
We, for our part, had a similar curiosity. We, too, were anxious to
discover the identity and, therefore, the quality, of the men whose
trenches it was our lot to watch by night and by day.
Knowing, however, that their reconnaissance parties were moving about,
we were content to bide our time--to await the opportunity of seizing
upon one of their detachments when they were either careless, ill-led,
or over-bold.
That opportunity came at "Plug Street" at half-past eight on the
morning of July 27th. One of the observers of the 3rd Battalion
(Toronto Regiment) reported a party of the enemy in the wild wheat,
never to be garnered, growing between the British and German lines. It
was then that Captain Tidy, with Private Bruno, who had joined the
Battalion at Valcartier from the Queen's Own of Toronto, and two other
privates of the names of Candlish and Subervitch, left the trenches and
crawled out to take the enemy by surprise. In this they were
successful. Two of the Germans surrendered the moment they were
covered by Captain Tidy's pistol; but the third, though putting up his
hands at first, lowered them again and fired at the officer. At this,
Bruno, who was in a crouching position among the wheat, fired two shots
from the hip and killed the treacherous German. The party returned
safely with their two prisoners, though the whole affair had taken
place in full view of the German trenches. The prisoners, when
questioned, stated that they had been sent out during the night in the
hope that they would be able to identify our troops.
July was a sniper's month. True, every month is a sniper's month; the
great game of sniping never wanes, but the inactivity in other methods
of fighting left the field entirely free for the sharpshooter in July.
It was during the fighting at Givenchy in June, 1915, that four snipers
of the 8th Canadian Battalion (Winnipeg Rifles) agreed to record their
professional achievements from that time forward on the wood of their
rifles.
Private Ballendine, one of the four, is from Battleford. He is tall
and loosely built. In his swarthy cheeks, black eyes, and straight
black hair, he shows his right to claim Canadian citizenship by many
generations of black-haired, sniping ancestors. He learned to handle a
rifle with some degree of skill at the age of ten years, and he has
been shooting ever since. At the present time he carries thirty-six
notches on the butt of his rifle. Each notch stands for a dead
German--to the best of Ballendine's belief. One notch, cut longer and
deeper into the brown wood than me others, means an officer.
To date, Private Smith, of Roblin, Manitoba, has scratched the wood of
his rifle only fourteen times; but he is a good shot, has faith in his
weapon, and looks hopefully to the future.
Private McDonald, of Port Arthur, displays no unseemly elation over his
score of twenty-six.
Private Patrick Riel makes a strong appeal to the imagination, though
his tally is less than McDonald's by two or three. He is a descendant
of the late Louis Riel, and when he enlisted in the 90th Winnipeg
Rifles at the outbreak of the war, and was told by one of his officers
that his regiment had done battle against his cousin Louis at Fish
Creek and Batoche, he showed only a mild interest in this trick of
Time. Riel, like McDonald, comes from Port Arthur way. Before the war
he earned his daily bacon and tobacco as a foreman of lumber-jacks on
the Kaministiquia River.
The weapons used by these four snipers are Ross rifles, remodelled to
suit their peculiar and particular needs. Each is mounted with a
telescopic sight, and from beneath the barrel of each much of the wood
of the casing has been cut away. The men do their work by day, as the
telescopic sight is not good for shooting in a poor light. They are
excused all fatigues while in the trenches and go about their grim
tasks without hint or hindrance from their superiors. They choose
their own positions from which to observe the enemy and to fire upon
him--sometimes in leafy covers behind our front-line trench, sometimes
behind our parapet. Very little of their work is done in the "No Man's
Land" between the hostile lines, for there danger from the enemy is
augmented by the chance of a shot from some zealous but mistaken
comrade. The mention of "No Man's Land" reminds me that, on the
Canadian front, this desolate and perilous strip of land is now called
"Canada." The idea is that our patrols have the upper hand here, night
and day--that we govern the region, though we have not stationed any
Governor or Resident Magistrate there as yet.
Our bombers, too, are an interesting and peculiar body of men, evolved
by the needs of this warfare from all classes. Sergeant William
Tabernacle is a bomber. He has lived for so long in an environment of
cramped quarters, alternating five days and five nights of narrow
trenches and low dug-outs, with five days and five nights of
circumscribed huts in the reserve lines, week after week, month after
month, that he sometimes wonders if the pictures in the back of his
mind--pictures of dry-floored houses, wide beds, and secure
streets--are memories or only dreams. At first, for a little while, he
fretted after the soft things of the old, soft life in far-away Canada;
but now he is content to shape his life and live it only from day to
day, to question the future as little as to review the past. The
things that matter to William now are the things of the moment--the
trench mortars behind the opposite parapet, the guns screened in the
wood behind our own lines, food, and his ration of rum.
William loves bombs, though he had never heard of such things before
the war and had never believed in them until two exploded near him, in
the first trench of his experience--long ago, before the Second Battle
of Ypres. It seems that he brought to France with him, all unknown to
himself or his comrades, an instinctive understanding of and affection
for every variety of explosive missile. He grasped the idea and
intention of this phase of warfare in a flash--in the flash of his
first hostile grenade. He was told to be a bomber; so he became a
bomber, and everything he threw exploded with precision. His Colonel
made a Corporal of him. As Corporal he added to his duties of throwing
bombs the work of overhauling the bombs of others and of manufacturing
a few on his own account. He became a Sergeant--and now he is an
accepted authority on bombs. He makes them, repairs them, assembles
them, takes care of them, issues them to his men, and sometimes heaves
a few himself, just to show the youngsters how the trick is done.
Nothing comes amiss to William. Bombs and grenades that enter his
trench and fail to explode are quickly investigated, and, sooner or
later, are returned to their original owners in working order. Rifle
grenades that explode in William's vicinity never fail to attract his
attention, and while others attend to the wounded he looks for the
stick. Finding the stick, he immediately welds it to the base of a
small, cone-shaped bomb from his own stores--and, behold, a rifle
grenade of superior quality all ready to be fired against the enemy's
loopholes.
William is considered by some to have grown peculiar in his habits.
His dug-out is hung and cluttered with the materials and tools and
weapons of his trade. He fondles specimens of British, French, and
German bombs, even as old ladies back in Canada fondle their
grandchildren. He expatiates on their good points and their defects.
He has his favourites, of course, and should anyone venture to belittle
the fuse, the detonating charge, or the explosive quality of one of his
favourites, he becomes arrogant, ill-mannered, and quarrelsome.
William lives to-day for the explosion of to-morrow. If he were Lord
Kitchener doubtless this war would end very suddenly, some fine day, in
a rending crash that would split and rip these fair lands from the sea
to the high hills.
William is a Canadian. Before the war his fellow-countrymen believed
that he lacked ambition and smoked too many cigarettes. But here he is
doing his queer work, in his own queer way, in a trench in the Low
Countries--one of the hardest rivets to break or bend in that long
barrier which the fighting legions of Germany can neither bend nor
break.
One cannot help wondering what William will do for excitement when he
returns to that little town in Ontario--if ever he does return.
Perhaps, an Uncle Toby of the New World, he will tell, "with
remembrances," the story of how he "fought in Flanders" on the old soil
and with the old weapons.
* * * * *
At the beginning of August the men were cheered by a welcome visitor
from home--Major-General Sir Sam Hughes, K.C.B., whom the men naturally
regard as the father of the Canadian Contingent.
The passionate love of country, the lofty, if inarticulate, patriotism
which called men from the lumber camp and the mine, the desk and the
store, was expressed in the formation of great armies, by the guiding
hand of the Minister of Militia.
At that supreme moment in our country's history, when Canada was at the
cross roads of her destiny, she was indeed happy in the possession of
the man who gathered in and marshalled, with a speed and noble energy
seldom, if ever, equalled, the hosts of willing but untrained civilians
who came rushing from the Pacific Coast, the Rockies, the grain-belt,
the Western Prairie, and the fields and forests and cities of the East,
to offer themselves to the Empire in her hour of need.
It is unnecessary to dwell upon the efforts which in a few weeks
assembled the first armies of Canada, armies which were in a brief
period to prove that they were able to meet on equal terms the military
brood of the great Frederick. Indeed, properly to enforce the true
spirit and meaning of Canada's great arming, one cannot insist too
strongly on the wonderful fact that by a supreme effort of
organisation, men who had, in the main, passed their lives in peaceful
pursuits, were forged into an army fitted to face with honour and
success the highly trained hordes of a nation steeped for centuries in
the traditions of militarism.
These gallant men of ours have displayed a valour which has never been
surpassed; they have become versed in the arts of war with a
thoroughness and swiftness which gives them a superb confidence, even
when faced by overwhelming numbers of the Kaiser's hosts. And they are
full of a great joy and a great pride when they consider that new-born
civilian armies have done so much.
Every Canadian soldier, too, is heartened by an appreciation of the
fact that in every detail of arms, equipment, and supply, the
organisation behind him works ceaselessly to make every Canadian unit
as perfect a fighting machine as can be. They know that, thanks to
Major-General Carson, the Agent of the Militia Department in England,
all their requirements for fighting purposes are thought out in
advance, and provided to the last detail in more than good time. Such
confidence makes for material well-being, and a spirit of intuitive
military flair does the rest.
General Hughes is a business soldier, though he possesses a true
soldier's heart. A soldier is popularly supposed to be a silent man.
When the statesmen and the politicians have ceased talking, when all
their speeches have been of no avail and it is left to the guns to
speak "the last word of Kings," the civilian believes that his military
leaders are not in the habit of speechmaking. That idea, however, is
profoundly mistaken. A study of military history shows that all great
leaders who have inspired troops to resist to the death when disaster
appeared to be certain, and all great leaders who have victoriously led
assaults which seemed the very children of despair, have had the
capacity of making what in armies is known as a "soldier's speech."
It is an art which cannot be cultivated. It is the instinctive
knowledge of precisely the right road to the soldier's heart at the
supreme moment when an appeal may make all the difference between
success or failure.[1]
War makes men's minds simple and sentimental. Without sentiment,
armies could never, in free communities, be got together, and armies
could never be led. Lord Kitchener proved that he had a very great
understanding of the art of the "soldier's speech" when he issued his
message to the Expeditionary Force on the eve of its sailing for
France. It made an ineffaceable impression on the men, and its
inspiration saw them through the bitter hours of the long retreat from
Mons.
Just before his death Lord Roberts made a speech to the Indian troops,
from which they drew a fervour which carried them through many a bloody
welter, in which the best soldiers in the world might have succumbed.
The Military Correspondent of _The Times_, too, has borne witness to
the fact that Sir John French knows precisely what to say to reach and
stir the soldier's heart.
And General Hughes has the same gift. He employed it well when he
spoke to the troops he had come to visit. He did not say much, but his
words had an electrical effect upon the men's patriotism, and
strengthened them to fight even more sternly than they had already done
for freedom; while, in the contemplation of soldierly glory, he made
them forget the horrors and losses of the preceding months.
It was on Thursday, August 5th, that the Minister for War crossed from
Folkestone to Boulogne on a British destroyer, accompanied by
Brigadier-General Lord Brooke, acting A.D.C. to Lord Kitchener, and
Lieut.-Colonel Carrick, M.P., the Canadian representative at the
General Headquarters of the British Army in France. At Boulogne the
party was met by Captain Frederick Guest, M.P., A.D.C. to Sir John
French.
Early the following morning Sir Sam Hughes motored to the British
Headquarters, where he was received by the Commander-in-Chief. After a
brief meeting, the party motored to Belgian Headquarters, whence they
made a tour of the Belgian lines and inspected the Belgian trenches.
Later, the Minister met King Albert in a little cottage on the
seashore, and there, with the King, he went thoroughly into the whole
Belgian position, and in particular the Belgian defences, while shells
were whistling unceasingly overhead. That night he returned to the
British Headquarters, where he met Prince Alexander of Teck, who, until
the outbreak of the war, was Governor-General Designate of Canada.
The next day, accompanied by Prince Alexander, the Minister met General
Alderson and his Staff near Armentières. And it was deeply interesting
to watch the meeting between these two men--the man who had called the
Canadian Army into being, and the man who commanded it in the field.
It was at this time that discussions took place and decisions were
reached in regard to sending the 2nd Canadian Division to join the Army
in France.
From that meeting the two Generals went straight into the firing line,
and General Hughes made an inspection of the men he had come so far to
see. He noted how cheerful, fit, and well the men were, in spite of
the perils and hardships they had undergone.
Along the line of trenches the General met many officers and men he
knew. All of them knew him. There were delighted greetings, quick
handclasps, and brief exchanges of conversation, from which radiated
pride, heartiness, and good sense.
