Vimy Ridge: “But I Would Not Have Missed It For Anything”
On June 1st 1917 Private Guy Edmund Smith (#153485) wrote a letter from a convalescent camp in Boulogne to his good friend Richard Brooker in Winnipeg. The 24-year old Private […]
Remembering Pte. Percy Fisher
In May 1918 George Fisher wrote a letter to the editor of the Signal newspaper in Goderich Ontario regarding the death of his younger brother Percy in March of that year. […]
Private Harry Bassett (3rd Btn CEF) writes from Valcartier
One of the soldiers I’m actively researching is Private Harry Bassett, a 30-year old Birmingham born machinist who served in the South Staffordshire Regiment before emigrating to Canada. In 1901-02 […]
An Old Sweat writes: Are We Forgetting the War?
Today I’m sharing a wonderful three-page article by an “Old Sweat” from the First World War. Unfortunately the author is unknown however his reminisces would suggest he was in the Cavalry and chose to put his thoughts on paper some years after the war. It’s possible the piece was written for a […]
Remembering Second Lieutenant Frank Mewborne Dunn
The Player’s Navy Cut cigarettes carefully sewn by Frieda Hasenfratz into her letter to Frank Dunn never reached the young Second Lieutenant of the Durham Light Infantry. Exactly one month after […]
Lt. William Lea Cook (1891-1917)
William Lea Cook was born in St. Helen’s, Lancashire in 1892, the fifth child of Robert Cook and Selina Lea’s seven children. William’s father died in 1908 and early the […]
B W Robertson – Dec. 26, 1917
This is a two part letter written to his mother on Boxing Day and New Years Day, just as the Battery had taken up new positions on the front. Transcription: “France Dec 26, 1917 Dear Ma, We had a merry old 25th after all. I will write and tell you […]
B W Robertson – Sep. 18, 1917
This is a letter written to his brother Ted at which time the 58th Howitzer Battery was positioned near Carency, just southwest Lens. The 58th was one of four batteries from the 14th Brigade, C.F.A. to move into their new position on September 6th (and four members of the 58th […]
B W Robertson – July 4, 1917
A letter written to his mother from . Note: he dated his letter “1916” but this was a typo as he was in the 115th Battalion (infantry) before transferring to the Artillery in November 1916. Note: Beah and Dot are his sisters and Ru and Ted are his brother. Transcription: […]
B W Robertson – Jan. 15, 1917
A letter written to his father on Canadian Field Artillery letterhead on January 15, 1917. The “Dot” referred to at the end of his letter is his younger sister Dorothy. Note: he dated his letter “1916” but this was a mistake as he was in the 115th Battalion (infantry) before […]
Doing Our Bit 