"Literary excellence is the chief pleasure in reading..."

"I hold on to my faith that enough people can tell the difference between a good novel and a bad one, and take the risk of saying that literary excellence is the chief pleasure in reading, but another is how one may use a novel or tale for information.  Literature maps the world for us, fleshing out what we get from newspaper articles and television reports, giving us a parallel landscape infinitely rich and various where we may stroll any time we like, tourists in imaginary worlds that mirror real ones.  What did we know about the feel, taste, texture, the airs and aromas of South America before the recent explosion of wonderful South American novels, most translated into English?  Or about Africa until the novels written by Africans in English, which issued from one end of the continent to the other?.... ~ we are invited in, for writers are like hosts:  come and share this with me."

~ Doris Lessing (b. Oct. 22, 1919) British novelist, poet.  Forward to The Cambridge Guide to LITERATURE IN ENGLISH, Ian Ousby. 1993

Village Green

Icy Riverscape

Today We Have Snow

To My Brother by Vera Brittain (In memory of July 1st, 1916)

Your battle-wounds are scars upon my heart,
Received when in that grand and tragic 'show'
You played your part,
Two years ago,

And silver in the summer morning sun
I see the symbol of your courage glow ~
That Cross you won
Two years ago.

May you endure to lead the Last Advance
And with your men pursue the flying foe
As once in France
Two years ago.

~ Vera Brittain (Dec. 29, 1893 - March 29, 1970) British writer, poet, feminist and pacifist.

Photo:  Wikipedia

To Our Readers:  On Thursday, November 21, a special afternoon with Dr. Alan Bishop ~ a reading and discussion of poet and pacifist Vera Brittain.  Everyone welcome.  1:00 p.m.

[Vera Brittain lost her brother, her fiancee and several close friends in the war.]

"If ye break faith ~

             we shall not sleep"  ~John McCrae, In Flanders Fields, Punch, Dec. 8, 1915.

(Photo:  lbwalker) 

Nine Elms British Cemetery, Belgium

The town newspaper wrote, "the news cast a gloom over the community for Will was well liked by everybody and his parents have the sympathy of the community in their loss."

The main action had taken place on November 6 where William Duff was wounded in the heel by a shell and was taken to the number 44 casualty clearing station apparently in good spirits.  Tragically on November 8, 1917 Duff died of his wounds and was buried in the Nine Elms British Cemetery in Belgium.  He was just 22 years old.

Later in a letter to the Advocate, Lt. Colonel Andrew T. Thompson of Ruthven, Cayuga, wrote "He (Drew Thompson) served in the 4th Battalion, and poor brave Billy Duff was out with him on many a wiring party in no mans land.  The young men thought very highly of each other, and my son feels the death of his old Cayuga comrade very keenly."

~ Research by Brendan Oliver of Hamilton, Ontario.  Brendan has put together the facts about this young soldier.  He continues to look for "more personal accounts."  If you have information about William or his family ~ however seemingly insignificant ~ please contact Brendan at griffs8_@hotmail.com

Duff Family Stone, Cayuga, Ontario

"Our home can never be the same for out of it went much of its joy and light in the person of my third son William Selkirk, who was slain at Passchendaele and sleeps in a soldiers grave in Belgium." ~ David A. Duff

Duff trained at Camp Borden and sailed from Halifax to Liverpool aboard the S.S. Coronia on October 31, 1916.

In early February 1917 Duff volunteered to go to France and was attached to the 4th Battalion going almost immediately into the trenches and then taking part in minor engagements.  On the 9th of April his regiment was engaged in the great battle of Vimy Ridge where he received a severe shrapnel wound to the face.  This kept him at the Hospital in Boulogne and at the base for a month before rejoining his regiment.

About the end of August Duff was granted a leave of absence for three weeks most of which was spent in Scotland visiting relatives in Perthshire and Dundee.

On the 23rd of September he returned to France and Flanders where preparations were under way for the taking of Passchendale ridge.  William wrote home to his parents at this time outlining his experiences in the army and thanking them for the gifts he had received. William wrote, "Ollie's box contained a little Bible from Jack and Marjory and believe me, I never prized anything as much, coming as it did at this particular time."

*The newspaper clipping that led Brendan Oliver on his quest to learn more about the young man in uniform.  Brendan has a lot of factual information about Duff and is looking for more personal accounts of the soldier.  If you have any information about the Duffs, please contact Brendan at griff8_@hotmail.com
Tomorrow:  Passchendale.
Research courtesy of Brendan Oliver of Hamilton