Later, the Minister went up to the main artillery observation post, and
here General Burstall gave a very effective exhibition of what Canadian
guns can do. But it was a demonstration which called forth a reply
from the German trenches, and soon enemy shells were screaming inwards.
Next the General inspected Strathcona's Horse, the Royal Canadian
Dragoons, and 2nd King Edward's Horse, under Brigadier-General the
Right Hon. J. C. Seely, M.P., with whose soldierly mind and strangely
similar personality the Minister found himself in accord.
That evening, on his return to the British Headquarters, he dined with
Sir John French and the Prince of Wales.
On the Sunday morning the General inspected the Princess Patricias, and
later in the day he spent some time with General Sir Douglas Haig. Sir
Douglas realised at once General Hughes' gift for the appreciation of
military positions, and went very fully with him into the defences of
the 1st Army. It must afford Canadians not only satisfaction, but
pride, to know that their Minister was able to make suggestions of
great value. Then the General set out for Festubert and Givenchy.
Afterwards came the inspection of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
under Colonel Panet.
On Monday morning the Minister motored to the Headquarters of General
Foch, and the meeting was a pleasant one because the two men were old
friends. They had been companions on three successive years at British
and French Army manoeuvres, and they had much to discuss as, during the
afternoon, they traversed the French lines. Major-General Hughes spent
the evening with the French Generalissimo, with whose clear, bold
thinking and kindly but robust personality he was much impressed.
On Tuesday he went to Rheims, where he was met by General D'Espéré, of
the French 1st Army, in whose company he witnessed the terrible traces
of recent heavy fighting--shattered caissons, splintered gun carriages,
and ruined buildings, and, above all, that towering monument to German
"frightfulness"--the shattered mass of the great cathedral.
The next day Major-General Hughes proceeded to Paris, where he was
entertained by Lord Bertie, the British Ambassador, and met the
President of the Republic and the French Minister of War.
He returned to England as he had come, in a destroyer.
Before sailing from Liverpool, the Minister wrote the following
farewell, which was made known to the troops through Orders of the
Day:--
"In departing for Canada, it is my desire to thank all the splendid
forces--Canadians of whom we are so justly proud--at the front, for
their splendid services to King, country, and the glorious cause of
Liberty.
"When these troops left Valcartier last year and sailed from
Canadian shores, I took the liberty of predicting that when they
met the foe they would give an account of themselves that would
reflect honour upon the glorious Empire whose liberties we are all
endeavouring to maintain.
"The highest predictions have been more than fulfilled.
"I am leaving you all more than ever proud of our gallant boys.
"They have already earned the recognition of a grateful country.
Throughout whatever trials these valiant soldiers may pass, they
will be encouraged and strengthened by the thought that behind
them, in Canada, those near and dear to them realise that their
duty will be done fearlessly and well.
"May kind heaven guard and prosper these brave fellows in their
great struggle.
"(Sgd.) SAM HUGHES, Major-General,
"Minister of Militia and Defence."
* * * * *
August passed quietly by.[2] The enemy sometimes shelled our trenches,
but never heavily, and the Canadians enjoyed a comparatively peaceful
summer month.
In the early days of September the Canadian Government determined, in
response to the requirements and necessities of the Empire, to furnish
another Division, thus placing a complete Army Corps in the field.
It was a matter of intense gratification to the Canadians that General
Alderson, who had so brilliantly led the 1st Division in the terrible
and hard-fought battles in Flanders, was appointed to command the Corps.
General Alderson is a soldier with great experience and with great
military gifts, and, above all, a genius for the leadership of men.
Apart from his qualities as a soldier, however, a simple and noble
personality illumines his character. It is not too much to say that
every officer and man under his command loves and trusts him. Not
only, however, have they confidence in his military leadership, but
they know that in his personality, and in his whole outlook upon
humanity, he is to be respected and trusted too.
With the arrival in France of the 2nd Division,[3] and the formation of
the Canadian Army Corps, a point is reached which clearly marks the end
of the first phase of Canada's part in the world war.
Henceforth we shall be represented in the field by an Army Corps, a
noble contribution to the necessity of the Empire. When we
contemplate, quite apart from their moral value, the immense material
contributions which the Dominions have made to this campaign, we may
reflect with irony upon the strange errors of which many brilliant men
are capable.
Professor Goldwin Smith wrote of the Canadians:--"Judge whether these
men are likely to pour out their blood without stint for the British
connection; see at least first, whether they are ready to pour out a
little money or to reduce their duties on your goods." And he joyfully
quoted Cobden. "Loyalty is an ironical term to apply to people who
neither obey our orders nor hold themselves liable to fight our
battles."
We may perhaps be permitted to hope that the study of the past is
sometimes more helpful to those who presume to foretell the future.
The 2nd Division cannot fail to be inspired by the superb example of
that with which it is linked. It has the advantage of being commanded
by a most distinguished and experienced officer, Major-General Turner,
V.C., the Brigadier-General Turner who held the left at Ypres in the
great days of April.
Of all the officers of high rank fighting to-day in Flanders, none is
more modest, none more resourceful, none more chivalrous. He is in
Canada a great national figure. Conspicuous among the heroes of Ypres,
he will in his new position write his record in Flanders, in letters
not indeed more glorious, but upon a larger slate.
And here for the present we take leave of the Canadians in Flanders.
After incredible hardships patiently supported, after desperate battles
stubbornly contested, their work is still incomplete. But they will
complete it, meeting new necessities with fresh exertions, for it is
the work of Civilisation and of Liberty.
[1] The classic example of this form of eloquence is contained in
Napoleon's address to the Army of Italy, made on April 26th, 1796.
"Soldiers! In fifteen days you have won six victories, captured
twenty-one flags, fifty-five guns, several fortresses, conquered the
richest part of Piedmont: you have made 15,000 prisoners: you have
killed or wounded nearly 10,000 men.
"Until now you have fought for barren rocks. Lacking everything, you
have accomplished everything. You have won battles without cannon,
crossed rivers without bridges, made forced marches without boots,
bivouacked without brandy, and often without bread. Only the phalanx
of the Republic, only the soldiers of Liberty, could endure the things
that you have suffered.
"There are more battles before you, more cities to capture, more rivers
to cross. You all burn to carry forward the glory of the French
people; to dictate a glorious peace; and to be able when you return to
your villages to exclaim with pride, 'I belonged to the conquering army
of Italy.'"
[2] It was on August 1st that the enemy carried out a severe
bombardment of a location known as "Ration Farm," opposite Messines,
which drove the men of Major Hesketh's squadron of Strathcona's Horse,
who were in reserve, into their dug-outs. The farm was hit repeatedly,
and suddenly sounds as of heavy machine-gun fire were heard coming from
the midst of the shattered buildings. Major Hesketh left his dug-out
and entered the farm to investigate. He saw that the magazine,
containing 100,000 rounds of ammunition with the reserve supply of
bombs and grenades, had been pierced and set on fire by a high
explosive shell. In spite of the fact that the position was still
under persistent shell fire, that the small-arms ammunition was
exploding rapidly under the influence of the heat, and that the entire
contents of the magazine was likely to explode at any moment, Major
Hesketh fought the fire with sacks and extinguished it.
[3] Prior to its departure for France the 2nd Division was commanded by
General Sam Steele, C.B., M.V.O., a distinguished Canadian soldier and
a distinguished Canadian citizen. General Steele's military experience
dates from the days of the Red River Expedition, and his appointment
was much appreciated by the officers and troops of the 2nd Division
during their period of training. He has since joined the Imperial
Service, and is now the General Officer Commanding at Shorncliffe.
APPENDIX I
THE KING'S MESSAGE TO THE CANADIANS.
To the First Division.
On February 4th, 1915, His Majesty the King inspected the 1st Canadian
Division on Salisbury Plain, and afterwards wrote a message to the
troops, which was read to all units on board ship after their
embarkation for France. The full text of the message is as follows:--
Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men:
At the beginning of November I had the pleasure of welcoming to the
Mother Country this fine contingent from the Dominion of Canada,
and now, after three months' training, I bid you Godspeed on your
way to assist my Army in the field.
I am well aware of the discomforts that you have experienced from
the inclement weather and abnormal rain, and I admire the cheerful
spirit displayed by all ranks in facing and overcoming all
difficulties.
From all I have heard, and from what I have been able to see at
to-day's inspection and march-past, I am satisfied that you have
made good use of the time spent on Salisbury Plain.
By your willing and prompt rally to our common flag you have
already earned the gratitude of the Motherland.
By your deeds and achievements on the field of battle I am
confident that you will emulate the example of your
fellow-countrymen in the South African War, and thus help to secure
the triumph of our arms.
I shall follow with pride and interest all your movements. I pray
that God may bless you and watch over you.
To the Second Division.
On September 2nd, 1915, the King, accompanied by Lord Kitchener,
inspected the 2nd Division in Beachborough Park, Shorncliffe. Before
leaving, His Majesty directed General Turner to inform all Commanding
Officers that he considered the Division one of the finest he had
inspected since the beginning of the war. Subsequently the following
message from the King was published in Orders:--
Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men of the 2nd Canadian
Division--six months ago I inspected the 1st Canadian Division
before their departure for the front. The heroism they have since
shown upon the field of battle has won for them undying fame. You
are now leaving to join them, and I am glad to have an opportunity
of seeing you to-day, for it has convinced me that the same spirit
that animated them inspires you also. The past weeks at
Shorncliffe have been for you a period of severe and rigorous
training; and your appearance at this inspection testifies to the
thoroughness and devotion to duty with which your work has been
performed. You are going to meet hardships and dangers, but the
steadiness and discipline which have marked your bearing on parade
to-day will carry you through all difficulties. History will never
forget the loyalty and readiness with which you rallied to the aid
of your Mother Country in the hour of danger. My thoughts will
always be with you. May God bless you and bring you victory.
APPENDIX II
CANADIANS IN DESPATCHES.
The following are extracts from the official despatches of
Field-Marshal Sir John French, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces
in France, dealing with the battles and other fighting in which the
Canadian troops have taken part:--
PRINCESS PATRICIA'S REGIMENT.
With regard to these inspections, I may mention in particular the fine
appearance presented by the 27th and 28th Divisions, composed
principally of battalions which had come from India.
Included in the former Division was the Princess Patricia's Royal
Canadian Regiment. They are a magnificent set of men, and have since
done excellent work in the trenches.
Sir John French's Despatch, February 2nd, 1915.
PRINCESS PATRICIAS' ATTACK AT
ST. ELOI, FEBRUARY 28th, 1915.
On February 28th a successful minor attack was made on the enemy's
trenches near St. Eloi by small parties of the Princess Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry. The attack was divided into three small
groups, the whole under the command of Lieutenant Crabbe: No. 1 group
under Lieutenant Papineau, No. 2 group under Sergeant Patterson, and
No. 3 group under Company Sergeant-Major Lloyd.
The head of the party got within fifteen or twenty yards of the German
trench and charged; it was dark at the time (about 5.15 a.m.).
Lieutenant Crabbe, who showed the greatest dash and _élan_, took his
party over everything in the trench until they had gone down it about
eighty yards, when they were stopped by a barricade of sandbags and
timber. This party, as well as the others, then pulled down the front
face of the German parapet. A number of Germans were killed and
wounded, and a few prisoners were taken.
The services performed by this distinguished corps have continued to be
very valuable since I had occasion to refer to them in my last
despatch. They have been most ably organised, trained, and commanded
by Lieut.-Colonel F. D. Farquhar, D.S.O., who, I deeply regret to say,
was killed while superintending some trench work on March 20th. His
loss will be deeply felt.
Sir John French's Despatch, April 5th, 1915.
PRINCESS PATRICIA'S REGIMENT
--ATTACK ON ST. ELOI,
MARCH 14th, 1915.
It is satisfactory to be able to record that, though the troops
occupying the first line of trenches were at first overwhelmed, they
afterwards behaved very gallantly in the counter-attack for the
recovery of the lost ground, and the following units earned and
received the special commendation of the Army Commander. The 2nd Royal
Irish Fusiliers, the 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, the 1st
Leinster Regiment, the 4th Rifle Brigade, and the Princess Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry.
Sir John French's Despatch, April 5th, 1915.
ARRIVAL OF CANADIAN DIVISION--
NEUVE CHAPELLE.
On February 15th the Canadian Division began to arrive in this country.
I inspected the Division, which was under the command of Lieut.-General
E. A. H. Alderson, C.B., on February 20th.
They presented a splendid and most soldier-like appearance on parade.
The men were of good physique, hard, and fit. I judged by what I saw
of them that they were well trained, and quite able to take their
places in the line of battle.
Since then the Division has thoroughly justified the good opinion I
formed of it.
