WWI

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Friday 26th May 1916 (The Musings of a Soldier at Sea)

After five days at sea James and the men were still in good spirits with the anticipation of entering into the war effort. Canadians had united around the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Borden, and the call to defend King and Empire. For many of the British-born Canadian soldiers there was also the hope of seeing their [...]

Friday 26th May 1916 (The Musings of a Soldier at Sea)2017-02-23T18:07:15+03:00

Monday 22nd May 1916 (Sailing Out of Halifax)

This is the day that James and the 11th Field Ambulance sailed from Halifax. James recorded in his diary; (We left Halifax at 8am). This morning we were on parade at 6.30 with life-belts on. While we were being inspected I felt faint and asked to be excused and went to my bunk where I [...]

Monday 22nd May 1916 (Sailing Out of Halifax)2017-02-23T18:07:26+03:00

Saturday, May 20th/21st 1916 (Men of War: Some Pastoral Observations)

While on board the RMS Adriatic, the 11th Field Ambulance had a few days to wait while other battalions boarded and the convoy made preparation for the transatlantic crossing. James' diary recorded some first impressions of the men he would be serving with. We rose at 7 am. and had breakfast. After this we strolled [...]

Saturday, May 20th/21st 1916 (Men of War: Some Pastoral Observations)2017-02-23T18:07:26+03:00

Saturday, May 20th 1916 (Halifax: Entering into the Atmosphere of War)

During WWI Halifax was a busy port. In addition to Canada's war effort, it was also the base of British naval operations. The rail yards were busy ferrying troops, medical supplies, prisoners, injured soldiers, and necessary cargo to and from Europe. Passenger ships, cargo ships and hospital ships made for a very busy harbour. Ship repair [...]

Saturday, May 20th 1916 (Halifax: Entering into the Atmosphere of War)2017-02-23T18:07:26+03:00

Thursday, May 18th 1916 (Escaped German Prisoners)

Although the war was based in Europe, there was always a threat of attack on the North American continent. It was well known that Germany had been preparing for the war for over a decade. Furthermore, it was common knowledge that Germany had been gathering intelligence on "every country under the sun." One author said "She had [...]

Thursday, May 18th 1916 (Escaped German Prisoners)2017-02-23T18:07:26+03:00

Monday, May 15th 1916 (The Long Train Journey)

The train journey from Winnipeg to Halifax took five nights. James had made that same journey in the opposite direction three and a half years previously. At that time he was stunned by the mid-winter scenery. He wrote home of the “snow-clad forests of Nova Scotia ... miles of lakes, all frozen over and surrounded by [...]

Monday, May 15th 1916 (The Long Train Journey)2017-02-23T18:07:26+03:00

Sunday, May 14th 1916 (A Spontaneous Song Service)

Noble (Frank Noble was a fellow-Englishman and a colleague in Brandon College) and I were at Joe Johnstone's [a Belfast man]. We went to service at the First Baptist and Marshall spoke on Deborah. We returned to the A[gricultural] College and found everything hurry and bustle. All were getting ready for moving. I wrote to [...]

Sunday, May 14th 1916 (A Spontaneous Song Service)2017-02-23T18:07:27+03:00

Thursday, May 11th 1916 (Kit Bags and Overseas)

On May 11th, a medical inspection took place in the plunge room [swimming pool], each man appearing nude before a knot of officers who were thus satisfied that the manhood of the Unit contained no defectives. On that day also kit bags were ordered to be "distinctly and neatly marked either with black paint or [...]

Thursday, May 11th 1916 (Kit Bags and Overseas)2016-05-06T14:18:16+03:00

Monday, 8th May 1916 (Civilian Clothing Gone …)

On the 6th May 1916 the 11th Field Ambulance held a concert at the Agricultural College in Winnipeg. A notice appeared in the Winnipeg Evening Tribune on the Saturday prior. The unit was photographed on the day of the concert also. On May 8th, the unit was photographed and on the same day orders were [...]

Monday, 8th May 1916 (Civilian Clothing Gone …)2017-02-23T18:07:27+03:00
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