www.legionnl.com 1 Volume 25 Newfoundland Labrador Command President’s Message We Will Remember Them With this being the 25th Anniversary of the Veterans Service Recognition Book, Newfoundland and Labrador Command of The Royal Canadian Legion extends its sincere appreciation to all those who have contributed to this very special edition. Over the past 25 years this publication has continued to honour all Veterans with pride and dignity. We continue to highlight all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have served our Province and Country during domestic operations, peacekeeping operations and wartime operations with honour, loyalty and dedication. The Royal Canadian Legion, Newfoundland Labrador Command continues to honour, serve and advocate for our Veterans. We sincerely thank you for your support and submissions for this publication and trust that it will continue so that we can recognize and honour the people of our Province who have served and are still serving their country with pride. Janis Boone President Newfoundland and Labrador Command Royal Canadian Legion Newfoundland Labrador Command
Veterans’ Service Recognition Book 2 Registered Massage Therapy is ... Find your RMT at www.nlmta.ca ASSESSMENT TREATMENT SELF-CARE
Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 3 Newfoundland Labrador Command Veterans’ Service Recognition Book Contents President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Quilts of Valour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Frederick Manuel Mifflin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Wallace H. Pike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 B Division HQ raising money for the Royal Canadian Legion National Poppy Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Donna Smit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Honouring the Unknown Soldier . . . . . . . . . .51 Memorial Day July 1st, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2002 . .55 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2007 . .57 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2009 . .59 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2011 . .61 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2014 . .63 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2016 . .65 Remembrance Day, November 11th, 2021 . .67 World War I BARRETT, Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 BROWN, James Francis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 BUTLER, John Francis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 BUTTON, Eleazer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 CARROLL, Bernard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 CURRAN, Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 FISHER, Hurbert J. W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 FITZPATRICK, Alphonsus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 FITZPATRICK, Leo J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 GHANEY, Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 GOUGH, Newman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 HAYLEY, Leonard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 JOHNSON, John Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 KEATING, John Leo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 LEWIS, John Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 LODGE, Albert John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 MAHONEY, Thomas Gregory . . . . . . . . . . . .81 MCGRATH, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 MORRISSEY, Bernard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 MORRISSEY, Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 MURPHY, Brendan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 MURPHY, Leo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 MURPHY, Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 MYERS, James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 O’BRIEN, William Vincent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 O’TOOLE, Frederick Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 RIDEOUT, Kenwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 SAMSON, Neville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 SCEVIOUR, James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 SQUIRES, William . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 STREET, Augustus George . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 SULLIVAN, Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 WEEKS, Stephen Sparks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 World War II BARTLETT, James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 BARTLETT, James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 BARTLETT, Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 BUTTON, Lester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 BUTTON, Norman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 BUTTON, Ralph L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 BUTTON, Samson G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 BUTTON, Wilbert G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 BUTTON, William J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 CAHILL, Patrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 CHIDLEY, Stephen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 CLARKE, John Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 CLARKE, Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 COADY, Augustus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 COSTELLO, Michael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 COSTELLO, Thomas F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 COSTELLO, William . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 COSTELLO, William H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 COSTELLO, William J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 CURRAN, Thomas F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 DALTON, Daniel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 DALTON, Roland P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 DRISCOLL, Alexandrina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 DRISCOLL, Robert A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 EZEKIEL, Peter T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 FAHEY, Ronald Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 FEWER, Michael P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 FITZGERALD, Fred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 HAYDEN, Cyril . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 HICKEY, Ronald J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 ISAACS, Robert J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 KENNEDY, Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 LARACY, Gerald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 LEWIS, Peggy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 LEWIS, Walter P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 LEWIS, William P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 LINEHAN, Allan J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 LUNDRIGAN, Henry Joseph . . . . . . . . . . .119 MCGRATH, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 MURPHY, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 POWER, Daniel B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 POWER, Patrick J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 RODGERS, Elijah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 RYAN, Michael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 SULLIVAN, John William . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Canadian Forces ABBOTT, Geraldine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 BARRETT, Maxwell Ernest . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 BOLAND, Cordell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 BUNGAY, Alma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 CROCKER, Aaron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 CROCKER, Adrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 CROCKER, Andre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 CROCKER, Kerry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 DAIGLE, Edouard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 DANIELS, Ian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 FORWARD, E.G. (George) . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 GILLAM, Curtis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 GUSHUE, Tim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 HANN, Roger David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 HISCOCK, Valence “Bud” . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 LOWE, Harold George . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 METCALF, John Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 OLIVER, Terrance Wayne . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 OSMOND, Rodney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 PARMENTER, Ralph S. E. . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 PIKE, Martin H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 ROBERTS, Derek V. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 ROBERTS, Tony Sidney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 THOMAS, William Lyman . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 WELLS, Walter S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 WINSOR, Carl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 WINSOR, Gordon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 WINSOR, Roy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 NL Overseas Forestry Unit ADAMS, Hedley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 ADAMS, Wallace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 BUTTON, Carman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 BUTTON, Elias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 CAREW, James Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 COSTELLO, Bernard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 EZEKIEL, Joseph T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 FLAHERTY, Joseph A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 GOOBIE, Morley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 GOUGH, Joseph E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 LEONARD, Dominic Daniel . . . . . . . . . . . .151 MURPHY, Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 MURRAY, Bernard J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153 WILLIAMS, Francis E. “Frank” . . . . . . . . . .153 Korean War HEDDERSON, Thomas J. . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 HILLIER, Gilbert T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 JOHNSON, Raymond Francis . . . . . . . . . .157 Advertisers' Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 Veteran Information Submission Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 5 Newfoundland Labrador Command On September 11, 2025, Doug & May George from Dildo, NL were presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. Quilts of Valour On September 15, 2025, Nadine Baker from Come By Chance, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters. continued ... Quilts of Valour were presented to Veterans Nadine Baker, Doug & May George, Melvin Boone, John Engle, David North, Stephane Tremblay, Ron Walsh, John Roche, Patrick Babin, Doloris Vogel, Lesleyanne Ryan, Brian Flynn, David Lane, Harold Haskell, Kevin Johnson, Roderick Llewellyn Osmond, Harry Snook, Matthew Cleary, Hubert Peavy, Derek Loder, Brain Bennett, John Casey, Donald Bennett, Robert Didham, Denise Mairs, Todd Osmond, Mark Ryan, Thomas Dodd and Alain Tremblay. These beautiful quilts were made by the very talented quilters from Foggy Bay Quilters, Baccalieu Quilters, Freshwater Community Centre Quilters, Cathy Slaney, Margaret Forsey and The Stitching Buddies. On September 4, 2025, Melvin Boone from Clarke’s Beach, NL, was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. On September 4, 2025, John Engle from Green’s Harbour, NL, was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 7 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... continued ... On September 4, 2025, David North from Bay de Verde, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. On September 4, 2025, Ron Walsh from Conception Bay South, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. On September 4, 2025 Stephane Tremblay from Winterton, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. On July 26, 2025, John Roche from Branch, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. On July 22, 2025, Patrick Babin from Dildo, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Freshwater Community Centre Quilters.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 9 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... continued ... On July 20, 2025, Lesleyanne Ryan from St. John’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Baccalieu Quilters. On July 22, 2025, Doloris Vogel from Point Verde, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Freshwater Community Centre Quilters. On July 13, 2025, Brian Flynn from Freshwater, Placentia Bay, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Freshwater Community Centre Quilters. On May 24, 2025, David Lane from Conception Bay South, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt. On May 8, 2025, Harold Haskell from St. Lawrence, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from Cathy Slaney.
Veterans’ Service Recognition Book 10 newdock.nf.ca
On February 23, 2025, Roderick Llewellyn Osmond from Come by Chance, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters. Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 11 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... On May 8, 2025, 2025, Kevin Johnson from Grand Bank, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from Margaret Forsey. continued ... On February 23, 2025, Harry Snook from Sunnyside, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters. On February 23, 2025, Hubert Peavy from North Harbour, Placentia Bay, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters. On February 23, 2025, Matthew Cleary from Come by Chance, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 13 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... On February 23, 2025, Derek Loder from Come by Chance, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters. continued ... On February 23, 2025, Brian Bennett from Sunnyside, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Foggy Bay Quilters. On November 25, 2024, John Casey from Mount Pearl, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Freshwater Community Centre Quilters. On September 14, 2025, Donald Bennett from Mount CarmelMitchell’s Brook-St. Catherine’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the The Stitching Buddies. On September 14, 2025, Robert Didham fromMount Carmel-Mitchell’s Brook-St. Catherine’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the The Stitching Buddies.