The troops of the Canadian Division were first attached for a few days
by brigades for training in the 3rd Corps trenches under Lieut.-General
Sir William Pulteney, who gave me such an excellent report of their
efficiency that I was able to employ them in the trenches early in
March.
During the battle of Neuve Chapelle they held a part of the line
allotted to the 1st Army, and although they were not actually engaged
in the main attack, they rendered valuable help by keeping the enemy
actively employed in front of their trenches.
All the soldiers of Canada serving in the army under my command have so
far splendidly upheld the traditions of the Empire, and will, I feel
sure, prove to be a great source of additional strength to the forces
in this country.
Sir John French's Despatch, April 5th, 1915.
SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES.
It was at the commencement of the second battle of Ypres, on the
evening of April 22nd, referred to in Paragraph 1 of this report, that
the enemy first made use of asphyxiating gas.
Some days previously I had complied with General Joffre's request to
take over the trenches occupied by the French, and on the evening of
the 22nd the troops holding the line east of Ypres were posted as
follows:--
From Steenstraate to the east of Langemarck, as far as the Poelcappelle
road, a French division.
Thence, in a south-easterly direction towards the
Passchendaele-Becelaere road, the Canadian Division.
Thence a division took up the line in a southerly direction east of
Zonnebeke to a point west of Becelaere, whence another division
continued the line south-east to the northern limit of the corps on its
right.
Of the 5th Corps there were four battalions in divisional reserve about
Ypres; the Canadian Division had one battalion in divisional reserve,
and the 1st Canadian Brigade in army reserve. An infantry brigade,
which had just been withdrawn after suffering heavy losses on Hill 60,
was resting about Vlamertinghe.
Following a heavy bombardment, the enemy attacked the French Division
about 5 p.m., using asphyxiating gases for the first time. Aircraft
reported that at about 5 p.m. thick yellow smoke had been seen issuing
from the German trenches between Langemarck and Bixschoote. The French
reported that two simultaneous attacks had been made east of the
Ypres-Staden railway, in which these asphyxiating gases had been
employed.
What followed almost defies description. The effect of these poisonous
gases was so virulent as to render the whole of the line held by the
French Division mentioned above practically incapable of any action at
all. It was at first impossible for anyone to realise what had
actually happened. The smoke and fumes hid everything from sight, and
hundreds of men were thrown into a comatose or dying condition, and
within an hour the whole position had to be abandoned, together with
about fifty guns.
I wish particularly to repudiate any idea of attaching the least blame
to the French Division for this unfortunate incident.
After all the examples our gallant Allies have shown of dogged and
tenacious courage in the many trying situations in which they have been
placed throughout the course of this campaign, it is quite superfluous
for me to dwell on this aspect of the incident, and I would only
express my firm conviction that if any troops in the world had been
able to hold their trenches in the face of such a treacherous and
altogether unexpected onslaught, the French Division would have stood
firm.
The left flank of the Canadian Division was thus left dangerously
exposed to serious attack in flank, and there appeared to be a prospect
of their being overwhelmed and of a successful attempt by the Germans
to cut off the British troops occupying the salient to the east.
In spite of the danger to which they were exposed, the Canadians held
their ground with a magnificent display of tenacity and courage; and it
is not too much to say that the bearing and conduct of these splendid
troops averted a disaster which might have been attended with the most
serious consequences.
They were supported with great promptitude by the reserves of the
Divisions holding the salient and by a Brigade which had been resting
in billets.
Throughout the night the enemy's attacks were repulsed, effective
counter-attacks were delivered, and at length touch was gained with the
French right, and a new line was formed.
* * * * *
The 2nd London Heavy Battery, which had been attached to the Canadian
Division, was posted behind the right of the French Division, and,
being involved in their retreat, fell into the enemy's hands. It was
recaptured by the Canadians in their counter-attack, but the guns could
not be withdrawn before the Canadians were again driven back.
During the night I directed the Cavalry Corps and the Northumbrian
Division, which was then in general reserve, to move to the west of
Ypres, and placed these troops at the disposal of the General Officer
Commanding the 2nd Army. I also directed other reserve troops from the
3rd Corps and the 1st Army to be held in readiness to meet
eventualities.
In the confusion of the gas and smoke the Germans succeeded in
capturing the bridge at Steenstraate and some works south of Lizerne,
all of which were in occupation by the French.
The enemy having thus established himself to the west of the Ypres
Canal, I was somewhat apprehensive of his succeeding in driving a wedge
between the French and Belgian troops at this point.
I directed, therefore, that some of the reinforcements sent north
should be used to support and assist General Putz, should he find
difficulty in preventing any further advance of the Germans west of the
canal.
At about ten o'clock on the morning of the 23rd connection was finally
ensured between the left of the Canadian Division and the French right,
about eight hundred yards east of the canal; but as this entailed the
maintenance by the British troops of a much longer line than that which
they had held before the attack commenced on the previous night, there
were no reserves available for counter-attack until reinforcements
which were ordered up from the Second Army were able to deploy to the
east of Ypres.
* * * * *
Early on the morning of the 23rd I went to see General Foch, and from
him I received a detailed account of what had happened, as reported by
General Putz. General Foch informed me that it was his intention to
make good the original line and regain the trenches which the French
Division had lost. He expressed the desire that I should maintain my
present line, assuring me that the original position would be
re-established in a few days. General Foch further informed me that he
had ordered up large French reinforcements, which were now on their
way, and that troops from the north had already arrived to reinforce
General Putz.
I fully concurred in the wisdom of the General's wish to re-establish
our old line, and agreed to co-operate in the way he desired,
stipulating, however, that if the position was not re-established
within a limited time I could not allow the British troops to remain in
so exposed a situation as that which the action of the previous
twenty-four hours had compelled them to occupy.
During the whole of the 23rd the enemy's artillery was very active, and
his attacks all along the front were supported by some heavy guns which
had been brought down from the coast in the neighbourhood of Ostend.
The loss of the guns on the night of the 22nd prevented this fire from
being kept down, and much aggravated the situation. Our positions,
however, were well maintained by the vigorous counter-attacks made by
the 5th Corps.
During the day I directed two Brigades of the 3rd Corps and the Lahore
Division of the Indian Corps to be moved up to the Ypres area and
placed at the disposal of the 2nd Army.
In the course of these two or three days many circumstances combined to
render the situation east of the Ypres Canal very critical and most
difficult to deal with.
The confusion caused by the sudden retirement of the French Division,
and the necessity for closing up the gap and checking the enemy's
advance at all costs, led to a mixing-up of units and a sudden shifting
of the areas of command, which was quite unavoidable. Fresh units, as
they came up from the south, had to be pushed into the firing line in
an area swept by artillery fire, which, owing to the capture of the
French guns, we were unable to keep down.
All this led to very heavy casualties, and I wish to place on record
the deep admiration which I feel for the resource and presence of mind
evinced by the leaders actually on the spot.
The parts taken by Major-General Snow and Brigadier-General Hull were
reported to me as being particularly marked in this respect.
An instance of this occurred on the afternoon of the 24th, when the
enemy succeeded in breaking through the line at St. Julien.
Brigadier-General Hull, acting under the orders of Lieut.-General
Alderson, organised a powerful counter-attack--on the 24th--with his
own Brigade and some of the nearest available units. He was called
upon to control, with only his Brigade Staff, parts of battalions from
six separate Divisions which were quite new to the ground. Although
the attack did not succeed in retaking St. Julien, it effectually
checked the enemy's further advance.
It was only on the morning of the 25th that the enemy were able to
force back the left of the Canadian Division from the point where it
had originally joined the French line.
During the night and the early morning of the 25th the enemy directed a
heavy attack against the Division at Broodseiende cross-roads, which
was supported by a powerful shell fire, but he failed to make any
progress.
During the whole of this time the town of Ypres and all the roads to
the east and west were uninterruptedly subjected to a violent artillery
fire, but in spite of this the supply of both food and ammunition was
maintained throughout with order and efficiency.
During the afternoon of the 25th many German prisoners were taken,
including some officers. The hand-to-hand fighting was very severe,
and the enemy suffered heavy loss.
* * * * *
BATTLE OF FESTUBERT.
On May 15th I moved the Canadian Division into the 1st Corps area and
placed them at the disposal of Sir Douglas Haig.
* * * * *
On May 19th the 7th and 2nd Divisions were drawn out of the line to
rest. The 7th Division was relieved by the Canadian Division and the
2nd Division by the 51st (Highland) Division.
Sir Douglas Haig placed the Canadian and 51st Divisions, together with
the artillery of the 2nd and 7th Divisions, under the command of
Lieut.-General Alderson, whom he directed to conduct the operations
which had hitherto been carried on by the General Officer Commanding
1st Corps; and he directed the 7th Division to remain in Army Reserve.
During the night of the 19th-20th a small post of the enemy in front of
La Quinque Rue was captured.
During the night of the 20th-21st the Canadian Division brilliantly
carried on the excellent progress made by the 7th Division by seizing
several of the enemy's trenches and pushing forward their whole line
several hundred yards. A number of prisoners and some machine-guns
were captured.
On the 22nd instant the 51st (Highland) Division was attached to the
Indian Corps, and the General Officer Commanding the Indian Corps took
charge of the operations at La Quinque Rue, Lieut.-General Alderson
with the Canadians conducting the operations to the north of that place.
On this day the Canadian Division extended their line slightly to the
right and repulsed three very severe hostile counter-attacks.
GIVENCHY.
After the conclusion of the battle of Festubert the troops of the 1st
Army were engaged in several minor operations. By an attack delivered
on the evening of June 15th, after a prolonged bombardment, the 1st
Canadian Brigade obtained possession of the German front-line trenches
north-east of Givenchy, but were unable to retain them owing to their
flanks being too much exposed.
Sir John French's Despatch, October 15th.
APPENDIX III
THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE WAR.
_Speeches of the Right Hon. Sir Robert Laird
Borden, G.C.M.G., M.P._
FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE.
_At the Canadian Club, Winnipeg, on December 29th, 1914._
It is within the bounds of probability that the four free nations of
the Overseas Dominions will have put into the fighting line 250,000 men
if the war should continue another year. That result, or even the
results which have already been obtained, must mark a great epoch in
the history of inter-Imperial relations. There are those, within sound
of my voice, who will see the Oversea Dominions surpass in wealth and
population the British Isles. There are children playing in your
streets who may see Canada alone attain that eminence. Thus it is
impossible to believe that the existing status, so far as concerns the
control of foreign policy and extra-Imperial relations, can remain as
it is to-day. All are conscious of the complexity of the problem thus
presented, but no one need despair of a satisfactory solution, and no
one can doubt the profound influence which the tremendous events of the
past few months and those in the immediate future must exercise upon
one of the most interesting and far-reaching questions ever presented
for the consideration of statesmen.
RESOURCES OF EMPIRE.
_At a meeting of the United Kingdom Branch of
the Empire Parliamentary Association, House
of Commons, July 13th, 1915._
I appreciate very sincerely, and very warmly as well, what Mr. Bonar
Law said with regard to the part which Canada has played in this great
contest. There was no doubt in my own mind as to what that part would
be, and I took the responsibility four days before the actual
declaration of war of sending a message to His Majesty's Government
stating that, if war should unhappily supervene, they might be assured
that Canada would regard the quarrel as her own, and would do her part
in maintaining the integrity of this Empire and all that this war means
to us. We are not a military nation in Canada; we are a peace-loving
and peace-pursuing people with great tasks of development within our
own Dominions lying before us. Thus, for a struggle such as this, upon
so gigantic a scale, we were naturally unprepared. But even so,
relatively unprepared as we were, the Minister of Militia and Defence
in Canada succeeded in placing upon the Plain of Valcartier, within six
weeks of the outbreak of war, a force of 33,000 men, thoroughly armed
and equipped in every branch of the Service--artillery, commissariat,
Army Service Corps, and all the vast organisation that is necessary in
war as carried on in the present day.
We have sent overseas up to the present time nearly 75,000 men,
including troops which are doing garrison duty in the West Indies. We
have in Canada to-day 75,000 men in training, with organisation being
prepared as rapidly as possible for their advent to the front when
needed. The response from every province in Canada, indeed, has been
so warm, so impressive, so inspiring, that our difficulty has been to
secure arms and equipment and material and all that is necessary to
enable our men to go to the front. So far as the men were concerned
they were there in abundance. So far as the other preparations were
concerned we have been very much in the same condition as yourselves,
unprepared for war upon so tremendous a scale. In this conflict we are
engaged with great nations whose military preparation has extended over
nearly half a century, and whose aim, as far as we can comprehend it,
has been world-wide supremacy by force of arms. Naturally in the
opening months, and the opening year, of such a struggle we could not
accomplish all that might be expected at first, but I take comfort in
this thought, that for purposes of war, or for any other purposes, the
resources of this Empire are not only abundant, but almost unlimited,
and there is yet time for that preparation which perhaps ought to have
been made at an earlier day. The day of peril came before our day of
preparation had been fully reached.
