HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-04-06, Page 66
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
Opinion Forum News
Seniors' perspective
Continued from page 5
full battalion, they were split up into other battalions
who needed reinforcements who were fighting in France
at that time.
The 161st remained intact for little more than a year.
By the end of 1917, the 5th Division fighting in France
had been split up. The 161st was absorbed into the 4th
Reserve Battalion and the battalion soldiers went over to
France in drafts.
At this time Pte. Sydney West became part of the 58th
Battalion Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment).
He was sent to France and to the front line fighting
where he was for eight months. He was killed in action
on Oct. 26, 1917 while he was fighting at the Battle of
Passchendaele.
The Passchendaele Battle occurred from July 31 to
early October 1917. Sir Arthur Currie was told by the
British commander General Haig to take Passchendael.
After personally surveying the terrain—a quagmire of
deep heavy mud—he reported that it was not worth one
drop of blood. He was ordered to attack on Oct. 26.
Soldiers from the 161st were there.
Conditions were appalling. The bottomless mud swal-
lowed both men and horses. Here Canadian ingenuity
came into play. Recalling the old resembled long wood-
en pallets, each section easily carried by one man to
navigate over the mire. If any fell off the duckboards,
they were gone. Many wounded drowned in the muck.
Wounds were usually fatal if they became infected
with the soil of the Passchendaele, which was fertilized
by centuries of human and animal waste. Gas gangrene
was the result. The soldiers sloshing around in the
trenches looked like a scene from hell. Beyond the
barbed wire, the dead and the injured and dead often
lay on the ground for hours or days, and the heads of
dead men bobbed up and down in the mud -filled shell
holes.
By Nov. 7 the Canadians seized Passchendaele, show-
ing once again that they could accomplish the near
impossible. Seven Canadians won Victoria Crosses. They
had succeeded where all others had failed, but at a ter-
rible cost: 2600 Canadians out of a casualty list of
15,654 died taking 3000 metres of putrid mud. Over
1000 bodies were never recovered, Surveying the battle-
field on Nov. 17, General Haig's chief of staff was horri-
fied, "Good God, did we really send men to fight in
that?".
The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Cemetery where
Sydney West was buried is located in the Province of
West Flanders.
Pte. Sydney West was a member of the Exeter
Oddfellows Lodge and was the first of the brethren to
pay the ultimate price. He left a wife and three small
children to mourn his loss. A memorial service was held
at the Trivett Memorial Church in Exeter, Ontario on the
evening of Nov. 25, 1917.
Pte. Sydney West was the son of Ambrose West of
Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire, England and the late
Mary West. He was the husband of Harriett Elizabeth
West of Exeter Ontario.
Next week: Elmer Thomas Willis.
Health Section: Herbs & Spices
Angelica: This plant is a native of the Baltic and was
supposed to have been blessed by St. Michael, hence its
name. Despite Angelica's northerly origin it will flourish
in most climates and withstand the cold.
Medicinal Use: The roots, rhizomes, olant and seeds
all possess stimulant and tonic activants. Their use is
valuable for stimulating appetite, aiding digestion, pro-
ducing perspiration and relieving troublesome coughs
and colds. Angelica's complex constituents combine oils,
resins and acids. It is a popular ingredient for herb teas.
Angelica should not be taken by diabetics as it raises the
level of sugar in the blood.
A bump on the head
A man who had just undergone a very complicated
operation kept complaining about a bump on his head
and had a terrible headache. Since his operation had
been an intestinal one, there was no earthly reason why
he should be complaining of a headache.
Finally his nurse, fearing that the man might be suf-
fering from some post-operative shock, spoke to the doc-
tor about it.
The doctor assured the nurse, "Don't worry about a
thing. He really does have a bump on his head. About
halfway through the operation we ran out of anesthetic.
Older folks are worth a fortune
Remember that old folks are worth a fortune, with sil-
ver in their hair, gold in their teeth, stones in their kid-
neys, lead in their feet and gas in their stomachs.
I've become a little older since I saw you last and a
few changes have come into my life, since then. Frankly,
I've become quite a frivolous old girl! I'm seeing four
gentlemen every day.
As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me get out of
bed. Then Charlie Horse comes along and when he's
here he takes a lot of my attention. When he leaves,
Arthur Ritis shows up and stays the rest of the day. He
doesn't like to stay in one place very long so he takes me
from joint to joint. After such a busy day, I'm really tired
and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay. What a life!
The preacher came to call the other day. He said at
my age I should be thinking about the hereafter. I told
him, oh, I do all the time. No matter where I am - in the
parlour, upstairs, in the kitchen or down in the base-
ment, I ask myself, "NOW, WHAT AM I HERE AFTER?"
Information meeting
Dear Editor:
Today as I write, the sky is overcast. Last night there
was still snow in the air. I would enjoy the snow - if it
were December - but it's March, and my heart yearns
for spring. I'm longing for warm sunshine and the pun-
gent smells of growing things. This
weather makes me frustrated,
depressed!
Sometimes winter is a season
that lives in our souls. Everything
in our world seems dark and bar-
ren and cold. Summer is but a distant
memory. Joy is an alien word. Likewise hope.
