“Today Hamilton welcomed the largest party of
returned soldiers since the war started. No fewer than 126 arrived at the
T.H.&B. and G.T. railway stations. Once again, owing to bad management on
the part of the Toronto authorities, the reception tendered the homecoming
heroes wasn’t what it should and would have been.”
Hamilton Herald. December 02, 1918.
While many troops would have
to remain in Western Europe for extended periods, some of the troops were more
fortunate in getting passage on either of the large troop steamers, the
Aqitania or the Scandanavian. The logistics of demobilizing so many troops at
the same caused considerable confusion and delay when the trains bringing
troops from the east arrived in Toronto.
The troops from Hamilton and
other areas near the city had to wait and wait to finally get aboard trains to
get them across the last few miles to their homes:
“Practically all of the
soldiers’ relatives were kept on the quivive. Incoming trains from Toronto were
met at both depots by many ired and indignant watchers. Relatives went all day
from the Hunter and Stuart street stations in their desire to meet their long
departed loved ones. Quite a crowd continued the vigil at the G.T.R. depot
until 1:30 this morning, but not a returned soldier came.”1
1 “Large Party of Soldiers Home Again : Hundred
and Twenty-Six Arrived This Morning : Their Relatives Again On Anxious Watch
for Hours”
Hamilton Herald. December 02, 1918.
Things at the Toronto end
began get somewhat better organized as time went on and interaction with Hamilton
officials at City Hall and with A.W. Kaye of the local branch, Soldiers’ Aid
commission, improved:
“Word came through early
Saturday that over 500 men from Toronto and west were on the way home, and
later a message was received by Secretary Kaye that 126 of this number were
destined for Hamilton, but the names did not come.
“ During yesterday, Mr. Kaye
had over 150 telephone calls in regard to the boys, but not until 8 o’clock
this morning did definite word arrive. It was to the effect that the Hamilton
boys would arrive at 9:33 a.m., via the C.P.R. When the train pulled in, there
was a big crowd of citizens, who were hoping that their boy would be in the
party, and when only 55 soldiers detrained, there was much disappointment.
“Geo. H. Lees, chairman,
A.W. Kaye, secretary, and many members of the reception committee of the
soldiers’ aid, as well as Col. Chandler, of the Salvation army, gave the boys a
warm welcome and sent them to their homes in autos, of which there was a good
supply.
“As it was anticipated that
more soldiers would arrive on the G.T.R., the officers of the commission
hurried in machines to the Stuart street depot, but no khaki clad passengers
arrived on the route on the morning train. The rest of the Hamilton party are
expected to arrive in the city by evening.”2
2 “Relatives
of Returned Men Disappointed : No Advance List Supplied of the Expected :
Ottawa Blamed This Time for Latest Bungle : Another Party reached Hamilton This
Morning”
Hamilton Spectator. December 02, 1918.
A Spectator reporter
overheard the following while among the crowd greeting some returned soldiers:
“To a friend, Sergeant
Morningstar told of an amusing incident on train. A lady, who showed much
interest in the boys, inquired as to the red and blue stripes on his arm, the
red chevron being a mark of the first contingent, and the blue ones
representing the number of years at the front. She was told that the red stripe
denoted that the man is married and the blue stripes indicated the number of
children the soldier had. She expressed much satisfaction that the government
had shown such a deep interest in its soldiers and gave fathers such
distinguishing marks. Later, however, she expressed much more surprise and
asked for further explanation when she saw several soldiers with blue chevrons
on their arm, but with no red one. The joke then broke,”2
It would only take one day
before all the kinks in getting a large number of troops to Hamilton, and
getting a full-blown welcoming party organized to greet them.
The Herald reporter assigned
to cover the events concerning the arrival of returned soldiers and their
welcome :
“At 1:10 this morning, another large party of
Hamilton soldiers, fresh from the western battlefields and training camps of
England and Wales, reached the Stuart street station of the G.T.R. Awaiting
them was one of the largest crowds seen at the Stuart street depot in many a
day. As the train pulled into the station promptly at 1:10 a.m., the eager
watchers greeted the long-absent soldier boys with rousing cheers of welcome,
which were heartily responded to by the brave lads in khaki.
SOME ORIGINAL FIRSTS
“Some had fought in most of
the big battles on the western front and had escaped without harm. A large
number wore five chevrons on their tunics one of red indicating ‘original
first’, the four blue chevrons, indicating four year’s service.
“The majority, however, were
suffering from shrapnel, gunshot or machine gun wounds. Some of them wore one
or more gilt stripes on their left arm, indicating how many times they had been
wounded.
SOME MERE YOUTHS
“Some of the home comers are
still mere youths of from 16 to 19 years. They looked remarkably well, with
their bright, ruddy faces all smiles.
A GRATEFUL VETERAN
“As the Herald reporter
mingled among the ‘Tommies’ as they hurried from the platform to the waiting
autos and street cars, all expressed delight at their return to their loved
ones, who, during their long absence, hadn’t forgotten ‘to keep the home fires
burning.’ To the reporter, one veteran, who said he had celebrated his 50th
birthday the day after the armistice was signed, remarked how thankful and
grateful he was to the patriotic fund officials and Capt. George J. Guy,
because his wife and five youngsters had been well-supplied with coal during
his four years’ service. ‘And I won’t forget any of them,’ he remarked as he stepped
into the automobile driven by the ever-obliging William O’Connor, senior civic
mechanic.
“The bulk of the heroes had
crossed the Atlantic on the Aquitania. The remainder had sailed on the
Scandinavian. The men were delighted with the food and accommodation on the big
liner, but those who sailed on the Scandinavian were not so enthusiastic.”3
3 “More
Soldiers Reach Home, Sweet Home : Another Large Party Arrived in City Early
This Morning : Joyous Scene at Old Stuart Street Station”
Hamilton Herald. December 04, 1918.