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Volume 24 www.legionnl.com 15 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... On September 14, 2025, Denise Mairs from Mount CarmelMitchell’s Brook-St. Catherine’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the The Stitching Buddies. On August 22, 2025, Alain Tremblay from Placentia, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the Freshwater Community Centre Quilters. On September 14, 2025, Todd Osmond from Mount CarmelMitchell’s Brook-St. Catherine’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the The Stitching Buddies. On September 14, 2025, Mark Ryan from Mount CarmelMitchell’s Brook-St. Catherine’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the The Stitching Buddies. On September 14, 2025, Thomas Dodd from Mount Carmel-Mitchell’s Brook-St. Catherine’s, NL was presented with a beautiful quilt from the The Stitching Buddies.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 17 Newfoundland Labrador Command Born in Catalina, Newfoundland, Frederick Mifflin was the youngest son of Samuel William and Blanche (Manuel) Mifflin. He was captain of the Royal Air Force Lancaster Bomber during World War II when he was killed in a bombing raid over Germany, April 27, 1944. On May 1, 1944, there was a message saying Pilot Officer Fred Mifflin was missing since April 26 as a result of air operations over Germany and on July 3, 1944, the family received a letter from Air Ministry in London advising that out of seven members of crew of Lancaster bomber, five were prisoners of war and two were killed. The two killed being Fred (Mifflin) and a chap (Johnson). The big bomber lifted into the night sky from its base in England and joined the formation heading towards Swienfurt, Germany. At 21.35 hours, Flying Officer Mifflin, D.F.C., took off in Lancaster ME669 Z-NO from RAF Metheringham for the 1,000-mile round trip to Schweinfurt with the ‘Old Firm’, Flying Officer F.H. Higgins (Navigator), Flight Sergeants N.H. Johnson (Rear Gunner), E. Sanderlands (Wireless Operator), M.H. Toft (Bomb Aimer), Sergeants W. Smith (Mid Upper-Gunner) and Norman C. Jackson at the Flight Engineer’s instrument panel. The Lancaster bomber was piloted by a young man from Catalina, a tiny outport village in Newfoundland. Fred Mifflin, or “Miff”, as he was affectionately called by his crew members, had earned their respect by piloting them safely through 29 bombing missions against Hitler’s Germany in World War II. They were a tight bunch and this was their last mission before a much deserved break after thirty successful missions. Bomber command was not a place of longevity, 44% of all air crews serving were killed in action. Their average age was 23, so to get 30 missions was quite an accomplishment and says a lot about the skill and luck of this air crew. Unexpected strong head winds delayed the main bomber force of 215 Lancasters enroute which gave the German night fighters more time to detect the main bomber stream. Combats took place all the way to the target and during the period of the raid. 106 Squadron experienced its most tragic evening of the war – five Lancasters failed to return. They arrived at their destination and bombed the target, lit up by Mosquito pathfinders, but on their return they were attacked by German night fighter airplanes which caught one of the wing tanks on fire. Here is where the story gets heroic. Flight Engineer Norman Jackson did not have to go on this mission, he had one mission more than the rest of the crew so he had already served his thirtieth mission, put in the fact that his wife was now due with their first baby anytime now, but he didn’t want to jinx the crew by getting a new man so he decided to go. When the fighter was attacked, Jackson was wounded, but being the engineer he asked Mifflin for permission to try to put out the fire on the wing, which Miff agreed to. He strapped his parachute on and it opened up in the plane. His mates held onto it while he grabbed a fire extinguisher and crawled out on the wing. They let the parachute out as he crawled out onto the wing in the freezing night. The plane was travelling at a speed continued ... Frederick Manuel Mifflin
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 19 Newfoundland Labrador Command of 200 mph but Jackson managed to get to the tank and put the fire out. Then, the German fighter attacked again and it caught the wing on fire again and caught Jackson on fire. His mates, seeing as how he couldn’t survive unless they released him, let the chute go. Jackson fell to the earth with his chute on fire and what the rest of the crew thought was certain death. Freddie Mifflin, knowing that his plane was mortally wounded, ordered the rest of his crew out while he tried to keep the plane level. They all bailed out except the rear gunner who was mortally wounded. Mifflin stayed with his plane and sacrificed his own life to save his crew. When the crew landed and were put in prisoner of war camps they discovered that Jackson had survived his burning parachute fall but had broken his ankles and had burns on his hands. They also discovered that their beloved pilot and friend “Miff” and the rear gunner had died in the crash. Jackson was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions that night and Fred Mifflin was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his sacrifice. “Miff” was 21 years old. They are buried together in Durnbach War Cemetery.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 21 Newfoundland Labrador Command Wallace H. Pike continued ... In 1914, I spent the summer with father. World War I broke out in August and from then on the price of lobster dropped and father was unable to meet his bills. He then went to work in the lumber woods to try to obtain the wherewith all to feed his family. I remember around this time accompanying two local boys, who were called into the Navy, part of the distance to the railway station. When I returned to my home that night I said to my mother, "l wonder if the war will continue on long enough for me to go?" Her reply w as "I hope not, my son", as the tears gathered in her eyes. Next I wrote to a cousin of mine who was working in a lumbering camp on Red Indian Lake, asking him to try and get a job for me. He replied saying that he had work for me. First my father would not give me any passage money as he did not want me to leave home because I was so young. After a lot of talking and persuading on my part, he finally gave me the sum of five dollars which was little more than enough for my passage. On November 20, 1914, my cousin, Alfred Pike, who was a year older than me, and myself left home to go to work in the lumber woods. Neither of us had ever been away from home before nor had we ever been on a train. First we boarded the S.S. Dundee and after spending three or four hours aboard her, we arrived in Port Blandford where we got the train around 10 o’clock that night. We were soon rolling along over the rough old railway and at first we were a little excited but we soon settled down as we got more used to it. Around noon next day we arrived at Millertown Junction and after a very short wait, we took the train in to Millertown. Here we knew no one and no one knew us. We soon found the Office and got our numbers to go up with Frank Hicks on Costigian River about thirty-two miles up on Red Indian Lake. This was where my cousin who had got the