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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-09-23, Page 9d A • r • United Nations Faces Big Test x Many times since the days of its for- mation the United Nations has undergone bitter testing and trial, So far it has emerged successful on each occasion. True, there has been fighting and blood- shed, but in the end the spirit of com- pron ise has won the day. To say the * very least, we have not yet been ensnared in that final cataclysm which could mean the end of life as we know it upon this planet. All the indications, however, point to a testing period now confronting the ti.N. which will make the previous crises k look like family quarrels, China, with her 600 -odd millions and her close approach to nuclear capability, is beginning to flex her muscles in the direction of India and her 400 millions. The Chinese communists have not reached that stage of socialistic sophist', cation which has been achieved by Rus. sia. The European communists have pass. ed through the initial stages of physical violence and are now fighting the rest of Us on the plains of ideology and economy. Not so the Chinese. They are aching to prove by the power of destruction that the ancient culture of East Asia need no longer bend to the will of >rurope and its gigantic step -child, America. Whether rightly or wrongly, Commun. ist China has never been admitted to membership in the United Nations, The West has chosen to pretend that China's mighty power did not exist. Now, of course, when the time has come for the United Nations to apply disciplinary pres- sure China has nothing to lose at the council table. She has no membership to forego ... No friendships to lose. The United Nations has succeeded for 20 years where the League of Nations failed so dismally. Now it meets its greatest test. its leaders and counsellors will need inspiration and patience in very great measure. Better Selling Was the Subject • It was our very sincere pleasure to host a dinner and retail sales clinic last Thursday evening. Purpose of the event, which was attended by 94 local business people and their sales staffs, was to fur- ther the cause of good business in our w town and district. The clinic, which was addressed by Norvin Allen, an expert on sales relationships and techniques, was in- tended to impress upon retail sales peo- ple the best methods not merely to in- crease sales, but to provide sound and beneficial retail services to the buying public in this community. So swift have been the advances in transportation, markets and consumer buying habits that we felt this was an excellent chance to provide some expert 4 • • guidance for the people who serve the buying public, It is our hope that other such gatherings may be held at reason- able intervals with the object of making Wingham one of the most attractive shop- ping towns in Ontario. As a part of this plan you will find three pages of The Advance -Times devoted to special sales messages from the stores which were represented at the sales clinic. These three pages will appear for the next eight weeks, offering "a harvest of val- ues." Read these advertisements and shop in the stores which are participa- ting in this concentrated effort to provide the very best of merchandise for a dis- criminating clientele. The End ©f a War Perhaps you were one of those who read with intense interest excerpts from the diary of Leon Cantelon which we pub- lished in last week's paper. More of these reminiscences appear this week. We found these notes, in capsule form because of the desperate circumstances under which they were written, highly dramatic in their impact. As a soldier engaged in the history -making events of the last 100 days of the Great War Leon Cantelon sensed the importance of the actions through which he and the Allied forces were passing. The First World War, seen in the light of 47 years of passing time, is now re- cognized as the first act in the fateful drama of modern times. During its four years the forerunners of many of our modern weapons were brought into use —the airplane, the tank, chemical gasses, mobile transport of foot soldiers for sur- prise attack. This same war served to shock the entire world by its utter destructiveness. Mankind, for the first time in recorded history, faced the fact that two bitter enemies could, conceivably, fight until both were completely destroyed. In the years which have gone by since those bitter days of 1918 this truth has been borne in upon us so strongly that we now realize the entire population of the earth might be sacrificed in some war of the future. It may be that this awful truth holds the only hope for the human race. if all people can grasp the finality of our powers of destruction war may become too dangerous to contemplate. Are New Leaders Emerging? The decision of George Hees to seek election in the forthcoming election and the possibility that Duff Roblin, premier of Manitoba, may do the same