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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