#Huron Expositor

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“NON-CHRISTIAN INDIAN SWORN,” Brantford Expositor. January 6, 1933. Page 5. ---- Huron Claus Gave Affirmation as to His Evidence ---- HAMILTON, Jan. 6— (CP)— Electing to be tried in a higher court, Robert Kremer was committed for trial in police court to-day on a charge of robbery while armed. The charge hinged on the hold-up of a group of card players at the apartment of James Woods on December 17. Harvey Laforme and Huron Claus, pleaded guilty to the charge Wednesday and are at present awaiting sentence.

When the time came for Huron Claus to be sworn, it was 'found necessary to look up the Indian Act regarding the way to swear in a non-Christian Indian. Claus was questioned closely by the magistrate regarding his religious beliefs and then repeated a declaration that "he solemnly affirmed and declared the evidence he would give to the court in the case would be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” 

After a further caution regarding perjury, Claus took the stand and identified the pistol which he had carried during the robbery.

[anumberofhobbies]

Oh, it gets worse, and then there were the,

One problem knocker uppers faced was making sure workers did not get woken up for free. "When knocking up began to be a regular trade, we used to rap or ring at the doors of our customers," Mrs Waters, a knocker upper in the north of England told an intrigued reporter from Canada's Huron Expositor newspaper in 1878, "The public complained of being disturbed... by our loud rapping or ringing; and the knocker-up soon found out that while he knocked up one who paid him, he knocked up several on each side who did not," she continued. The solution they hit on was modifying a long stick, with which to tap on the bedrooms windows of their clients, loudly enough to rouse those intended but softly enough not to disturb the rest.

Just when you think you understand a language, slangs and idioms come at you from behind. In English, my first language, there are phrases that can confuse me in a busy conversation.

"We're cooking!" and "We're cooked" have opposite meanings.

"That's cool" and "That's hot" mean similar things.

"Fired up" and "Got fired" have wildly different meanings, and so do "Knocked out" and "Knocked up."

And if you move slightly to the left in any country/continent, they use different terms and idioms! How does one keep track?!

[hemp-pot]

HEMP.gg : Cows fed hemp produced milk with THC, researchers say - Richmond Times-Dispatch

Cows fed hemp produced milk with THC, researchers say  Richmond Times-Dispatch

Cows that fed on hemp produced psychoactive milk — but it wasn't potent enough to get anyone high  Salon

Hemp-fed cows get high and produce THC-laced milk  New Atlas

Cows get high on hemp: German study  Seaforth Huron Expositor

Cows fed hemp produced milk with THC, acted buzzed: Study  Toronto Sun

View Full Coverage on Google News

source https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMie2h0dHBzOi8vcmljaG1vbmQuY29tL2Nvd3MtZmVkLWhlbXAtcHJvZHVjZWQtbWlsay13aXRoLXRoYy1yZXNlYXJjaGVycy1zYXkvYXJ0aWNsZV81ZTA2YWQ5Zi00ZDIxLTU3MTYtODM3OC0xZWQ0ZTUwYjk2NTMuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5

[k2kid]

Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell was yet to earn the Military Medal for his actions at Courcelette, the Somme, when this letter was published in the Huron Expositor on March 10, 1916. He was 20-years old, just shy of his 21st birthday by 40 days. He was a combat veteran claiming to have served continuously, along with his Battalion and his Brigade, for 137 days. This number is accurate as the Battalion entered the lines in the Ypres sector on the night of September 23, 1915 and the total days in active service until the date of the letter (written February 6, 1916) is precisely 137 days. Perhaps it was this attention to detail that would help him earn promotion to the rank of lieutenant.

Huron Expositor 16-03-10 Page 1.

Huron Expositor 16-03-10 Page 1.

His letter relates to the Battalion’s experiences before the battle at St. Eloi Craters as the Battalion is stationed in the Ridgewood Sector of Ypres during the latter half of January. 1916 and is full of interesting points:

From the Front

The following letter was written by Pte. Wes. Caldwell, of the 18th Battalion, and whose home is in Hensall. He is well known in Clinton, having attended the Collegiate Institute there, before enlisting for overseas service. The letter is dated Belgium, Feb. 6, 1916[i], as follows:

Dear Friend, — Am sitting beside a machine gun in a redoubt about 200 years from the front line. Was transferred to the section about 10 days ago. We spent six days in the front line, then the next six here in the redoubt followed by another six in the front line, then we got into divisional reserve for the next six; thus taking twenty-four days for the round trip.