Almost all of us know the sad, tired feelings we call
the `winter blahs.' But some of us can get stuck there.
The sadness takes up residence in our hearts. The
tiredness lives in our bones. Then our families and
friends tell us we are depressed.
Sometimes it's not sadness but anxiety that makes its
home in us. Then ordinary things become fearful. The
world becomes a scary place - new situations and
strangers seem a threat.
We all know those feelings sometimes - maybe the
first day on the job or at a new school. But if they come
to dwell with us on a constant basis, then we may be
struggling with anxiety or depression.
Winter doesn't have to last forever. With the loving
support of family and friends, and the help of trained
professionals, we can grab hold of the signs of spring
around us. Hope can once more live in our hearts.
If you would like to learn how to bring the gift of
springtime to someone you love, or if you want that gift
for yourself, then the churches of Zurich would like to
help. On Sun., April 10, at 7 pm, we will be hosting an
information evening on "Depression & Mental Illness" at
the Zurich Bluewater Community Centre. Our speakers
will be counselors from Homestead Christian Care, an
organization dedicated to helping those who live with
mental illness. Come join us - together we can open our
hands to God's gift of hope. By coming, it is not a state-
ment that you or your loved one suffer in this way - only
that you are open to learning and to hope.
Your neighbours and friends at Zurich's churches
REV. ANN KRUEGER
PASTOR OF ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, AND THE PASTORS
AND PRIESTS AT ST. BONIFACE CATHOLIC CHURCH, ZURICH
MENNONITE CHURCH AND ZURICH UNITED CHURCH.
Letters
to the
Editor
Shame on
bad manners
Dear Editor:
Last Wednesday I was at Dr. Fatum's and I was never
so embarrassed to be a Canadian. We hear how we are
meek, mild and have excellent manners. Excuse me, but
this is a myth. There were young men and women (with-
out children) sitting there and they would not move out
of their chairs to give some of the senior citizens a chair.
I'm 61 and I gave up my chair. These people seem to
have no conscience or manners. I could see this if they
were on crutches or lame, but none were.
One very nice gentleman who had two children gave
up his chair.
Like I said, I was embarrassed; but, these young, very
rude people never even gave it a thought. Chivalry is
definitely dead. Shame on you and you know who you
are.
DARLENE GI AVIN, Huron Park, ON
Generosity appreciated
Dear Editor:
On behalf of the Kinsmen Club of Hensall, I would like
to take this opportunity to congratulate the executive of
Community Living - South Huron for the purchase of
their new bus.
The Kinsmen Club of Hensall are very proud to take
part in this endeavor, with the donation of $1000. We,
as a service club, enjoy taking part in service projects in
our surrounding community, as well as within the
Village of Hensall.
To change the subject, April is cancer month.
I have been a member of the Kinsmen Club of Hensall
for the past 40 years. Every one of these years, the
Kinsmen Club of Hensall has conducted a door-to-door
cancer canvass in the Village of Hensall.
In the past years, the residents of Hensall have been
very generous with their donations.
This year, I hope the residents of Hensall will be just as
generous as in the past years when they greet a kins-
men or kinette at their door.
WAYNE REID, president
Kinsmen of Hensall, Hensall, ON
Sports and Leisure
Show cancelled
Dear Editor:
The Zurich Lions Club were planning to host their sec-
ond annual Sports and Leisure Show from April 22 to 24
at the Bluewater Community Centre in Zurich.
Due to lack of interest, the Lions Club has made a
tough decision to cancel the show. We are very grateful
to the interest that was shown from the community and
area for last year's show.
The Lions Club will be going ahead with the Fish Fry
scheduled for Fri., April 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the
Zurich Complex. Tickets for that event are available
from any Lions member or call Richard Erb at 565-5313
or John Becker at 237-3628.
JOHN BECKER, sect.,
Zurich Lions Club, Zurich, ON
Do you know your Hospital
Board Members?
The South Huron Hospital Board Members
are volunteers who serve on the Board as representatives
of the community served by the Hospital.
WATCH FOR MORE MEMBERS
TO BE FEATURED NEXT WEEK!
MICHAEL HANSEN
Mike was born in Sarnia,
Ontario and moved from
Keswick to Exeter in
2001. He attended
Seneca College and
Ryerson University taking
many industry and
business related
courses.
Mike is a member of the
Quality, Risk & Utilization
Committee of the Board.
Mike, his wife Michelle
and their two children,
Jordan & Kayla live in
Exeter. Michael and his
wife Michelle own
Hansen's Your
Independent Grocer in
Exeter.
URON
OSPITAL
SSOCIA770N
DR. PETER ENGLERT
Dr. Peter Englert was born
and raised in Kitchener.
He is a graduate of the
University of Western
Ontario and McMaster
University.
Peter has held a number
of medical related offices
both locally and
provincially. Currently he
is President of the Ontario
Region of the Society of
Rural Physicians of
Canada and is a member
of the Board of the
Ontario College of Family
Physicians. He is Adjunct
professor of Family
Medicines University of
Western Ontario.
Peter lives in Grand Bend
where he practises at the
Grand Bend Community
Health Centre. Currently,
Dr. Englert is Chief of Staff
and currently serves on
the Executive & Resource
Committee, and Joint
Conference Committee.