1915-05-08eb

As concern about the fighting at the front was at fever pitch in early May 1915, there was very little definitive up-to-the-minute information about the situation.

However, letters from Hamilton soldiers to their parents were arriving in the city. As all letters had to pass through censors before even being put on ships to bring them to Canada, the letters were written 2 to 3 weeks before arrival in Hamilton.

The Spectator of May 8, 1915 printed three of those recent arrivals:

“Private William Tribeck, who has been reported wounded, writing to his parents in this city says:

“ ‘I read a Canadian paper recently about the brave fight put up by the Canadians at Neuve Chapelle. I think that paper was dated before the battle came off. I think the war will soon be over. It looks as if the allies have got Kaiser Bill on the ropes now.

“ ‘Still out of the trenches. My feet are pretty sore from marching a lot. That tobacco was welcome. The country’s beginning to look pretty summery around here now.

“ ‘Your loving son,  Will’

“Pte. William Leishman, who has been reported wounded, has written an interesting letter to his wife, who resides at 144 Burlington street east.

The letter, in part, which was written on April 14 follows :

“ ‘Just a line from the scene of the worst fighting that eyes ever looked upon. I am safe and sound, and am looking forward to the day when I will see you again.

“I don’t think the war will last till the end of the year as the Germans are on the run. We have some of them in our hospital, wounded, and they seem to be glad to be with us. One fellow said he had lived in Toronto before the war and he could speak good English He said the German officers didn’t like Canadian soldiers for coming to England’s aid, and I can believe him for the Germans do not give us any rest when they know we are near.

“ ‘I saw a fight in the sky this morning, just when we were going in to the hospital. It was a French aeroplane fighting a German one. It was awful to see the two men falling from the sky, but all is fair in war.

“ ‘We are all in the best of spirits and confident  that the Germans are getting more than they can take.

“ ‘It is spring here now, so we will be able to travel a little faster than we have been doing. I would like you to see the state of things here. Poor women and children, old and young, walking along the road, wee tots just hanging to their mother’s skirts, crying, some with a piece of dry bread in their wee hands. They sleep by the roadside at night and walk all day till they reach a town and then some one takes them in.’

“ ‘Mrs. Adam Murray, 109 Gertrude street, has received the following letter from her son, John, who is on the firing line in Belgium. He enlisted as a staff signaler with the 91^st.

“ ‘ We are now back billeted in a large city in Belgium. Of course, I can’t tell you the name of it, mother, but I can tell you this city has seen more fighting since the war started than any other place.

“ ‘The Germans have been driven back from this town. It is within easy range of their big guns, though, and they are constantly shelling it. The only thing to do when they start shelling is to go down into the cellars of their houses. Most of the shells are falling around a beautiful cathedral in the middle of the city. So you see it is almost suicidal to go around the center of the town. During the last three days there have been 150 casualties in this place from shell fire, some of them kiddies.

“ ‘One thing which tickled us happened two days ago. The 5^th Infantry division charged the German trenches and took a hill and three lines of trenches at the point of the bayonet; also two thousand German prisoners were escorted into this town, previous to being sent to England. Well, the Germans started to bombard the place. One of their shells came over and burst among the prisoners, killing and wounding around thirty. That was a good one against themselves, wasn’t it?

“ ‘The trenches we were in before we were moved up to this position were very healthy. They were fixed almost like an underground town – just a network of communication trenches and traverses.

“ ‘The trenches we have just taken over, however, are not so healthy. We took them over from the French, and while they they were there, they charged the Germans three times, but were driven back every time, leaving their dead between their trenches and the German trenches about 70 years away. Besides the French dead, there is a bunch of German dead. You see, from time to time, the Germans were caught out repairing their barbed wire and were shot. The bodies have been there about two months, so you will know conditions are not very fresh. However, a hundred pounds of chloride of lime will soon fix that.

“ ‘Last time the regiment was in the trenches, we lost three killed and about twelve wounded. However, we don’t worry about that. Somehow we have got used to it and think nothing about it.

“ ‘The weather is lovely, fine warm sun and blue sky, just like the climate at home. I believe it will be warmer here in summer than it is in Canada.

“ ‘ The latest rumor is that Italy has declared war on the Germans. I don’t know whether it is true or not. The last old country paper was two days oldd.

“ ‘Love to all – Your loving son – JOHNNIE.’ ” ¹

¹ “Worst Slaughter Eyes Have Seen : Hamilton Men Tell of Scenes of Horror.
          Hamilton Spectator.   May 8, 1915