HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1942-01-30, Page 7011
.LE r. •. •
MCCO NE & SATS .
$arrlsteee, Solicitors, Eta.
Patrick D. McConnell - H. Glenn Hays
• BEA'b'ORTH, ONT.
Telephone 174
' 8698 -
Ke I. MCLEAN
Barrister,, Solicitor, Etc,
S'EAFO'RTH - - ONTARIO
Branch Office - Hensen
Hensel!. Seaforth
Phone 113 ,Phone 173
bMEDIC•AL
SEAFQRTH CLINIC
DR. E. A. McMASTEH, M.B.
Graduate of University of Toronto
PAUL L. BRADY, M.D..
Graduate of University of Toronto,
•
The Clinic isj fund' equipped with
complete and modern X-ray and other
up-to-date diagnostic and therapeutics
ednipinent.
Di.F 3. R. Forster, . Specialist in
diseases of the ear, eye, nose and
throat, will be at the Clinic the first
Tuesday in every month from 3 to 6
p.m -
• Free Well -Baba' CiinIo will be held
on the second, and Last Thursday in
every month from 1 to 2 p.m-
_ 8687 -
JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A., M.D.
Physician,'- and Surgeon ..,
IN DR. 11. H. ROSS' OFFICE
Phone: 5-W - . Seaforth
MARTIN W. STAPLETON, B.A., M.Di
Physician and Surgeon
Successor .to Dr. W. C. • Sproat
Phone 90-.W. . - . Seaforth
DR. fr. J. R. FORSTER
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat -
Graduate in Medicine, University of
Toronto.
Late assistant New York Opthal-
n: ei and Aural Institute, Moorefield'e
Eye and Golden Square Throat Hos
pital,, London, Eng. At COMMERCIAL
HOTEL, SEAFORTH, THIE.D WED-
NESDAY in each month, from 2 p.m.
to 4.30 p.m.; also at Seaforth Clinic
"first Tuesday of; each month. ; .53
Waterloo Street .South,- Stratford.
12-87
.AUCTIONEERS
es
iety
rueen _
Vid 1.10.a als
> ' HAROLD JACKSON
SlYaciaiist in- trat1n' Mut 3T'bua Ii:'
Sales!:
Li'Consed .IL 1 1111:61 and Perth Coun-
ties. Prices:.', reasonable; satisfaction
guaranteed.
For information, etc., write or phone
' Harold 'J'ackson, 12 on 658, Seaforth'
Ji•.R. 1, Brucefleld. '
_. .. _ _ 3768-
HAROLD DALE
Licensed Auctioneer
Specialist in farm and' household
sales: ' Prices reasonable. For date's
and information, write Harold Dale,
Feaforth, or :apply at The Expositor
4� flee. .
EDWARD W. ELLIOTT"'
Licensed Auctioneer For Huron
• Correspondence promptly answered.
lrnme'iete arrangements -can be,"made
• for Sales Date at The Huron Expose
• tor, Seaforth, or by calling Phone 203,
Clinton. Charges moderate and satis-
faction guaranteed.
e, .. 5829-62
LONDON and WINGHAM
NORTH
fA.M,
Exeter 10,34
-, Hensall } 10.46
• Ktppen 10.52
.Brucefleld 11.00
Clinton • - ... 11.47
' SOUTH
P.M.
Clinton 3.08
' Brucefleld 3.28
Kippen 3.38
Heneall 3.45.
Exeter 3.58
CeN.R. TLME TA►,BL_E_..
EAST
A.M. P.M.
Ooderich ..... •, 6.15 2.30
Holmesville , 6.31 .2.45
Clinton 6.43 3.00
l9eafor'th6.69 3.22
St, Columba. nn 7.05 3.23
Dublin .. ; - 7.12 - 3.29
Mitchell .... 7.24 3.41
•
WEST
CHAPTER 7(V
SYNOPSIS
Harley Longstreet, broker, is
murdered on a trolley, Cherry
Browne, This 'fiancee, DeWitt, his
partner, DeW'itt'e second wife
Fern, his daughter Jeanne and her
dance Christopher--. Lord,dPoll,
Oherr's vaudeville friend), Ahearn,
friend of DeWitt, Imperiale, mid-
dle-aged Latin, and Michael Col-
lins, brawny Irishman, are with
him when the murder is commit-
ted. 'District Attorney Bruns in-
spector Thumt, sand Print Lane;
retired Shakespearean actor, in-
vestigate. : •` 7'7veyone eeem'e to
have a grievance against " Long-
street.
ongstreet. Another man;' is later our-
dered. He is identified as the
conductor of the death trolleys.
