HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-04-17, Page 31SCI cadet corps 1916
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Seaforth Phone 527-0770 Railway Street
Before W.W•1
SCI cadets wore droopy hats and ate ice cream
By Harry Hinckley
At Seaforth Collegiate Institute
in the days before World War I
the cadet movement was never
taken too seriously. For a few
weeks after Easter each year the
boys used to finish dinner a bit
early so that they could line up at
1:00 o'clock for the Cadet Corps.
Then Col. Wilson would instruct
them and march them around the
yard for drill for half an hour.
On in May there was Inspection
Day and an officer from Military
Headquarters resplendent in his
well-pressed uniform would
watch the cadets go through the'
manouvres. Aft erwards •they
would all line up and the
inspector would congratulate
"them on their_ smart appearance
and on their general excellence.
Then the whole company would
march off down town to Oscar
Neil's Restaurant - where the
McConnell and Stewart law office
n ow is - to be treated to ice cream
sodas - vanilla, strawberry and
chocolate.
For arms the cadets had large
bore Enfield rifles dating back to
the wars in Ashanti. These were
equipped with long 3 - cornered
bayonets which today would be
real museum pieces. For a
uniform each cadet had a belt
around his coat for carrying the
bayonet and on his head a yellow
straw hat with the brim held up
on the side by a brass paper clip
and kept in shape by a red and
white string tied with a small
bow.
Sir Sam Hughes
The news that Sir Sam Hughes
was holding a cadet camp in
London for a week in July and
that Seaforth was expected to be
represented was received with
mixed feelings. The School Boar d
had feelings something akin to
consternation but the cadets who
expected to go were all for it. So
on short notice' a company of
about. 15 cadets was rounded up
and to swell their numbers to
more respectable proportions -
8 or 10 public school boys were
also recruited.
A uniform was a necessity for a
trip like this so each boy had to
buy at Stewart Bros. a pair of
khaki breeks and a military sty T6-
shirt with brass buttons. The
Board provided a hat -- a sort of
cross between a Mounty's Stetson
and a rather under-sized cowboy
hat - No two hats were of just
quite the same shape but they all
had one thing in common - they
&Coped.
On Monday morning, July
22nd, the contingent assembled
at the Seaforth station and took
the 8:00 o'clock train for London.
In charge were G.F.Rogers and
Col. Alex Wilson. The former
went along more or less because
he could not get out of and the
latter because as Colonel of
Huron's 33rd RegiMent he could
not very well do otherwise. They
travelled together and once they
reached camp at London neither
one was afterwards very much in
evidence.
On arrival at London the cadets
from schools over much of
Western Ontario were divided
into 3 battalions - A.B. and C. A
Batalion was for Drum corps from
the big cities - Guelph, Stratford
and St. Thomas. They wore blue
serge uniforms and were led by
drum and bugle bands. B
Batt alion came from smaller
cities and bigger towns -
Chatham, Woodstock and Galt.
They wore tailored khaki
uniforms.
C Battalion
C. Battalion was made up from
corps from smaller towns and
villages - Chesley, Elora and
Wiarton. Their uniforms • were
much alone the same lines as
Seaforth's - plain shirts and
pants apparently just bought for
the occasion. They se emed sort
of the poor relations and were
more or less kept in the
background. Not that there was
anything wrong with their drill
but their appearance went against
them. Seaforth was placed in C
Battalion.
But in sports and athletic
events it was a different story. C
Battalion with half the team from
Seaforth won all the football
games: The city. boys just did not
seem able to compete. In athletic
events it was the same only here
it was Seaforth all the way. The
boys cleaned up. They took first
prize in most of the events and in
several took 2nd and 3rd prize as
well.
In rifle shooting it was the
same. In the corps were a few
boys who had been well trained
by Col. Wilson, an old Bisley
man. They had done a lot of
practising at the old rifle butts
east of Egmondville and had
comp eted in the big Association
matches at Long Branch and
Connaught Ranges in Toronto
and Ottawa. They had no trouble
holding their own in schoolboy
competition and they won the Sir
Adam Beck Shield in musketry by
a lar ge score.
The cadets from Seaforth took
all this in their stride. After all,
why not? They had always been
told that small town boys were the
best so why shouldn't they win?,
1:00 Train
But back home the citizens took
a little different view and they
could not let the cadets' successes
go untoticed. So when the 1:00
o'clock train pulled in on Saturday
much to the caded' surprise there
was a crowd on hand to give them
a welcome. The station platform
was crowded with people. On
Main Street, lined 1,p in front of
the Grip House dressed up in
their blue tunics and ,vrvhite pants
stood the Citizens Band all ready
to head the parade.
The Cadets fell in behind the
band and were marched to the
Town Hall. r Hee, on the steps,
The Reception Committee gave
them a proper welcome back
home. Mayor Greig spoke and so
did Rev. Berry,Chairman of the
School Board.When their
congratulations were over
G.F.Rogers and Col. Wilson with
fitting modesty made replies on
behalf of the boys.
Then to do it up right and'
assure the Cadets that the
welcome was real the company
adjourned to Oscar Neil's
Restaurant for a treat on the
town - ice cream sodas - vanilla -
strawberry or chocolate.
We welcome you to Sea forth's
Centennial Celebrations and wish
you happiness in jOining in the
festivities and meeting old friends.
ROBERT BELL INDUSTRIES LTD.
BUILDING BOILERS IN SEAFORTH
SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
is
16—THE HURON EXPOSITOR, APRIL 17, 1975