Quarterly Chronicle • Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014

In This Issue

Travels With My Aunt: Adventures in Europe 1914 An Officer and a Gentleman John Henry McVittie: Before, During and After World War I

Anglo-Celtic Roots Published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa and sent free to members. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40015222 Indexed in the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Editor: Jean Kitchen Editor Emeritus: Chris MacPhail Layout: Barbara Tose Proofreader: Anne Renwick Unless otherwise stated, permission to reprint for non-profit use is granted to organizations and individuals provided the source is credited. Articles accompanied by the copyright symbol () may not be reprinted or copied without the written permission of the author. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of BIFHSGO or its officers, nor are commercial interests endorsed. We invite readers to submit family history stories, illustrations, letters, queries and similar items of interest, preferably in electronic format using MSWord-compatible software, to [email protected] or The Editor, BIFHSGO, PO Box 38026, OTTAWA ON K2C 3Y7. Please include a brief biographical sketch and a passport-type photograph. Authors are asked to certify that permission to reproduce any previously copyrighted material has been acquired and are encouraged to provide permission for non-profit reproduction of their articles. The Editor reserves the right to select material that meets the interest of readers and to edit for length and content.

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Contents

From the Editor COLUMN From the President/2 To mark the beginning of the First World War a century ago, this issue FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH focusses on stories from that period. Travels With My Aunt: We begin with the adventure that Adventures in Europe 1914 Barbara Tose/3 Barbara Tose first recounted at our February meeting: her great-grand- An Officer and a Gentleman aunt’s tour of Europe just as the war Andrew Billingsley/21 began. Her tale masterfully John Henry McVittie: Before, summarizes the onset of the war During and After World War I while bringing Aunt Nellie alive to Brian Latham/26 us as well. TECHNIQUES AND RESOURCES Andrew Billingsley contributes the The Cream of the Crop affecting history of his great-uncle John D. Reid, Ken McKinlay/32 Thomas Alexander Rowat’s service overseas in the Canadian Exped- The Bookworm Betty Warburton/36 itionary Force, brought to life using Lieutenant Rowat’s letters home. BIFHSGO NEWS Brian Latham, who reads ACR in Membership Report Yellowknife, tells of John Henry Kathy Wallace/39 McVittie, who lived through the Halifax Explosion while serving COVER ILLUSTRATION with the Royal Naval Canadian Nellie Miller in 1905 Voluntary Reserve on HMCS Niobe. Source: author

Jean Kitchen

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 1 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 From the President

Summer is upon us once again (at last). Whatever is on your holiday agenda over this delightful season—travel, visiting family, reading that thick book you got for Christmas, or just relaxing in the comforts of home—I hope that the months ahead will be safe and enjoyable. But while you enjoy the good weather, don’t forget your family history research. It seems that every time I turn around, there are new websites, databases and resources that deserve to be investigated. It is, I feel, one of the joys of our fascination with family history. After four years and more than a dozen columns as your President, this is my final column. My term has come to an end, and a newly elected President will take office at our Annual General Meeting. It has been a real privilege to serve the membership and to see our Society maintain its position as one of the best family history societies in the country. We are blessed with a dutiful and dedicated Board of Directors and a legion of volunteers who ensure, month in, month out, that the good ship BIFHSGO maintains a steady course. I would like to thank all those that I have had the pleasure of serving with on the Board, all our volunteers, but most of all, I thank you, the members, for your support and encouragement over the past four years. Have a great summer and till we meet again, enjoy.

Glenn Wright

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 2 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Family History Research

Travels With My Aunt: Adventures in Europe 1914© BY BARBARA TOSE Barbara Tose descends from a long line of Canadian farmers and teachers, and English merchant seamen. She began her family research in 1982, joined OGS in 1983 and BIFHSGO in 2008, and volunteers with both organizations. Barbara retired in 2012 from Parks Canada, where she worked as an archaeological conservator. She now divides her time between her genealogy, music and photography.