Looking back on what we had to face and upon what we had to contend
with, I venture to think that the condition of affairs to-day is one
upon which we should rather congratulate ourselves than otherwise. I
have no fear for the future, although the struggle may be a long one
and may entail sacrifices which we did not anticipate at first. I
think I may bring to you from the people of Canada this message, that
in whatever is necessary to bring this war to an honourable and
triumphal conclusion, Canada is prepared to take her part. And I am
sure that is true of every Dominion of the Empire. Last autumn, in
speaking before a Canadian club in the west of Canada, I said that if
this war should continue for a year it was reasonably probable that the
oversea Dominions would have in the field 250,000 men. I venture to
think that to-day, if you estimate what Australia has done and is
doing, what New Zealand has done and is doing, what South Africa has
done and is doing, and what Canada has done and is doing, the oversea
Dominions of this Empire have, either in the field, or in training as
organised troops, no less than 350,000 men.
Mr. Bonar Law has spoken of the courage and resourcefulness of the
Canadian troops. They went to the front as men taken from civil
avocations of life, with no prolonged military training, but with the
habit of overcoming obstacles, with a certain resourcefulness, with all
the traditions of the great races from which they spring, and in such a
manner as made us sure that their record would be worthy of the great
Dominion which they represented. I would not speak the truth if I did
not confess to you that I am proud, very proud indeed, of the part
which they have played. I am equally proud of the splendid valour
shown by the men of these islands in that great retreat against
overwhelming numbers, under difficulties which I think were greater
than those which ever attended a great retreat before; and I desire to
pay my tribute to the splendid valour and heroism of the British Army
at that time, worthy of the highest traditions of the race from which
we all spring. It is almost superfluous to speak of the splendid
valour which has distinguished the troops of Australia and New Zealand
at the Dardanelles. I had the pleasure of sending telegrams to the
Governments of these two Commonwealths and of congratulating them upon
the part which their men are taking in these very dangerous operations.
What a fantastic picture it was that Prussian militarism made for
itself before the outbreak of this war. It pictured Canada, Australia,
and New Zealand standing aloof and indifferent, or seeking an
opportunity to cut themselves aloof from this Empire. What is the
actual picture to-day? They are bound to the Empire by stronger ties
than ever before, and are prepared to fight to the death for the
maintenance of its integrity and for the preservation of our common
civilisation throughout the world. What of South Africa? The Prussian
picture was that it should flare into rebellion at once, cut itself off
from the Empire, and proclaim its independence. What is the actual
picture? The heroic figure of General Louis Botha receiving the
surrender of German South-West Africa--territory larger than the German
Empire itself.
We have nothing to fear as the outcome of this war. We do not and dare
not doubt the success of the cause for which the British Empire and the
Allied nations are fighting to-day. It is impossible to believe that
the democracies of the British Empire, even though unprepared on so
tremendous a scale as our opponents for such a war as this, will not
prove their efficiency in this day of peril. They have proved it, and
I think they will prove it in the future. In the later days when peace
comes to be proclaimed, and after the conclusion of peace, it is beyond
question that large matters will come up for consideration by the
statesmen of the United Kingdom and the Overseas Dominions. It is not
desirable, nor perhaps becoming, that I should dwell upon these
considerations to-day. I said what I had to say on the subject with
considerable frankness and some emphasis three years ago when I had the
pleasure of addressing you. What I said then represents my convictions
now. I do not doubt the problems which will be presented, exceedingly
difficult and complex as they are, will find a wise and just solution,
and in thanking you for the reception which you have accorded me
to-day, and for the honour which you have done to the Dominion which I
represent as its Prime Minister, let me express the hope and aspiration
that in confronting the immense responsibilities which devolve upon
those inheriting so great an Empire as ours, and one which must
necessarily command so profound an influence on the future of
civilisation and the destiny of the world, we shall so bear ourselves,
whether in these mother islands or in the Overseas Dominions, that the
future shall hold in store no reproach for us for lack of vision, want
of courage, or failure of duty.
WORTHY OF THEIR ANCESTORS.
_At the Canadian Matinee at the Queen's Theatre,
London, July 15th, 1915._
All Canada is thrilled by the part the Canadians have played, and their
achievements have brought to Canada a vivid realisation of the meaning
of the war. They are worthy of their traditions and their ancestors.
OVERSEAS DOMINIONS' DESTINY.
_At the Guildhall, on being presented with the
Freedom of the City of London, July 19th, 1915._
I appreciate the honour which has been conferred upon me, coming as it
does from a city which may be described as a great Imperial City, in a
fashion which is perhaps not known elsewhere throughout the world
to-day. Through the march of civilisation across the centuries, the
progress and development of London have kept time with the march. That
it is a great Imperial City to-day is due to the great achievement of
our race. While it may not be fitting that one of our kindred should
speak of the British people as a great race, I may be permitted to say
that it has wrought great things, and that the greatest of all its
achievements is the up-building of an Empire bound together by such
ties as those which unite ours.
In the beginning, in the founding of the nation within these islands,
there was need for orderly government, and that made necessary a strong
and autocratic system of government. But, as the years rolled on,
there came to the people the right to govern themselves. Orderly
government, individual liberty, equal rights before the people--upon
these secure foundations the fabric of the national life was erected,
and in these later days has come the not less noble ideal of a
democracy founded upon equality of opportunity for all the people
before the conditions of modern life.
In the Dominions beyond the seas, the same ideals of liberty and of
justice have led inevitably to the establishment of self-governing
institutions. Their development there has been very much the same as
within your own islands, and those short-sighted ones who believed that
the right to govern themselves would drive the far-flung nations of our
Empire asunder, have found that that very circumstance, and that free
development, have united them by ties stronger than would be possible
under any system of autocratic government.
I have listened with the deepest possible appreciation to the words
which have been spoken of the action of Canada in this war. That
action was due to no Government, to no statesman or group of statesmen.
It was due to the spirit of the Canadian people, a spirit which will
make the cause for which we are contending victorious, and which will
pervade the Dominions to the end. I do not need to tell you of the
part that Canada has played and the part she proposes to play. But it
might not be amiss for a moment to allude to the remarkable
circumstance that four great Overseas Dominions, self-governing
Dominions of the Empire, have been actuated by a common impulse at this
juncture--Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada! Why have all
these great free nations sent their men from the remotest corners of
the earth to fight side by side with you of this island home in this
quarrel? Why in Canada do we see those who are the descendants of
those who fought under Wolfe, and of those who fought under Montcalm,
standing side by side in the battle-line of the Empire? Why, coming
down to later days, do we see the grandson of a Durham, and the
grandson of a Papineau, standing shoulder to shoulder beyond the
Channel in France or Belgium? When the historian of the future comes
to analyse the events which made it possible for the Empire to stand
like this, he will see that there must have been some overmastering
impulse contributing to this wonderful result.
One such impulse is to be found in the love of liberty, the pursuit of
ideals of democracy, and the desire and determination to preserve the
spirit of unity founded on those ideals, which make the whole Empire
united in aim and single in purpose. But there was, also, in all the
Overseas Dominions, the intense conviction that this war was forced
upon the Empire--that we could not with honour stand aside and see
trampled underfoot the liberties and independence of a weak and
unoffending nation whose independence we had guaranteed. And, above
and beyond all that, was the realisation of the supreme truth--that the
quarrel in which we are engaged transcends even the destinies of our
own Empire and involves the future of civilisation and of the world.
We must not forget that in this war we are confronting the power of a
military autocracy more highly organised, and more formidable, perhaps
than was ever nation before in history. I am sure that the military
strength which has been developed by our chief antagonists, has
surprised the whole world; and I think that this war will bring to us a
very vital question as to the future of democratic institutions. We
have always cherished in these islands, and in the Oversea Dominions as
well, the ideal of orderly government coupled with that of individual
liberty. It remains to be seen, as the war proceeds, whether
individual liberty, within the British Isles and the Overseas
Dominions, is coupled with so strong a sense of duty and of service to
the State--whether in Peace or in war--as to make it possible for us to
withstand the onslaught of so formidable a foe.
For myself, I have no doubt as to the issue, because I remember that,
if we take the British Empire alone, our resources are infinitely
greater than those of Germany; and, if we consider the question of
population, that of the British Isles and of the Overseas Dominions is
almost equal to that of Germany. it is true that we were not prepared,
as Germany was prepared, for war on this scale; but I believe the time
for preparation is not past, and I feel also that we have every reason
to congratulate ourselves upon the splendid preparation which has been
made, not only in these islands, but in the Dominions. Yet I would
impress upon the people of the Empire that all for which our fathers
fought and bled, all our liberties and institutions, all the influences
for good which have been sent forth by the activities of the Empire
throughout the world, hang in the balance to-day, and therefore we
cannot, because we must not, fall in this war.
During the past week I visited France, and I have seen some of our
forces at the front. It is a very inspiring thing to see a nation
under arms. The manhood of France, except those engaged in industrial
pursuits, is at the front to-day; and yet I have seen the whole country
up to the lines of the trenches, bearing bountiful harvests. The soil
was prepared, the seed was planted, and the harvest is now being reaped
by old men and women and children. It is my intense conviction that a
nation so inspired can never perish or be subdued; and I am glad to
remember this great Allied nation is of our own kin, because you in the
British Isles look back to Celtic and Norman, as well as to Saxon
ancestors; and if this be true of you in Britain it is still more true
of us in Canada.
Last week I looked into the keen, intent faces, of 10,000 Canadian
soldiers, within sound and range of the German guns. Three days ago I
looked into the undaunted eyes of 1,000 Canadian convalescents returned
from the valley of the shadow of death. In the eyes, and in the faces
of those men, I read only one message--that of resolute and unflinching
determination to make our cause triumphant; to preserve our
institutions and our liberties, to maintain the unity of our Empire and
its influence through the world. That message, which I bring to you
from those soldiers, I bring you also from the great Dominion which has
sent those men across the sea.
While the awful shadow of this war overhangs our Empire, I shall not
pause to speak of what may be evolved in its constitutional relations.
Upon what has been built in the past it is possible, in my judgment,
that an even nobler and more enduring fabric may be erected. That
structure must embody the autonomy of the self-governing Dominions and
of the British Isles as well, but it must also embody the majesty and
power of an Empire united by ties such as those of which I have spoken,
and more thoroughly and effectively organised for the purpose of
preserving its own existence. Those who shall be the architects of
this monument will have a great part to play, and I do not doubt that
they will play it worthily. To those who shall be called to design so
splendid a fabric, crowning the labours of the past and embodying all
the hopes of the future, we all of us bid God speed in their great task.
A WORLD STRUGGLE.
CANADA'S SHARE.
_At a patriotic meeting at the London Opera House,
August 4th, 1915._
Considering all the events of the year, there are indeed some matters
on which we have the right and privilege to-night of congratulating
ourselves to the full. Was the unity of this Empire ever so strikingly
made manifest before? Was it ever more clearly demonstrated that the
race which inhabits these islands and the Overseas Dominions is not a
decadent race? What has been the result of the call of duty to this
Empire? You in these islands debated years ago, and not so long ago
for that matter, as to whether in case of necessity you could send
abroad an Expeditionary Force of 80,000 or 120,000 or 160,000 men, and
if I am not mistaken the most optimistic among you believed that
160,000 men was the limit. What has been the result of the call? You
have in part organised, and you are now organising, armies from ten to
twenty times greater than those which were the limit you set for
yourselves in the past. That is not an indication of a decadent race,
and I am glad indeed to know that we in the Overseas Dominions as well
are doing our part as best we can.
Indeed, in Canada, and I believe the same is true in all the Overseas
Dominions, the difficulty has been with armament and equipment--all
that is necessary for the organisation of a great modern army, and not
with the provision of men, for the men came faster than we were able to
organise the armour to equip them. And so it has been in India as
well. I remember having, in the early months of the war, the privilege
of reading a debate which took place in the Council of India, a great
debate which was worthy of the Mother of Parliaments herself; a debate
couched in language of the most intense patriotism; and in that debate
the demand of India was that she should be permitted to do her part in
this war. The same is true of Egypt and all the Crown Colonies. From
East to West, from North to South, throughout the Empire, the response
on all hands has been more than we could have ventured to anticipate.