Bruno and Thumm believe DeWitt
killed Longstreet and Wood. De-
Witt is tried for Wood's murder.
Lane proves hie innocence. De-
Witt, homeward bound, is •murder-
ed on the train. His fingers are
rigidly crossed in death. The two
conductors show by their punches
in DeWitt's ticket that DeWitt
was a frequent passenger. Don'bt-
less' the murderer knew this.
At a quarter after four Drury Lane
was "'"a'lone in the DeWitt library. In
the center of the room was a large
walnut -desk. Lane went through it
sorting papers, examining documents.
Then he went through 'tier upon tier
of boolch, his eyes on the wail -safe.
He opened the door of the library,
sought out Jorgens and learned'.that
only DeWitt and Brooks knew the
combination.
The lawyer stroked his chin when
asked to give Lane the combination.
"I don't 'know that>,,,ethically I have
the -right to give you the combination.
DeWitt told 'Me he didn't want a re-
cord ' kept about the house and if any-
thing should happen to him he pre -
erred that the'safe be accessible •on-
ly through official 'channels."
"You know of course, that I possess
the •,requisi'te authority- Would you
prefer the District Attorney?" He
was smiling. "I think you, had bet-
ter giver me the combination,"
Brooks hesiratedi bli:erf, with a shrug,
murmured a series of numerical :Sym-
bols. Lane watched his lips, nodded,
and- retre,axed_luto the library, sl}ut-
ting• the door in Brooke' face..
Fifteen minutes later''' he cloged the
safe, twirled the dial.. and returned to
the desk. Ie. his hand was a small
.envelope addressed in lofighand• •to
John DeWitt and -postmarked G and
Central 'Station, four months-eadlier.
It 'contained --a single sheet of com-
mon notepaper,' 'heart* the message-:
•
1•
"Jack!" '
'>•Tlhis is the last time you will hear
from me by letter.
"Eveey...dog has .his day- Mine will
come soon. •
"Get ready- to' pafy. You may be
first.
"MARTIN STOPES" .
Sergeant Duffy was at the door lead-
ing into Cherry Browne's suite, talk+
Mitchell '11.06 9.28
Dtiblitt 11.14 9:36
Seaforth 11.30 9.47
Clinten 11.46 10.00
Goderieh - 12.06 10.25•
C.P. . TIME TABLE
EAST
Grinning, Thummn orpssed to the
bedroom door. The actress intercept-
ing hila and flashed: "Where's your
warrant?"
Thumm brushed her away as the
door opened in his face and Pollux
stepped.' out, saying: "No sense in
getting nasty. What's •up?" .
"Now suppose you two love -birds
tell me where you were tonight,"
said Tihumm.
°berry sniffed. "Suppose you tell
us why you've suddenly taken such
an' interest in my affairs."
Thumm thrust his hard red face
close to 7hers. "Now ,listen," he said
without heat. "Answer me, and. . cut
the society stuff!"
''She giggled. "Well . . After the
show, tonight Pollux met me and we
-and we came here."
"Made- hooey,"- said Thumm. Bru-
no saw Pollux was frowning, trying
to signal the woman,, across Thumm's
shoulders. "You got in around 2:30.
A little before midnight you were
both seen in the Weehawken ferry
landing on the Jersey side."
Cherry and Pollux looked at ,each
other in a kind of despair. Shesai,d
slowly: ."Well, anything wrong •in
that?"
"Plenty," growled the :inspector.
"Where were you going?"
"Oh, just taking a ferry -ride."