n 26 June 1914, two middle- sparked a string of events that would aged women, Nellie Miller eventually lead to declarations of O and Eliza McAlpine, set off war throughout Europe. from Lindsay, Ontario for the trip of a lifetime. They joined their group, led by James L. Hughes, in Montreal from which, on 27 June, they sailed for a grand tour of Great Britain and Europe. On 28 June, the heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo. The assassin identified Figure 1: The Archduke and Archduchess himself with the empire’s most on the day of their assassinations Source: http://fiz-x.com/rare-historical-photos- subversive foreign neighbour, Serbia, part-2/ feeding fears of internal unrest and outside assistance to the various The two women from Lindsay and ethnic groups within the empire that their tour group would share in were eager for independence. Europe’s “Last Summer” and Previous conflicts had been resolved experience the beginnings of war, diplomatically, but they had always determinedly returning home been over issues of national interest. against the advice of the British This time, however, Austria’s honour Ambassador and despite the had been cut to the quick, and the hardships mobilization and war nation’s deep desire to punish Serbia created.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 3 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 About a month after Nellie Miller 1893 (her mother had died in returned from her eventful trip, she 1876). wrote a 30-page letter to her Whether she inherited a little brother Henry detailing her money from her father or simply adventures. I discovered the 28 was freed from family obligations, extant pages of the letter in the Nellie soon after began nurse’s early 1980s in a trunk belonging to training at Toronto General Hospital my grandmother, which my mother and in 1897 joined the staff of the had managed to save from my Brockville Hospital. She quickly father’s proclivity to throw out old moved up to the position of Lady things. I’m not certain how Superintendent at Brockville; then Grandma Tose ended up with her in 1905 she was hired by the newly uncle’s letter, but there it was built Ross Memorial Hospital in amongst her other family mementos Lindsay as their Nurse Super- and unlabelled photographs. intendent. In this capacity Nellie The letter my great-grand-aunt was not only in charge of the wrote has always fascinated me, nursing staff and their training but and over the years I have come to managed the administration of the realize what a remarkable piece of hospital. She was well-respected in history it truly is. It not only relays both Brockville and Lindsay and their sightseeing excursions but was known for her efficiency, mentions events large and small warmth and kindness. that occurred in that momentous Eliza McAlpine was the wife of one year. So, let Nellie be your guide— of Lindsay’s local doctors, John with, I will admit, numerous asides McAlpine. I had assumed that the from me, as we travel with my aunt women had met through Eliza’s from Lindsay to Europe and back husband and had become friendly again. enough to travel together. However, * * * research in Lindsay, Ontario Nellie Miller was born Ellen indicated that Dr. McAlpine, unable Margaret Miller on 17 February to spare the 12 weeks planned for 1856, the seventh child of William the trip from his busy practice but Miller and Ellen James of Adelaide concerned for his wife’s health, Township in Middlesex County. asked Nurse Miller to accompany Nellie never married and lived at his wife. But how had the two home with her parents and women hooked up with the Hughes unmarried brother and sister. She group for this excursion? worked as a teacher in the Adelaide area until 1886, then probably took James L. Hughes was a well- care of her father until his death in respected educator and school inspector in Toronto who led tour Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 4 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 groups, mostly for teachers, through 26 June 1914 and arrived in Great Britain and Europe each Montreal around 6:00 that evening. summer. Although he had retired in After dinner and a ride up the 1913, he was once again leading a “mountain,” they returned to the group to Europe in June of 1914. docks and boarded about 10:00 p.m. But what was the connection to the They set sail about 2:00 a.m. on the Lindsay ladies? Nellie had been a 27th and 12 hours later passed teacher, but not in Toronto. She had Quebec City. lived in Toronto, but while training Nellie then mentions the first as a nurse, not working as a teacher. eventful sight of the trip: “The Neither scenario seemed likely to weather was beautiful, but our have connected Nellie to James hearts were sore, as we passed Hughes, yet I didn’t think that two Father Pt., the scene of the recent middle-aged ladies in that era tragedy, where so many hundreds would sign on to a tour run by a met death so unexpectedly.” I was complete stranger. puzzled by this reference at first but In researching James Hughes, I soon discovered she was referring discovered that his younger brother to the sinking of the Empress of was Sir Sam Hughes. Sir Sam was a Ireland only a month prior to their newspaper man in Lindsay, Ontario, voyage. the MP for Victoria riding from The Empress of Ireland was the 1892 to 1921, and in 1914 Canada’s latest and finest of the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence. I Pacific Empress line of ships. In the considered Sir Sam a likely early hours of 29 May, just off connection. Rimouski, the Empress was struck However, when I contacted the by the collier Storstad. Water Lindsay Library about doing some poured in at the rate of 60,000 research there, I was surprised gallons per second. Within 14 when they informed me that I minutes of the impact, the Empress would want to see the “Memoirs of was gone. Most passengers never Eliza Hughes, the wife of Dr. stood a chance. McAlpine”! And so I discovered The Empress of Ireland remains how Nellie came to be among the Canada’s worst maritime disaster. party led by James Hughes: her Of the 1,477 people on board, 1,012 travelling companion was James’ perished; 840 passengers and 172 sister. crew. The 465 survivors were Getting from Lindsay to Montreal by picked up by the Storstad and two train in 1914 was much easier than other rescue ships from Rimouski. it would be today. So it was that Of the 138 children who boarded Eliza and Nellie set out early on the Empress, only four survived. The Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 5 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 sinking of the Empress of Ireland had been front- page news a mere month before Nellie’s trip, and the tales and statistics would be fresh in everyone’s minds as they passed the site of the disaster. With fog off Newfound- land and a few icebergs Figure 2: Greenock shipyards along the Clyde behind them, their Source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ journey continued with macfie/historygreenock.htm clear skies and beautiful sunsets Sunday, 5 July. The group had lunch, across the Atlantic. As they went for an auto ride around the approached the Emerald Isle, Nellie city, and then visited the “picture refers obliquely to the political gallery” until closing. situation in Ireland: “the turbulency of the little island seemed to have They found the city beautifully communicated itself to the decorated; Nellie notes that they surrounding waters.” Ireland was in were delighted as well as surprised the midst of a very troubled period. “as we had sent them no word of With Home Rule about to be our intended visit. Someone cruelly implemented and talk of partition of informed us however, that the north from south, Unionists and decorations were for the king and Nationalists mobilized for a civil queen who were expected on war that would result in the Easter Tuesday but we enjoyed it all as Uprising of 1916 and Irish troubles well as they.” After dinner Nellie for decades to come. However, attempted to “atone for her Sabbath Nellie’s group could only stand and desecration” but found all three of wonder what the future held in the nearby churches closed due to store for the troubled land. the holiday—all of this in “Sabbath- honouring Scotland,” no less. Four o’clock the next morning saw them greeting the shores of Bonnie Monday found the group heading to Scotland. The ship-building industry Ayr to see Robbie Burns’ cottage. of Greenock lining both sides of the James Hughes was something of an Clyde, with ships in all stages of expert on Burns, having grown up in construction, held their attention as a very proud Scottish family. He they passed on their way to would later publish a Burns biog- Glasgow, arriving at noon on raphy, “The Real Robert Burns,” and edit a book of Burns’ poems. Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 6 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Eliza’s biography, written by her The townsfolk of Alloway searched grandson 50 years after her death, through the night for her but to no indicates that James was often avail. asked to speak locally while con- One can only imagine the ducting these tours and did so on indignation of the Scottish people as this particular occasion. However, details of the “outrage” emerged Nellie makes no mention of this over several days: the women occurring. Instead she tells us that employed “Bill Sykes” techniques, they sang Scottish songs to the wearing stockings over their shoes music of a violin played by an old and wearing men’s tweed caps. The Scotchman who swore that the two bombs consisted of 15-inch strings of the old instrument were biscuit tins, each containing eight all made from the tail of Tam pounds of blasting powder and 20- O’Shanter’s mare, Meg. foot fuses. Janet Arthur was later Nellie then mentions that the day identified as Janet Parker, the niece after their visit a suffragette of Lord Kitchener! In actual fact, her attempted to blow the cottage up name was Fanny Parker and her but was arrested before she could accomplice was Ethel Moorhead, do any harm. In fact, two suffra- another well-known suffragette gettes attempted to bomb the working with the Pankhurst-led cottage. militant organization, the Women’s Social and Political Union. Suffragette activity had been increasing for years; by 1914, the Fanny was finally released under militant suffragettes had turned to licence on 16 July due to ill health. violence, burning down and blowing Still, she managed to escape prior to up buildings all over Britain. With her trial and so was never convicted the King and Queen visiting the of trying to blow up Robbie Burns’ district, it was anticipated by some cottage. that the suffragettes might attempt Tuesday the group made an early some violence. Buildings of national start for Callander by way of Ban- importance were obvious targets. nockburn and Stirling, to Ellen’s Isle Fortunately for Burns’ cottage, its and Loch Katrine. They spent the trustees took action to protect the day in the land of Sir Walter Scott site and hired a night watchman. He seeing all the sights and hearing surprised the two suffragettes pipes at every turn. Considering attempting to light a fuse at the back they travelled by train, horse-drawn of the cottage, and a struggle carriages and boats on Loch Katrine ensued. One woman, who gave her and Loch Lomond, they crammed a name as Janet Arthur, was captured; lot of sights into one day. the other escaped on her bicycle.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 7 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 They returned to Glasgow to find Kenilworth Castle, Warwick Castle, the whole city out to greet the King and Stratford-upon-Avon, then on to and Queen, which created Bristol for the night. difficulties for getting to their train. The next day motor buses took However, once on board, they were them past Reverend Augustus soon in Edinburgh, where they Toplady’s church and the cleft in the stayed at the Old Waverley Hotel on rock nearby where he wrote his Princes Street. Nellie’s description most famous hymn. They stopped of their tour of the town could be a and, led by a soloist, sang “Rock of repeat of my visit to Edinburgh in Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide 1982—the castle, St. Giles, the myself in Thee.” They then paving stone design of the Heart of proceeded on to Cheddar, “of cheese Midlothian, and the rest of the Royal fame,” followed by Wells Cathedral Mile. They were, however, denied and Bath, where the great interest access to Holyrood, as the King and was the “old Roman baths which are Queen were in residence there. being uncovered.” After two days in Edinburgh, they Windsor Castle was next on their started south with an itinerary that tour, though they were only allowed rivals any modern coach tour of into St. George’s Chapel, where they Britain: Sir Walter Scott’s home, viewed the beautiful statuary in Abbotsford; Melrose Abbey; then on memory of Princess Charlotte and by train to Keswick in the Lake sat and listened to the music of the District for the night. service being held. Coaches took them the next morning to Ambleside, where they took a boat ride on Lake Windermere to Lakeside. There they caught the train to Birming- ham for a day of rest. On Monday a train took them to Leamington, where Figure 3: London General Omnibus at Wingroves Tea Garden, charabancs took Burnham Beeches them on a Source: Slough Library (www.slough.gov.uk/libraries), whirlwind tour to Slough History online, sloughhistoryonline.org.uk Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 8 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 And finally—before lunch—they issue an ultimatum to Serbia. The headed to Stoke Poges churchyard, wording of the ultimatum was still where Thomas Gray wrote his being debated, with Tisza holding famous Elegy Written in a Country out for less harsh terms that Serbia Churchyard. They lunched under might be able to accept. Burnham Beeches, perhaps at the In the end, those in support of war Tea Garden shown in Figure 3, drafted a document that no self- arriving in an omnibus just like this respecting state could possibly one. Then it was on to London accept. However, delivery of the where, after dinner, they rode on ultimatum would have to wait. The the top of a bus to Piccadilly Circus. French President and Premier were It was now 15 July. While our merry visiting Russia, and neither Austria travellers wended their way from nor Germany wanted those allies in Scotland to London, much had been immediate contact when the happening on the continent. document was delivered. It was decided that delivery would take Following the 28 June assassination place on the 23rd of July after the of the Austrian Archduke, the Chief of French had departed. the General Staff for Austria- Hungary, Count Franz von Hötzen- Nellie’s group had one week dorf, had advocated immediate scheduled in London. The mobilization. However, both whirlwind did not let up, though: Emperor Franz Joseph and the Westminster Abbey, the House of Hungarian Prime Minister, Count Commons, the “Picture Gallery” Istvan Tisza, the rulers of the dual were first on the list. They visited state, were against such a move. The Hampton Court Palace and were Emperor was reluctant to do so alone “entertained to tea” by Lady Napier. for fear of Russia coming to their They motored down to Guilford in Serbian ally’s defence; Tisza rightly Surrey to the home of the artist feared any war with Serbia would George Frederic Watts. At the time trigger a general European war. of his death in 1904, Watts was one To calm the Emperor’s fears, the of the most famous artists in the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, world. He was the first living Leopold von Berchtold, had painter to have a solo exhibition at approached Germany to ensure it the Metropolitan Museum in New would back Austria should Russia York, had a whole room of paintings become involved. Although Germany on permanent display at London’s had given this reassurance readily, it Tate Gallery, many more on display had still taken Berchtold until mid- at the National Portrait Gallery, and July to get agreement from the two large works hanging in the nave Emperor and the Prime Minister to of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Watts Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 9 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Gallery, dedicated to his works, information I found indicates that it opened near his home just before he was originally three tiers and was died. His widow devoted herself to lowered to a single tier in 1864. the Gallery and, no doubt to earn Before they left London, a tour of extra income, entertained tourists Madame Tussaud’s famous wax- to luncheon at their home. works was in order. Nellie lists the After luncheon the group moved on many “celebrities” that they “met,” to the home of Mr. Caröe, a noted from Henry VIII to Voltaire, Knox, architect. The group was welcomed Wesley, Asquith, Crippen and even to his restored Elizabethan country Mrs. Pankhurst. She then quips that house, Vann, in Hambledon, for tea she is “strongly tempted to disting- and a ramble around their extensive uish herself in order to have a place gardens. Nellie notes that “the barn among them.” is their music room” where they On 23 July, the tour group crossed retained the huge beams and used to the continent from Dover to the old lanterns for electric lights. Ostende, Belgium, followed by a On the Saturday evening of their delightful run by rail on to Brussels. week-long stay in London, the Being a “farm girl,” Nellie comments group attended some sort of on the beautiful little farms seen convention, where Nellie had the from the railway window, where honour of shaking the hand of men and women worked together Queen Amélia, the exiled Queen of and not a foot of soil was left Portugal, who was residing in untilled. London. Nellie comments “She is a As they travelled towards Brussels, very fine-looking woman of the Austrian-Hungarian ultimatum gracious presence.” was delivered to Serbia. The expiry On Sunday they attended the date was 25 July. However, Nellie’s service at St. Paul’s Cathedral by group was unaware of the activities invitation of the Archbishop of going on between the heads of state. London. It would appear James It would be several days yet before Hughes had some friends in high they had any intimation of what was places. to come, and even then most people still did not think it would come to Being a Methodist, Nellie perhaps anything but a localized Balkan war. would have enjoyed their evening more when they went to John And so Nellie’s group continued Wesley’s Chapel, an old brick with their plans: a visit to Brussels’ building in the heart of the city. Palace of Justice then to Waterloo, “Wesley’s pulpit is there just as he never dreaming that soon the field used it,” says Nellie, although the would be “trampled by soldiers

