HomeMy WebLinkAboutWingham Advance-Times, 1978-11-15, Page 12!g.
4,f4 . .*.,0141.,014,140,10)4p,i;
„.•.
. .
ernbrance Day
Unit meeting theme
Looking ahead to Remem-
brance Day, the afternoon unit of
the Wingham United Church
Women chose "Peace" as the
theme of the November meeting.
Mrs. Bone andr Mrs. Vera Arm-
strong welcomed the members as
they met in the fellowship room
of the church.
After quiet music. played by.
Mrs. Passmore? Mrs. Chambers
recited a poeni on "Pace". A
hymn was sung, after which all
read in unison a portion of the
fifth chapter of St. Matthew's
Gospel. Mrs. Underwood led in
prayer and Mrs. Chambers gave
a meditation on "Peace".
The offering was received and
both it and The Least Coin
pennies were dedicated by Mrs.
Chambers. Mrs. A. Rintoul, a
special guest, sang a beautiful
solo, "Near to the Heart of God".
A poem, "Why I Don't Go To
Church", . was read by Mrs.
Chambers and following the, sing -
ging of another hymn, she read a
poem entitled "The Last Post".
' Mrs. Lockwood ,gave the Least
MRS. LEWIS STONEHOUSE
Coin worship service on the
Yukon and Mrs. Underwood read
a short history of the Least Coin
movement as begun by Shanti
Solomon in the Far East.
MrS. Lockwood presided for
the business. Roll call and
minutes were heard, several
thank you noted acknowledged
and the treasurer's report given.
The card secretary reported that
four cards had been sent.
Mrs. Bone and Mrs. Hasel-
grove offered to welcome people
at the church doors on December
3. The unit will visit Brookhaven
on Thursday, December 7, at
1:30. The general meeting of the
UCW will be held Monday,
November 27, when Mrs. Milian
Moore of Whitechurch will be the
guest speaker.
Before singing the closing
hymn, "Onward Christian Sol-
diers", all joined in singing
"Happy Birthday" to Mrs. Hoy
whose birthday was the day of
the meeting. Mrs. Lockwood
closed the meeting with prayer.
Belgrave Personal Note
Mr. and Mrs. James Coultes of
Wingham and Mr. and Mrs. Nor-
man Coultes were dinner guests
of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Collins
after the baptismal service of
Tara Danielle in Calvin -Brick
United Church on Sunday morn-
ing.
Greg Cantelon of Toronto spent
the weekend with his grand-
mother, Mrs. Harry McGuire,
and his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Harold Cantelon of Tweed, who
are visiting at the McGuire
home.
Miss Margaret Higgins of Lon-
don arid Mrs. Robert Higgins
attended the service at Calvin -
Brick United Church on Sunday
morning when the sacrament of
baptism, was administered to
Karrin Louise, infant daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Marks; and
Tabitha Jean Marie, infant
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Pattison, RR 3, Wingham. After
the baptismal "service, a family
dinner was held at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Pattison.
and Mrs. GoidOii Campbell
and Heather of Kitchener visited
on Sunday with his mother, Mrs.
Olive Campbell, and with Mr.
and Mrs. John Campbell.
Mrs. Dorothy Irwin of
Wingham, Mr. and Mrs. Allan
Cranston of St. Helens were Sun-
day visitors with Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Irwin following the
christening of Candice Ann.
Mrs. Norman Stonehouse of
London spent a few days last
week with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis
Stonehouse and visited with other
relatives and with Mrs. Robert
Coultes; a patient in Wingham
and District Hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. George Michie,
Mr. and Mrs. James Baker and
Mark of London, Mr. and Mrs.
Gordon Arthur and Howard of
Norwich, Mr. and Mrs. John
Strachan and Gregory of Wood-
bridge, Murray Arthur and
Louise Andrews, Janet Arthur
and Rick Irler of Norwich were
Sunday visitors with Mr. and
Mrs. Lloyd Michie following the
christening of their daughter,
Lindsay Marie.
Harold Keating returned home
last Monday after spending a few
days with his sister and brother-
in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley
Snell of London. He also visited
with other relatives. While there
they spent a day at Kingsville
visiting at Jack Miner's Sanc-
tuary.