Mr. Balfour has referred in the most eloquent and appropriate terms to
the work of the great Navy which is under his direction, and which has
accomplished its task so wonderfully ever since the war broke out. We
of the Overseas Dominions realise as much as you realise, that the
pathways of the seas are the veins and arteries of this Empire through
which its lifeblood must flow. If these are once stopped or interfered
with in any way the Empire cannot continue to exist. We are as
conscious as you are conscious of the wonderful vigil in the North Sea
and of the patience, endurance, and fortitude of officers and men. We
are grateful, as you are grateful, with the most intense appreciation
of all they have done for us, and, more than all, the fact that they
have rid the seas of the marauders by which our commerce was troubled
has enabled us to keep in close contact with you, and keep up that
intercourse which is so absolutely necessary for you and for us, not
only in war but in peace as well.
I have no military knowledge nor experience--I am going to say a word
with regard to military affairs in a moment--but before doing that I
would like to express my own appreciation, and I think of all the
people in the Dominion which I have the honour to represent, of the
splendid work which has been done by the Royal Flying Corps in this
war. Knowing the great efforts that have been made by other nations in
this particular branch of the military and naval services, we were
rather inclined to anticipate and expect that it might not be up to the
highest standard of the great nations of the world. I have good reason
to know, because I have had some intimate accounts of what has
transpired at the front--I have good reason to know that the work of
our aeroplane service has been equal to the best, and that in
initiative, courage, resourcefulness, and fortitude our men have held
their place with the best, ever since the outbreak of this war.
It is not necessary to dwell on the valour of our troops, to which
eloquent reference has been made by Lord Crewe and Mr. Balfour. I do
not believe that in all the splendid traditions of the British Army for
centuries past, a more splendid record can be shown than that displayed
in the retreat from Mons. I believe that no retirement was ever
conducted successfully under greater difficulties and against more
overwhelming odds, and the conduct of officers and men adds glory to
the British Army that will not be forgotten as long as our race
endures. I may, perhaps, be permitted to say that those who were sent
across the sea to France and to the Dardanelles, from Australia, from
New Zealand, from Canada, have proved that the old traditions of our
race are not forgotten overseas, and that the men there are prepared in
any danger, in any peril, to stand side by side with their comrades of
these islands. A splendid force has been raised in South Africa, and I
associate myself with what has been so well said as to the valour of
the troops from India, who have fought by the side of our men in France
and Belgium.
Mr. Balfour has spoken of our Allies, and with what he has said I may
be permitted to associate myself. One cannot forget the courage, the
patience, the fortitude of France. We know that the soul of Russia is
unconquered and unconquerable. The devotion and heroism of Belgium and
Serbia have moved the admiration of the world. The fine valour of
Italy is now in the fighting line with the Allies, and she is doing her
appointed task as we expected she would do it. She stands ready, I
imagine, for further services in case the emergencies of this war
should demand them. I have said before that this is not like the wars
of a hundred or two hundred years ago.
This is a war of nations, and not of armies alone. But it is more than
that. It is a war of material resources to an extreme degree. The
industrial resources of the nations are being organised; all that the
knowledge and science of the nations can devise is being brought into
play. The command of the forces of nature which in the past centuries,
and especially in the past 100 years, we have learned has been brought
to bear, and for that reason I have every confidence in the outcome of
this struggle, because we have within this Empire resources almost
limitless--resources infinitely greater than those of Germany and
Austria-Hungary combined, and it merely depends upon our self-denial,
and organised capacity and patriotism, as to whether we can and shall
organise those resources to the end that our cause shall triumph.
I do not believe that we shall fail in that. Our race has never failed
in time of crisis. Why should it fail now? To fail in doing that
would be accounted to us, in the years to come, as dishonour. We will
not fail. All that men can do, our men have done at the front, and
they will continue to do in the future.
In Canada, we began, as early as possible, to organise our industrial
resources for the production of munitions of war. We made our first
effort as far back as August 21st. Munitions of war have been the
great and growing need of our men at the front. Because it is apparent
to us that, so far as it is in the power of this Empire to strain every
effort for the purposes of the war, we must not attempt to do with men
alone what our enemies are doing with munitions and guns.
As to what we have done in the past, whether in Canada or in these
islands or elsewhere, let the dead past bury its dead. This is not the
time to speak of the past, but to look at the future. What concerns
us, whether in these islands or in any of the Overseas Dominions, is to
see that, so far as the future is concerned, there shall be no failure;
and I believe there will be no failure.
It may be said that in some respects the twelve months' war has not
been all that we anticipated. I believe I am entirely within the
bounds of truth when I state that if there is any disappointment with
us, the disappointment of Germany is tenfold greater; and if there has
been any disappointment, or if there should be any reverse in the
future, that should merely inspire us with a higher resolve and a more
inflexible determination to do our duty, and to see that that which
concerns the cause of civilisation and humanity shall be carried to the
issue which we all desire.
For a hundred years we have not had any wars which threatened the
existence of our Empire, and for more than fifty years we have not been
involved in any war which might perhaps be called a great one. Under
the conditions of modern democracies, here and elsewhere in the Empire,
considerations of material prosperity have been urged, and this is
especially a danger in a new country like Australia or Canada. The
call of the market-place has been sometimes clamorous and insistent,
and in days such as these the soul of a nation is more truly tried than
it is in war days, for the highest character of an Empire is sometimes
formed then--and not in the days of stress and trial--through the
consequences of duty and self-sacrifice.
I rejoice greatly that in these islands, and in the Overseas Dominions,
men have realised most fully that there is something greater than
material prosperity, something greater than life itself. This war
cannot fail to influence most profoundly the whole future of the world
and of civilisation. It has already most profoundly influenced the
people of this Empire. There were great strivings for wealth,
everywhere, but no one could deny that the material advancement and
prosperity of the Empire has not in itself been a good thing. The
standards of life for the people have been raised and comfort
increased. It is not the wealth we should rail at. Rome fell, I know,
at a time of wealth, but it was because she made wealth her god.
In the early days of the war we were much comforted by the fact that
men and women were ready to make sacrifices for this, the greatest
cause of all. In Canada, and I am sure elsewhere throughout the
Empire, there has been manifest a spirit of co-operation, of mutual
helpfulness, of a desire to assist, of self-sacrifice which is most
comforting to those who have at heart the welfare of our Empire in
years to come. So I am sure it will be in the future. The influence
of a spirit of helpfulness and self-sacrifice, which we see everywhere
throughout the world, and within our Empire, is one for which I give
thanks and am most grateful.
I have come far across this ocean to see our men within these islands
and at the front, and our men in hospital who are wounded. To see
them, whether at the front, where they stand almost within the valley
of the shadow of death, or wounded in the hospitals, is an inspiration
in itself. I am glad to say that in visiting the hospitals I have had
the opportunity of speaking to many soldiers, officers and men, from
these islands, and with them I have found, as among our Canadians, just
one spirit--a wonderful spirit of heroism and of patience, a spirit of
consecration to the cause we all have at heart. We who come from
overseas are touched by all this, perhaps more than you can imagine.
Last night I walked down the Embankment. At my right was the great
Abbey, at my left the great Cathedral. The historic river was at my
feet. Here came in bygone centuries the Celt, the Saxon, the Dane, the
Norman, each in turn, finally all in co-operation, lending their
influence to our national life. And how splendid a structure they
built; what an influence for good it has carried throughout the world!
Standing thus on what seems to us hallowed ground, we of the Overseas
Dominions meditate perhaps more than you do on the wonderful memories
of the past, and the great events to which the life of our Empire has
moved. Let us never for one moment forget that of all the mighty
events in our history, none are greater than those through which we are
passing to-day. Is an Empire like ours worth living for? Yes, and
worth dying for, too. And it is something greater than it was a year
ago. Indeed, it can never be quite the same again. The old order has
in some measure passed away. Once for all it has been borne in upon
the minds and souls of all of us that the great policies, which touch
and control the issues of peace and war, concern more than the peoples
of these islands.
And more than that, we shall so bear ourselves in this war, and in the
mighty events to which it must lead, that whether in these islands or
in the Overseas Dominions, citizenship of this Empire shall be a still
greater and more noble possession in the years to come than it has been
even in the glorious past. I have spoken to you frankly on some
matters of great moment. If I had not done so I should have been
unworthy of my position. And now, before I close, let me bring to you
this latest message from Canada:--
For those who have fallen in this struggle we shall not cease to mourn;
for the cause which they have consecrated their lives we shall not
cease to strive. We are supremely confident that that cause will
assuredly triumph and for that great purpose we are inspired with an
inflexible determination to do our part.
"WE CAN HOLD OUR OWN."
_At the Canada Club, August 6th, 1915._
The fall of Warsaw has been foreshadowed for some time, and it is
useless for us to deny the Germans have achieved a success--which they
intended to achieve six or nine months ago.
This fall will mean that all will put forth greater efforts and
determination. In the early months of the war we failed to estimate
the enormous military power of a nation, highly disciplined and
thoroughly organised for war as well as for peace. The idea of the
people of these islands was to send across the Channel an expeditionary
force not exceeding 160,000 men.
Do any of you, who have not had the responsibilities of office, realise
what it means to provide guns, rifles, ammunition, and equipment for a
force ten times as great--with, perhaps, another force in reserve of
equal number? I know something of those responsibilities. We in
Canada have our difficulties, not in finding men ready to fight for the
cause, but because we find it difficult to provide the guns, rifles,
ammunition, and equipment.
When you increase your proposed expeditionary force by ten or twenty
times, you must realise that for that purpose it is necessary that the
whole power of the nation shall be concentrated on the task.
I hold this profound conviction--that, regiment for regiment and man
for man, our forces can hold their own, and more than hold their own,
with the best and most efficient troops of the enemy.
If we speak of the disappointments we had at the start of the war, let
us never forget to realise that the disappointments of the enemy must
be ten times greater. And if we are discouraged from time to time, let
us remember we have accomplished one great work which outweighs a
thousandfold that, and that is the clearness and security of the
pathways of the seas. The clearance of the seas means as much to the
Allies as to ourselves.
APPENDIX IV
LT.-GENERAL E. A. H. ALDERSON, C.B.,
COMMANDING THE CANADIAN CORPS.
The following is the text of the speech made to the Canadian troops
under his command after twelve strenuous days and nights of fighting,
from April 23rd to May 4th, 1915.
I tell you truly, that my heart is so full that I hardly know how
to speak to you. It is full of two feelings--the first being
sorrow for the loss of those comrades of ours who have gone; and
the second, pride in what the 1st Canadian Division has done.
As regards our comrades who have lost their lives--let us speak of
them with our caps off--my faith in the Almighty is such that I am
perfectly sure that when men die, as they have died, doing their
duty and fighting for their country, for the Empire, and to save
the situation for others--in fact, have _died for their
friends_--no matter what their past lives have been, no matter what
they have done that they ought not to have done (as all of us do),
I am perfectly sure that the Almighty takes them and looks after
them at once. Lads, we cannot leave them better than like that.
Now I feel that we may, without any false pride, think a little of
what the Division has done during the past few days.
I would first of all tell you that I have never been so proud of
anything in my life as I am of my armlet with "Canada" on it. I
thank you, and congratulate you from the bottom of my heart, for
the part each one of you has taken in giving me this feeling of
pride.
I think it is possible that all of you do not quite realise that,
if we had retired on the evening of April 22nd--when our Allies
fell back before the gas and left our left flank quite open--the
whole of the 27th and 28th Divisions would probably have been cut
off. Certainly they would not have got away a gun or a vehicle of
any sort, and probably not more than half the Infantry would have
escaped.
This is what our Commander-in-Chief meant when he telegraphed, as
he did, that "the Canadians saved the situation." My lads, if ever
men had a right to be proud in this world, you have.
I know my military history pretty well, and I cannot think of an
instance, especially when the cleverness and determination of the
enemy is taken into account, in which troops were placed in such a
difficult position; nor can I think of an instance in which so much
depended on the standing fast of one Division.
You will remember that the last time I spoke to you, just before
you went into the trenches at Sailly, now over two months ago, I
told you about my old Regiment--the Royal West Kents--having gained
a reputation for never budging from their trenches, no matter how
they were attacked. I said then I was quite sure that, in a short
time, the Army out here would be saying the same of you.
I little thought--none of us thought--how soon those words would
come true. But now, to-day, not only the Army out here, but all
Canada, all England, and all the Empire are saying that you, too,
stand fast.
There is one more word I would say to you before I stop. You have
made a reputation second to none in this war; but, remember, no man
can live on his reputation. He must keep on adding to it. And I
feel just as sure that you will do so as I did two months ago when
I told you that I knew you would make a reputation when the
opportunity came.
I am now going to shake hands with your officers, and as I do so, I
want you to feel that I am shaking hands with each one of you, as I
would actually do if time permitted.