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 10 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Figure 4: The Washington Times, (D.C.), 28 July 1914 Source: Library of Congress, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/ 1914-07-28/ed-1/seq-1/ once again.” They were awakened in piece of oak in 1713 by Michiel van the morning by dogs barking, and der Voort the Elder. Here also was looking out their hotel window saw Rubens’ masterpiece The Descent hundreds of them hitched to carts from the Cross. She relates the story waiting for the milk trains to arrive of the enraptured gazer who stood at the station. Dogs, apparently, before the canvas until the were used instead of horses for attendant announced the closing of lighter work. the cathedral. “Not yet, not yet,” he pleaded. “Wait until they have taken From Brussels they travelled to The Him down.” She can’t help but add Hague, where they saw the Palace of “they are now dropping bombs in Peace. Holland was a delight to Antwerp” and voice her hope that Nellie, with the dykes and canals, the cathedral will be safe. windmills and the “quaint costumes” of the peasants. They “July 28th: Austria has declared visited the island of Marken, an war on Servia.”says Nellie. Despite a isolated community where the “capitulation of a most humiliating women wear their traditional kind” by Serbia, the German leaders “17 petticoats, woolen stockings the circumvented the Kaiser, who saw feet of which are covered with felt, “every cause for war” gone. They and sabots or wooden shoes.” They pressured Austria to declare war on lunched in Rotterdam, spent a short Serbia. In Austria, too, the Emperor’s time in Amsterdam and motored to permission was gained by reporting Scheveningen, a seaside resort “of false information about Serbian the usual type,” visited the “Picture troops having opened fire on Gallery” and Queen Wilhelmina’s Austrian forces. And so war was Palace. declared on Serbia and, despite efforts to the contrary, Europe moved They returned to Brussels with a one step closer to war. stop in Antwerp. The cathedral was the item of interest here; Nellie Once again, however, Nellie’s group describes the beautiful pulpit, was not aware of how close a supposedly carved from a solid general European conflict was. They