job for me was working. We stayed in Millertown that night, and around dinner-time the next day, we started up the lake on the S.S. Lady Mary, with the wind about east blowing a gale and snowing fast. We arrived at Harbour Round that evening just at dark and stayed there all night. The next morning the wind was about west, clear and fine, so we left for the rest of our journey. About 10 a.m. we reached the Depot and landed, then started to walk in to the camp which was three miles further and we arrived there just in time for dinner. We worked around the camp for the rest of the evening. The next morning I was sent in chopping with three other men. That was about November 24. I worked in the woods for a little over a week when I suffered an accident. While clearing away from the trunk of a tree to cut it, the axe glanced and split my big toe open, whereupon I crippled back to camp and stayed there the rest of the day. The next day I went to work in the woods again, but the following day I was taken out and put on the landing where for a few days I had to pile timber for two horses. Then one of the horses was shifted to another road and the work became a little lighter on me. By this time I had made friends with all the camp crewe, and, as I was the youngest, I went by the name of "Pikie". They all seemed to take to me and I got on fine and was soon quite used to the lumberjack's life. One evening while finishing up my landing, I had to lift a heavy log and in doing so I strained my chest, back and arms. I rested in the camp for a day or two, but I was soon on the job again. I worked along on the landing until the last part of April when the ‘drive' started, and I was sent 'nipper' or 'flunkey’, having to carry food and boil the kettle twice a day for eight or ten men. That was a fine job! On May 9 we had a heavy thunder storm, with some very heavy rain and I got a real soaking and caught a bad cold. I still tried to keep up with my work but my cold got worse and this was impossible. I packed my bag, had it pulled to the lake where I boarded a motor boat and went to Millertown. Here I drew my little bit of money and started for home. * MEMOIRS * - Wallace H. Pike - Covering the Period 1914 – 1964
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 23 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... I had been getting $20.00 per month until the ‘drive' started then I received $1.40 per day. (The 'drive' is floating logs down the river after the ice has melted). I arrived home on May 17, after spending six months in the lumber woods. I remember the very first thing I did was to sit down and cry because I had to come home sick. I was just past fifteen then. I was home two months before I was able to do anything. The first thing I did was to help my father get some caplin to put on our vegetables as fertilizer. I thought that I would never go in the lumber woods again, but after walking around all summer, I soon became restless and on October 20, 1915, I started for Millertown again. After knocking around quite a lot, I at last reached the little town and got my ticket to go with Alfred Wells on Harpoon River, I would then be ten or eleven miles from Millertown. I arrived at the camp, and started work on November 1. The camp crew consisted of all young men; and a wicked bunch we were, not one among the crowd would say a prayer. I worked along there until the camp closed down and I started for home again. I arrived home in Jamestown on April 16, 1916. After spending almost another six months in the woods, I handed over my winter’s earnings to my father as usual. Next I worked on a pit-prop steamer for a week or so. Then I shipped with Martin to go to Notre Dame Bay loading steamers down there, but, on the day that they left for Notre Dame Bay, being June 10, I was taken down with measles. It was another month before I could do anything. At last I joined the schooners at Burnt Arm near Norris Arm on July 16. I helped load steamers in Burnt Arm and Point Leamington where they called us the 'pit-prop navy.' I also did this in Seal Bay and Sissor's Cove. Then we went around Cape John and loaded others in Paquet, Fleur de Lys, Round Harbour and Bay Verte. After this we returned to Norris' Arm as the job was finished. I arrived home on September 25 with $95.00 for two month's work, which I thought was very good. I then started to get some firewood for mother as father was away. After having a month about the old home, I again packed my bag and started for the lumber woods. I arrived at Millertown and got my number to go up for the second time with Alfred Wells. Two more chaps being with me, we had to drive three horses up to Harpoon Depot around shore. We got there alright and started work the first week in November. The camp crowd being just as bad as the year before, that winter completed my education in the lumber woods. On April 16, 1917, I packed my bag, slung it over my shoulder and walked to Millertown, five or six other chaps being with me. I next went to the Doctor and after having my eyes tested, I got a pass for St. John's where I arrived at 12 o'clock on a Friday night, April 20, 1917. A soldier met us at the station, there being three of us, and took us to the Central House, number 20 Waldgrave St. Next day I went up for examinations and passed alright. After swearing in and lying about my age, one had to be eighteen or over and I was seventeen and four months, I was dismissed until Monday, or I could go on a Church Parade on Sunday if I cared to. So my first parade in the King's (George V) army was a church parade. We paraded to Wesley Methodist Church. All this time I was beginning to learn my duties as a soldier; first we learned our turns - it was “right turn!", "left turn!" "on your heel and toe", the instructor would yell. Next came ‘physical exercises’. I remember the first I got was ‘on the hands, down thirty-two times’, these were known as 'pushups'. My! I got about half through it and the strength left my arms. I watched the instructor to see if he was looking and then I would just raise my head to make him believe I was doing it correctly. Next we had to learn how to use a rifle. I was down on the firing range about a fortnight when one of the Corporals came and gave me my pass to go home for eight days' furlough before sailing for England. I arrived home in Jamestown about 2 o'clock on May 5, my cousin with me. We walked down the road and across the hill as large as life, dressed in our khaki. It was my first time home since October the year before. I was welcomed to the old homestead, although I knew that mother's heart was well nigh breaking as every now and then when she would look at me the tears would start down over her cheeks. On Sunday we went to Musgravetown to visit some of our friends there and to say good-bye. At last Thursday came and it was time for us to bid farewell to those at home. There is much in life that I have seen and witnessed and have forgotten, it has passed from my memory, but that 'farewell' I shall never forget. I had to walk six or seven miles to the railway station, so I was to leave home at four o'clock and as that hour began to draw near, friends from the little neighbourhood began to gather in the old home to wish me 'good-bye'. First mother got tea. As we sat around the tea table, mother once again broke down and began to sob and I tried to cheer her up. I remember saying, "never mind Mom, two continued ...