ON RELINQUISHING HIS COMMAND OF
THE 1st CANADIAN DIVISION.
The following is the text of the Special Order issued by Lieut.-General
Alderson on transferring the 1st Canadian Division to the new
Commander, General Currie, C.B.:--
On handing over the command of the 1st Canadian Division to General
Currie, C.B., I wish to give my heartfelt thanks to all ranks of
the Division, and especially to the Brigadiers and the Divisional
and Brigade Staffs, for the loyal and efficient help they have
given me during the eleven months that I have commanded the
Division. It is this help that, in spite of the difficulties of
organisation, or the trying climatic and other unpleasant
conditions of Salisbury Plain, has made my period of command so
pleasant.
I have already expressed personally, to all ranks, my appreciation
of the conduct of the Division in action at all times, and
especially during the trying twelve days--April 22nd to May 4th--at
Ypres. I will not, therefore, say any more about this conduct,
except that I shall never forget it.
I am consoled in my great regret at leaving the Division by the
thought that, as Corps Commander, I shall still be in close touch
with it.
In handing over to General Currie I feel, as I have told him, that
I hand over an efficient fighting unit, which, I am sure, will,
under him, add to the reputation it has made, and also give him the
same loyal support that it has always given to me.
I feel that I cannot conclude better than by asking all ranks of
the 1st Division always to remember the words which I am adopting
as the motto of the Canadian Army Corps:--
"CONSENTIENTES VI TRAHUNT VICTORIAM."[1]
[1] Those in agreement seize victory by force.
APPENDIX V
FIRST CANADIAN DIVISION.
HONOURS AND REWARDS GRANTED
_Officers._
HONOUR OR
REWARD
RANK AND NAME. UNIT. GRANTED.
Major Chisholm, H. A.
(D.A.D.M.S.) 1st Divisional Headquarters D.S.O. Mention.
Col. Foster, G. La F.
(A.D.M.S.) " " C.B. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Wood, T. B.
(A.A. & Q.M.G.) " " Bt.-Col. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Hamilton,
G. T. (D.A.A.G.) General Headquarters, 3rd
Echelon Mention.
Lt.-Col. MacBrien, J. H.
(D.A.A. & Q.M.G.) 1st Divisional Headquarters
Staff D.S.O. Mention.
Col. Romer, C. F.
(G.S.O.) 1st Divisional Headquarters Mention.
Major Beatty, C. H. L.
D.S.O. (A.D.C.) " " Mention.
Lt.-Col. Gordon-Hall,
G. C. W. (G.S.O.) " " Mention.
Capt. Clifford, E. S.
D.S.O. (A.P.M.) " " Mention.
Lt.-Gen. Alderson,
E.A.H.C.B. (G.O.C.) " " Mention.
Lt.-Col. Hayter, R.
J. F. H.Q., 1st Can. Inf. Bde. D.S.O. Mention.
Capt. Ware, F. D.
(Staff Captain) " " Mention.
Br.-Gen. Mercer, M. S. " " C.B. Mention.
Lt. Sprinks, W. D. 4th Can. Inf. Bde. M.C.
Major Kimmins, A. E. 1st Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
Capt. Parks, J. H. " " H.Q. D.S.O. Mention.
Lt. Campbell, F. W.. " " V.C.
Lt. Culling, E. C. 2nd Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
Temp. Capt.
Lt.-Col. Watson, D. " " Mention.
Capt. Turner, A. G. " " M.C. Mention.
Capt. Lyne-Evans,
J. H. 3rd Can. Inf. Bn. M.C. Mention.
Capt. Haywood, A. K. M.O. 3rd Bn. M.C. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Birchall, A. P. 4th Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
C. O.
Capt. Glover, J. D., Adjt. Mention.
Major Ballantyne, J. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Lt.-Col. H. Kemmis
Betty 2nd Can. Inf. Bde. H.Q. D.S.O. Mention.
Capt. Clark, R. P. " " Mention.
Br.-Gen. Currie, A. W. G.O.C. 1st Can. Div. C.B. Also awarded
Legion of Honour,
Croix de
Commandeur.
Lt.-Col. Tuxford, G. S. 5th Can. Inf. Bn Mention.
Major Pragnell, G. S. T. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Lt. Currie, J. M. " " Mention.
Capt. Anderson, S. J. " " D.S.O.
Lt.-Col. Armstrong,
C. J. H.Q. Can. Divl. Engrs. Mention.
Capt. Macphail, A.
Temp. Maj. 21/5/15. 1st F.C., Can. Engrs. D.S.O. Mention.
Lt. Hertzberg, H. F. H. 2nd F.C., Can. Engrs. M.C. Mention.
Major Wright, G. B. 3rd F.C., Can. Engrs. D.S.O. Mention.
Capt. Kilburn, F. C. Can. Divl. Sig. Co. Mention.
Major Lister, F. A. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Simson, W. A. H.Q. Can. Divl. Train Mention.
Lt. Webb, R. H. No. 1 Co. Can. Divl. Train M.C. Mention.
Major Duval, J. L. No. 1 Can. Fld. Ambulance Mention.
Capt. Stone, E. L. " " Mention.
Capt. McGibbon, R. H. " " Mention.
Lt.-Col. Ross, A. E. " " Mention.
Capt. McKillip, T. H. No. 2 Can. Fld. Ambulance D.S.O. Mention.
Lt.-Col. McPherson, D. W. " " Mention.
Major Hardy, E. B " " Mention.
Capt. Fraser, J. J " " Mention.
Capt. Brown, P. G. " " Mention.
Lt.-Col. Watt, W. L. No. 3 Can. Fld. Ambulance Mention.
Capt. Bell, F. C. " " Mention.
Capt. McQueen, J. D. " " Mention.
Capt. Donaldson, A. S. " " Mention.
Capt. Smith, S. A. " " D.S.O.
Lt.-Col. Ford, F. S. L. C.A.M.C. No. 1. Cas. Clg.
Stn. C.M.G. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Shillington,
A. T. C.A.M.C. No. 2 Stat. Hosp. Mention.
Brig.-Gen. Burstall,
H. E. (G.O.C.) H.Q. Can. Divl. Arty. C.B. Mention.
Capt. Cosgrave, L. M. 1st Can. Arty. Bde. Mention.
Capt. White, D. A.
(2nd Bty.) " " Mention.
o/c 2nd Battery.
Lt. Craig, C. S.
(4th Bty.) 1st Can. Arty. Bde. M.C. 26/7/15.
Lt.-Col. Creelman, J. J.
(Bde. Staff). 2nd Can. Arty. Bde. Mention.
Major Hanson, E. G.
(5th Bty.) 2nd Can. Arty. Bde. Mention.
Lt. Geary, H. F.
(6th Bty.) " " Mention.
Lt. Savage, H. M.
(7th Bty.) " " Mention.
Lt.-Col. Mitchell, J. H. 3rd Can. Arty. Bde. Mention. Also
(Bde. Staff). awarded Legion
of Honour,
Croix d'Officier
Lt. Greene, E. A.
(9th Bty.) 3rd Can. Arty. Bde. Mention.
Major King, W. B. M.
(10th Bty.) " " D.S.O. Mention.
o/c 8th How. Bde.
Major Carscallen, H. G.
(11th Bty.) 3rd Can. Arty. Bde. Mention.
Capt. Nash, J. P. P. 5th Can. Arty.-Bde. D.S.O.
Lt. Anderson, J. G. " " M.C.
Lt.-Col. Hart-McHarg, 7th Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
W. F. R.
Major Odlum, V. W. D.S.O. Mention.
Temp. Lt.-Col.
23/4/15.
Lt.-Col. Lipsett, L. J. 8th Can. Inf. Bn. C.M.G. Mention.
Major Matthews, H. H. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Lt. McLeod, N. G. M.
Temp. Capt.
24/4/15 " " M.C. Mention.
Lt. Scott, J. N. " " M.C. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Boyle, R. L. 10th Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
Major McLaren, J. " " Mention.
Capt. Arthur, C. G. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Major Ormond, D. M. 10th Can. Inf. Bn. Order of St. Stan-
islas, 3rd Class.
Lt.-Col. Hughes, G. B. H.Q. 3rd Can. Inf. Bde. D.S.O. Mention.
G. S. O.
Capt. Pope, E. W. " " Mention.
Br.-Gen. Turner, R.
E. W., V.C., D.S.O. " " C.B. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Loomis,
F. O. W. 13th Can. Inf. Bn. D.S.O. Mention.
Major Norsworthy, " " Mention.
E. C.
Major McCuaig, D. R. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Meighen, F. S. 14th Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Burland, W. W. " D.S.O. Mention.
Capt. Scrimger, F. A. C. " " V.C.
Major Marshall, W. R.
Temp. Lt.-Col.
9/5/15 o/c 15th Can. Inf. Bn. D.S.O. Mention.
Capt. Alexander, G. M. " " M.C. Mention.
Lt.-Col. Leckie, R. G. E. 16th Can. Inf. Bn. C.M.G. Mention.
Maj. Godson-Godson, G. 16th Can. Inf. Bn. D.S.O. Mention.
Capt. Merritt, C. Mack. " " Mention.
Lt. McLean, V. A. Order of St. Anne,
4th Class.
Capt. Morison, F., " " D.S.O.
Temp. Maj. 14/6/15/
Lt. Dennistoun, J. R. Can. Divl. Mtd. Tps.
(Cyclist Coy.) Mention.
Lt. Scandrett, J. H.
(12th Bty.) 3rd Can. Arty. Bde. M.C. Mention.
Lt. Ryerson, A. C.
(Ammn. Col.) 3rd C.F.A Mention.
Maj. Lambarde, F. F. 118th How. Bde., R.F.A D.S.O. Mention.
(458th Bty.)
Lt. Harbord, G. M.
(459th Bty.)
Capt. 24/5/15. " " D.S.O. Mention.
Lt. Ramsden, A. G. F.,
(Ammn. Col.) " " Mention.
Lt. McDonald, D. J.
(L.S.H.) Can. Cav. Bde M.C.
Major Hesketh, J. A.
(L.S.H.) " " D.S.O.
APPENDIX V
SECTION II
FIRST CANADIAN DIVISION.
HONOURS AND REWARDS GRANTED
_Other Ranks._
HONOUR
REGTL. NO. OR REWARD
AND RANK. NAME UNIT GRANTED.
48009 S.M. Clifton, A. E. Divl. Hd.-Qrs. D.C.M.
(Hon. Lieut. R.O. 1932 C.T.D.C.O. 397 D.M.S. 16/8/15
1822 Q.M.S. Cook, G. S. Divl. Hd.-Qrs. Mention.
1825 S.Sgt. Butt, H. G. B. " " Mention.
33304 L/Cpl. McDonald, W. " " Mention.
7117 Pte. Barrass, Wm. E. 1st Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class
6264 L/Cpl. Rouse, Chas. E. " " Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
6245 Pte. McGrimmon, H. W. " " Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
7097 L/Cpl. Whitla, W. " " D.C.M.
6972 Sgt. Wakelin, F. " " D.C.M.
6771 M.G.Sgt. Aiken, M. J. " " Mention.
9517 Sgt. Jones, W. E. " " Mention.
6712 Pte. Moore, G. " " Mention.
6409 C.S.M. Owen, C. " " D.C.M.
6920 Pte. Gledhill V. " " D.C.M.
6861 Pte. Vincent H. " " D.C.M.
8631 Sgt. Gardiner, E. 2nd Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 3rd
Class.
22900 L/Cpl. Marchant, J. S. 2nd Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
7980 Pte. Highstone, A. S. " " D.C.M.
22844 Cpl. Batchelor, C. W. " " D.C.M.
22846 Sgt. Birdseye, R. W " " D.C.M.
8603 Sgt. Bussell, E. W. " " Mention.
8569 Pte. McGuire, T. " " D.C.M.
9062 L/Cpl. Graveley, W. K. 3rd Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
9101 Cpl. Percy, Andrew " " Medal of St.
George, 3rd
Class.
9862 Sgt. Ives, P. " " D.C.M.
9067 Sgt. Adamson, S. L. " " D.C.M.
9342 L/Cpl. Minns, E. H. " " Mention.
9389 Sgt. Mote, G. A. " " D.C.M.
63983 Sgt. Hobday, S. G. " " D.C.M.
11317 A/Sgt. Elliott, T. 4th Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
19103 Pte. Broomfield, D. J. " " Medal of St.
George, 3rd
Class.
10865 Pte. Sheppard, A. " " Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
10857 Sgt. Kay, A. W. " " D.C.M.
10940 Pte. Shipman, E. " " Mention.
11187 Pte. Wright, F. L. " " Mention.
10538 L/Sgt. Hart, W. E. " " D.C.M.
(Lieut. promoted 14/10/15.)