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 11 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 were in Belgium, not Austria, and stand the situation and warned Nellie completes her above sentence Russia not to do anything that might about war being declared with “but offer Germany a pretext for total or we left for Cologne on the morning even partial mobilization. Germany of July 29th.” They passed through attempted to buy Britain’s neutrality Liège, where just over a week later by promising not to annex territories German troops were laying siege. belonging to France, Holland or They arrived in the early evening Belgium. and visited the beautiful cathedral, Britain, which was scheduled to have then took a short walk around the an immediate debate on Home Rule city. All night long, however, they for Ireland, was being pressured by were disturbed by marching both Russia and France to declare its soldiers as Germany mobilized her intentions and support its allies. troops. Given the European situation, an In the morning they took a boat agreement was reached in the House along the Rhine to Mainz, drifting of Commons to postpone the peacefully past the great vineyards implementation of Home Rule and and the old castles along the banks show a united front to Europe. of the river. They found a very quiet On 30 July, Austrian warships began city when they arrived in Mainz late bombarding Belgrade, the capital of in the evening. Serbia. In reaction to this attack, One last attempt was made to stop a Russia ordered full mobilization on general European war between 31 July. Austria’s 28 July declaration and 31 July. Berlin did an about-face and On the morning of the 31st, the tour sent a message to Vienna telling group left by train for Heidelberg them to accept a “stop-in-Belgrade- but, by some mistake in Mannheim, formula,” which would allow Europe were switched to a wrong track and to pull back from the brink of war. did not arrive at their desired On this Russia, Germany and Britain destination. Instead the decision all seemed to be in agreement. The was made to move on to their next Kaiser was willing to mediate planned stop, Strasbourg, arriving between Russia and Austria. The there about 2:00 p.m. Having Tsar was getting conflicting infor- missed luncheon at their hotel, they mation, and after ordering full went to a small café for a late meal, mobilization he retracted that to visited the cathedral, did some partial mobilization. shopping and returned to their hotel for dinner. Apparently France, whose leaders had been away for the month of July, Hearing band music after dinner was only just beginning to under- they went outside only to be passed Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 12 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 by three regiments “on their way to bourg. The German government the front.” Four more regiments announced that Russian invaders went by later. Their guide had gone had entered German territory. The out to learn of the situation and German people believed them, returned to tell them that Stras- steadfastly convinced that they had bourg was under martial law. The been forced into war by their military had taken over the railway enemies. lines but it was still possible that they might get near the frontier of Switzerland. At noon that day, the news of Russia’s full mobilization reached Berlin. The Kaiser again offered to mediate with Austria if Russia would stop its military measures. The Tsar stated that preparations could not be stopped but promised not to take any “provocative action” as long as negotiations were taking place. Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph thanked the Kaiser for his offer but said it had come too late. That evening Germany sent word to Russia that it must stop mobilization within 12 hours or Germany, too, Figure 5: 30.5 cm gun used in would mobilize. In truth, as Nellie the siege of Belgium notes in her letter, German mobil- Source: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/ ization had already begun. By nchist-newcentury/5014 1 August, German troops were already being deployed toward The morning of August 1st, Nellie Luxembourg and Belgium. When and her companions managed to get there was no response from Russia a train from Strasbourg to Mül- and it became clear that no deal hausen, now known as Mulhouse, would be struck to keep France and and from there to the border of Britain out of the conflict, the Kaiser Switzerland. However, no trains ordered his ambassador in Russia to were crossing the border, so they deliver his declaration of war. By hired baggage drays and “piling our 7:00 p.m. German troops had seized bags on them, we climbed up, and their first objective: a railway station with what dignity we could muster and telegraph office inside Luxem- rode through the city of Basle to the

