Everywhere we find the trail of drink among Canadians—in camp and on
leave.
A Canadian corporal, wounded in the Battle of Ypres, was found
terribly drunk after being missing all day from hospital. Confronted
with the surgeon after violent acts of insubordination, the corporal
broke down and cried like a child.
_Facts in “Western Mail,” February 18, 1916_
In the first weeks of the war 42 Canadian soldiers disgraced
themselves, by excessive drinking, insubordination, and disorderly
conduct, to such an extent that they had to be sent back to Canada.
_Facts in “Canadian Pioneer,” December 4, 1914_
A Canadian soldier, helplessly drunk, was seen at King’s Cross
station eating, tearing, and crumpling up £1 notes, and would have
lost about fifteen pounds but for kindly help from passers by.
_Facts in “Daily Chronicle,” September 28, 1916_
A gunner from Montreal, missing from camp for several days, drank
himself delirious, and cut his throat with a razor.
_Facts in “Canadian Pioneer,” December 4, 1914_
A Canadian soldier spent £70 in three weeks on drink and bad
characters.
_Facts in “Daily Mail” August 10, 1915_
A Sergeant-Major from Canada declared that he had lost 20 per cent.
of the men of his battery through venereal disease. They had a
little drink, and were captured by the swarm of bad women at
Folkestone.
_Facts in Letter to Author_
A woman was imprisoned for placing young children in moral danger.
Every night the girls brought soldiers home, and colonial soldiers
were frequently so drunk that they were carried in.
_Records of Central Criminal Court, April 25, 1917_