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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1944-07-20, Page 7t, THURSDAY, JIMA/ 20th, 1944 1. WITH THE TROOPS • • Bill :Treleaven the R.C.A.F. :Visited thisweek, with his par-, V.nts, Mr. and" Mrs; Harold Tre- , leaVen, prior to being posted from Fingal to Rockcliffe. . Kenneth MacKenzie of the R. C. A. F., who has been posted to the West Coast,...Visited recently with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm.. MacKenzie of Langside. Wounded In France Mr. and Mrs. Leonard .Cook of Westfield have received word that their, youngest son, Pte Rus- sell Cook, has been seriously wounded in action in France. Mrs. M. C. Orr received a let- ter last Wednesday from her hus- band inforining her that he was in Franee. Mel is a tradesman with the R.C.A.F. ' J. C. Johnston, who has been stationed at Hagersyille with' the R.C.A.F. for about two years has been posted to Quebec and ex- pects, to soon proceed overseas. J. C. has been visiting .with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. John- ston. , Mr. and Mrs. Jack Henderson, Boundary West, have ,recently • received .word that their son, Gni% Ronald. HendeIson,l 7 is in France. Ronald says pe is enjoy- ' " " "Trig-tbineiVliat `aTeringe 'elk.; mate now and' that the , farmers are all busy haying. • Enters Army Trade School Jim ,Purves, son of Mr. and Mrs. Les. Purves,• has enlisted in the Canadian Army and' due 'to his age will first the Army Trade School. Jim was a member of the Juvenile hockey team and has been employed at the, Maple Leaf Aircraft. He was a member of the Wingham Reserve Battery for some time. ' I Marvin Maclntyre of the R. C. A, F. left on Thursday. for Mine - ton, 'N.S.' after spending his fur- lough here with Mrs. McIntyre who had 'planned to return with him to the East but was unable 'to flo so due to the serious ill- ness of her Mother, Mrs. Alex, Mowbray. Mel Johnston, son Of Mr. and Mrs. Janie! Johnston of town is taking a special army course at Woodstock. ,Their son Clair is in France and is safe and well ac- cording to his latest' letter. He managed to strike "a , bargain". with a French farmer getting 3 eggs for 20c. • Left For P E. L " Melvin Stewart of the R.C.A.F. eft last Thursday for Prince E& ward Island to take a 3 months' course at Mt. Pleasant' boinbing and gunnery sellool.,Melvin spent a few days with his parents, Rev. and Mrs. J. W. Stewart before leaving for the .East. Mel had originally planned to take a pil- ot's Course, but due to the length- ening of the course of 'training he switched to air gunner. 4 Eggs For 2 Pair' Socks Mrs. Harry Middleton of Port Hope, formerly Iona Swan, has ecei,ved Vtriltht. that -her_ husband Gnr. Harry Middleton is in France, having arrived there on ituy ',1:larry Said he had not seen an egg for so long that since reaching France he decided to try the barter slatein„, and with fair success. Hairyma.tiaged to obtain' fair eggs by surrendering two pair of socka., 77 - The Lucknow Sentinel, LucknOw, Ontario rAGE SEVEN Lucky To Be Alive Says tivasiol Gunner -- Mr. and Mrs. W. S. McGUire, R. 6, Lucknow, have received. a 'letter from their son, Gnr. Gor- don McGuire who is with. an anti-aircraft battery . i —France. Izoil "I'm 'lucky to be art , a good many of my, pals are ot", he said, and 'added, "I hate to talk about it as 1 can't really find words to: describe how terrible war is"., ,, •• P ' Gordon said' that . when they hit the beach they worked 'furi- ously • to dig in, their . gun, until their hands were covered with blisters and blood. ' Then they scooped out slit ,trenche , for , I themselves when they 'Weren't Iducking "Mortar bombs, gun shells and shrapnel. .0 Gordon said that for over a week he never had even his shoes off. They got very little sleep at night, but some in 'the day - tune as, "Jerry doesn't come out much then". - Gordon said they were back of the front line about a mile for which he was thankful as he had talked to one infantry soldier. 1 who had faced a German bayonet attack. Gordon added that' he hadn't yet come face to face with a German in battle, but had bur- ied lots of them and had seen • Many prisoners. 4. French women sniper's are 'common he said. Some have mar- ried Germans and are not to be trusted. TWo soldiers he knew 1were killed by a Woman sniper, who was located in a tree and "filled with lead". , GOrdon's "chief &intern ' Was that , Inspflrents would be worrying about him ",1 :dOet—WOrri,' In' don't you", he said. "Thousands are being killed every day and I feel' selfish praying that I should be saved. If I am, not spared I will die known -1g I gave my life fighting- for my country". Gordon described their battle ration, and remarked about the beauty of the French poppies. He said he had learned that Alvin i Hamilton was in hospital in Eng- land with his right hand ,severely injured. 