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 13 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 station.” Here they secured a train “There are others at the back to Lucerne. equally strong”. “But what if they should break too; where would we As Nellie herself noted, a week later go?” troops were fighting in Mülhausen, and yet the group did not seem He replied “It would altogether depend on what sort of a life you overly concerned. Instead they had lived.” spent nine delightful days in Switzerland touring the sights, On a clear day (at least in 1914) though they did feel some of the you could see 100 miles, and the discomforts of war. Horses could panorama was wonderful. They not be secured; boats and trains visited Interlaken and Montreux on were cancelled because of the lack Lake Geneva, staying at a beautiful of men. Switzerland, too, had little hotel on the shore of the lake mobilized to defend her borders. with a perfect little garden filled Italians were pouring out of Ger- with flowers of every variety. many, because Italy had refused to By this time, Germany had declared join its Central Power allies in the war on France, and Belgium had war. been invaded. On 4 August, Britain, unable to tolerate the invasion of the neutral state of Belgium, also entered the fray. Ferries from Folkestone to Boulogne-sur-Mer were taken over by the military for the transportation of troops and on 7 August the first British troops arrived in France.

Figure 6: Rigi rack-and-pinion railway On Sunday morning, 9 August, Source: http://www.rigi.ch/Company/Rigi-Bahnen/ an open letter to tourists from Railway-and-mountain-history the British Ambassador in Berne As war broke out all around them, was posted, assuring them of their the group travelled to the top of safety but asking them not to Mount Rigi by rack and pinion attempt to leave Switzerland, as he railway. Nellie tells the story of could not guarantee their safe passage across France. He advised an old woman who examined the car them to secure employment of some carefully before going on board. She asked the conductor how the car sort—after all, everyone knew the was held on the track. He told her all war would be over by Christmas. In about the brakes. She said “But what spite of this advice, however, if they should break?” Then he said Nellie’s group left by boat that