leads to some interesting speculation about future national leadership, in both these men lie the potentials for succession .to the leadership role in the Progressive Con- servative party. Even within PC ranks John Diefen- baker does not have unanimous support, and the fact that last week saw the cele- bration of his 70th birthday leads to a widespread belief that the next year or two may see a national convention to select a new leader. It is possible that both Mr. Hees and Mr. Roblin are look- ing ahead to that day. Though Conservative fortunes have plunged from the heights since the 1963 election, the events which took place during the last Parliament under Liberal leadership have shaken public confidence in many quarters. Canada no longer votes along solid and pre -determined party lines. its younger and middle- aged generation votes according to the climate of any given election year. Trim off a very sizeable segment for support of NDP, Creditiste and Social Credit, and the outcome of the election becomes any- body's guess. The possibility that new leaders will be available for the PC party is a hearten- ing one. Our nation cannot afford a per- iod of stagnation waiting for able men to develop. The new age in which we are living demands a strong reserve of capable men who are willing and able to hold the reigns of power. Starts at New Year Employers, or at least some of them, are studying the intricate details of the s Canada Pension Plan which goes into ef- " fect at the first of the year. The book work needed for the plan, along with similar chores for unemploy- ment insurance, federal sales tax and pro- vincial sales tax, add up to just about enough for an extra girl on the office staff. We presume the governments in- volved plan to supply the extra help with- out charge. i ud.uiu,.,,,...,.,,u..u,ann THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation' Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ- ation4 Member Canadian Community Newspapers Representatives AUt herized by the Post Office Department as Second Class Malt and for payment of postage in cash Subscription Rate: One Yeah, $4.00; Silt Months, $2.25, in advance $5.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 Per year Advertising Rates on application SECOND SECTION Wingllatrr AMvance'Times, Thursday, Sept. S, 1961 Leon Cantelon's diary Recalls Last 100 Days of First World Conflict (Continued from last week.) BATTLE OF ARRAS Drocourt Queant Switch Line Sept. 1; Moved up into the Front Line at Vis En Artois. Very dirty relief and many casualties, heavy shelling. In sunken road narrow escape at night. Weather cool and fine. Sept. 2: 10th Brigade (47th Battalion, with the 44th, 46th, and 50th battalions) attacked under a very fine barrage and captured Duty. Heavy casual- ties. Headquarters in chalk pit, Weather fine. Sept. 3: 47th Battalion ad- vanced to Saudimont at noon, the 10th Brigade taking all ground to the Canal Du Nord. Very heavy casualties from point blank shell fire. Enemy artillery had good observation and was very active. Fine weather. Sept. 4: In Support of Saudi- mont. P.M. moved back to Vis En Artois. Fine weather. Sept. 5: In Reserve trenches at Beaurains (east of Arras) again. Fine weather. Sept. 6-18: 47th Battalion at Beaurains. Weather fine and warm. Met Frank McLean and Frank Sturdy often, also Nor- man Butcher, from Wingham (they were with other units). Having a good rest while rein- forcing again. Often in city of Arras. Good Y.M. C. A. ser- vice there. Captain Vanstone, of Wingham, (an ex -mayor), took over command of a com- pany of 47th Battalion. Sept. 19: Marched to Wotan Line two kilos east of Bulle- court. In Reserve trenches. Roads heavy. Weather fine. BATTLE OF CAMBRAI BATTLE OF CANAL DU NORD BATTLE OF BOURLON WOOD Sept. 20-25: In trenches in Wotan Line, east of Bullecourt. Weather cool and fine. Saw Tom Fixter (qf Wingham) and ....Dye (of-Belgrave) on the 22nd. Sept. 25: P.M. moved into trenches of Hindenburg Support Line at Inchy En Artois. Three great stretches of barbed wire entanglements in front of Hin- denburg Line. Weather fine. Sept. 26: Inchy En Artois. Heavy shelling by Fritz. Con- siderable casualties. Weather fine. Sept. 27: 10th Can. Brigade attacked at 5.20 a.m. and too the Canal Du Nord and all other objectives by storni. 4th Can. Division took Bourlon Wood, Brigade H.Q. at Quarry Woods and that night it was moved to trench one kilo north of Bour- lon Woods and village. Casual- ties not excessive. Weather fine. BATTLE OF RAILLENCOURT AND SAILLY Sept. 28: 10th Can. Brigade attacked again. Very heavy fighting. Three counter at- tacks, but finally took Raillen- court and Sailly and gained all objectives. Brigade Foreward H.Q. moved to Raillencourt. Heavy shelling. Weather fine. Very heavy casualties. Sept. 29: In trenches north- west of Bourton; later in day at Quarry Woods. 