The Belgrave Bantam Girls
Softball team is holding a bake
sale in Knox united Church base-
ment on Saturday, Nov. 18. Any-
one wishing to donate baking will
be appreciated.
The Anglican Church Women
held an successful bazaar and
bake sale on Saturday in the W.I.
Hall. .
The November Belgrave Wo-
men's Institute meeting will be
held on Nov. 21 at 8:15 p.m. in the
W.I. Hall on Canadian Industries.
The convener will be Mrs. Ross
Taylor. Roll call, Little known
industries on our doorstep. Pro-
gram, John Kerr demonstrating
spinning. Music will be by Mrs.
Harold Jardin. Lunch commit-
tee, Mrs. Jim Hunter, Mrs. Bert
Johnston and 111r.i. Nelson Hig-
gins.
•
WORLD WAR I VETS—James Vittie (left) and George Inglis, two World War I vets who
marched in Remembrance Day services at Fordwich and Wroxeter enjoy a drink
following the parades in the Howick Legion at Wroxeter. The two men, friends since 1914,
both joined up with the army on the same day — March 21, 1916 in Wroxeter.
A Day to Remember
Marion I. Duke
It was a day for remembering.
The damp November chill gut
through the navy flannel blazers
of Legion members and the pro-
tective top -coats and jackets of
onlookers as wreaths were laid,
the honor roll recited and the
Last Post sounded.
A light fog enveloped the life-
size figure of the World War 1 foot
soldier atop the cement base of
the cenotaph. Suddenly from the
west the harsh, scream of a jay
cut through the silence.
The scene at the Howick ceno-
taph in Fordwich was similar to
that at thousands of cenotaphs
across Canada on Saturday, Nov.
11. As the crowd broke up and
Legion members prepared to
travel on to the Wroxeter ceno-
taph, a number of older people
chatted briefly, recalling
precious memories of loved ones
lost in the two Great Wars which
have marked this century of
wars.
Noting that his son's name was
near the bottom, of the list of
World War 2 dead, Austin Stinson
of Fordwich nodded towards the
United Church which borders the
cenotaph. "He and I used to sing
hymns together in that very
church; this day holds a lot of
memories for me."
While Remembrance Day, 1978
resembled any number of
Remembrance Days, "this day"
as Austin Stinson called it, was
just a bit special. It marked the
60th anniversary of the ending of
the First Great War, the war
which was to end all' wars but
didn't
The number of veterans who
served in that Great War are
dwindling with the passing years,
but those who remain are truly
special people, although they
would be the first to deny such a
description.
They are remarkable men with
a sense of humor, a kind of inno-
cence and a dedication to country
and kin that is all but unknown in
today's society.
Two such vets marched with
the Howick Legion on Saturday
Wintario changes will
affect minor hockey
A change in criteria for eligi-
bility of. Wintario grants will
mean big changes for the Wing -
ham Minor Hockey Association,
Ted Ahara told the association
executive at its monthly meeting
Nov. 8.
The criteria changed Oct. 15,
he said, and will' mean that minor
hockey trophy and crest pur-
chases will not be eligible for
Wintario grants. Another change
would allow the association to get
grants on personal hockey equip-
ment likkshinpads and elbow
pads, Mr. Ahara said.
There is a 50 per cent grant on
such equipment and the Wintario
POWER SKATING—Tykes who need practice to learn to
skate with power do this drill in the Tyke hockey program of
the Wingham Minor Hockey Association. Michael Lewis, 5,
Is shown learning to put his full power into his skating as he
tows Trevor Elmslie, 4.
criteria would allow the minor
hockey association to buy the
equipment, get the grant, then
sell the equipment at a big saving
to minor hockey players, Mr.
Ahara claimed.
"It's all quite legal as far as the
(Wintario) criteria listing is con-
cerned," he said.
"Possibly we should become
sort of a sports store," he
suggested.
Mr. Ahara saithe was able to
get the Wingham Minor Hockey
Association grant application for
this season in before the criteria
were changed. The association is
hoping to get a $2,020.75 Wintario
grant for the 1978-79 hockey sea-
son.
The emphasis, on culture and
recreation development shifts
away from recreation and to-
ward culture with the new Win-
tario criteria. Under the new
grant structure, grants would be
available, to the same organi-
zation only once every two years.
