The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 61 My Uncle by W. O. Minish Victor Albert Hare was my uncle. Although I never knew him, my mother often spoke fondly of her younger brother who had died in the Great War. Throughout my early childhood, Victor smiled down from a large oval-framed picture which hung in our living room. That picture showed Victor seated beside his brother Fred, both in uniform. I believe the picture was taken somewhere in France. Victor was born on May 21, 1897 in or near Britannia, Ontario. He and three of his younger brothers went west with their mother in 1910 to join their father, Albert, and their eldest brother, George. For the next six years Victor lived at the family homestead helping with the farming. He enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Rosetown, Saskatchewan on May 3, 1916, when he described himself as a farmer (and a Methodist). Assigned regimental number 1018237, his “Attestation Paper” (his enlistment document) shows him to have been five feet ten inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. Strangely no weight is mentioned but his medium complexion and fully expanded chest girth of 37 ½ inches with a range of expansion of 5 ½ inches are recorded. The paper was stamped at the Orderly Room of the 232nd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force on the 5th of May which was probably the day that he reported for duty. The progress of Victor’s war is sketchily outlined in other documents: “Embarked Canada Halifax 17-4-17 on the S.S. Northland”; “Debarked England Liverpool 29-4-17”; “Ent’d Segregation Camp Bramshott 30-417”; “Taken on the Strength of the 15th Can Res Battn.” Bramshott, on 29 April 1917; sent on August 9th to 51st Howitzer Battery, 13th Brigade of the Canadian Field Artillery at Milford Camp; proceeded, a few days later, on August 24th, overseas with the 13th Brigade, landing the same day at “Havre” in France. Between March 3 and 15, 1918, he underwent a Signals Course in the “Field” after which he rejoined his unit. On April 1, 1918, Victor suffered what was described as “G. S. W. Neck Slight. At Duty” – a slight gunshot wound to the neck, suffered while on duty. See page 63 for one of Victor’s letters to his mother On September 11, 1918, Victor was caught in a poison gas attack and suffered severe burns and inflammation of the eyes. Following this attack he spent six to seven weeks in hospitals and rest centres. See page 65 for Victor’s last letter to his mother Victor was transferred from the 25th General to 5 Rest Camp on October 4th. On October 7th, while he was still at the CCRC, Victor was “Awarded Military Medal for Bravery in the Field.” We have no more information on the nature of the action for which the MM was awarded. Victor “Rejoined Unit from CCRC” on October 31st. Four days later, on November 4, 1918, he was killed in action, seven days before the war ended.
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