'Has ToWo Sons Now 'Serving In France • Jim Hamilton *of the R.C.A.F. at 'Teronto was home on a 48-. hour pass. PO. Tam Henry of the Service Audit Group .of the R.CA.F., who is 4 present stationed .at TOT - onto, ;visited • with relatives here last week. Tom had just return- ed •from New, York where he spent part of his leave. Posted To West Coast Section Officer Mary I. Philip Of the R.C.A.F., W.D., has been posted from Rockcliffe to Pat- ricia Bay, British Columbia. Miss Invasion Padre Now Knows What War Isi , Captain Graydon 0. Cox who accompanied the Canadian invas- ion forces into France, wrote Te- ,cently to his wife in Toronto; telling her of some of his exper- iences. This letter was published' in the Toronto Star as one of the prize-winning invasion letters. Mrs. COX, who resides. in Tar - onto, is a daughter of Mr. and' Mrs. Mac Ross Or Kinloss .Town - 'ship and a niece of Mrs. Jack Henderson, Boundary West.. ' Text of, Capt. Coxs letter fol- onlow8 Philip left, for her new station : "1 was in the opening-. of the Saturday., Sent Pictures From Overseas second; frOnt and I really know Supplementing official pictures I what war is like- Yes'';it is be - which she had previously recehk- ed, Mrs. T. F. Wilson recently received several snaps of the' cemetery and grave at Harrogate, England 'where her husband' ko. TOM Wilson is buried. These pie - tures were taken and forwarded to her by LAC. Ralph -Hoclgiris, who is stationed near Harrogate. RalPh is a son of Mrs Walter some others thought I was over - Hodgins formerly of Concession Kinloss working as they took me back 10, \ I for a rest at the hospital. I really .. I sleptfirst tirrie .1 .b.e.d. had rrrit To Attend Trades School yond imagination at times, but 'God has' been good *and I am safe arid well. I have learned how to .get flat to the ground in iipthing flat and it has no doubt helped me to come so far with a whole skin. "I have been very busy indeed and evidently the doctprs and Bud Orr, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Qrr has enlisted in the Canadian Army. He has not yet reached his 18th birthday and will attend • the- Army Trade School. Bud played goal for Lucknow's famed juvenile hock- ey 'team. He has been emplOyed at.the Maple Leaf Aircraft plant and was a member of Carruthers orchestra. His father is now in Frante with -the R.C.A.F. . _ Is Well And O.H. A letter received this Week by his mother from WO. Alex Mac- Iltenzie; D.F.M., was written on March. 23rd. Letters written since then have been ;previously re- ceived. ,Two short 'clauses in the letter were obliterated by the 'censor,, one of them following the statement, "The Red Cross is wonderful". Alex acknowledg- ed receipt of valued parcels of clothes, and asked for. cigarettes. He said he was "well and O.K." Alex, as our readers will know, is a prisoner in Germany. The following day Mrs. MacKenzie received a letter written on atimmmap I April 19th. Alex, said parCels and Mrs. Jas. MacFarlane of town received word last week from her two sons, Walter and Tom, both of whom are in action in France with an infantry reginient Since then Mrs. MacFarlane has received a letter from a 'lady in Southern England who saw ston of • Ashfield, arrived in God - Tom stioruy nerore he sailed. The erich last Wednesday afternoon God - letter reads as follows:. • by bus. Tpr. Johnston returned Dear Mrs, MacFarlane, to' Canada recently from overseas ' thought pZrhaps you would and bears scars of battle receiv- like to know how yOur son Torn ed in Italy on -February 6th last while serving .with a tank corps. is. My son and I had the pleasure of talking to him • a few minutes The young soldier is suffering from a compound fracture of the skull, a fractured arm and the loss of his left leg, amputated just below the knee. He arrived in London. Saturday and is on a _short leave 'from Westminster hospital in that city. He was greeted upon arrival in Goderich by his parents, his sisters, -Helen and • Beatrice and by several friends from his native township. Tpr. Johnston went to ,England with a reinforcement unit. Back Overseas Again cigarettes, were coming through well. They have a major and minor softball league formed and the competition is. keen. invalided Wine From Italy. Tpr.• Robert Johnston, 21, son of former • township councitor John A. Johnston and Mrs. John - while -the, convoy stopped outside my house. He is looking really fine and very cheerful. He was talking of "away back home",. .while'we gave them a cup of tea and a sandwich to cheer thenn on their way. He said that with "events" recently they. have had very little time .for letter writing and I asked him if 'he Would care for me to write you a few lines. , We see all the boys on their way '"over" and try where poss- 1 ible to give them a smileand. a handshake. Its very little we are! Mr. ari0 Mrs. George Burgess received a letter last week from their son Pte. Wm. Burgess who is overseas with a hospital unit. Pte. Burgess was previously overseas for a lengthy period with the Forestry Corps. He was posted back to Canada several months ago, but is now track in the °Id- 'Country again. able to do for our fine lads, but we do what we can. Try not to worry toomuch. He was really in the best of spirits and very well. It was a, real pleasure talking to him. The / writer expressed every confidence in their equipMent, "[Monty" and in ultimate victory. Iboots and clothes off since Mon- day .