12th Can. Brig- ade leapfrogged 10th Brigade. Weather fine. October 1-2: Quarry Woods, Canadian Army in very heavy fighting trying to capture the city of Cambrai. Very heavy casualties in all units. Weather fine. Oct. 3-6: In trenches at Inchy En Artois. Some bomb- ing. Weather fine. Oct. 7: Moved in buses to city of Arras. Billeted in houses; good quarters. Weath- er fine. Oct. 7-11: Still at Arras. Resting and reinforcing. Fine weather. Oct. 12: Still at Arras. Wet weather. Oct. 13: Moved by buses to Sauchy Cauchy. In ruined buildings. Wet weather, Oct. 14: Moved forward in- to Brigade Reserve in sunken road in funk holes. Someshell- ing. Goad weather. Oet, 15; Sunken Road, P.M. moved with Advance Party to new H.Q. in front of Sauchy L'Estree, Wet weather, Oct, 16-17: Sauchy L'Estree. In good dug -outs at new h. Q. Canadian mail. Wet weather, Oct, 18; Fritz retreating. 47th Battalion still in Support moved on to Fressain, six kilos beyond the L'Escault Canal. Crossed Sensee river. Heavy ground mist till noon. P.M. heavy straff (shelling) put on Fressain. About 80 casualties. Heinle trap was cause of strati. (Trap --piano in a yard with at- tached wire to keys unnoticed. Someone played a few bars -- Heinle knew we were there and all Hell was turned loose as he shelled the town.) Oct. 19: Fritz still retreat- ing. 47th Battalion leap -frog- ged 50th Battalion and pressed on past Denain. H.Q. in big chateau at Lourches, Freeing French people in many villages such as Abscon, Auberchicourt, and Bugnicoutt. Liberated peo- ple jubilant --showered us with flowers and kisses. Rain in eve- ning. Oct. 20; Fighting on out- skirts of Denain and along the canal. Battalion H. Q. in white chateau in Denain. Dark, misty morning. French people cele- brating, Fritz shelling town, civilians as well as soldiers among casualties. French peo- ple cut up dead army mules for food. Oct. 21: In a.m. B.H.Q. in Denain and later at Wavrechain. Dull, wet day. Front line ad- vanced to within a few kilos (a kilo is 5/8 mile) of Valen- ciennes at La Sentinel. Civil- ians in all the liberated towns and villages still rejoicing. Pro- cessions and much flag waving, At night, 47th Battalion reliev- ed and moved back into Sup- ports at Wavrechain. Heavy shelling and machine gun fire. Considerable casualties. Oct. 22: (my 21st birthday) 47th Battalion in Supports at Wavrechain. In p.m. moved back to Escaudin. Billeted in L'Ecole Sevigny--regular home with a French family. Fine day. Oct. 23-24: Escaudin. Beau - coup coffee and potato chips. Pleasant times with French fam- ily and others. Weather fine but becoming cooler. Oct. 25: Still at Escaudin. Tom Lutton (Winghamite) left for England to get an officer's commission. Cool, wet weath- er. Oct. 26: 47th Battalion still at Escaudin. The 10th Can. Inf. Brigade was reviewed in Denain by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. 47th Can. Inf, Battal- ion honoured as liberators of Denain; each soldier presented with a ribbon. Cool weather -- wet in P.M. Oct, 27: In P.M. 47th Bat- talion marched to R. R. station between Haulchin and Thiant. Fair weather- -cool in evening. Oct. 28: Thiant. Fairweath- er. Piano music by bandsman brought back fond memories of the days that used to be in dear old Canada --Chateau De Pres. Oct. 29: Chateau De Pres in Maing, later Chateau De Fon- tainelle in front of Maing bey- ond railway, Oct. 30-31; Chateau De Fontainelle. Heavy straffing all along Front Line. Numer- ous casualties. BATTLE OF VALENCIENNES November 1: 10th Can. Ihf. Brigade attacked the enemy pushing along the canal to Val- enciennes and gained all objec- tives. Took many prisoners. Fairly heavy casualties. B.H.Q. near Valenciennes. Relieved at midnight and 47th Battalion moved back to Maing--in Re- serve. Fine weather. Nov. 2: Maing. In barns. Cool and dull weather. Nov. 3; Marched to Aulnoy. In reserve. Many civilians in Aulnoy suffering from enemy gas and wounds, In brickhous- es--cool and dull weather. Nov. 4: Fritz driven across border. 47th Battalion at Aul- noy. Fair, cool weather. Nov, 5: 47th Battalion mov- ed to Marley --town not much damaged, Wet weather. Nov. 6; Marley. Battalion billeted in houses with civilians Fair weather. Nov. 7: Marley, Inspection of 10th Can. Inf. Brigade in city of Valenciennes by H.R.H. Prince of Wales. Nov. 8; Still at Marley.. Met lovely French family. Fair weather. Nov. 9; 47th Battalion mov- ed into Valenciennes. In brick barracks. City only slightly damaged --power and lights still working. A beautiful city; very fine buildings. Fair weath- er. Nov. 10 Valenciennes, Be - carne a casualty and admitted to 13th Can. Field Ambulance. In brick block; gas and influen- za. Fair weather. (At this time I left the 47th Battalion). Nov. 11; In 13th Can. Field Ambulance in Valenciennes. Armistice started at 11 a.m.