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 25 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... continued ... years from now I will be back having tea with you again". When tea was finished, father stood up. "Now boy", he said "we must have prayers before you leave us". I would rather not as at that time I was very reckless and cared very little for God or any of His ways, but I said nothing, only kneeled down. I do not remember that prayer in its entirety, but I have fancied many times since that I could hear father as he prayed to God to take care of me and to guide me. How he sobbed and cried like a child! I shall never forget those moments. Prayer is over and we all rise to our feet. Then I started to shake hands with all and to say farweIl, 'so long' were the words I used. I began with one of my sisters, that being one of eight, who sat next to my mother, leaving mother till last. As I said “good-bye” there were not many dry eyes in the house. Then I came to father, and as I write these words, I can almost picture his face with the big tears rolling down his cheeks. I can only remember seeing him cry once before and that was when his parents died. But now as he shook my band, his voice seemed to choke with a sob. By this time my hard heart had become pretty near melted. Now I came to mother. My intention was to just touch her hand and slip away. But no! As she lifted her right hand to shake mine, she passed her left around my neck and, holding me close, sobbed as if her heart would break. Now my heart had almost failed me, and tears began to come to my eyes. I dragged her across the kitchen and through the hall. After a struggle I parted her arms from around my neck as I went through the hall doorway. Then as I turned her last words were, "promise me, Wallace, if you never meet me again on earth to meet me in heaven". My answer was "mother I'll do my best", but these words were for a time soon forgotten. I left the old home and as I passed over the hill which hid it from view, I turned to get as I thought perhaps the last glimpse of the homestead. Next I went to wish my uncle good-bye and again there were tears shed. At last I reached the station with my sister who was going, to St. John's with me. After a little waiting the train came and we were on our way. At Shoal Harbour we had to wait for the east-bound train. At last we reached St. John's and I reported to the Regiment. That was on Saturday, May 12, 1917. I was detailed for the fire piquet, to go on duty at five o'clock on Sunday evening. After spending another week in St. John's, we set sail on Saturday morning at seven o'clock, May 19, on the S.S. Florizel for Halifax. That night we had a gale of wind and on Sunday morning there were only a few that could get to their breakfast - they were sea-sick. It blowed hard all day on Sunday but during the night it moderated and just at sunrise on Monday morning, we saw Halifax. We were soon in port and, after a little delay, we were landed and marched to the barracks. Then the trouble began - our food was cut down to a soldier's allowance. My! I thought I would never see England much less live to see France for we would get away from the table just as hungry as when we sat down. Then we would have to go and do the hardest kind of drill. Alf and I found an old lady who lived, I think, on Cornwall Street. She was a Newfoundlander by birth. She would say, "come in my boys, I knows just what you wants”. Then she would prepare tea for us. But soon our little bit of money was exhausted, and we could not afford this luxury. Then we were quarantined for ten days as someone had a fever in the barracks. At last the time came for us to march on board the ship that was to take us to Liverpool. Her name was the S.S. Olympic, and on June 3 we set sail from Halifax as the night shades began to cover the land. It was thick with fog and the voyage was dangerous due to the number of submarines off the banks of Newfoundland, but our ship was the largest and fastest troop ship on the Atlantic, and she could steam thirty-two knots per hour. So once past a submarine, we would soon be clear of her. There were seven thousand Canadians on board and about three hundred of us Newfies. We had it a bit cold until we got clear of the banks of Newfoundland. On our voyage there were three German spies captured who were Officers in the Canadian Regiments. One of them tried hard to get to the engine room but he was caught. Every second day we would get up on the boat deck for a route march. Three and a half times around the deck was a mile. After spending six days on the Atlantic, we landed in Liverpool, and on June 10 we landed in Ayr, Scotland. This was on Sunday and the Band played us into the Barracks and another draft, that was leaving for France, out. Next day we had to get down to our drills which made our muscles ache. I found it very hard to get into the short pace of a soldier and to make my one hundred and twenty steps per minute, being a lad of six feet, but I soon got on to it. After almost a month at Ayr, we received orders to move to Barry which was only eight or nine miles from the city of Dundee in Scotland. There was a little village near us by the name of Carnoustie that had a nice seashore and green