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 14 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 afternoon for Geneva. It was a deserted from the German army. glorious day, and the sunset reflect- Though they had been born since ed on the lake was one of the most the cession of Alsace and Lorraine beautiful Nellie had ever seen. to the Germans, the French spirit had been fostered by their parents. The next morning at six they were “Not more enthusiastic Frenchmen on their way to the station. There would be found anywhere.” When they found a train to Paris as well as they discovered Nellie’s party to be a multitude of other tourists British subjects the men insisted on hurrying home. They finally secured joining them, drank their health, seats and at 8:00 a.m. started for kissed their hands, pantomimed Paris, normally an eight-hour beheading the Kaiser and burying journey. At the frontier they were him deep. They had with them a held up for an hour while passports Union Jack, which they presented to were examined. They travelled the British party. Nellie mentions through the hot day with no food or that the flag did them good when drink and arrived at Lyons at 6:30, they arrived in Boulogne at 11:00 further from Paris than they had p.m. The conductor went off to begun that morning. They waited on secure them lodgings for the night the platform for five hours, unable taking—and here we lose Nellie’s to leave in case their tickets were voice. collected upon leaving the platform, for they did not have enough cash to As noted earlier, I discovered the purchase new ones. They managed 28 extant pages of Nellie’s 30-page to secure some sour bread, cold letter. Why these two pages are meat and water. missing or where they went, I will never know, but missing they are. At 11:00 p.m. their train for Paris From this point, conjecture and a came in and, after a struggle, they few details in the Lindsay news- secured seats, sitting up all night as paper supply an outline of what there were no sleepers. They probably happened next. arrived in Paris about 10:00 a.m. and rushed to the hotel, where they The conductor took the flag with snatched breakfast and then hurried him and with its help either secured across the city to another station, them lodgings for the night and/or where they secured a train for passage on a ferry or empty Boulogne-sur-Mer. What they saw troopship returning to Folkestone. of Paris was quiet and shops were From there, a train took them to closed. London, where they no doubt finally rested after their ordeal. Since they On the train to Boulogne they met a likely arrived in London on “party of noisy foreigners,” Wednesday, 12 August but did not principally Alsatian men who had Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 15 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 leave on the SS Scotian until Friday, 15 feet while coming down the 21 August, they may have decided English Channel. Apparently the to stay a little time in London, Scotian was stopped and a “party of couldn’t secure a passage home men” was sent to remove the immediately, or already had tickets menace from the waters. She does for the Scotian on the 21st. not say, however, what they did with it! I had hoped that I would find some information in Lindsay that might It is on the voyage home that Nellie fill in the gaps of Nellie’s letter. Mrs. regains her voice, telling us that McAlpine’s biography, unfortu- they had some fog and rough nately, was of little use. It is filled weather lasting from Sunday until with tales told to Eliza’s grandson Friday. During this time, she was years after her trip and there are careless of danger from either many inaccuracies. An interview German cruisers or the tossing boat. with Eliza after her return appeared But on Friday the sun came up and in the local papers, but rather than so did she, for the remainder of the the accurate outline of their voyage. They arrived in Quebec on adventure I hoped for, her story in Monday, 31 August, at noon. The the Watchman-Warder is a fine Allan Line, which they had been piece of war propaganda. sailing with, offered them overland passage to Montreal, where they arrived in time to secure an evening train for Lindsay. They arrived home Tuesday morning, 1 Sept- ember 1914, to “a little town of between 7000 and 8000, with lumber yards and a tannery near the station but in all my travels, it was by far the most beautiful spot we had seen.” Figure 7: Arrival of ferry from Boulogne-sur-Mer, Folkestone, England ca. 1900 The war, as we all know, did Source: Library of Congress, not end by Christmas. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002696752/ Economies were bled dry, empires and societies were shaken to However, it does confirm that they pieces; the destruction of buildings, landed at Folkestone and went on to towns, cities and transportation London. Eliza also relates how they networks was vast and had long- missed a German mine by less than lasting effects. But it is the human