Our last term in the front line was rather exciting. Our bomb throwers had been aggravating the Germans all one night and they began to retaliate just before dawn. In all they must have sent over 150 rifle grenades and ball bombs on a frontage of 100 yards. Our gun was right in the midst of it, but fortunately none of the crew was injured. The parapet was blown flat in two places, but was speedily built up again that night.

The German rifle-grenade is much feared as it not only contains a very high explosive but also much heavy shrapnel. Their hand grenades are not so dangerous. There was a ball bomb exploded within ten feet of me one night but I was only scratched in a couple of places. The explosion lifted me clear off my feet but I came to earth again almost unhurt. The narrow escapes that some fellows have are nothing short of marvellous.

There is no danger of the Germans ever advancing any farther on the Western front. We are holding them with the greatest possible ease by a triple line that cannot be broken.

Our supply of munitions is fast mounting up in a supply which will be inhaustable [sic] before long; then the great offensive will commence, which will make the world sit up and take notice.

The cost of attempting to advance without the necessary munitions and supplies to back it up has been proven before. The people at home are wondering why we are not making more headway. The reason for that, is that, the Allies have already lost too many good men of account of the lack of artillery and shells. We are only waiting the time when nearly all the defences can be blown to pieces by artillery fire, when a general advance is made. Destructive bayonet charges are soon to be a thing of the past. Our artillery is now vastly superior to that of the enemy, in fact, the German batteries are almost afraid to open up for fear of the awful retaliation given them by our batteries.

Sniping is a great feature in trench warfare. We have one old sniper who is a regular Indian at the game. I believe he would scalp his victims if he could.

Am feeling as well as can be expected but the whole brigade is in need of a rest. We have created a new record for continuous service in the trenches. We have held this frontage for 137 days, which is 20 days longer than any brigade in the British Army has ever served without a rest, and we are still holding it.

Hoping you are well, I remain,

Sincerely,

W.S. Caldwell

Huron Expositor  March 1o, 1916. Page 1.

The letter is addressed to a “friend” giving the only clue to who the audience is. The letter is pretty frank as to the experiences Private Caldwell has, even relating a close call with a German grenade. Perhaps it is a friend from the Clinton Collegiate? It is, perhaps, more casual and informative than a letter written to his parents and one wonders what they thought, if this was the case, if they read the letter in the newspaper.

Though the letter is dated February 6, 1916 this date may refer to a post mark. As Private Caldwell states, specifically, that he is “…sitting beside a machine gun in a redoubt about 200 years from the front line,” it can be surmised that the writing of the letter occurred while the Battalion was in the line in the La Clytte/Vierstraat sector and that the letter was posted when the Battalion went off the line into Brigade Reserve at Ridgewood on February 2, 1916. He relates the nature of the rotation of the battalions from front line to support lines (redoubt), and reserve though it appears that the Battalion cycled back and fort between front and support lines twice before it was moved to divisional reserve.

From this and the following paragraph it appears that Private Caldwell has been assigned to serve a machine gun. It is not clear if Private Caldwell is serving a Colt Machine Gun or a Lewis Gun. The Colt was maintained as an active weapon until completely replaced by the Vickers Machine Gun after the attack on Vimy Ridge. The Lewis Gun did not become part of the equipment of a Canadian Battalion until July 1916. It is possible that Private Caldwell was part of a Colt Machine Gun crew.

Kugelhandgranate 1915. Weight 1 kg, including 45 g. black powder / baryte nitrate / potassium perchlorate mixture. Very heavy to throw. Germans used apparatus to launch these grenades.

Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade with range cup. Note the two positions of the cup which affected its length of flight.

Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade detail.

Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade with rod.

Explosed view of the Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade.

He relates, in some detail, an incident where the 18th Battalion was interdicting the German trenches with grenades. It is not clear why type of grenades being “thrown” by the Canadians but, as the grenades sent by the Germans in reply for the ‘aggravation’ created by the men of the 18th, it appears that the distance between the Canadian and German lines was such that the Canadian probably were using rifle grenades or some method to launch percussion grenades. The Germans replied with their Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade and the “ball bomb” Kugelhandgranate 1915 (a round grenade fired with launchers and timed fuses). It is interesting to note that Private Caldwell, or other men of the Battalion could identify the nature of the grenades during the action.[ii] The Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade, “…is much feared as it not only contains a very high explosive but also much heavy shrapnel,” while the Kugelhandgranate 1915, “…is not so dangerous.” Yet, it is this exact grenade whose, “…explosion lifted me clear off my feet but I came to earth again almost unhurt.” A touch of youthful bravado, and perhaps concern for those at home may take this last story to heart has Private Caldwell relate that this is, apparently, part of a serious of “narrow escapes” and that their number makes these escape “marvelous”.