Pollux muttered: "We'd better
give, It to 'em straight, Cherry. It's
the only way."
e glared at him. "There you go,
spilling the beans like a scared brat,
We didn't' do anythin wrong, did
we?"
"But Cherry-" • Pollt x spread his
hands,' •�
'Thumm let them bicker. For some
time he 'had been eyeing the eveniii
bag on the table. Now he hefted it
speculatively , .The bickering
stopped, as if by magic. "Give me
that," Cherry said' thickly.
"Pretty heavy"upholstery," grinned
Thumm. ;'I wonder . ." "He flip-
ped the bag open and dipped inside.
Pollux took a spasmodic step for-
ward. Bruno quietly left the 'wall and
went to Thumm's side. The inspec-
tor's •.fingers, emerged with a diminu-
tide pearl -handled revolver. Three
chambers were filled. Thumm wrap-
ped) a handkerchief around a pencil
and swabbed the barrel; the 'handker
chief emerged clean. He held the
erevolver close. to .his nose and •sidff-
ek then shook ' his head and threw
the\weapon on the table. •
"I have s, permit to own a .revol-
ver," said 'the actress. •
Thumm turned to Pollux: ' ,"Let's
have it.. 'You' were tailing the DeWitt
party. What for?'
"I -I don't know what you're talk-
ing about." • •
Thumm's eyes strayed to the revol-
ver. "You 'know this gun 'makes it
look bad for Cherry, don't you?" - , •
"What 'do you tnean?"t Pol'lus's
mouth sagged.
"John DeWitt was shot to death on
the West Shore local, tonight."
They lookedat each otherinadaz-
ed, horrified way. "Who did it?"
whispered the w•omnn, her full lips
P.M.
.lodei''teh .;lee ..4,20
Menet a ,) f ' 4.24
Me Oar .........r..;... 4.82
Aubur 4.42
Blyth 4.52
Walton „a..... 6.05
. McNaught . 5.15
Toronto •i' ...:... . 9,00
, WEST
A.M
Toronto 8.80,
McNaught •••••••• o .. 12,0$
Watton ...... 12.18
I3lytli r eiko
AUbilrn 4reY..•••.r••
'-s.i►.'es.
I▪ ialkei .. -;;.. '.tip♦ e.
..rrnerwWeureraY'.wr+a.
" 1WdiYei ywwrljs.i6rd.6Mr:
Ye
ti vl!i
th
203
• beginning to quiver.
- Pollux leaped to the' • ftble ,and
On the threshold • lay the pajama -clad name of Michael Collins; l
Ids right band a dull -black revolver.
j
Ing guaded-1•y to the hotel detective
when. Inspector Thumm, District At-
torney Bruno, and their men strode
down the corridor.
"Anything?" asked Thumm.
"Not a peep out of them," said the
sergeant. Y'
"All set, boys?" Thumm rapped on
the door. There was a delay, then a
murmur, and the door opened a scant
two inches,
"Who is it?"
Thurman wedged his shoe into the
crack, placed his band against the
panels,, pushed, and the door gave
grudsgingly. Cherry uttered -the ghost-
liest' gasp. "Why, it's Inspector
Thumm! What's the trouble?"
"No trouble at all," • satc "`-r`rhumm
heartily, blit his eyes were roving.
The sitting -room was in some disar-
ray; on he sideboard an empty gin -
bottle and an ahnost empty bottle of
whiskey; a' litter of cigarette butts,
a pearl -Aida' evenitui had on 'the
table. ler eyes widened at the'sigl4t
of run and the silent men in the
bnr�r•�tdor�you'tside
.
-w 11114 ... e1trl4l>Id .. -.. t'i:4 'g f, D A.
yeti; flees ,0tai' e*itsid&' Illent *dike
y W 't &to , the oom,,, 01intiftig tate, dont
fel
snatched up the revolver. Bruno lung-
ed aside; Thumm's hand shot to ,hie
hip -pockets; the actress screamed:
Butt Pollux ,held tko weapon gingerly -
by the barrel and shoved the grip to-
ward Thumm, ' "Take a good look
at those bullets inside, inspector!
.They're blanks!"
Thumm took the weapon. "Blanks
they are."