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 27 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... where the people of Dundee would come to spend their Sundays or week-ends. One Saturday evening myself and a chap Goodwin from New Melbourne met two young ladies by the name of Fenders from Dundee, who were very much interested in us. On Sunday we met them again and received an introduction to the mother who was a very courteous old lady. They gave us an invitation to their home but during that week we were quarantined for diphtheria and we were unable to get to Dundee for over a fortnight. Some evenings we would steal out under the back side of the tent after dark and go to Carnoustie. At last the day came for us and we had our freedom from the tent again. We obtained late passes and proceeded to Dundee, where we were met by the two girls who took us to their home at 49 Erskine Street, and here we were treated as if we were their brothers. During this time we were getting more and more used to our drills and to a soldier's life. We were also getting quite used to our small allowance of food. The route marches which we had to do once or twice a week were also becoming commonplace to us. These we had to do in full marching regalia which was from fifty to one hundred pounds in weight. Certainly for every march our pack would be heavier. The march would be fifteen to twenty miles. While we were at Barry we had become more and more fitted for the front and we became well acquainted with our friends there. In fact it almost seemed like home to us. At last the day came when we had to leave Barry to return to Newton Park in Ayr. This was on October 2, 1917. We arrived in Ayr that evening and it was raining hard. We soon got into our Barracks which was a large stone or brick building. Here we slept on board mattresses. I felt very much at home at Carmel's Cottage and during the month that I stayed there we had some very long marches. The last day that I spent there saw rain falling all day whilst we were out marching and when we finally reached our barracks about four o'clock we were soaked through. Then we were informed that we had to be ready to leave at nine o’clock that night for France and we were at liberty to go out as soon as we were packed up. I was soon in the house of my dear friends where the old lady sat from six until nine holding my great coat before the fire trying to get it dry before I had to leave. It was still raining very hard and by the time we got on board the train we were almost wet through. Soon all were on board and the train pulled out from the station as Kate and her sisters stood on the platform under their umbrellas and waved 'good-bye' to us. Now we were on our way to Southampton. It was Monday, November 5 and we arrived in Southampton the next day. Here we boarded a small steamer and crossed the English Channel the next night. On the seventh we were going up the river Seine looking at all the wonderful sights. We arrived in Rouen that evening. There was a certain examination we had to go through before we could join the boys ‘up the line'. So we were detained there two or three days. At last we got clear and joined the battalion at Burles le By on November 14, 1917, where they were then practicing for a battle. After three or four days we set out to march back to the firing lines. After marching all night on November 19, we reached the trenches, and there were three divisions to go ‘over the top’ that morning, November 20. We were the third. Just before dawn broke, the bombardment started. Up to this time everything was very quiet, only an occasional rattle from the machine guns. Now everything was red as the big guns which were concealed from view of the aeroplanes belched forth fire and smoke and the tremendous roar was almost unbearable to the head. Since it was my first time ever seeing or hearing those big guns, I did not realize my danger. I remember saying to my pals, “it is an early hour for anyone to be getting married”. As we joked over the noise and ate lunch, daylight became more bright. Soon I could see large parties of German prisoners coming out and here and there a wounded man getting back as best he could. The stretcher bearers were busy bringing back those who could not walk. I soon saw the fruits of the terrible bombardment and realized my danger. These thoughts were soon overcome by a desire to get on where the fighting was. Finally eleven o’clock came. This was the hour when we would 'jump off' at the sound of a bugle. We were soon out of our trenches and formed up in 'artillary formation' in which formation we marched for very nearly a mile. Then we came under rifle fire and we got the order to 'extend'. Soon I saw some of our numbers falling never to rise again. I remembered the first bullet I heard whistling past me and I compared it to the sound of the little birds in the woods at home when they were disturbed. These 'birds' were hot ones. Just before coming under rifle fire, I saw the first man I had ever seen killed in action. I shall never forget that poor fellow. He was killed by a shell and his face was a very dark purple. His pack, which was strapped to his back, kept him in a sitting position. I also saw the arm and leg of another man lying close by this poor fellow, which told me that another had met his death there. continued ...