Because the minor hockey as-
sociation's application was in
before the restructuring, the as-
sociation will qualify for another
grant next year, Mr. Ahara said.
In other business the associa-
tion decided there was no need to
set a policy about recruiting
players from a low division of
play to a higher division.
A situation arose recently when
an Atom -aged hockey player was
asked to fill in for a missing
PeeWee player. Other hockey
players who had tried out for the
PeeWee team and had been cut,
weren't offered the chance to
play for the missing PeeWee.
Bill Kerr said a coaches' meet-
ing had decided cuts should be
used as replacements, if needed,
until March 1. After that time
coaches would be allowed to
approach players from a lower
league, bypassing cuts.
Gary Lisle rejected this notion,
saying it wasn't fair to the chil-
dren who had filled in during the
regular season but wouldn't get a
chance to play in the year-end
action.
"If the kid is good enough to
play all year, why isn't he good
enough to play in the playoffs?"
he asked.
Mr. Kerr said a coach shouldn't
be forced to use a player who
tried out for the team but wasn't
good enough for the competition.
It would be harmful to the child
as well, he said, as the young
hockey player would be em-
barrassed by more skilled
players.
The meeting accepted Mr.
Ahara's suggestion that no firm
policy should be set, compelling a
coach to ask a'player to play be-
yond his level.
The association executive also
decided it would pay entry fees to
two tournaments for each Wing -
ham club which plays games
against other towns. If a team
enters more than two tourna-
ments the team will be respon-
sible for paying the extra tourna-
ment fees.
Tyke Program Co-ordinater
Doug Neil said the program for
the beginners is going well, with
the young hockey players well
ahead of last year's group.
"They're going to be darn good
hockey players when they're 9
years old," he said. He is still
looking for more children 5 to 8
years old for the program, he
said.
The association executive also
discussed plans for Minor
Hockey Day in late January,
which would include games from
9 a.in. to 11 p.m. with all minor
hockey all-star teams partici-
pating.
Mr. Kerr suggested that minor
hockey should also organize a
four-day tournament in February,
which would decide which team
goes on to represent the area in
the OMHA playoffs. The tourna-
ment could be a good money-
maker, would be a double -
elimination event and would re-
quire no billeting, he said.
The association gladly accept-
ed a $400 cheque from Branch 180
of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Euchre winners
•;r•74
Ridge about a week later, Jim
Vittie recalls happier moments
spent with another eantnanding
officer. Acting as a scout, he was
up front beside the officer.
"I had filled ray canteen up
with hot coffee and he had his
filled with rum and as we went
along we kept mixing the two.
They had laid down planking for
us to follow and I was scouting at
the same time. As we kept
marching and we kept drinking
our rum and coffee, I got so I
couldn't follow the plank - I kept
stepping off the side."
With a grin, Jim recalled the
officer's words, "Vittie, you silly
little ass, what's the matter with
you? Can't you walk straight?"
Jim says it didn't help that at
the time he was crawling with
lice. "We all were. We hadn't
been out of the same clothes in
over a week."
Asked if there was much cover
in the way of trees on the Ridge,
George shook his head.
"Yriu see these dead elms
around the countryside, well that
was about what cover the trees
offered and the ground was all
churned up from the fighting,"
Food and Friends
Commenting on the food they
received while fighting in
France, George said, "It wasn't
that bad. Mind you we might not
have liked it, but it was the kind
of food we should be getting, if
you follow what I mean."
"There wasn't always enough
of it," added Jim, "I know I've
seen as many as seven men shar-
' ing one loaf of bread many
••
and later over a couple of drinks times."
at the Legion rooms in Wroxeter, Both men added that the soldiers
discussed their World War 1 didn't complain that much about
experiences with a singular lack the food because they were
of bitterness, usually better off than the people
James Vittie of Fordwich and around them.
George Inglis of near Belmore "Often we would get food and
are proud of the fact that they even though we were hungry we
have been friends "since 1914". would give it to children who
They signed up for the army in needed it worse than we did,"
Wroxeter on the same day, the said George quietly. "I don't say
21st of March, 1916 according to this to sound good; that's just the
George. From Wroxeter they way things were and we all did
went to Wingham where the corn- it."
pany was formed and then to As for those packages,
Hillcrest in London and finally to wrapped with loving care and
Camp Borden. sent from the home front - yes the
Before the war was ended they soldiers in the trenches really got
were to see action together in them.
such famed battles as Vimy "I remember one time Pearl
Ridge and Passchendaele and Bennett, she's now Pearl Patter -
spend time together in the same son, from the village sent me
military hospital, the 2nd over a half gallonof maple syrup.