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 16 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 cost we remember most, for the Several comments in her letter tell casualties were appalling. Figures me she possessed a wry sense of vary, but by the end of the war, humour. And she was definitely an approximately 10 million com- excellent writer who quietly viewed batants had died and more than 21 the world with great interest. million others were maimed and From other sources I learned that wounded. she was a generous person who was well respected and liked by her An additional seven million civilians colleagues and employers, showing also died and countless more were a devotion to duty, a caring regard injured, displaced or otherwise to the sick, and skill, diplomacy and damaged. Millions of women were business acumen in her left without husbands or would never administrative duties. She was find one and even greater numbers of affectionately regarded by the children were orphaned. nurses she trained. It was not the war to end all wars, for Her obituary tells me that she had a in its final settlement, it set the stage “sympathetic nature, a lovable for World War II and many smaller disposition and untiring energy.” conflicts down to the present day. She was a dynamic and active * * * member of the Methodist church, a And what of Nellie? What have I delightful conversationalist and learned about her? Her letter shows took an active interest in the life of me that she was an adventurous the community. and intelligent woman, who at the Nellie died on 3 February 1921 after age of 58 was resilient enough to a two-year struggle with cancer, endure with equanimity and grace leaving the community she was so not just the tour schedule but the much a part of mourning her trials and tribulations that their passing. She has, however, left a escape from Europe brought. wonderful legacy in her letter of She was certainly well educated in 1914. many areas. She read broadly, in Reference Notes particular knowing all the stories of Due to the number of resources Scott and the poems of Burns. She used in researching the various had an appreciation for art and topics contained in this article, I architecture. She was aware of have grouped references by topic. politics and current events, at least enough to comment on them, yet For details of Nellie’s trip: 1 Letter Nellie Miller wrote to her she did not appear to take on any brother dated September 1914, extreme views despite her author’s personal collection. experiences. Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 17 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 2 Wallace MacAlpine, Eliza: A Memoir of 01, Sub-district Adelaide, Sub-district Eliza Jane Hughes, wife of Dr. John Number A., p. 6, Family 16, line 11, McAlpine, unpublished manuscript, Roll C-9902. 1988, City of Kawartha Lakes Public 5 “1881 Census of Canada,” database, Library, Lindsay, Ontario. Ancestry (ancestry.ca), digital image, 3 The following newspaper items are on entry for William Miller, Ontario, microfilm at the City of Kawartha District 169, Middlesex North, Lakes Public Library, Lindsay, Ontario: Division 2, Sub-district Adelaide, Sub- “Personals,” The Watchman Warder, district Number A, p. 36, Family 157, 3 September 1914, p.2. line 14, Roll C-13269. “Mrs. (Dr.) McAlpine Tells a Warder 6 “1891 Census of Canada,” database, Man of Exciting Trip Through Belgium, Ancestry (ancestry.ca), digital image, Germany, France and England— entry for William Miller, Ontario, Lindsay Ladies Had Thrilling Trip,” District 93, Middlesex West, Sub- The Watchman Warder, 3 September district Adelaide, Sub-district Number 1914, p.3. A, p.13, Family 66, line 25, , Roll T- “Purely Personal,” Lindsay Weekly 6353. Post, 4 September 1914, p.2. 7 “1901 Census of Canada,” database, For facts about Nellie’s life: Ancestry (ancestry.ca), digital image, 1 Nellie M. Miller, Ontario Death entry for N.M. Miller, Ontario, District Registration 023130 (1921) “Ontario, 47 Brockville, Sub-district South Canada, Deaths, 1869–1938 and Ward, Sub-district Number D-2, p.1, Deaths Overseas, 1939–1947,” Family 9, line 26, Roll T-6428 to T- database, Ancestry (ancestry.ca), citing 6556. microfilm MS 935, reel 282, Archives of Ontario, Toronto. 8 “1911 Census of Canada,” database, Ancestry (ancestry.ca), digital image, 2 “1851 Census of Canada West,” entry for Nellie Miller, Ontario, database, Ancestry (ancestry. ca), District 129 Victoria, Sub-district digital image, entry for Nellie Miller, Lindsay, Sub-district Number 57, p.16. District 23, Middlesex County, Sub- Family 201, line 41, Roll T-20326 to district 216, Adelaide Township, p.51, T-20460. line 49, William Miller, Schedule A, Roll C-11737. 9 William Miller, Ontario Death Regis- tration 010657 (1893) “Ontario, 3 “1861 Census of Canada,” database, Canada, Deaths, 1869–1938 and Ancestry (ancestry.ca), digital image, Deaths Overseas, 1939–1947,” entry for William Miller, Canada West, database, Ancestry, (ancestry.ca), Middlesex County, Adelaide Town- citing microfilm MS 935, reel 68, ship, 2nd and 3rd Concessions N.E.R., Archives of Ontario, Toronto. p. 12, line 27, Roll C-1049. 10 Ellen Miller, Ontario Death 4 “1871 Census of Canada,” database, Registration 008392 (1876) “Ontario, Ancestry (ancestry.ca); digital image, Canada, Deaths, 1869–1938 and entry for William Miller, Ontario, Deaths Overseas, 1939–1947,” District 08, Middlesex North, Division Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 18 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 database, Ancestry, (ancestry.ca) Empress_of_Ireland), accessed January citing microfilm MS 935, reel 13, 2014. Archives of Ontario, Toronto. 2 Various reports on the Empress of 11 The following newspaper items are Ireland sinking, The Watchman- on microfilm at the City of Kawartha Warder, 4 June 1914, and The Lindsay Lakes Public Library, Lindsay, Ontario: Post, 5 June 1914, various pages. “Little Local Lines—On Thursday, For information on suffragettes and Sept. 22nd,” The Watchman-Warder, Fanny Parker in particular: 5 October 1905, p. 9; “Ross Hospital’s 1 David Goldie. “Robert Burns and the New Head,” Lindsay Weekly Post, First World War,” International 6 October 1905, p. 6; “Miss Miller’s Journal of Scottish Literature, Summer Death is Deplored,” The Evening Post, 2010. (www.ijsl.stir.ac.uk), accessed 4 February 1921, p. 1; “Deaths—Nellie January 2014. N. Miller,” The Evening Post, 4 February 1921; “Funeral of Late Supt. 2 Leah Leneman, “Parker, Frances Mary of Hospital—Passing of Miss Miller— (1875–1924),” Oxford Dictionary of Memorial Service,” The Watchman- National Biography, Oxford University Warder, 10 February 1921, p. 1. Press, 2004 (http://www.oxforddnb. com/view/article/63882), accessed For information on the Hughes 9 Jan 2014. family: 1 Wallace MacAlpine, Eliza: A Memoir of 3 The Case of Fanny Parker alias Janet Eliza Jane Hughes, wife of Dr. John Arthur and “Another Prison Infamy” McAlpine, unpublished manuscript, (Votes for Women, 1914), National 1988. Records of Scotland reference: HH16/43/6,( http://www.scottish 2 James Laughlin Hughes, The Canadian archivesforschools.org), Crown Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, copyright: National Records of (http://www.thecanadianencycloped Scotland. ia.ca/en/article/james-laughlin- hughes/) and Wallace MacAlpine, 4 Jane Purvis, “The Prison Experiences Eliza: A Memoir of Eliza Jane Hughes, of the Suffragettes,” Women’s History wife of Dr. John MCAlpine (unpublished Review, 1995, (http://www.johnd manuscript, 1988), accessed January clare.net/Women1_Forcefeeding_Purv 2014. is. htm,) accessed 8 Jan. 2014. 3 Sir Samuel Hughes, Wikipedia, 5 “Votes for Women, Gunpowder for (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_ Burns,” Wikipedia, (wikipedia.org/ Hughes), accessed January 2014 and wiki/Ethel_Moorhead), accessed Dictionary of Canadian Biography, 3 Sept 2013. (http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/ 6 The following newspapers accessed hughes_samuel_15E.html), accessed through TROVE, National Library of January 2014. Australia (http://trove.nla.gov.au/) For the Empress of Ireland: and PAPERSPAST, National Library of 1 RMS Empress of Ireland, Wikipedia, New Zealand (paperspast.natlib. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_ Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 19 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast) between 7 Margaret MacMillan, The War That July 2013 and February 2014: Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 Evening Post, 10 July 1914, p.7; Free (Toronto: Allen Lane, 2013). Lance, 1 August 1914, p.6; The Argus 8 Kirsty McLeod, The Last Summer: May (Melbourne, Victoria) 10 July 1914 to September 1914 (London: Williams p.9; Bendigo Advertiser (Victoria), Collins Sons & Co, Ltd., 1983). 28 July 1914, p.7; Hawera & Normanby Star, 10 July 1914, p.5; 9 Barbara Wertheim Tuchman, The Poverty Bay Herald, 10 July 1914, p.3; Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World New Zealand Herald, 10 July 1914, p.7; Before the War, 1890–1914 (New York: The New York Times, 9 July 1914; MacMillan, 1966). Otago Daily Times, 10 July 1914, p.7; 10 Barbara M. Wilson, editor, Ontario Wairarapa Daily Times, 10 July 1914, and the First World War 1914–1918: A p.5; Timaru Herald, 11 July 1914, p.9. Collection of Documents (Toronto: 7 “Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for University of Toronto Press, 1977). Ill Health Act) 1913,” Wikipedia, 11 Timeline of World War One, History (http://en.wikipedia.org). Learning Site, (http://www.history For World War I: learningsite.co.uk/timeline_of_world_ war_one.htm), accessed 23 July 2013. 1 David Fromkin, Europe’s Last Summer: Who Started the Great War in 1914? Miscellaneous Items: (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004). 1 Augustus Toplady, Wikipedia, 2 Michael Howard, The First World War (wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Top (Oxford: Oxford University Press, lady), accessed January 2014. 2002). 2 Rock of Ages, Timeless Truths, 3 Matthew Hughes & William J. Philpott, (library.timelesstruths.org/music/ The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of Rock_of_Ages/), accessed January the First World War (New York: 2014. Palgrave MacMillan, 2005). 3 George Frederic Watts, Wikipedia, 4 John Keegan, The First World War (wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frederic_ (Toronto: Key Porter Books Ltd., Watts), accessed January 2014. 1998). 4 W.D. Caroe, Wikipedia, 5 Joyce M. Kennedy, Distant Thunder: (wikipedia.org/wiki/W._D._Caroe), Canada’s Citizen Soldiers on the accessed January 2014. Western Front (Manhattan, Kan.: 5 Home Rule, A Web of English History, Sunflower University Press, 2000). (historyhome.co.uk/peel/ireland/hom 6 Wallace MacAlpine, Eliza: Memoir of erule.htm), accessed January 2014. Eliza Jane Hughes, wife of Dr. John 6 John Wesley pulpit, Wesley’s Chapel, McAlpine (unpublished manuscript, (wesleyschapel.org.uk/Virtual%20Cha 1988). pel/pulpit.htm), accessed January 2014. © 2014 Barbara Tose