Veterans’ Service Recognition Book 28 W W Re e er Lest We Forget
Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 29 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... continued ... Now, as we advanced in rushes of five or six men at a time. We would run a short distance then lie down and I could see fellows all around rising and then run a short distance, to fall wounded or dead. As we were now under a storm of bullets, the ground beneath our feet was almost like some person had drawn an harrow over it. The ground was so torn by the bullets from the German machine guns one could scarcely imagine how anyone could escape. These guns fired at the rate of three hundred bullets from each gun per minute, and there must have been more than three or four hundred of them. I have often felt since that God's hand was at work! We were advancing toward a little village by the name of Masnieres, where the German Headquarters was situated. As we got nearer to the borders of this village, we could see faces of men with their revolvers and rifles shooting through the windows. Running by the side of the village and between us and the houses lay St. Quentin Canal about sixty feet wide and filled with water. There was a bridge across this canal which could rise up with chains so that boats could pass under it. The Germans had raised this bridge on one side so that it was difficult for us to cross. Even while we were crossing one after the other, the bullets were cutting splinters out of the bridge. Certainly more than one fell around it. As we passed up the road on the other side, there was just as many boys coming back wounded as there was going up. The Germans having occupied a house in which they had eight machine guns, and these were concentrated on the cross roads which made it almost impossible to pass. Finally we dropped a trench mortar shell on the house which put them out of action and we captured the eight guns. Here Captain Butler led the charge up the hill at the back of the village, but he soon returned with several bullet wounds in him, and thus he went off down the lines. I wished I could go with him. Ten or twelve of us with the trench mortar gun, for which I had been carrying shells all day, tried to reach the top of the hill led by a brave man, Lieutenant Herder. We had to halt several times because the machine gun fire was so terrible. Seeing it was impossible to go any further, our leader gave the order to retire back to the road which was about one hundred yards behind us. In our short retreat, the man running in front of me was hit through the leg. When he fell, I jumped over him and reached the road alright. It was now near dark. Next we got into an old brick house, and after getting the food from our dead comrades, we proceeded to get something to eat. Although I was very wicked at that time I thanked God that the first day was past and I was not hurt. That night we spent in bringing up ammunition. Come the morning, we had to go with the Essex Regiment and carrying our trench mortars we helped them take the left half of the village. Then we had to go 'cleaning up'. This was to get all the snipers and otherwise hidden Germans that may be left in the village. This was no pleasant task as one never knew the moment when he would come up against five or six of these who were hiding in nearly every dark corner. Following this we got mixed up with the English Troops and became stranded. Then we received orders and were assigned to different companies. I hardly knew how I passed that night. The next day I wandered into my own "C" Company. They were expecting a relief party which came up that night. We retired back about two miles to another little village, Marcoing, where we were to stand in reserve for a day or two - so we were told, then we would go out on six week's rest. On Friday morning we received orders to move out! Many of us thought we were going out for the 'rest'. At this time there was terrible bombardment on the village we were in and, as we started down what was once a street, but was now blocked up with houses that were blown down, there was no scarcity of bodies dead or dying everywhere. At one place in particular one could walk for a hundred yards or more on dead men. To our surprise when we reached the edge of the village we found that instead of going back for a rest we had to go and meet the Germans in an open field. As we stopped for a moment waiting for our officers, the General who stood by said, "I thought better of the Newfoundlanders than to go hanging around here by this little hedge”. At that moment Captain Bartlett passed by and on hearing the General's remark answered “why, sir, what do you want them to do?" "Go and drive the 'Bosh’ back", came the reply. We were now about two hundred and fifty or three hundred in number and upon hearing these words, Captain Bartlett sprang forwards, at the same time waving his stick over his head and shouting his 'forward!' command. We all sprang forward with a shout at the same time fixing our bayonets. As I write I can almost picture those bayonets glistening in the sun.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 31 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... continued ... The Germans now were not more than one hundred and fifty yards in front of us coming down across the field in mass formation, but when they saw us coming and yelling like mad things they came to a stop. Then they turned and fled with us hot after them. I became so excited trying to get one fellow who was just in front of me that when I came to see where I was, I was just about thirty yards in front of the others and in danger of being shot down with our own guns. We drove the Germans back to their own trenches from where they had come that morning and then we came to a halt. Captain Bartlett had been killed that morning in the advance. He had been hit in the head by a bullet from a lowflying German plane. Now we were just about cut off from outside help. We could get no food of any kind and with hard fighting yet ahead. We were in those trenches from Friday until about three o'clock a.m. Monday morning. On Sunday morning about nine o'clock, we got the order to 'stand to'! The Germans were coming over. Then they started to shell us. There being about seventeen men in the trench where I was, a shell came in among us. When the smoke and dust cleared away, there were four of us left. The rest were either killed or wounded. Now by this time we could see the Germans advancing towards us very clearly. They outnumbered us ten to one, all of them being Prussian Guards, Germany's best fighters. We had nothing to help us - most all our artillery was out of action and we had very few hand grenades. So we had to do the best we could with our bullets and bayonets. Our machine guns worked very well, so we kept up a steady fire. The Germans kept coming and falling. Hour after hour passed and night began to come on. Just before nightfall, the English on our left, known as the 'South Wales Borders', retired to another trench and the Germans took possession of their part of the trench. Now the Germans were in one end of the trench and we were in the other. Thus we kept them till night fell and things grew more quiet. In due time an officer came through the trench seeking for volunteers to grenade a part of the trench. It was not easy to get volunteers for this task among the few of us that were left. After swearing a good deal about it he came back with the Sergeant and Corporal and I was commanded to carry the grenades for them. We did not get very far before we came upon a group of Germans. After shooting down some of them and tossing them a few grenades, we had to go back without clearing much of the trench. Between us and the Germans a road crossed the trench that separated the two armies. I was then put on guard about thirty yards from the Germans and the same distance from my own Company. It was real dark and I had to watch over the top and then crouch down and peer through the dark trench to make sure that none of the Germans would get down to us. The hours were long and dreary. The only company I had were the groans of a wounded comrade lying a few yards distant. Often I fancy I can still hear those groans as they came amidst the darkness. My thoughts wandered back to the old homestead as I could hear him say. "Oh mother, if you only knew where I am tonight and what I am suffering. Oh, if you were only here it would be alright." These cries would almost cause the hardest heart to shudder and to wander back to the last time we saw our mother, but in such a place, I could not let my thoughts wander or dwell on that. I was there alone and life was sweet and my only chance was in keeping a good watch and to turn my thoughts in another direction. On the other hand the dying groans and the sight of our dead comrades often filled us with a kind of hatred toward the enemy and a desire to have revenge on them. After spending about three hours there straining my eyes, watching for the first sign of danger and my ears listening for the sound of anyone approaching, I eventually heard the sound of a step coming through the trench behind me. I grasped my rifle tighter and prepared for the worst even though I thought it might be someone coming to see how I was getting on. I thought if it is the enemy there is only one and I might have a chance. I was very relieved to hear the voice of my own officer as he enquired how things were. Then he promised to send someone up with me and I was very glad a few minutes later to see one of my pals, Goodyear, by my side. It did not seem so bad when there were two of us and we kept guard until one o'clock when we were relieved by an English Battalion. Then the two of us went back some two or three miles and lay down to get some rest in what was called the 'chaulk trench'. We were only there for about an hour when the English came back and we had to leave it. What we had held all night and day and beat off the enemy's attacks had now become too hot for them.
