1915-02-25ts

“Although stories from Salisbury plain say that official news has reached there to the effect that the first and third Canadian brigades were in action all day Sunday and subjected to heavy fire, no confirmation was forthcoming from the war office up until press time today.”

Hamilton Spectator.     February 25, 1915.

For the relatives of Hamiltonians who have quickly volunteered in August, 1914 and who, afterwards, had undergone extensive training at Valcartier, Quebec and at Salisbury Plain in England, it was seen as inevitable that the boys would eventually see combat.

However, the news that indeed their sons, fathers, nephews, uncles  or brothers might possibly have  reached the front was unsettling:

“That the report may possibly be true is indicated by the fact that the censor permitted the dispatch to be cabled.”¹

¹ “Are Hamilton Soldiers on Firing Line? : Report 1^st and 3^rd Brigades Were in Action”

Hamilton Spectator. February 25, 1915.It would take some time for the news that the local lads had seen action, but by March 15, 1915, the first letters from home, written by Hamiltonians who had seen combat started to arrive in Hamilton :

“A large British mail brought to Hamilton for distribution today scores of letters and post cards from soldiers at the front.

Abner Fraser, city auditor, has received a letter from his son, James A. Fraser. It was dated February 22, but all other marks were erased by the censor, which would have indicated exactly where Fraser was located when it was written :

 “ ‘My Dear Father – Received your most welcome letter and was sure glad to hear from home. I also had a letter from Jeanette and Aunt Eliza. I was up to the trenches last Friday night for twenty-four hours, and, to tell the truth, I would rather be up there now than in the place we are, a hospital without any windows. Some place I should say.

“ ‘We were moved from our billets (a barn) to this place in motor transports and have been here two days. Now we are to move back to our old billets from where we started out. We will be there for a short time, and then we will take our places in the trenches where the dirty work will start.

“ ‘While we were in the trenches before, alongside the Argyle and Sutherlanders, there was one of their men killed and another wounded.

“Well, there is not much to say – that is much they will let me say, all letters being censored.

“Hoping all are well, also hoping to hear from you soon. Your Son, Jim.”

Soon afterward more letters from the front would be received in Hamilton. Some would be welcomed, others would contain news that families dreded to hear.