"I changed them myself last week,"
Pollux's words tumbled over each oili-
er in his eagerness, "Chei'ry didn't
know until, just now. I didn't like
the idea of 'her carrying a loaded gun
around. A woman's careless about
those things. We weren't on that
train- tonight .either. W.e got - as far
as,the pier, 'then took the next ferry
back to 14ew York,"
'Phumlm rifled the bag again.' "Did
you buy tickets?" --
"No.' We didn't even go near the
ticket 'office."
"But you were following the De-
Witt party?"
A.' little nerve fn Pollux's left eye-
lid began to .fti+isn,if, but he ii'napped big
11th shot tike turtle. _..J rte , o
mail> -A rNed at,the yfCyit.�y
` 1'l1 Ww .40*fit •Th to } y • tit "dtt bee
room. He Came out again, iempty-
handed, and searched • the si.t'ting-
room with ruthless efficiency. No
one said anything: Finally, he clump-
ed heavily to the door. • "Be on call
At any time. No funny business,
either of you."
As they went to the elevators, Bru-
no asked: "Why didn't you take the
revolver?" '
"What good would that do us?"
Thumm said grumpily. "The wound
was made by a .38. The only gun in
that place is a .22." . '
As the tpolice cat -Aid to the -curb
on West Seventy-Eglhth street a man
detached himself from the shadows of
the house. Thumm jumped out, fol-
lowed by, Bruno .and the detectives,
and the man said: "Collihs"s still'up
stairs, Chief."
On the eighth floor another detec-
'tive significantly pointed to • door.
"Cover everything," said thumm in a
matter-of-fact voice. "He's liable to
be rambunctious." Hie• pressed the
bell button. Insstantly they heard the
scuffle of feet and a man's voice cried
hoarsely:
"Who is it?
Thumm bellowed: "Police! Open
up!.."
"You'll never get me alive!". An-
other scuffling of feet, then.. a, ' shot
and the sound of something heavy
fwlling.
Duffy and another man stepped
back with Thumm . and the three
crashed. into , the door. Linder • the
fourth assault it gave with a grind-
ing scream and they tumbled into a
long dark hall. At the end was '1
room, fully illuminated. •..On the
threshold • lay the pyjama -clad figure
of Michael Collins; by his right band
a dull -black revolver.
Thumm landed on his knees beside
Collins. "He's still alive! Get him
into that room!" •
Collins' lips were drawn back in a'
wolfish snarl. Along the right. side
of his head nothing but matted hair
and dripping blood was visible.
Thumm's fingers ,touched the wound
arid, were instantly crintson. "Didn't
even penetrate his thick skull," he
growled. "Justplowed alongside
his head. Fainted from the shock, I
guess. Lousy aim. Get a doctor,
somebody. . . . Well, Brun°, it looks
like the end." • He picked 'up • the
revolver. "It's a .38 , all- right." Then
his face fell.`"Only one shot 'fired,
though," . ,••
A detective) came in followed by a
man in pyjamas and ropyel carrying a
black bag. Five minutest latter I, the
physician' rose. "He'll !!feed. further
attention moon, but this will do tem-
porarily. He'll have an ugly bead -
ache and -a good deal of pilin. •' He's
coming to. now." +^' " ''" •
A hoarse groan and Collins' eyes
rolled open, ' filled incredibly with
tears as intelligence slowly crept, in-
to -them. One bloodless hand- stray-
ed to his head,felt the bandage: drop -
peel helplessly to the divan.
"Collins," began the inspector, -hit-
ting downbeside the wounded man,
"why .did you try to cqulmit suicide?"
Collins panted:: "1-•ou've got me.
haven't.' ytott?' I'm ruined anyway-"
"Then you 'admit- it?"
Collins began to say "som'ethi'ng,
stopped,,,nodded, looked startled, and
'raised', his eyes suddenly. "Admit.
wiiat?"
Thumm laughed shortly. "Don't play
the innocent victim stuff. You killed
John DeWitt!"
Collins strove to sit
back again -under the
Thtimm's hand do his
you crazy?" he cried.