Private Caldwell then touches on his assessment of the war to date and touches on the aspect that the First World War will be, essentially to achieve tactical success, a war of artillery. His statement: “Destructive bayonet charges are soon to be a thing of the past,” seems oddly out of place given that he is, for all intents and purposes, a combat veteran and the use of the bayonet has been superseded by other weapons of war in trench fighting. Perhaps the inculcation of the bayonet through the bayonet courses and training to encourage aggression and élan in combat was so strong that the concept of the bayonet in the hands of a soldier as a weapon of fear is slow to die. Event after two years of war.

His reference, albeit, brief, to sniping, is of interest and the reference to, “…one old sniper who is a regular Indian at the game,” is not clear in its meaning. Is the sniper an aboriginal soldier or is the soldier that is sniping acting like a “regular Indian” in his use of tactics, concealment, and shooting. Note that sniping developed into a 2-man team based role and Private Caldwell does not reference another member of the team.

He is obviously proud of the 4th Brigade’s achievement in reference to the total time in the line. This constant exposure to the weather and the stress of combat would require the C.E.F. to later modify the rotation of battalions and brigades as the war progressed. During this time (September to February) the 18th Battalion suffered 34 men fatalities, almost all due to combat. It was a precursor to the experiences the Battalion would experience at St. Eloi and the Somme.

Private Caldwell was to survive the war and several other letters from him were published in the local papers. This letter is rich in detail and information and allows one to experience part of his past.

[i] The Battalion was in Brigade Reserve at Ridgewood, Ypres Sector, Belgium when this letter was written. The 18th Battalion war diary relates for that day: -Ditto- [Routine] Communion service was held at 11 a.m. CAPT. HALE proceeded on leave.

[ii] The author is almost CERTAIN he would be under cover and would not make any effort to identify the type of grenade being used against him.

“The narrow escapes that some fellows have are nothing short of marvellous”: A Letter from the Front Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell was yet to earn the Military Medal for his actions at Courcelette, the Somme, when this letter was published in the Huron Expositor on March 10, 1916.

[afterellen]

3 Técnicas Infalíveis para Memorização

"Muitos se queixam de sua memória, poucos de seu julgamento." - Benjamin Franklin

A melhor maneira de aprender novas ideias é abordá-las com entusiasmo e interesse. É melhor aprender e compreender ideias e conceitos, em vez de apenas memorizar fatos através da repetição.

Cultivar um interesse ativo em um tópico é um processo muito mais natural do que a repetição. É provável que você se lembre de algo se for importante para você ou se isso lhe interessar.

Antes de começar a tentar memorizar algo, tente entender. Uma boa maneira de fazer isso é fazendo uma conexão entre o que você está aprendendo e o que você experimentou.

Quanto melhor você puder relacionar as novas informações com o que você já conhece, mais fácil será aprender.

Por exemplo, antes de tentar memorizar eventos da história europeia, encontre os lugares em um globo (ou mapa do mundo) e veja onde eles são relativos uns aos outros e também relativos ao local onde você mora.

Uma das maneiras mais bem sucedidas de memorizar informações é usar mnemônicos. Os Mnemônicos são dispositivos usados ​​para ajudar a memória normalmente usada para lembrar uma lista de itens ou elementos. Exemplos comuns dessas técnicas de memória incluem acrônimos, acrostics ou chunking.

Continue lendo este artigo e entenda melhor sobre 3 técnicas infalíveis de memorização.

#1 Acrônimos

As opiniões diferem sobre o que constitui um acrônimo. Geralmente, as siglas são consideradas quaisquer palavras formadas a partir das primeiras letras de uma lista de palavras.

No entanto, de acordo com a definição mais rigorosa de um acrônimo, apenas abreviaturas que formam uma palavra pronunciável se qualificam como um acrônimo.

No entanto, para fins de técnicas de memória, qualquer sigla que possa ser facilmente lembrada será qualificada.