(four days) and it was, some- thing of a treat'I came back up ,the line late yesterday afternoon. "Just after the show was over, one of our lads, who comes from. Vancouver, Came to me and showed me a letter} from his mother urging him to put his 'trust,in God. He asked me if • I woulbapthe him then, so I ask- ed one of. our officers to go with me, and • 1 took a 'water bottle, and in a safe nook outside, he.: made •his =vowS,and-was- baPtized,. 'As- soon as I finish this letter I must write to the lad's' mother and tell' her about it; this is his wish. "When I was going to bed last night I noticed a tear in the cover Of my 'beclz-roll and thought it had just been touched by a piece of flying shrapnel. Then ,I noticed that the ground -` cork , from the cork mattress was leaking out arid examined further. I found that there was a hole right thru the cork mattress and there was a German machine gun bullet ly- ing in there. The blanket inside had a hole in it and my air. niat. tresS- was punctured-- on both !sides. I must try to put a patch Ion it and see if I can't make it air -tight once more. The eider- , idown filler was not even touch-. ed 9 'Things are 'koing pretty well' with us here. It is fairly quiet today and everyone is enjoying the respite. If we could have a bath and change into clean clothes we would all\ feel. much better. But the spirits of • every- one' are high and 'morale is A-1. The boys are discovering that there is really some comfort in prayer and are not ashamed to talk about it. Even though I have sometimes felt scared,1 was conscious of a Presence about me, and a certainty that all is well". Invasion Pictures A folder of pictures 9f the in-, 'vasion was recently received by Mr. and Mrs. Peter McCall from their son Jack. The, illustrations _pictured Canadian' troops enroute to the NOrrnany invasion coast, and in one picture Sgt. Clarence Greer, son f Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Greer,: is to be seen. ,Clarence-' was aboard the mother ship H. M. C. S. "Prince David" from which a number of invasion craft were lowered. Clarenee had his head down, cleaning a. Bren gun, when the "shot" was taken. . , ' • . GREAT WAR VET •• KILLED IN FRANCE • Pte. Alex MacKenzie, a v ran of the last war, and who een overseas for three years in the •present conflict, has been official- ly reported killed in action on June '9th. - , His sister, Miss Mary oMacKen- zie of Concession 5, Ashfield, was liotified on June 23rd that he Was missing and on Monday, of last week received official word list- ing her brother as killed in act- ion. No detail's are available, but it is assumed he was killed in Normandy. This assumption is strengthened by a letter written to his nephew, Donald, just two days before the invasion 'started. Alex MacKenzie was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Donald 'MacKenzie 'of the PortAlbert district. He was born 52 years ago in Ashfield. He enlisted, in August of 1914, a few days after the otithreak of the First Great War • and was overseas for over 'four 'years. He h1istdTih" artillery -unit -but - later transferred to the 43rd 'Cameron Highlanders of Winni- peg. Upon his return from overseas he made his home in 'Western Canada, and again enlisted soon after the outbreak of the present struggle with the First Canadian Scottish Battalion of Victoria, B. C. Pte MacKenzie trained at De- bert, N.S. and went overseas in August 194J. He was an.ardent Scot who thrilled at the sound of the pibroch and enjoyed reading a-, bout Auld.,Scotland or visiting •the Land 'o the Heather. In a. let- ter written in May he mentioned °sending his relatives two books about Scotland., These arrived after he was reported missing. Pte. MacKenzie was not mar- ried. He is survived by two sis- ters, Miss Mary MacKenzie; R.R. 1, Dungannon; Miss Grace Mac- Kerizie;. Reg.N., of Toronto; Dr. Hector. MacKenzie of Bellevue, Alta.,. and Donald MacKenzie of Blyth. The late John A. MacKen- zie, e* -reeve of Ashfield was brother. 'Two other brothers, James and Roderick MacKenzie, • also of Ashfield, predeceased him. Member Of Coyle Russell's Crew Repatriated From Germany Some details of the operation Keeps Him In Touch that ended in Flight -Lieut. L. C. In a letter to the Fire Com- (Coyle) Russell becoming a prie- pany acknowledging receipt, of oner of war in Germany have his fountain pen, Harold Greer been learned by his parents, Mr. of the , R.CA.F. says: We are and Mrs. A._ Russell_ of Wing - well into summer over here and are absorbing the beauty of the ham. These, facts have been English countryside when we can learned from the air gunner of get time off fromwork, which the crew, George Pridham, who isn't often. The invasion has is now back in Canada having meant an increase in 'work but been repatriated due to the loss we don't mind if It gets us home of a leg on this flight. Coyle and sooner• Pr.i..qhart,1were,the only two of so well and our Russian allies I the crew 'saved. ''They bailed out driving ahead we are all looking 1 at about the same moment that for an early ending of the war. Just received a bunch of Sen- tinels and spent a • couple of hours reading upon the news. It seems to bring the old town closer when I read about what is happening back there". • \ their bomber was rent asSunder by an explo•sion. Coyle landed safely but suffered from shock and .wandered about the country- side for two days before being taken prisoner. 'He" fully recover- ed very quickly.