Thumm looked puzzled. Bruno
soothingly: "Now,,_ look here.
sion won't do you..ya. bit of good."
"But I didn't kill DeWitt, I tell
you!"
"Then why did 'you •seem to expecr
the arridal of police and tr-y-•to com-
mit suicide?" *demanded Thumm,
"!Because . ." Collins caught his,
underlip. "That's my businesg, The
last time I saw DeWitt he "was- very
much alive."
"Then you
night?"
"Sure I saw hitt."
"How'd you happen '‘to be
Newburgh local?"
"I followed 'shim all evening.
ibeen trying to see flip• for a
time."
up, but sank
pressure, of
chest. "Are
said
Eva-
admit seeing DeWitt
on .the
I've
long.
"What happened after you
went out.. on the platform'?"
"I asked !him to make good Long -
street's bum tip. d -I . needed that
dough. DeWitt wouldn't listen.- I'al-
most got down on my knees, 'hut' it
was 'no go. ..We were pulling out of
a .station, so I opened the door,•,and
jumped down. I saw him p'us'h the
door to and go in the new ear."'
-"Did you have your revolver with
you?"
"No,"
"Well, I guess that's -about all new.
How do you feel?"
"A little better. Head aches like
.fury."
"I sure am glad," . said .,Thumm.
"That means we won't have to call
an ambulance. Get up and get dress-
ed now. You're coming back to head-
quarters with us."
, (Continded Next Week).
urime
aornmission
Information 'has been given, out' by
Mr. R. N. Watt, Manager of, the Local
Employment and Claims• Office, wi.t'h
respect to the,Order-in--Colnci1 pass-
ed recently by the Fedefa'1 Govern-
ment 'to providq insurance coverage
for • workers, Who would normally
earn less than $2,000 a year, but
whose earnings, in ger-Min specified
instances, :are now in excess of that
amount. -hi
Under the: Employment Insurance
Act such workers would be excepted
from making contributions to the in-
surance fund, and, therefore, would
be deprived of benefits sho>wtid they
become . unemployed.
•
Many employees who it was intend-
ed should be insured under the Act
are now earning over $2;000 and thus
being,iexcepted. Stepping up of war
indti`stries 'fiats been the cause and
hence the Government decided upon
immediate action by Order -in -Council
under the, War Measures Aet.
In a radio address recently; Hon,
fat tteri
P140oynient as oth rw r "
will. he insures ^ ,:again uiiem'pl -
men:,,; r,',
(1) If •t_hetr rate o:f' r.•emune.r>ation,
exceeds in value two thowlsand�
lars a year by reason of the payment
01 a;. cost pf liadieg bonus; or
(2). If, in t>he ase..of pel"s,one.
on an hourly basis, the basic rate of,
remuneration does not exceed: ninety
cents per hour, or
(3) If the rate of remuneration ex-
ceeds in' value two thougand dollars I
a year by reason of an 'increase •in
working hours or overtime caused• by i
changed industrial conditions result-
ing from the state of War, or
(4) If their remune:ati•on exceeds
in value two thousand dollars a year
b"y 'reason of an increase in basic
wage rates which have come into ef-
fect since June 30, 1941,, .or
5) L.' -;heir t'at,e oll remuneration ex-
ceeds in value twoe"thousand dollars
a year for any reason which' in the
opinion of the 1"nernployment Insur-
ance Commission is a result 'of the
state of war now existing.
The Order also: provides' that the
_ 9✓Cn:
t neM13105arteat Insurance AOti
Couutnittee, a 'body' made 00 of,
sentatives of employers and, wor;
and created to.advise the Comnµip
and the -:Government. shall investfga;
the whole question o1 thy' $2;000• -lin
and recornmend a permanent . con's -
of action. Of necessity, source time,....
must ..elapse 'before the cosnu'tittert
can report. In•'•the meantime, the CItd
der provides immediate protection for
these workers.