-- weather fair and cool. Not much evidence of celebrating among the troops owing to for- mer false reports of an early armistice. Met a cousin, Herb- ert Chadwick, of Vancouver, B. C, , in the ambulance staff. Nov. 12-13: Still in 13th Field Ambulance, in Valen- ciennes, Nov. 14-16: In No. 57 Casualty Clearing Station, in brick block, in Valenciennes. Nov. 17; Hospital train. Nov. 18: Admitted into 22nd General Hospital at Carriers, France, Ward C9, Bed 11 --on English Channel. Canadian and American nurses. Nov. 19 to Dec. 4; 22nd General Hospital, Carriers, France, Dec. 4,9: At No, 6 Etaples, Dec. 10-12: At No. 10 C.C. near Boulogne, Dec. 13-29: Etaples. Dec. 30: Train to LeHavre. Dec. 31; Channel boat Nop- atin--crossed English Channel that night. January 1, 1919: Southamp- ton, England --good to be back in England again. 0--0--0 Footnote; The 47th Can. Inf Battalion marched to Germany after the Armistice on Nov. 11, 1918 and it was part of the Oc- cupation Army at Cologne, Germany. Leon Cantelon never re -joined the 47th Battalion. Until Jan, 24, 1919 he was stationed at Borden Camp in England, during which time he had a "Seven Days' Leave", which he spent in London, Eng. , and Glasgow, Dundee and Ed- inburgh, Scotland. He spent the next 3-1- weeks at Kimnel Park Camp, Abergele, Wales, near Rhyll in North Wales. On Feb. 17, 1919, at Liverpool, Eng., he embarked on the Em- press of Britain, and after a fine voyage, at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 24th, the ship anchored in the harbour at Halifax. At noon, on Feb. 28, 1919, he arrived home in Wingham. SUGAR AND SPICE by Bill Smiley Day Of Kisses And Roses I have the deepest admiration for those men who make a big fuss over their annual wedding anniversary. My wife and I had another anniversary this week, and, as usual, neither of us re- membered it until three days af- ter it was past, too late to cele- brate. The reason I admire the anni- versary addicts is the sheer boldness of their tactics. UsuaI- ly, they are about the rottenest husbands in town, on a day-to- day basis. But with one florid, extravagant gesture, they wipe out all their sins of the last 12 months and lay the groundwork for another year of getting away with murder. Few of these birds are the gentle, meek, timid, humble, hen-pecked husbands this era has spawned, like you and me. Not they. Among their ranks you find the deer hunters, the fishermen, the hard drinkers, the poker players, the philan• derers. And yet, with a combination of utter effrontery and incredi- ble craftiness, they carry it off every year. A big bash of can- dy, a flourish of flowers, dinner and a night on the town; and the old lady falls for it every time. This is the part I can't under- stand. Women, especially wom- en who have bean married for a few years, are not notoriously soft-headed. And yet these Wom- en, who know perfectly well that the old man is a two-timing heel, an incipient lush, or a big - mouthed bum, go all weak at the knees when Joe waltzes in on their anniversary with a pot- ted plant. I'm not making this up. Let's take my pal Charlie as an ex- ample. He's real. I'll change nothing but the names. Charlie wouldn't be caught dead taking his wife to church or the mov- ies, during the year. He takes his holidays in the fall, when the boys are going deer -hunting. Mabel stays home. It gives her a good chance to rake the leaves and get the storm win- dows on. When Charlie finishes a day's work, he has a couple or six quick ones with the boys, grunts at Mabel a few times during dinner, grabs his curling broom or golf clubs, and heads out the door. Charlie's idea of a pleasant social evening for Mabel is to send her over to visit her sister while he has the poker gang in. After, of course, she has made a huge lunch for the boys. Charlie has a lot of trouble with Mabel's extravagance. Heck, he gives her thirty dollars a week to run the house and feed and clothe the kids and herself, and she just runs right through it, as though the stuff grew on trees, Sometimes she hasn't even enough left on Sat- urday to buy his weekend case of beer. He had me close to tears as he told me about the folly of let- ting women handle the money. With golf and curling fees up this year, and a new rifle to buy for the hunting trip, he figured he might just hafta cut down on the house allowance, if they were going to make ends meet. Now Charlie, while a pleasant enough fellow to the world, and a real swinger with the boys, as a husband and father is not only a rat but also a fink. And Ma- bel. who is no dope, knows it. But you should have seen her the other night, when she dropped in to pay my wife back the five bucks she's borrowed recently. Her eyes were shining and her poor, harassed face was all lit up, as she told us about the wonderful thrill of their anniversary celebration. Charlie had come straight home after work, without drinks and with roses, hustled her into her glad rags and taken her out to the golf club for dinner. She'd had to come home with some friends, because Charlie had wandered into the locker room and got involved in a poker game. But she just couldn't ex• press her appreciation of his thoughtfulness and kindness in remembering their anniversary. My wife's comment, later: "1'd cut his throat."