"Row on row..."
~
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
~
(November 30, 1872 - January 28, 1918)
Sunday, November 11, 2012
"NO ROAD TO GLORY"
by Major A. R. Thompson, late 4th Battalion, C.E.F.
"Suddenly, out of a dawn that had seemed tired of strife, burst the thunder of guns as blinding flashes rent the parting shadows. A figure, eerie in the half light, ran shrieking towards the line. A sharp command brought the shell-shocked fugitive to a stop and haltingly he told what had happened. On the ground his head blown off, lay Smith, with others nearby dead and dying. One shell had knocked out eight men before the rest had scattered. Jones hurried along to see the extent of the casualties, and found all who had been hit were dead except O. and one other who was grievously wounded. Another man who had returned to the spot waited nearby and lent his help. Between them they managed to drag the two wounded men into a blind trench not far off. All the while the shelling continued furiously; crumps crashing one behind, one before, now nearer, now further like some fierce beast of prey who waits to tantilize before the kill. Poor O., his body badly split, lay groaning quietly. The other, with a strangely similar wound, first cursed, then cried aloud in so weird a medley of prayer and blasphemy that Jones trembled and his blood ran cold. at length help came; stretcher bearers from the 4th Battalion who had learned the plight of the wirers arrived and carried off the two sufferers. The party had scarcely gone 50 yards from their recent cover, when a shell tumbled into the trench so nearly their grave. When they reached the Dressing Station, O. had taken his discharge in full. His was the soul of Bayard; it rests in peace."
~ Canadian Military Gazette, February, 1941, VOL. LVI ~ No. 2
by Major A. R. Thompson, late 4th Battalion, C.E.F.
"Suddenly, out of a dawn that had seemed tired of strife, burst the thunder of guns as blinding flashes rent the parting shadows. A figure, eerie in the half light, ran shrieking towards the line. A sharp command brought the shell-shocked fugitive to a stop and haltingly he told what had happened. On the ground his head blown off, lay Smith, with others nearby dead and dying. One shell had knocked out eight men before the rest had scattered. Jones hurried along to see the extent of the casualties, and found all who had been hit were dead except O. and one other who was grievously wounded. Another man who had returned to the spot waited nearby and lent his help. Between them they managed to drag the two wounded men into a blind trench not far off. All the while the shelling continued furiously; crumps crashing one behind, one before, now nearer, now further like some fierce beast of prey who waits to tantilize before the kill. Poor O., his body badly split, lay groaning quietly. The other, with a strangely similar wound, first cursed, then cried aloud in so weird a medley of prayer and blasphemy that Jones trembled and his blood ran cold. at length help came; stretcher bearers from the 4th Battalion who had learned the plight of the wirers arrived and carried off the two sufferers. The party had scarcely gone 50 yards from their recent cover, when a shell tumbled into the trench so nearly their grave. When they reached the Dressing Station, O. had taken his discharge in full. His was the soul of Bayard; it rests in peace."
~ Canadian Military Gazette, February, 1941, VOL. LVI ~ No. 2
Saturday, November 10, 2012
"NO ROAD TO GLORY"
by Major A. R. Thompson, late 4th Battalion, C.E.F.
"The Major was studying a paper by candle light. As Jones entered he looked up and grinned evilly.
"Hello deb.," he said, "Brigade Headquarters want a smart young officer and twenty men, to meet another young officer of equal merit and twenty more splendid fellows, the whole to form a party to be known by the distinguished name of Brigade Wires, whose duty it will be to erect barbed wire entanglements in No-Man's-Land, for the purpose of impaling and ensnaring the curious or venturesome Hun, and to protect from surprise and attack the units of the First Brigade. Now, Jones, this does not apply directly to you, but there are two good reasons why you might volunteer your services in so worthy an undertaking. I wish to emphasize 'smart young officer' and 'the ensnaring of the venturesome Hun'. You see, don't you, what opportunity for a young man? Hang enough Fritzies on a wire and you might hang a medal on your chest."
Jones blushed.
"I'm on, Sir," he said, "when do I start and where do I go?"
~ Canadian Military Gazette, January 1941, VOL. LVI - No. 1.
by Major A. R. Thompson, late 4th Battalion, C.E.F.
"The Major was studying a paper by candle light. As Jones entered he looked up and grinned evilly.