13821 Sgt. Johnson, J. 5th Can. Inf. Bn. Medal of St.
George, 2nd
Class.
21584 Cpl. Crawford, W. M. " " Medal of St.
George, 3rd
Class.
13357 Pte. Cowell, J. D. " " D.C.M.
21855 Pte. Joslyn, R. W. " " D.C.M.
13022 Pte. Maguire, T. " " D.C.M.
13204 Cpl. White, G. A " " D.C.M.
13760 Pte. McIvor, N. " " Mention.
12605 Pte. Hester, E. " " D.C.M.
12877 Sgt. McKue, J. M. " " D.C.M.
16241 Sgt. Weeks, H. H. 7th Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
16425 Pte. Farmer, J. 7th Can. Inf. Bn. Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
16420 Sgt. Dryden, W. H " " D.C.M.
16246 Sgt. Fearless, H. N. " " D.C.M.
16576 L/Cpl. Mullins, T. M. " " D.C.M.
16608 Cpl. Odlum, J. W. " " Mention.
729 Pte. Nuttall, E. 8th Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
1616 Sig/Sgt. Thornton, J. " " Medal of St.
Cross, 4th
Class.
1058 R.S.M. Robertson, Wm. " " Mention.
1539 C.S.M. Hall, F. W. " " V.C.
478 L/Cpl. Payne, J. A. K. " " Mention.
508 Pte. Walters, H. " " D.C.M.
601 C.S.M. Hay, J. " " D.C.M.
6545 S.M. Good, R. G. 10th Can. Inf. Bn. Medal of St.
(Temp. Capt. George, 1st
23/5/15). Class.
(Struck off 9/8/15 permanently unfit, Med. Board).
19616 L/Cpl. Allan, G. W. 10th Can. Inf. Bn D.C.M.
11910 Cpl. Ross, T. O. " " D.C.M.
19637 Sgt. Schultz, S. " " D.C.M.
19491 Pte. Bloxham, G. H. " " D.C.M.
19617 L/Sgt. Palmer, J. E. " " D.C.M.
19589 L/Cpl. King, H. W. " " D.C.M.
20743 Cpl. Baker, W. H. " " "Croix de
Guerre."
29900 Q.M.S. Birch, G. R. 2nd Div. Hd.-Qrs St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
24583 Cpl. Campbell, J. J. 13th Can. Inf. Bn. Medal of St.
George, 1st
Class.
24789 Sgt. Key, R. " " Medal of St.
George, 2nd
Class.
46799 Pte. Danson, H. Div. Sig. Coy. D.C.M.
24001 R.S.M. Jeffery, J. 13th Can. Inf. Bn. M.C. Mention.
(Officer 13th Bn. Temp. Capt. 24/4/15.)
24061 C.S.M. Trainor, J. 13th Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
24201 Cpl. Reid, F. J. " " Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
24066 L/Cpl. Fisher, F. " " V.C.
25669 Sgt. Worrall, R. 4th Can. Inf. Bn. St. George's
Cross, 3rd
(Temp. Lieut. 9/5/15.) Class.
26284 Pte. Barrette, A. 14th Can. Inf. Bn. Medal of St.
George, 3rd
Class.
26648 C.S.M. Price, C. B " " D.C.M.
(Temp. Lieut. 9/5/15.)
25908 C.S.M. Handcock. A. 14th Can. Inf. Bn. Mention.
25790 Sgt. Hawkins, A. E " " Mention.
28776 Pte. MacAtair, A. Can. Divl. Sigl. Co. D.C.M.
(H.Q., 3rd Can.
Inf. Bde.).
23262 Pte. Duncan, W. " " D.C.M.
(H.Q. 3rd Can.
Inf. Bde.)
5646 Cpl. Casstles, E. " " D.C.M.
5696 Cpl. Kennedy, B. E. " " D.C.M.
5753 Pte. Stewart, H. R " " Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
30004 Sgt. MacDonald, J. Hd.-Qrs. Co. Can. Divl. D.C.M.
Train
30115 Dr. Pate, S. A. " " D.C.M.
30183 Dr. Barton, Geo. No. 2 Co. Can. Divl. Medal of St.
Train George, 4th
Class.
32713 Sgt. Brown, T. M. 1st Can. Field Amb. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
Mention.
D.C.M.
32758 Sgt. Smith, W. B. " " Mention.
32922 Pte. Trotter, E. " " Mention.
36210 Pte. Sharman, J. D. " " Mention.
33191 Pte. Turner, F. 2nd Can. Field Amb. Medal of St.
George, 3rd
Class.
D.C.M.
32979 Sgt. McKay, J. W. " " Mention.
33214 Pte. Youldon, J. G. " " Mention.
33099 Pte. Leishman, W. M. " " Mention.
33047 Pte. Dalton, J. " " Mention.
28722 Pte. Chester, R. M. " " Mention.
(Temp. Lieut. 7/11/15.)
33060 Pte. Farr, C. J. E. 2nd Can. Field Amb. Mention.
33470 Pte. Tomkins, C. B. 3rd Can. Field Amb. Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
32773 Sgt. Kinsell, J. G. 3rd Can. Field Amb. Mention.
(C.A.S.C. Attached-
Imperial).
33259 S/Sgt. Milborne, A. J. B. " " Mention.
33461 Cpl. Stewart, H. G. " " Mention.
33280 L/Cpl. Bartley, A. " " Mention.
33470 Pte. Tompkins, C. B. " " Mention.
33358 Cpl. Head, R. L. " " Mention.
33408 Pte. Millen, A. " " Mention.
33365 Pte. Holloway, W. J. 3rd Can. Field Amb. Mention.
26354 Pte. Mallette, J. R. 14th Can. Inf. Bn. D.C.M.
25540 R.S.M. Stephenson, J. M. " " "Medaille
Militaire."
27155 Sgt. Calder, J. M. 15th Can. Inf. Bn. D.C.M.
27210 Pte. Kerr, M. K. " " Mention.
27892 Sgt. Flood, W. J. " " Mention.
27001 R.M.S. Keith, Jas. " " Mention.
28874 Sgt. Dougall, J. 16th Can. Inf. Bn. D.C.M.
29519 Sgt. Lunn, B. C. " " D.C.M.
29524 Cpl. Heath, G. C. " " Mention.
29418 Pte. Bizley, J. W. " " Mention.
29047 L/Cpl. Minchin, A. W. " " Mention.
5591 S.M. Ridgwell, S. A. Hd.-Qrs. Can. Divl.
Engrs. Mention.
5154 L/Cpl. McIntyre, H. P. 1st Fld. Co. Can.
Engrs. St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
5077 L/Cpl. Casement, R. J. " " D.C.M.
5087 2nd Cpl. Evans, A. J. L. " " Mention.
(Lieut. 24/7/15.)
3209 Sgt. Smith-Rewse,
M. B. W. 1st Fld. Co. Can.
Engrs Mention.
(Temp. Lieut. 9/5/15.)
(Killed in Action 22/5/15.)
5301 C.S.M. Chetwynd, G. R. 2nd Fld. Co. Can.
Engrs. Mention.
(Lieut. 25/10/15.)
5310 Sgt. Ferris, C. B. 2nd Fld. Co. Can. "Croix de
Guerre."
45049 L/Cpl. Borrie, W. J. 3rd Fld. Co. Can.
Engrs. Medal of St.
George, 3rd
Class.
45006 Sgt. Turner, G. R. " " Mention.
(Temp. Lieut. 13/9/15.)
22046 Pte. Dunham, A. W. 1st Can. Div. Mtd. Tps. Medal of St.
(Cyclist Co.). George, 3rd
Class.
1944 Pte. Aitken, G. T. 1st Can. Div. Mtd. Tps. Medal of St.
George, 4th
Class.
5679 Cpl. Hudson, H. Can. Divl. Sigl. Co. St. George's
(H.Q., 2nd Can. Cross, 3rd
Inf. Bde.). Class.
5601 Coy.S.M. May, H. T. " " St. George's
Cross, 4th
Class.
5674 Sgt. Gale, T. " " Medal of St.
George, 2nd
Class.
21190 Pte. Quigley, H. S. " " D.C.M.
(Hd.-Qrs. 2nd Can. Inf. Bde.).
(Temp. Lieut. 19/9/15.)
5615 Pte. Adams, H. M. Can. Divl. Sigl. Co. D.C.M.
(Hd.-Qrs. 3rd Can. Inf. Bde.).
33387 Pte. Lisney, F. J. 3rd Can. Fld. Amb. Mention.
33442 Q.M.S. Rotsey, A. E. " " Mention.
33303 L/Cpl. Cameron, H. T. " " D.C.M.
1047 Sgt. Morris, D. Can. Cav. Brigade D.C.M.
(K.E.H. Imperial
Forces).
1517 S.S.M. Collins, G. S. " " D.C.M.
(L.S.H.).
221 Cpl. Pym, T. S. " " D.C.M.
(R.C.D.).
C40085 Bdr. Wilkinson, H. E. 1st Can. Fld. A. Bde. D.C.M.
(Bde. Staff).
C40106 Cpl. Lamplough, L. A. " " Mention.
(1st Battery).
C40440 S.M. Donaldson, J. W. A. " " D.C.M.
(2nd Battery).
C40870 Cpl. Ritchie, A. B. " " D.C.M.
(Ammn. Col.).
C42001 B.S.M. Kerry, H. G. " " Medal of St.
(4th Battery). George, 2nd
Class.
C40217 Sgt. MacInnes, W. " " "Croix de
Guerre."
C41055 A/Sgt. Olsen, O. C. 2nd Can. Fld. A. Bde. D.C.M.
(5th Battery).
C41434 Q-M.S. Milburn, A. R. " " D.C.M.
(6th Battery).
C41314 Cpl. Shirley, J. " " Mention.
(7th Battery).
C41445 Sgt. Hicks, A. S. 2nd Can. Fld. A. Bde. Mention.
(8th Battery).
C41034 Bdr. Cotton, D. P. " " St. George's
(5th Battery). Cross, 4th
Class.
40195 Sgt. Jacobs, M. 3rd Can. Fld. A. Bde. Mention.
(Bde. Staff).
42423 S.M. Wildgoose, R. " " Mention.
(9th Battery).
C42509 Cpl. Baker, R. F. " " D.C.M.
(10th Battery).
C40665 Gr. James, A. W. " " D.C.M.
(12th Battery)
C42244 B.Q.Sgt. Barnacal, Wm. " " Mention.
(11th Battery). Medal of St.
George, 2nd
Class.
42635 Sgt. Hayward, J. " " Mention.
(Ammn. Col.).
12835 B.S.M. Armitage, J. 118th How. Bde.
(458th Battery). R.F.A. D.C.M.
15093 Drvr. Marks, F. T. " " Mention.
(459th Battery).
24362 Cpl. Pobjoy, H. " " Mention.
(Ammn. Col.).
3368 Gr. Gurr, A. " " D.C.M.
(Headquarters).
SECOND CANADIAN DIVISION.
HONOUR
REGTL. NO. OR REWARD
AND RANK. NAME. UNIT. GRANTED
2/11/15 Lieut. A. W. Northover 28th Battalion Military
Cross.
73741 29/10/15 Pte. H. B. Compton 28th Battalion D.C.M.
69805 29/10/15 Sgt. W. C. Ryer 26th Battalion D.C.M.
APPENDIX VI
STATEMENT OF CASUALTIES, BY UNITS, OF THE
CANADIAN DIVISIONS UP TO NOVEMBER 30TH,
1915
1ST DIVISION
Killed in Died of Died of Prisoners
Action. Wounds. Diseases, etc. Wounded. of War. Missing. Total.
Other
Officers. Ranks. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R.