Para a memorização, um acrônimo pode simplesmente ser uma combinação de letras inventada. Cada letra é uma sugestão para um item que você precisa lembrar.

Nas escolas americanas, os alunos geralmente são ensinados a usar as siglas HOMES para lembrar os cinco Grandes Lagos (Huron, Ontário, Michigan, Erie e Superior).

Para criar um acrônimo, pegue a lista de palavras ou fatos que deseja lembrar e coloque-os em ordem para que as primeiras letras de cada palavra façam uma palavra real ou uma palavra inventada.

Outros exemplos:

PEMDAS , seqüência na resolução ou avaliação de equações matemáticas Parênteses | Expositores | Multiplicação | Divisão | Adição | Subtração

ROY G. BIV , as cores do espectro visível Vermelho, Laranja, Amarelo, Verde, Azul, Indigo, Violeta

IPMAT , os estágios da divisão celular Interfase, Proporção, Metafase, Anafase, Telephase

#2 Acrostics

Semelhante a siglas, um acróstico é uma seqüência de letras que ajuda você a lembrar um poema ou outro texto. Como um substituto de fazer novas palavras, mesmo que, você use as letras para fazer uma frase.

Exemplo:

Minha querida tia Sally (ordem matemática de operação: multiplique e divida antes de adicionar e subtrair).

Você pode lembrar a ordem dos planetas pela frase " Minha mãe muito elegante apenas nos serviu nove papagaios " (representando Mercúrio, Vênus, Terra, Mercúrio, Júpiter, Saturno, Urano, Neptuno, Plutão).

#3 Chunking

Chunking é uma técnica de memória para dividir a informação em grupos ou unidades. Baseia-se na ideia de que a memória de curto prazo é limitada no número de coisas que podem ser mantidas.

Uma regra comum é que uma pessoa pode lembrar 7 (mais ou menos 2) "itens" na memória de curto prazo. Se você tentar lembrar grupos de itens em pedaços de mais de 9, seu cérebro fica confuso.

Chunking diminui o número de itens que você está segurando na memória aumentando o tamanho de cada item.

Em vez de tentar lembrar a seqüência de 10 números individualmente, seria mais fácil lembrar agrupando ou fragmentando-os como 450 87 158 95. Portanto, em vez de lembrar 10 números individuais, você está lembrando quatro números maiores.

[farwiayas3-blog]

'Don't veer for deer' | Seaforth Huron Expositor - https://goo.gl/9yhxPt - #Auto_Insurance, #Deer, #Dont, #Expositor, #Huron, #Seaforth, #Veer

[seemabtechno]

Newspapers from Ontario: Here is a largest and most comprehensive directory of  free online Newspapers, Magazines, News websites, online television and radio channels from Ontario having access to the current news on local and international affairs.

·               1310 News

·               24 Hours

·               570 News

·               610 Cktb

·               680 News

·               Ajax News Advertiser

·               Am 800

·               Am 980

·               Amherstburg River Town Times

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·               Atikokan Progress

·               Aylmer Express

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·               Bancroft This Week

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·               Barrhaven Independent

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·               Belleville Intelligencer

·               Bradford Times

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·               Brantford Expositor

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·               Seaforth Huron Expositor

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[nonviable-hostage]

via crossfit - Google News

[houstonlibrarian]

New Post has been published on Librarian Chat

New Post has been published on http://www.librarianchat.com/?p=365319

A break from technology, Seaforth Library welcomes painting class for kids - Seaforth Huron Expositor

Seaforth Huron ExpositorA break from technology, Seaforth Library welcomes painting class for kidsSeaforth Huron ExpositorOccupying two large tables on the second floor of the Seaforth Library July 13, roughly 10 locals attended a painting class taught by Heather DeJong who owns the Brushstrokes In Motion. DeJong provided each child an …read more

Read more here:: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=de&usg=AFQjCNGWLRAkme0uy2Iz0PTR7YChMqQfcg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=64FuWdiaM4Pq3gGK_azgCg&url=http://www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com/2017/07/18/a-break-from-technology-seaforth-library-welcomes-painting-class-for-kids

[thoughtfuldefendorgentlemen]

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[boozeleff]

Q and A with Kelly Elson AKA, the psychic medium - Seaforth Huron Expositor

Seaforth Huron Expositor Q and A with Kelly Elson AKA, the psychic medium Seaforth Huron Expositor No one grows up with a plan to be a psychic as it's not exactly a plausible life plan with a predictable outcome. It was always an interest however, and although in retrospect I had strong experiences since I was a child, I began to consciously ... and more »

