Growing up, I remember the ceremonies surrounding Nov. 11, Remembrance Day, more so for our little community because we had a Royal Canadian Legion branch in our town. I find it fitting for this week's column to recognize the contribution that Newfoundland made to both World Wars.
During the time of World War I, Newfoundland was a dominion of the British Empire and therefore, was automatically at war, as was Canada, when Britain declared war on Germany. Beaumont Hamel 1916, July 1 at 9:15a.m.: The first Newfoundland Regiment from the 29th British Division attacked German forces from a support trench they had nicknamed St. John's Road. Halfway down the slope stood a tree that marked the spot where German fire was intense. The troops called it the "danger tree." This is where many of them fell that morning. Of the 801 Newfoundlanders who went into battle that morning, only 68 were able to answer roll call the next day. It's reported their attack lasted less than 30 minutes.
There is a Newfoundland Memorial Park located in Beaumont Hamel, one of the few sites where the ground remains untouched. You can enter the park on the St. John's Road to see memorials, cemeteries, preserved trench lines, the danger tree, the Newfoundland Caribou (Newfoundland Regiment Symbol), and a visitors' centre with information on the Newfoundlanders. Newfoundland purchased this land after the war in 1921 where it maintained it as a memorial, as did Canada after confederation in 1949. It is designated as a Canadian National Historic Site. Maybe some day I will get the honour of visiting this site.
Volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador served at sea, on land, and in the air during WWII. Some 10,000 Newfoundland and Labrador merchant mariners served on non-military vessels transporting much-needed goods to Allied countries. Almost 3,600 loggers of the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit were scattered throughout the forests of the United Kingdom. These men supplied wood to help build coal mine frames, telegraph poles, and ships, or to rebuild bombed structures. The loggers and merchant mariners were not part of the army but their efforts were essential and they were constantly in harm's way. Before the war ended, German forces sank more than 5,000 merchant ships and killed at least 333 of Newfoundland's mariners. The commission of government failed to recognize returning loggers and mariners as veterans. It was only in the year 2000 that the Canadian government made both groups eligible to receive benefits and pensions.
In WWII, 22,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians served, not to mention the thousands that were turned away because they failed to meet the standards of recruitment.
The geography of Newfoundland & Labrador meant that it played a central role in the Allied war effort in the North Atlantic. The air bases at Gander and Goose Bay were vital links in the ferrying of military aircraft to Britain. Torbay was home to fighter squadrons that provided protection against U-boats for convoys of ships headed to Britain. A Canadian naval base at St. John's was home to escort ships that sailed with these convoys. In 1940 the U.S. leased an army base in St. John's, an air base at Stephenville, and a naval and army base at Argentia in return for providing Britain with destroyers and military equipment.
I was often reminded of young men in uniform when I was growing up. There was many a home you'd go into and see the black and white oval-shaped photo of a young soldier. Their families were very proud of them and these photos were passed down from generations. My father said in our little outport community there were about 400 residents when he was a boy. Dad recalled 24 men that he remembered went off to war, not to mention the many more that went overseas in the forestry unit. I don't guess there were many men left in New Perlican at this time.
During my research, I read how three Canadian soldiers shot down a German aircraft. Their comrades applauded and cheered as the brigade examined the wreckage. The soldier wrote how he just stood there in silence, wondering if the men he had just shot down had a family. That statement touched my heart. I cannot imagine the emotional agony of the men and their families during wartime. I admire the courage, strength, and honour of every soldier that fought for our freedom, past and present.
In memory of Samuel Hobbs, Archibald Callahan, Elijah Peddle, George Mills, Henry Penny, William Hobbs, Russel Peddle, James Legge, Raymond Legge, Michael Conway, Issac Seward, William Piercey, Donald Hart, Gordon Warren, Thomas Hobbs, Peter Pitcher, Jack Mills, Philip Bryant, Charlie Ghent, James Northover, Herb George, Archibald and brother William Fisher.