Canadian General Hospital in I think it was around September
France. by the time I got it," George said.
"George got it at Passchen- "I took a mouthful of it and then
daele," Jim Vittie said solemnly, passed it on down the line,- it was
nodding towards his old friend. "I good."
The same Pearl (Bennett)
Patterson is fondly remembered
by' Jim Vittie.
"I carried her picture along
with a little copy of the New
Testament in my breast pocket
all through the war. A few years
ago I took that same picture and
gave it to Pearl's daughter in the
hospital - she was there for quite
a while before she died. Was she
ever pleased to get that picture of
her mother."
After the Armistice Jim went
to England where he was
stationed with the headquarter's
staff in charge of dispersement.
While in north Wales no met the
girl who was to become his wife;
Gladys Marjory Roberts. The
couple will mark their 60th
wedding anniversary on Jan. 15,
1979.
Because of his wounds, George
was sent home a few months be-
fore the Armistice.
"I returned home on the 24th of
May, 1918," he said.
I "We came home after we were
married in 1919 and the first visi-
tor we had was him," grinned
Jim, nodding at George. "He
came early in the morning before
we were even out of bed."
Asked about their adjustment
tocivilian life, George Inglis says
they were lucky to be able to
come back to a farm and to
families which cared for them.
"They didn't know anything
about it (the adjustment period),
but they took care of us," he said
simply. "They weren't like the
people today who put their
parents in a nursing home and
forget about them. They took
care of us."
After the Second World War,
George added, the Legion
assisted in helping war -weary
soldiers adjust to civilian life.
Asked if they ever questioned
the reason why they were fight-
ing, George shook his head.
"No we didn't. But we were
from a different time. It was for
our country and we just did it
that's all. The young people today
are different. I don't say that to
criticize them, you understand.
It's just the way things are."
Asked if they were surprised at
the outbreak of World War 2, the
two old friends had different re-
plies.
"Yes, I was surprised," said
Jim Vittie. "I didn't think there
would be another one, I thought
about signing up, but by that time
I had a wife and a little girl to
worry about."
"It didn't surprise me,"res-
ponded George Inglis. "And it
wouldn't surprise me if there was
another one."
Reflecting on the question of
whether or not he felt like signup
for a second Great War, George
Inglis replied, "I thought about
it, but I guess I wasn't so brave."
BELGRAVE — Seven tables of
progressive euchre were played
last Wednesday evening at the
Belgrave Weekly Euchre in the
W.I. Hall.
High lady, Mrs. Bert Johnston;
low lady, Miss Lillian Potter ;
high man, Mark Armstrong; low
man, Mrs. Hazel Davidson, play-
ing as a man; lady's novelty,
Mrs. Ethel Wheeler; man's
novelty, George Johnston.
was just a few yards from him
when I saw him fall."
George Inglis also got the
Military Medal, the foot soldier's
version of the Military Cross, for
his action at Passchendaele, but
it isn't something he likes to talk
about. He refuses to wear his
medals even for an occasion like
Remembrance Day. It's a per-
sonal thing, he quietly explains.
Flicking his Service and Vic-
tory medals, Jim Vittie said he
wears his, "because they sell
poppies". He ought to know, he is
the Howick Legion's top sales-
man when it comes to the Poppy
Fund. This year he figures he
took in close to "a couple of hun-
dred dollars".
"I knocked on 325 doors this
year in the village (Fordwich )
and not one of them turned me
.away - except the Jehovah Wit-
nesses of course, they don't give.
Some of the people gave me two
or three dollars."
Money from the Poppy Fund,
he explained, is used "strictly for
-charity work". George added
that there was a time however
when the fund was a real godsend
for veterans.
"When the boys were on the
road, when they couldn't find
work, when they hit a Legion they
would get a helping hand from
the Poppy Fund."