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“NO REASON TO THINK BETTER TIMES COMING,” Brantford Expositor. May 31, 1932. Page 1. ---- Warning Given by Bishop of Ontario at Kingston ---- Rt. Rev. Bishop J. Lyons in His ' First' Charge ---- KINGSTON, May 31 (CP)— “There is no reason to believe that better times are just around ‘the corner. The world has witnessed a record fall in commodity prices, world-wide unemployment, unprecedented world depression and the abandonment by England of the gold standard, which has been regarded as something in the nature of the keystone of national and world prosperity. Yet in spite of all we seem to sense an upward trend in many directions.”

With these words Right Rev. Bishop John Lyons of the Anglican Diocese of Ontario this morning delivered his first charge as bishop when the annual session opened here.

CHALLENGE TO CHURCH "World conditions, instead of causing us to slacken our efforts, constitute a challenge to the church and an urgent call to her membership to meet the varied demands of these days with the spirit of confidence,” ha said.

"These days in which the church is called upon to bear witness are far from being peaceful and prosperous. We have just emerged from a difficult year," he continued.

"The economic conference which convenes in Ottawa in July should receive our prayerful support. It is the beginning of a greater co-operation between the different units within the Empire and it is to be hoped the ultimate results will not only benefit ourselves and the Empire but the world at large.”

WHOLESOME INFLUENCE While the League of Nations may not have fulfilled the expectations of many,” Bishop Lyons continued "and to not a few may appear to have failed in some respects, yet we all acknowledge it has exercised a wholesome influence. Were the league not In existence and functioning, the world to-day might be in a state of war,” he declared.

Bishop Lyons referred to the loss sustained by the diocese In the departure of Dr. C. A. Seager to become bishop of the Diocese of Huron, and also expressed his keen regret that Most Rev. J. F. Sweeny, Metropolllan of Ontario, has resigned.

[hemp-pot]

HEMP.gg : Cows get high on hemp: German study - Seaforth Huron Expositor

Cows get high on hemp: German study  Seaforth Huron Expositor source https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNlYWZvcnRoaHVyb25leHBvc2l0b3IuY29tL25ld3MvbG9jYWwtbmV3cy9jb3dzLWdldC1oaWdoLW9uLWhlbXAtZ2VybWFuLXN0dWR50gEA?oc=5

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Sentenced To Pen On an Arson Charge,” Brantford Expositor. June 18, 1931. Page 26. ---- STRATFORD, June 18. - William McCallum, Monkton, was sentenced to two and a half years in Portsmouth penitentiary, this morning, by Judge James L. Killoran, after having been found guilty a few days ago on a charge of arson. McCallum was tried twice on the same charge, the jury disagreeing at the first trial.

McCallum was found guilty of being responsible for setting fire to his own home in Monkton last fall.

Wellington Struthers, who actually set fire to the building, pleaded guilty at the first trial in the spring and was sentenced to two years less one day in the Ontario Reformatory.

[AL: McCallum was 52 at the time, with no previous record, born in Walton, Ontario, in Huron County, and was a carpenter by trade. He appeared to have wanted to burn his house down for insurance purposes, and tried to set Struthers up as the sole arsonist. He appealed this second, and successfully delayed going to prison until December 1931 - although not in winning a shorter sentence or anything else. He was convict #2424, worked in the carpenter shop at Kingston Penitentiary, and thought it needed better equipment to protect the workers. He also didn’t smoke and wondered why he couldn’t get a pack of gum instead.  He was paroled May 1933.]

[k2kid]

Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell[i] was yet to earn the Military Medal for his actions at Courcelette, the Somme, when this letter was published in the Huron Expositor on March 10, 1916. He was 20-years old, just shy of his 21st birthday by 40 days. He was a combat veteran claiming to have served continuously, along with his Battalion and his Brigade, for 137 days. This number is accurate as the Battalion entered the lines in the Ypres sector on the night of September 23, 1915 and the total days in active service until the date of the letter (written February 6, 1916) is precisely 137 days. Perhaps it was this attention to detail that would help him earn promotion to the rank of lieutenant.

Huron Expositor. March 10, 1916. Page 1.

Huron Expositor. March 10, 1916. Page 1.