H.Q. 1st Divn. -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- 4 -- -- -- -- -- 5
H.Q. 1st In. Be. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
1st Battn. 14 184 3 42 -- 3 17 636 1 2 1 74 36 941
2nd " 5 102 1 38 -- 9 13 350 3 122 3 141 25 762
3rd " 7 109 3 38 1 3 24 427 6 245 -- 74 41 896
4th " 8 107 2 44 -- 5 24 632 -- -- 1 42 33 730
H.Q. 2nd In. Be. -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 -- -- -- -- -- 3 --
5th Battn. 7 112 5 53 -- 1 20 611 -- 26 1 25 33 828
7th " 8 112 2 51 -- 5 24 642 7 209 1 114 42 1,033
8th " 5 127 -- 41 -- 1 23 438 5 149 1 45 34 801
10th " 14 121 4 57 -- 2 24 638 2 26 1 118 45 962
H.Q. 3rd In. Be. -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 7 -- -- -- 1 2 8
13th Battn. 4 119 -- 45 -- 7 22 492 2 141 2 65 30 869
14th " 4 84 -- 39 -- 3 16 402 -- 53 2 33 22 614
15th " 3 77 2 80 -- 15 11 353 10 223 3 144 29 892
16th " 7 117 9 51 -- 3 16 402 -- 53 2 33 27 659
1st Div. Cavalry -- -- -- 4 -- 2 -- 8 -- -- -- -- -- 14
1st Div. Cyclist -- 5 -- 3 -- 4 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1 12
H.Q. Mtd. Bde. -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1 --
L.S.H. (R.C.) 1 23 -- 12 -- 1 7 161 -- -- -- 2 8 199
Roy. Can. Drag. -- 10 -- 6 -- 2 4 107 -- -- -- -- 4 125
H.Q. Div. Art'y. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1
1st. Bde. C.F.A. 1 9 -- 9 -- 3 10 79 -- -- -- -- 11 100
2nd " " 3 22 -- 9 -- 4 5 100 -- -- -- -- 8 135
3rd " " -- 9 -- 11 -- 2 9 114 -- -- -- -- 9 136
lst. Div. Ammn. Col. -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- 13 -- -- -- -- -- 14
1st Hvy. Battery -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 -- -- -- -- -- 6
R.C.H.A. -- -- -- -- -- 1 2 4 -- -- -- -- 2 5
A.M.G. Bde. -- 1 -- -- -- 1 -- 5 -- -- -- -- -- 7
1st Div. Engrs. 3 23 -- 14 -- 4 3 115 -- -- -- 3 6 159
1st " Sig. Co. -- 2 -- 1 -- 3 -- 14 -- -- -- 1 -- 21
C.A.S.C. -- -- 1 2 -- 4 -- 27 -- -- -- 2 1 35
C.A.M.C. -- -- -- 12 3 4 4 37 -- 2 -- 1 7 56
C.A.V.C. -- -- -- -- -- 2 -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 3
C.O.C. -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1
C. Postal C. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
C.A.P.C. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
P.P.C.L.I. 7 203 3 52 -- 7 22 551 1 15 2 58 35 886
N/Sisters -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Totals 99 1,678 28 714 4 104 307 7,177 37 1,266 20 976 495 11,915
2ND DIVISION.
Killed in Died of Died of Prisoners
Action. Wounds. Diseases, etc. Wounded. of War. Missing. Total.
Other
Officers. Ranks. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R. O. O.R.
H.Q. 2nd Divn. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1
H.Q. 4 Inf. Bde. -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1
18th Battn. 2 11 -- 1 -- 5 -- 44 -- -- -- -- 2 61
19th " -- 10 -- 6 -- 4 -- 53 -- -- -- -- -- 73
20th " -- 8 -- 3 -- 3 -- 33 -- -- -- -- -- 47
21st " 1 7 -- 4 -- 2 -- 44 -- -- -- -- 1 57
H.Q. 5 Inf. Bde. -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1 --
22nd Battn. 1 12 -- 3 -- 4 1 74 -- 1 -- -- 2 94
24th " -- 13 -- 9 -- 2 4 65 -- -- -- -- 4 89
25th " -- 18 -- 7 -- 1 3 99 -- -- -- 6 3 131
26th " -- 28 1 8 -- 4 6 90 -- -- -- 1 7 131
H.Q. 6 Inf. Bde. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
27th Battn. -- 15 -- 9 -- 1 1 57 -- -- -- -- 1 82
28th " -- 26 -- 10 -- 5 2 54 -- -- -- 9 2 104
29th " -- 8 -- 4 -- 2 6 27 -- -- -- 1 6 42
31st " 1 14 -- 1 -- 4 -- 46 -- -- -- -- 1 65
2nd Div. Cavalry -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1
2nd " Cyclists -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
H.Q. 1st Bde. C.M.R. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
1st Regt. C.M.R. 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- 1 2
2nd " " -- 1 -- 2 -- -- -- 8 -- -- -- -- -- 11
3rd " " -- -- 1 -- -- -- 1 6 -- -- -- -- 2 6
H.Q. 2nd Bde. C.M.R. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
4th Regt. C.M.R. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5 -- -- -- -- -- 5
5th " " -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4 -- -- -- -- -- 4
6th " " -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4 -- -- -- -- -- 4
H.Q. 2nd Div. Art. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
4th Bde. C.F.A. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- 2
5th " " -- -- -- -- -- 13 -- 6 -- -- -- 1 -- 20
6th How. " -- -- -- -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2
2nd Div. Amm. Col. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1
2nd Hvy. Battery -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Eaton's M. G. Battery -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Bordon's " " -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- 3
2nd Div. Engrs. 1 2 -- 2 -- 1 3 24 -- -- -- -- 4 29
2nd " Sig. Co. -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1
C.A.S.C. -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1
C.A.M.C. -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- -- -- -- -- 1 --
42nd Battn. 1 2 -- 2 -- -- -- 7 -- -- -- -- 1 11
49th Battn. -- 2 -- 1 -- 2 3 16 -- -- -- -- 3 21
R.C.R. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
N/Sisters -- -- -- -- 2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 --
Totals 8 177 2 72 2 60 32 774 -- 1 -- 18 44 1,102
GRAND TOTALS CASUALTIES.
1st Division 99 1,678 28 714 4 104 307 7,177 37 1,266 20 976 495 11,915
2nd Division 8 177 2 72 2 60 32 774 -- 1 -- 18 44 1,102
GRAND TOTALS 107 1,855 30 786 6 164 339 7,951 37 1,267 20 994 639 13,017
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN IN
RICHARD CLAY AND SONS, LIMITED,
BRUNSWICK STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.B.,
AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.
* * * * *
EXTRACTS FROM
PRESS OPINIONS
OF
CANADA IN FLANDERS
EVEN NAPIER HAS WRITTEN NOTHING BETTER.
"I have no hesitation in saying that Sir Max Aitken is to be ranked
with Sir William Napier in the power of describing a battle. The book
should be in the hands of every reader in the Empire, for the inspiring
quality of it, its nobility, its bravery. It is in his description of
the part played by the Canadians in the Battle of Ypres that Sir Max
Aitken touches his highest, and that is so high that hardly anyone has
surpassed it. Even Napier has written nothing better than Sir Max
Aitken's account of the second battle of Ypres--a battle which we won,
surely, by the direct grace of God."--Sir W. Robertson Nicoll in the
_British Weekly_.
A LIVING BARRIER.
"Excellently done.... With the aid of excellent sketch maps every
phase can here be followed of the fight in which the Canadians, first
alone, and then foremost among the reinforcements, improvised and
maintained a living barrier against the flood of the German army which
had poured through the great breach on the British flank, and thus
averted, in Sir John French's significant words, a 'disaster which
might have been attended with the most serious consequences.'"--_The
Times_.
A BOOK WHICH WILL LIVE.
"The story of how the Canadians fought at Neuve Chapelle, Ypres, at
Givenchy, at Festubert, as he tells it here, is as absorbing as ever,
and our pride in the lavish bravery and sacrifice of the daughter
nation is, if that were possible, strengthened by reading these
pages.... It will be one of the books on the war which will
live."--_Daily Telegraph_.
A GREAT BOOK.
"A great book by a big man--Sir Max Aitken deserves not merely
compliments and unstinted praise, but thanks as well."--_Reynolds's
Newspaper_.
CLEAR BATTLE PICTURES.
"The splendid work of the Canadians on the Western front makes a fine
story in the pages of 'Canada in Flanders,' by Sir Max Aitken, M.P. He
writes an easy style, and when describing a complicated battlefield can
bring clear pictures of its events before the reader. The most
important chapter is headed 'Ypres.' It gives the best and most lucid
account we have yet seen of the battles which followed the German gas
attack last April."--_Manchester Guardian_.
AN EMPIRE ANNAL.
"A book to thrill and inspire ... to read the story told by Sir Max
Aitken is to read one of the finest stories in the annals of the
Empire."--_Sunday Times_.
STORIES THAT THRILL.
"One of the clearest expositions and most effective pieces of writing
we remember to have read.... His stories will thrill his readers not
only in Canada ... but wherever the English language is
read."--_Standard_.
HEROIC DEEDS.
"The heroic deeds of the Canadians at Ypres make one tingle with pride
to be a kinsman to such soldiers. Farmers and fruit farmers, editors
and ranchers all showed themselves to be of the finest fighting stuff
in the world."--_Evening Standard_.
TWO NEW BRUNSWICKERS.
"Not only has Canada sent us splendid troops, but New Brunswick (there
is a fine irony in the name) has strengthened our arm in sending us Mr.
Bonar Law.... Another New Brunswicker, also a Scots minister's son,
who has made good is Sir Max Aitken. His book of the Canadians in
Flanders is now one of the liveliest (and truest) stories on the
bookstalls."--_Graphic_.
CANADA'S AGINCOURT.
"What Agincourt is to the English reader of Shakespeare Ypres will be
to unborn Canadians.... We can wish for no better telling of the
heart-grips in a great battle."--_Observer_.
WITHIN SOUND OF THE GUNS.
"The Official Historian of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, whoever he
may be ... cannot hope to match the vivid narrative, written, as one
may say, within sound of the guns, in which Sir Max Aitken relates the
deeds of the gallant men with whom he served in Flanders."--_Daily
Chronicle_.
CANADA'S ACHIEVEMENT.
"Sir Max Aitken is a worthy chronicler of great deeds, and his
introductory chapters alone add materially to our knowledge of the
greatness of Canada's achievement. Most space is naturally given to
the share of the Canadians in the battles of Neuve Chapelle and Ypres,
which are vividly described from the military and human
standpoint."--_Daily Graphic_.
DEATHLESS EXPLOITS AT YPRES.
"The deathless exploit of the Canadians in stemming the German onrush
at Ypres and frustrating the expected gains of the gas trick will often
be retold, but never, we think, to the displacement of the version here
given, with its tense reality and unforced power. The author has
succeeded in combining a clear impression of the engagement and its
objective as a whole with a sufficiency of detail to let us understand
something of the character of such warfare from the individual's point
of view.... Canada has been fortunate in her Record Officer."--_Pall
Mall Gazette_.
FASCINATING IMPRESSIONS.
"What a fascinating book this is. It has some thrilling stories of the
heroism of the gallant Canadian soldiers. Sir Max Aitken can write.
It was he, you remember, who was responsible for the only official
story of the heroic fighting at Ypres that really gave an adequate
impression of the battle, and everyone was wondering for days after the
publication of that account who the brilliant author could be. Well,
his new book is better than that account and tells more not only of
what the men did, but which men and which regiments took part in the
now historic struggles round ruined Ypres."--"The Rambler" in the
_Daily Mirror_.
A VERITABLE EPIC.
"This is one of the many good books of the war which rank with those of
'Ian Hay,' 'Sapper,' and Mr. John Buchan. Such books are not likely to
be affected by the 'slump' in war books of which we hear. They are
indispensable.... A veritable epic of Canada's share in the
war."--Clement Shorter in _The Sphere_.
A JOYOUS SHILLINGSWORTH.
"The Secretary of State for the Colonies is correct in his description
of Sir Max Aitken's work as 'a model of lucid, picturesque, and
sympathetic narrative.' ... A joyous shillingsworth--the best we have
seen for a long time."--_Morning Post_.
BRAVERY AND SACRIFICE.
"It is a thrilling record of the manner in which Canada has played her
part in the great fight on the Western front, and hitherto unpublished
stories of extraordinary feats of bravery and sacrifice for others are
told. As a record of what the Canadians have accomplished for the
Motherland it is one of the best books the war has produced, and it is
written in such an interesting form that it can and should be read by
all of the English-speaking race."--_Star_.
A FLAME OF PATRIOTISM.
"Of the making of books on the war there is no end. But few have
achieved, or will achieve, the popularity that is certainly destined
for 'Canada in Flanders.' ... To English readers, of whom there will be
many, the chapters which deal with the raising of the corps in Canada
will, perhaps for the first time, bring realization of the flame of
patriotism which spread like a prairie fire through the Dominion at the
outbreak of the war."--_Lloyd's Weekly_.
AN ARMY OF AMATEURS.
"Sir Max points out, over and over again, that the Canadian Army is
almost entirely an army of amateurs. Princess Patricia's Light
Infantry was recruited from old soldiers, but the rest of the Canadian
army was made up of men without military experience. This fact is of
immense significance, particularly as it is equally true of the greater
part of the British forces."--_Daily Express_.
HODDER & STOUGHTON, Publishers, WARWICK SQ., LONDON, E.C.