Vimy Ridge
If there is one battle which
stands out in the memory of both
Jim Vittie and George Inglis it is
the one fought at Vimy Ridge. It
lasted only one morning, April 9,
1917, according to George who
has a remarkable mind for de-
tail. The Canadians went into
that battle with over 800 men and
came out of it with just over 200.
But they won the Ridge and they
held it - held it when everybody
was saying it couldn't be held.
• "It was terrible," Jim Vittie
says softly. George nods in
agreement.
"Talk about being scared,"
Jim continues, "well that was
one night I was frightened to
death - I just shook all night. We
dug in and then we piled up dead
Germans, maybe 20 deep like so
many sticks of wood to keep them
from climbing over the top. All
through the night I imagined I
could see those dead Germans
Moving - they were humans you
know, the same as we were."
Jim Vittie caught a bullet in the
head that night, but his steel
helmet deflected it enough to
save his life. Going below he was
asked by his commanding officer
if he had been hit.
"I asked him what the hell it
looked like,"recalled Jim, his
eyes snapping with the memory.
"The blood was pouring down my
face - it was alright for him, he
was down below,"
On the march away from the
• ,
ararat'aga,-1
It Was tti,e ,Jg itaii4 that
only a courageous Man would say
and It brought a. grin to the face of
his friend.
Legion Support
As they ordered another drink
(rye and water for Jim and
scotch on the rocks for George),
their talk turned from the Great
War to the Legion. It was good,
they said, to see some young
people joining the branch which
that night would honor veterans
at a banquet.
Both Jim Vittie and George
Inglis are Life Members of the
Legion and appreciate the fact
that Zone C-1 presented them
with a complete new outfit on
their 80th birthday. Jim is now 84
and George 80 years of age.
Besides his work for the Poppy
Fund, Jim has carried the colors
for the Howick Legion on
Remembrance Day ever since
the branch was formed and a few
years ago the Legion honored
him with a citation for his work.
Jim noted he wasn't happy with
the press photos taken on that
occasion.
"They took me by surprise," he
said shortly, " and my tie was
crooked and my hat wasn't on
straight."
George who had earlier taken a
crumpled tam out of a packet and,
with a helping hand from Jim,
crammed it on his head, just
grinned at his friend's remarks.
He then asked after the health
of some of his old army friends
from the Listowel area.
"How is Teddy Creighton get-
ting along these days?"
Told that Mr. Creighton ap-
pears extremely active, George
smiled with satisfaction and then
grinned broadly at the mention of
"I don't suppaae yoo would
have known Frank -101y," he
said.
The reporter replied that while
she hadn't known Mr. Kelkv
personally, she had heard a great
deal about him and recalled his
funeral in Listowel.
"I was at the funeral," George
nodded and then added 'softly,
"what a hockey player."
Jim then recalled bow Frank
Kelly who had been an inspects*
with the Ontaricp proopetai
Police would always look, Mem
up anytime they were hi Toronto,
"It didn't matter what the hotel
was, it could be the biggest and
he'd park right in front of the
door and 0, never got a ticket.
Then remember that time the
attendant parked his car and ,
locked the keys inside. We came
out of the hotel\and we were won-
dering how we were going to get
into the car when this kid came
along. He wasn:t more than 12
years old. He saw we were hav-
ing trouble and said he could help
us out. With that he whipped out a
coat hanger and was into the car
in no time - you could tell it
wasn't the first time that kid had
been in that parking lot . ."
The two old friends were still
having a laugh at that memory
when the reporter left the cosy
Legion hall.
It was a day for remembernig
alright and a day for wondering
and hoping as well.
Wondering if the young men
and women of today could handle
the challenges of a world conflict
was well as the Jims and Georges
did over 60 years ago.
And hoping we never have to
find out.
Due to ever increasing interest rates
has raised 90 day deposit rates to
this increase has
' also resultr?c1111
raising un nsured
loan rate'. to 14**
My Thank: •
I wish to most sincerely
thank the voters of Howick
and Turnberry Townships,
and the Town of Wingham for
their support
look forward, to serving
you.
Sincerely,
B.P. "Bert" Morin
. - . , _ , . . ••••,•
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Electors of Wingham
I asked you to "GO WILD" and you certainly
did.
Your problems will continue to receive my
deepest concern and earnest consideration
at both town council and county council.
I am proud of our town; let's work together
for a Great "Centennial" year.
Harold E. Wild