A pile of straw was a welcome couch to men who had been for days in
the trenches near the Yser. Men under artillery fire were often unable
to get any sleep for several days. Sometimes their nerves were so
shattered that they were unable to sleep after they were relieved.
Deafness from the concussion of their own heavy artillery was also a
frequent occurrence.]
“Alvensleben’s brother, Bodo, who was in charge of the Victoria branch
of the Alvensleben Canadian Finance and General Investment Company,
left hurriedly a few days before the outbreak of war to join his unit.
The wildest rumors were circulated as to the spying operations of the
brothers. It was said that Bodo had been taken off a ship by a British
man-of-war, and when searched had in his possession the plans of the
Canadian navy-yard at Esquimalt, and for this he was shot. Alvo
denied the report, but whatever happened to this escaping brother,
British censorship has never let out. Joachim von Alvensleben, an elder
brother, well known from his various visits to Vancouver, was killed
early in the war.”
The third and most brilliant of the brothers, the gambler-financier
Alvo, was arrested at Portland and taken to Seattle, where he was
interned “till the end of the war.” Concerning his subsequent
proceedings there is no important information; at all events his
meteoric career made a chapter of life which Vancouverites will never
tire of discussing.