"Hello deb.," he said, "Brigade Headquarters want a smart young officer and twenty men, to meet another young officer of equal merit and twenty more splendid fellows, the whole to form a party to be known by the distinguished name of Brigade Wires, whose duty it will be to erect barbed wire entanglements in No-Man's-Land, for the purpose of impaling and ensnaring the curious or venturesome Hun, and to protect from surprise and attack the units of the First Brigade. Now, Jones, this does not apply directly to you, but there are two good reasons why you might volunteer your services in so worthy an undertaking. I wish to emphasize 'smart young officer' and 'the ensnaring of the venturesome Hun'. You see, don't you, what opportunity for a young man? Hang enough Fritzies on a wire and you might hang a medal on your chest."
Jones blushed.
"I'm on, Sir," he said, "when do I start and where do I go?"
~ Canadian Military Gazette, January 1941, VOL. LVI - No. 1.
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| Studio Babette ~ "From Ruthven to Passchendaele" |
Sunday, November 11 at 2:00 p.m.
The Coach House, Ruthven Park
"From Ruthven to Passchendaele"
"Astonishing. A presentation not to be missed." ~ lbwalker
Admission: By Donation
"Astonishing. A presentation not to be missed." ~ lbwalker
Admission: By Donation
Photo: Studio Babette Puppet Theatre, Facebook. Scene from Studio Babette's presentation of the Thompson family of Haldimand County and their contribution to the wars.
Tomorrow: In the Trenches with "Jones."
Friday, November 9, 2012
Cremation of Sam McGee
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
~ First stanza of popular poem, "Cremation of Sam McGee," by British poet, Robert Service (1874 - 1958)
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
~ First stanza of popular poem, "Cremation of Sam McGee," by British poet, Robert Service (1874 - 1958)
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| Robert Service Commemorative Plaque in England |
Reading Robert Service
Neil Paul, Thursday, November 15, 1:00 p.m.
~
Don't miss Neil Paul's reading and discussion in The Neat L'l Bookshop. Robert Service was born in England, the first of ten children. He wrote his first poem at age six.~
God bless the cakes and bless the jam;
Bless the cheese and the cold boiled ham;
Bless the scones Aunt Jeannie makes,
And save us all from bellyaches.
Amen
Photo & Grace: Wikipedia.
Word Watching ~
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master ~ that's all." Lewis Carrol (1832 - 1898) Through the Looking-Glass VI. British author, mathematician.
"Few faults of style excite the malignity of a more numerous class of readers than the use of hard words...But words are hard only to those who do not understand them, and the critic ought always to inquire whether he is incommoded by the fault of the writer or by his own."
~ Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784) The Idler No. 70. British author, lexicographer.
"The word is half his that speaks and half his that hears it." ~ Montaigne, Essays III.xiii.
"I understand a fury in your words,
But not the words." ~ Shakespeare, Othello IV.ii
~ DICTIONARY of QUOTATIONS, Bergen Evans, Bonanza Books.
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master ~ that's all." Lewis Carrol (1832 - 1898) Through the Looking-Glass VI. British author, mathematician.
"Few faults of style excite the malignity of a more numerous class of readers than the use of hard words...But words are hard only to those who do not understand them, and the critic ought always to inquire whether he is incommoded by the fault of the writer or by his own."
~ Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784) The Idler No. 70. British author, lexicographer.
"The word is half his that speaks and half his that hears it." ~ Montaigne, Essays III.xiii.
"I understand a fury in your words,
But not the words." ~ Shakespeare, Othello IV.ii
~ DICTIONARY of QUOTATIONS, Bergen Evans, Bonanza Books.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
"An Evening of Mystery" ~
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| Authors Maureen Jennings & Brad Smith |
Maureen Jennings, author of the Murdoch Mysteries, and Brad Smith, author of All Hat, Red Means Run and Crow's Landing, were special guests tonight at a River Arts Festival event, Dunnville, Ontario.
Answering questions from the audience, the authors talked at length about their writing styles and techniques ~ relating personal stories and describing their upcoming books.
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| Moderator, David Richardson, Introducing Murdock Mysteries Author Maureen Jennings |
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| Don Longmuir of ~ Scene of the Crime Books ~ & Jodi Orr |
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