His letter relates to the Battalion’s experiences before the battle at St. Eloi Craters as the Battalion is stationed in the Ridgewood Sector of Ypres during the latter half of January 1916 and is full of interesting points:

From the Front

The following letter was written by Pte. Wes. Caldwell, of the 18th Battalion, and whose home is in Hensall. He is well known in Clinton, having attended the Collegiate Institute there, before enlisting for overseas service. The letter is dated Belgium, Feb. 6, 1916[ii], as follows:

Dear Friend, — Am sitting beside a machine gun in a redoubt about 200 yards from the front line. Was transferred to the section about 10 days ago. We spent six days in the front line, then the next six here in the redoubt followed by another six in the front line, then we got into divisional reserve for the next six; thus taking twenty-four days for the round trip.

Our last term in the front line was rather exciting. Our bomb throwers had been aggravating the Germans all one night and they began to retaliate just before dawn. In all they must have sent over 150 rifle grenades and ball bombs on a frontage of 100 yards. Our gun was right in the midst of it, but fortunately none of the crew was injured. The parapet was blown flat in two places, but was speedily built up again that night.[iii]

The German rifle-grenade is much feared as it not only contains a very high explosive but also much heavy shrapnel. Their hand grenades are not so dangerous. There was a ball bomb exploded within ten feet of me one night but I was only scratched in a couple of places. The explosion lifted me clear off my feet but I came to earth again almost unhurt. The narrow escapes that some fellows have are nothing short of marvellous.

There is no danger of the Germans ever advancing any farther on the Western front. We are holding them with the greatest possible ease by a triple line that cannot be broken.

Our supply of munitions is fast mounting up in a supply which will be inhaustable [sic] before long; then the great offensive will commence, which will make the world sit up and take notice.

The cost of attempting to advance without the necessary munitions and supplies to back it up has been proven before. The people at home are wondering why we are not making more headway. The reason for that, is that, the Allies have already lost too many good men of account of the lack of artillery and shells. We are only waiting the time when nearly all the defences can be blown to pieces by artillery fire, when a general advance is made. Destructive bayonet charges are soon to be a thing of the past. Our artillery is now vastly superior to that of the enemy, in fact, the German batteries are almost afraid to open up for fear of the awful retaliation given them by our batteries.

Sniping is a great feature in trench warfare. We have one old sniper who is a regular Indian at the game. I believe he would scalp his victims if he could.

Am feeling as well as can be expected but the whole brigade is in need of a rest. We have created a new record for continuous service in the trenches. We have held this frontage for 137 days, which is 20 days longer than any brigade in the British Army has ever served without a rest, and we are still holding it.

Hoping you are well, I remain,

Sincerely,

W.S. Caldwell

The letter is addressed to a “friend” giving the only clue to who the audience is. The letter is pretty frank as to the experiences Private Caldwell has, even relating a close call with a German grenade. Perhaps it is a friend from the Clinton Collegiate? It is, perhaps, more casual and informative than a letter written to his parents and one wonders what they thought, if this was the case, if they read the letter in the newspaper.

Though the letter is dated February 6, 1916 this date may refer to a post mark. As Private Caldwell states, specifically, that he is “…sitting beside a machine gun in a redoubt about 200 years from the front line,” it can be surmised that the writing of the letter occurred while the Battalion was in the line in the La Clytte/Vierstraat sector and that the letter was posted when the Battalion went off the line into Brigade Reserve at Ridgewood on February 2, 1916. He relates the nature of the rotation of the battalions from front line to support line (redoubt), and then reserve line, though it appears that the Battalion cycled back and forth between front and support lines twice before it was moved to divisional reserve.

From this and the following paragraph it appears that Private Caldwell has been assigned to serve a machine gun. The Lewis Gun did not become part of the equipment of a Canadian Battalion until July 1916. It is possible that Private Caldwell was part of a Colt Machine Gun crew. The initial battalion allotment was two-guns per battalion.

Soldiers aiming a 1914-Model Colt Machine Gun, December 1914. Canadian War Museum, 199900004-171.