A little learning is not a daangero'tee.
t'hing'tone who idoes not mistake it
for a great deal.--Bl-ancho Vfitite, .
t,tlliia�,:
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Major (now Major-General)
G. R. PEARKES, V.0-, D,S,O-, M.C.
In that. remarkable chapter of his-
tory which records •the exploits 6f
Canadian winners iced the Victoria
Cross in the last war, there is no finer
instance oif fighting leadership, no t.
nore`inspiring illustration of the kind
of pourage that endures through
•great stress over a- long period et;
time than that •of "Fighting George'
Pearkes.. • .
He was a constable on the Yukon
Patrol when' war broke out and at
onc'e•decided to trade his scarlet tunic
for khaki. He bought his discharge'
from the R.C.hLI?. "in order to better
his position" by joining the Canadian
Moitn•ted Rifles at Vancouver as a
-private in' 1915. He was a corporal
and reached: France in the autumn
and became • 1a' sergeant in ,1916. He
was-contmended for personal 'bravery
and commissioned the field. and won
the Military Cross as a lieutenant lat-
er in the year. He won the Victoria
Cross as a Major in 1917 and receiv-
ecl the Distinguished Service Order
and'the Croix 'de Guerre in 1918, and
finished the war with. a lieutenant-
colonelcy-and immortality in the an-
nals of British arms. .
He is now Major-General Pdarkes,
V,C., D.S.O., M.C., General Officer
Commanding lst Canadian Division:.
The, military career of "Fighting
George" Pearkes was thus replete
with incidents which revealed hie re-
markable offensive spirit long before
the course of war's' tide brought' hiis.
battalion to Passchendaele and Major
Pearkes to the deed which wen -him
thecoveted little bronze cross with
the
the,
inscription "For Valour."
" He reached France in September,
1915, 'yhen the units 'destined to form
Third Canadian Division.were begin-
ning to assemble on the Messines
front. In March, 1916, he was made
bombing -sergeant, anti during that
month, in the Ypres Saliet, a man
of the 2nd C:NI.IU• was captured in a
'surprise German trench -raid. And it
was Ser; ea:1t Pearkes who rushed
hue Iiu•tt•s and, re :cueri him. He Was
wounded in fiat No Man's Land inci-
dent, commended for bravery and
commissioned in the'field.
He was 'again wounded at Hooge
in May, but was hack with his unit
in time to play his usual prominent
part at Mouquet Farm on. the Somme.
He had beert-'ti n:sfe'1i'Od to the 5th
C.M.I2., and Vas acting'' as eonfpany
.commander when his personal gallan-
try 'anti fine 1e tder:ship won hien ethe
Military Cross'at Regina Trench: -TIe
had captured t stretch of that fam-
ous' fortified line •and held int- through-
- the night following the C.1M.R.'s
attack. though both hie flanks were in
the air and -.despite the fact that he
was -carrying eight' splinters from a
Hun grenade in his body. Refusing to
he evacuated, he 'personally directed
a sticcessful withdrawal -from .the pre-
carions position which the impetuous
a•dvamie of his company had created:
• Then came another spell in •hospi-
tal, but Captain (Acting Majors
Pearkes returned to his battalion ip
time for the metri�orable assault on
the Canadian Corps on Vdmy Ridge
in April, 1917: During the summer he
was .in the stiff fighting i front of
Avion, at Hill 70 anis aIericourt--
,and then came Passchendaele!
The action in which Major Pearkes
g'on the highest honor within the
Fewer of His Majesty the 1 ing, to
bestow on British fighting men, was
an epic of resolute leadership and de-
fiance of hazard,in the face of opposi-
tion Irom both the stubbornly -fighting
two
1'
Yo the erivetot mah 1I ie a firgl t•"I
mare, attd God feta 'isms wrre'stlo'wi3fr:
it as bet thehhifll>;
• eee
ii
enemy and the persistently adverse'
w-eather. Rain and shells had• long
ago transformed the battle scene in --1,
to a hideous morass, and the going
was so atrocious, the conditions "so''
terrible, that' all hopes for -a- spirited-
assault
piritedassault were abandoned by .the time
the 5th C.M.R., .took their turn in
attack on Hun -held • Passchendaele
,Ridge.