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Volume 25 www.legionnl.com 33 Newfoundland Labrador Command continued ... continued ... We had to go back another two or three miles to the Hindenburg Line which we broke through thirteen days before. When we reached there we had some food waiting for us. This was the first we had to eat since Friday morning at five o'clock and it was now three o'clock on Monday morning. My Company was then counted and there were only nineteen of us. Fourteen days before we were over one hundred and thirty. The Captain who was Captain R.G. Paterson swore on his maker, "where in the so-and-so are the rest of them?” Certainly some had gone astray among other Battalions, but over one hundred from our Company had been killed or wounded. We had to spend two days in support of those who were in the front. Eventually the time came for us to be relieved and on December 5, 1917 we were on our way back from the battle of Cambrai. We had spent fifteen days and nights under a continual rain of bullets and shells and three of those days were without anything to eat. We were now going back for a six week's rest. We arrived at the village of Mondicourt where we stayed for a week. Our company now numbered between twenty-five and thirty men. Next we were required to march to Ypres in Belgium. After marching for a week we stopped in a little village called Fressin where we spent Christmas, 1917. For our Christmas dinner turkey had been provided but there was not enough to go around. Some of our group found a cow and butchered it for which the Regiment had to pay. It was here I spent my eighteenth birthday. We continued to march for another week and stopped some four miles outside the town of St. Omer. We spent a week or so there then marched on to St. Omer and took a train to go to Poperinghe in Belgium. We arrived on a Saturday night January 2, 1918. Sunday was the Kaiser's birthday and we marched in line for it this was January 27. We were expecting a big battle but it was one of the quietest days that I had ever spent in the trenches. After spending eight days in the trenches we came back to St. Jean for four days. This little village was under fire at all times so it was just as dangerous here as it was in the front trenches when it came to shell fire. By day we would rest a little but after sunset we would take our load of food, barbed wire, ammunition or whatever was needed and carry it up to those in the front line. This was the way we spent our time from January 26 to April 9 - in the front line six or eight days and out for four. During that time the enemy attempted to break through our trenches but they never reached our barbed wire. Every morning we would prepare for our 'iron rations' which the Germans would deal out to us in the form of trench mortars and whiz-bangs. One morning one of these trench mortars struck by the side of the door of our dug-out and almost closed it up. It split open the concrete over our heads and for a moment or two we didn’t know what was best to do; whether to run for better shelter of to stay where we were. Anyway we hung on and that was the nearest one that came to wish us 'good morning'. Most such mornings a number of our boys would be knocked out and, as I was stretcher bearer, I was kept pretty busy. On April 9 we were told that we were going back for three week's rest. We had now spent eight days and nights in the trenches and as we staggered alone one would think that we were all drunk. Several times I fell asleep while walking and bumped against the other fellow’s pack ahead of me waking myself up again. Finally we reached Poperinghe where we were to rest for a day or two. But we were in for a surprise! The Company Commander passed through the tents saying "now boys, you have two hours; eat, drink, sleep, bathe or do as you like, but be ready to start off again at one o'clock. The Germans have broken through the Portuguese Division lines at Armentieres and we have to stand in general reserves”. Soon we were on board the motor trucks which were to take us up the line again. As we passed through the villages there were many horrid sights to look at: old men and old women trying to help each other back to safety. Some had their heads bandaged which showed that they had been struck by a bullet or piece of shell. Others had broken limbs, whilst lying on the ground were men, women and children cold in death, and terribly mangled from heavy shell fire. After spending two or three hours on these motor lorries, they eventually came to a halt and we were ordered off. Bullets were whistling around us and we knew that we where no great distance from the enemy. I was soon busy carrying the wounded to the nearest dressing station. When night came we dug holes for ourselves and, covered with our rubber sheets, we lay down. It was far too cold to sleep even though we were very tired. Everything seemed quiet except for the rattle of a machine gun now and then, and the light from the 'star' shells that were fired into the air to light up 'no man's land', to see if any of the enemy were approaching. When daylight came we had to move further up toward the front line and ‘dig in'.
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