HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-04-29, Page 5Wednesday, April 29, 2015 • Huron Expositor 5
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Seaforth Goes to War, October 1916
By October 1916, the
enthusiasm of the
early days of the
war was gone. The
Somme battles, then in
progress, had exacted a
terrible toll on the Cana-
dian Corps. No one
believed the war would
be over by Christmas.
Each week, it must have
been with a sense of
dread that one read the
'Huron Expositor' with
the latest local casualties.
In the first few weeks of
October, the paper
reported that Mr and Mrs.
John Muir, the G.T.R fore-
man, received word that
their son, Alex, was
wounded and in hospital.
The War Office sent word
to 'Mrs. Kelly' that her
son, Emmett, was
wounded in both legs
while serving with the
Royal Highlanders. Two
other of Seaforth's sons,
W. Pinkney and A.S.
McLean, were also
reported wounded.
The news was more
tragic for McKillop Town-
ship Reeve, J. M. Goven-
lock. His son, Thomas,
was killed in action on
September 30. At 24, Pri-
vate Thomas Govenlock
had only been in the
trenches for a month.
Gunner Erin Danby
Berry, the 22 year old son
of Rev. John Berry, the
former rector of St.
Huron History
David Yates
Thomas' Church, was
killed on October 8, 1916.
For 'Bravery in the Field',
Gunner Berry was post-
humously awarded the
Military Medal.
That same day, Captain
George Lynch, son of Dr
and Mrs Lynch (and a
grandson of a former Sea -
forth Mayor) was killed
leading a company of the
16th battalion 'Over -the -
Top'. Govenlock, Berry
and Lynch were all
described as popular and
had graduated from Sea -
forth Collegiate. One
wonders what they might
have accomplished in life
had they survived.
The home front did
everything it could to
support the troops over-
seas. The Seaforth Red
Cross reported at its
October meeting that the
women had knitted 552
hospital night shirts, 1793
towels, 1829 sock pairs,
2068 pyjama suits
amongst other items
made for the war effort.
Yet, Huron County's
greatest contribution to the
war effort was about to be
made. In Seaforth, word
was received on Thursday,
October 5 that a special
train from Camp Borden
was bringing the Huron
battalion home for a final
four day leave over the
Thanksgiving weekend
before heading overseas.
The 'Expositor' said their
departure for the front was
'good news for the boys'
but 'not so good for their
families and friends.'
The Huron battalion
was formed in December
1915 and was made up
almost entirely of Huron
County's sons. Each
Huron County town took
special pride in raising
and supporting its own
company.
The Seaforth Company
was met at the train station
by enthusiastic crowds
who hastily dispersed to
their homes. There was lit-
tle time for formal ceremo-
nies. Every moment of that
Thanksgiving weekend
spent with family and
friends proved precious. It
would be their last Thanks-
giving at home for three
years and, for some, it
would be their last Thanks-
giving ever.
Very few written
accounts of that Thanks-
giving exist but, for those
left behind, memories of
the last days spent with
brothers, fathers, hus-
bands and sons remained
vivid for the remainder of
their lives. In Kippen, the
hamlet honoured their
soldiers, Bert Moir,
George Hanley, Clifford
Watson and Melville
McClymont with a ban-
quet and wished them a
safe return.
A surprise party in
McKillop Township was
held for 20 year old Pri-
vate John Wood. An
address signed by friends
and neighbours was pre-
sented to Private Wood
by Mr. Stephen Godkin.
Godkin, on behalf of the
neighbours, lauded
Wood's courage in put-
ting 'duty before pleasure,
loyalty before material
gain and British patriot-
ism before selfish pur-
suits.' Wood was given a
'handsome pipe' and a
signet ring as a token of
remembrance.
Miss Scott's Sabbath
School class presented
the soldiers from Sea-
forth's First Presbyterian
Church with a box con-
taining cake, tobacco,
taffy, cigarettes and socks
on Thanksgiving Sunday.
On Tuesday, October
10, the departure date, the
Seaforth company of the
161st battalion assembled
at Victoria Park. The
Mayor declared a half
letter to the editor
Re: Ontario Liberals "addicted to spending," says local MPP
Dear editor,
Our government has
been clear that we will not
cut and slash programs that
Ontarians rely on in an
effort to balance the
budget. Rather we are tak-
ing the responsible and fair
approach to eliminating our
deficit through Program
Review, Renewal and
Transformation, managing
compensation costs and
strengthening Ontario's
revenue integrity.
Last week, I tabled the
2015 Budget, which outlines
our government's plan to
growing our economy and
eliminating our deficit. As a
result of progress to date on
its plan to balance the
budget, the government is
now projecting a deficit of
$8.5 billion in 2015-16, less
than previously forecast,
and the lowest forecast since
the onset of the global
recession.
Our government
is making the largest infra-
structure investment in
Ontario's history - more
than $130 billion over 10
years. This includes $31.5
billion in dedicated funds
for Moving Ontario For-
ward - of which $15 billion
will be dedicated specifi-
cally to fund transportation
and infrastructure projects
in rural and northern
Ontario. These investments
are expected to support
over 110,000 jobs per year
on average in construction
and related industries,
including over 20,000 jobs
per year on average from
investments made as part
of Moving Ontario
Forward.
We are finding more
innovative ways to grow the
economy, which includes
unlocking the value of pro-
vincial assets. All net pro-
ceeds from this plan,
including broadening own-
ership in Hydro One, will
Courtesy of RCL Seaforth
Seaforth Company, October 10, 1916 on Main Street.
holiday and schools and
businesses closed for the
afternoon. The 'Expositor'
reported that it was 'the
largest crowd that ever
assembled' in Seaforth.
The Citizens' Band led the
Seaforth company down
Main Street followed by
automobiles carrying the
town council and clergy-
men. The Seaforth Colle-
giate cadets bedecked the
automobiles with flags
and red, white and blue
bunting.
An 'immense crowd'
gathered at the station
where the local Ladies
War Auxilliary presented
each soldier with a parcel
containing socks, towels,
a sleeping helmet and a
'housewife' (sewing kit).
No one seemed to mind
that the train carrying the
Clinton and Seaforth area
flow through the Trillium
Trust to build new roads,
bridges and public transit
that will benefit everyone
in the province for years to
come. We are also investing
in people of all ages today
and giving Ontarians the
support they need to get
the right skills and the right
jobs, to build the strong
economy of tomorrow. This
includes investing an addi-
tional $250 million over
two years in the Ontario
companies was two hours
late as it allowed families
a few last moments
together.
The crowd gave a great
cheer as the train pulled
out of the station. The
'Expositor' asserted with
pride that 'there is no
doubt but that they will
sustain their high reputa-
tion when they get to the
trenches.' They left their
Huron County homes to
an uncertain fate but,
unlike those who left in
1914, they left knowing
the dangers and sacrifices
that lay ahead.
October 10, 1916 was a
great and terrible day in
Huron County history.
Never before or since has
the county seen so many
of its youth go off to war
and may it be a day never
repeated.
Youth Jobs Strategy, bring-
ing the total investment in
youth employment pro-
gramming to more than
$565 million.
Ontario is on track to bal-
ance our budget by 2017-18
and will do so in a way that
is fair and responsible and
supports the programs and
services that Ontarians rely
on.
Hon. Charles Sousa,
Ontario's Minister of Finance