Despite that fact,,the advance by
'the campanyt, led bMajor Pearkes
was as "dashing" as any in the long
series of actions in the third R:tittle
of Ypres. That was largely due t,•
the "supreme ron•tempt of danger and
wonderful powers of control an
leading" displayed' i
by the rorttp•r•y
coinmander,
• Major Pearkes fought • [last obstacle
•after olistacie, reached his objective'
and hastilit- improvised a line. H'':
personally reconnoitred hi, ,hoeit`.:in
and discovered his flanks were wide
open. He Was in imminent, danger o:
being completely cut off• anif heavy
enfilade fire was coming from a forti-
fied farm on his exposed left flank.
Organizing a handful of • men to
serve as an attacking force. he cap-'
turgid th'e'"stranghold by sheer audar-
i•ty_rather than weight.„.pf arms. He
then mored his whole line forwap,
only halting and establishing a new
defensive position *hen his force was
down to 20:inert '
He had captured more than his al-
lotted objective, his little force was
deep into German -held territory in a
pocket, but Major Pearkes realized
that his preclariou,ti position could he
held, So he held it, He beat off a
series of determined counter attacks
and maintained his advance of 1,000
yards until • reinifori'ements could
reach •him to close those open' flanks
and cctn'soliflate• his •hard -Won ground.
Major Pearkes' persdnal feat is en-
haneed when it IA remembered that
'prior ten the jumjt-off he !,,Ltd been
wounded in the thigh by a'machine-
gun bullet. Men with leas fighting
spirit would have reported to the
.dressing station and left the battle-
field before the attack started. • Irl• -
stead, his fearless personality re-
mained at the head of the Battalion',-,
attacking line to inspire and lead it
to' a notable day's achievement.
As a result of hes wound he now
had another period in hospital - and-,
then came still another change of un•
-
it. Major Pearkes,' V.C.; M -C., was
given command of 'the 116th Battal-
ion on his return do the scene "of ac-
tion., As Lieutenant-Colonel he soon....
went on to more honors and more
martial- fame. •
His great •show with the 116th Bated
talion was at Amiens in August, 191;1,
when his masterly handling of .the un-
it after it had become exhausted car-
ried it through to the objective. I€
it were needed, Amiens confirmed hie
unique abilit;yn'as an action leader. As '
the Gazette reported early in the New
Year: • "His splendid and fearless ex-
ample put new life into the wth-ole atd.
tack and captured sixteen ' enemy .
runs of -all calibres up to eight inch-
es,"" He received •the 1),S.O, and the
•1•;reneh- hitoix de Guerre. • •
•' "I•lis last wou:ul, ,snfferp�d iii sep'teni- .•
her, was serious, but he returned toy'
the command of the 115,th Battalion •
in time to lead it home.
With the war . oi'er, Lieut'-qol. .
Peatkes decided to remain in the Ser,
vice. ,,,He attended Staff -College at
Camzerley shortly after the war, and
later became general' staff officer at
Military District No. 13, Calgary. In
1922'he Was posted to Winnipeg, in
1927_ to Victoria, and in 1933 to Roy-
al •Military College. Kingston, where
he was general staff officer and chief.:
instructor.. He was later Director of
Military Training ,at National Defence
'Headquarters, and then attended the
Imperial Deden•ce College. On the out-
break of War he . was Brigadier, "coin -
mantling the Alberta Military Distric,.
and was 'given command of: the 2nd
-Brigade of the (Active) Canadian%',
Army in November, 1939. 1
Erect. square -set; well-proportioned,
six feet tall as be stands in his mili-
tary boot's, _he is "Fighting George"
to the ranks of. the let C.anadid.n pi -
vision, which the now commands, 1,'"a
good egg" to his junior officers, a
driver of himself and his staff. His •
hobby is hard work, and his passion
is military -science. Keen, cultijred,
always courteous. and even affable
when off duty, he is populftr with both
the serviceman and the civilian.
Itis soldierly -•qualities already 'have -
had, a far-reaching effect „on his. coro-
ridand. and there ie -no doubt that un-
der his inspired leadership the .'First
Cdeadia.n Division will add gallant
chapters to the 'history and traditionth
of "T`he Old ;led Patch" when it -finds'
its' new battlefield, ,