He relates, in some detail, an incident where the 18th Battalion was interdicting the German trenches with grenades. It is not clear why type of grenades being “thrown” by the Canadians but, as the grenades sent by the Germans in reply for the ‘aggravation’ created by the men of the 18th, it appears that the distance between the Canadian and German lines was such that the Canadian probably were using rifle grenades or some method to launch percussion grenades. The Germans replied with their Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade and the “ball bomb” Kugelhandgranate 1915 (a round grenade fired with launchers and timed fuses). It is interesting to note that Private Caldwell, or other men of the Battalion could identify the nature of the grenades during the action.[iv] The Karabingranate M 1914 rifle grenade, “…is much feared as it not only contains a very high explosive but also much heavy shrapnel,” while the Kugelhandgranate 1915, “…is not so dangerous.” Yet, it is this exact grenade whose, “…explosion lifted me clear off my feet but I came to earth again almost unhurt.” A touch of youthful bravado expressed in the letter. It was, perhaps with concern for those at home may take alarm at this last story, that Private Caldwell relates that this is, apparently, part of a series of “narrow escapes” and that their number makes these escapes “marvelous.” No matter how marvelous these escapes may be it is certain Caldwell’s parents would not take heart at the number of them, regardless if they were marvelous.

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An interesting note is he alludes to the fragile nature of the type and design of trenches in his sector. The parapet was, most likely, layers of sandbags above earth grade. The water table in this sector was very high and many of the trenches were shallow digs with walls of sandbags making up the construction of the trench as protection for the soldiers. This trench was subject to tiresome maintenance to keep it in good shape.

Note the shallowness of the trench and the multiple layers of sandbags about grade. ‘D’ Company, 1st Battalion, The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), in the front-line at St. Eloi, 1915./

Private Caldwell then touches on his assessment of the war to date and relates that the First World War will be, essentially to achieve tactical success, a war of artillery. His statement: “Destructive bayonet charges are soon to be a thing of the past,” is a recognition that the use of edged weapons will not be the primary agent of death in battle. But the inculcation of the use of bayonet through the bayonet courses and training to encourage aggression and élan in combat was so strong that the concept of the bayonet in the hands of a soldier as a weapon of fear is slow to die. Event after two years of war.

His reference, albeit, brief, to sniping, is of interest and the reference to, “…one old sniper who is a regular Indian at the game,” is not clear in its meaning. Is the sniper an aboriginal soldier or is the soldier that is sniping acting like a “regular Indian” in his use of tactics, concealment, and shooting. Note that sniping developed into a 2-man team based role and Private Caldwell does not reference another member of the team, so it is not clear if this sniper is working alone, or Caldwell simply does not mention the observer’s role in sniping.

He is obviously proud of the 4th Brigade’s achievement to the total time it spent in the line. This constant exposure to the weather and the stress of combat would require the C.E.F. to later modify the rotation of battalions and brigades as the war progressed. During this time (September to February) the 18th Battalion suffered 34 men fatalities, almost all due to combat. It was a precursor to the experiences the Battalion would experience at St. Eloi and the Somme, but at a much lower intensity than those actions.

Private Caldwell was to survive the war and several other letters from him were published in the local papers. This letter is rich in detail and information and allows one to experience part of his past. It would be interesting to exam the other letters and see how his point-of-view and tone changes as he becomes older and takes on the responsibilities of an officer.

Caldwell was to become an officer and returned to the 18th Battalion and served in that capacity until he was gassed during the Battalion’s engagement at Passchendaele on November 8, 1917. He would survive the war and return to Canada and live until 1972.

[i] Private Wesley Strang Caldwell, reg. no. 53661. Ref. RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 1387 – 56 Item Number: 82005

[ii] The Battalion was in Brigade Reserve at Ridgewood, Ypres Sector, Belgium when this letter was written. The 18th Battalion war diary relates for that day: -Ditto- [Routine] Communion service was held at 11 a.m. CAPT. HALE proceeded on leave. It appears that Caldwell started the letter some days before he dated it.

[iii] Note the accompanying images. Due to the high water table, the trenches in the Ypre sector were often not very deep and the “trench” height was maintained by several layers of sandbags.

[iv] The author is almost CERTAIN he would be under cover and would not make any effort to identify the type of grenade being used against him.

“The parapet was blown flat in two places…” Private (later Lieutenant) Wesley Strang Caldwell[i] was yet to earn the Military Medal for his actions at Courcelette, the Somme, when this letter was published in the Huron Expositor on March 10, 1916.

[k2kid]

A Rousing Send Off

A Rousing Send Off

The First World War energized and enabled Canada to express its loyalty to the Crown and the Empire. News articles, like the one below, show the enthusiasm and support the citizenry of this new country barely 50 years old. The community of Seaforth, Ontario took considerable time and effort to acknowledge the service of the new-found soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Grand Trunk…