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 20 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 An Officer and a Gentleman©

BY ANDREW BILLINGSLEY Andrew Billingsley, UE, is a descendant of Loyalists who settled in the Gaspe in 1784. A retired Ottawan, he inherited an interest in genealogy from both his parents, who were excellent family record keepers. t was August in Athelstan, Quebec, where Alex 1915. The first had grown up. Both his grand- I Canadian parents had come to Canada from soldiers had Inverness-shire in Scotland, where arrived in France that February. On his grandfather had also been a his 37th birthday my great-uncle, Presbyterian minister. A graduate in Thomas Alexander Rowat, wrote to Arts from McGill University in his mother, noting that “we who Montreal, Class of ’98, Alex was have been reaping the benefits of fluently bilingual. previous wars have been taking By January 1916, Private Rowat had peace for granted.” At the time an been recruited as a lieutenant in the unmarried accountant, he had been 159th Battalion of the Canadian managing a business in the Cobalt Expeditionary Force, undergoing region of Northern Ontario. training in Toronto and at Camp By 7 September, Alex had joined the Borden, embarking for England at Canadian Expeditionary Force in the end of October and arriving in Toronto as a private in the Liverpool on 11 November 1916. Divisional Cyclists, which was During brief training in England, an intelligence corps carrying Lieut. Rowat was suddenly drafted information from place to place on into the 38th Battalion of the bicycles. Fortunately, he continued Canadian Expeditionary Force, to write to his parents regularly. made up of men mainly from the All his wartime letters were Ottawa area. The 38th had lost carefully preserved, and they troops heavily at the Battle of the provide a glimpse of a soldier’s life Somme on 18 November. Of its 18 in the First World War that I am officers, only one was able to avoid able to quote from here. I also injury, with 5 losing their lives. consulted his service record at Alex arrived at Le Havre, France on Library and Archives Canada.1 1 December and had the first chance Alex’s parents had retired near to practise his French. From the Montreal. His father had been the port, it was another two nights on minister of the Presbyterian church the train to an [unnamed] town of

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 21 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 20 thousand inhabitants, about 12 officers and men, paying them, and miles from the Western Front, and censoring their letters home. yet where “guns could be plainly What had the greatest impact on heard.” him was having to read the letters Almost written by the men, especially the immediately, married men, expressing feelings Lieut. Rowat that perhaps had never been was made expressed before, because the war “an attached had “awakened them to a sense of infantry appreciation of blessings and officer” to comforts they had enjoyed for so the British many years.” Also striking was “to 182nd think that love lies in the hearts of Imperial perhaps the roughest class of men Tunnelling in the British Army.” Company for Two other experiences made a four months, lasting impression on Alex. The first taking with was witnessing “an armistice for the him a relief duration of two hours for the detachment collecting of the dead.” The other Figure 1: Thomas of 30 men took place on Christmas Eve, Alexander Rowat in 1916 from the outside a small church, waiting for Source: author 38th. The Midnight Mass to finish: tunnellers had been in France for a year, building tunnels and dugouts I could see the flash of the big guns under the trenches. several miles distant light up the sky, and brighten the outside walls The tunnellers, mainly coal miners of the church, and it seemed a and mining engineers, worked in strange paradox, the service eight-day “tours,” with four nights celebrating the birth of Christ who in the trenches and four nights back came heralded by the angels who in billets. Travelling to the trenches sang “Peace on Earth” etc., and the or dugouts took about four hours, flash of the heavy artillery seeming first by truck, then on foot, with the to mock the word “Peace.” final hour in the dark, in a commun- The Christmas Day events ications trench. The daily pay was concluded with an evening concert five francs, about $1.10, with “at which I am to recite The passbooks issued for record- Shooting of Dan McGrew by Robert keeping. Service.” As an orderly officer, Alex’s duties included arranging billets for the Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 22 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 For his final month with the One realizes what it is to face being tunnellers, he became responsible snuffed out. I was in a salvaging for the loading of materials onto party in No Man’s Land, i.e. what small railway cars, which were was No Man’s Land before we made pulled by mules to the trenches. the advance, and it simply passes description. Green water filled shell This meant seven-mile trips each holes so close it is almost impossible way on a motorcycle. to walk through the place, dead Lieut. Rowat rejoined the 38th men’s bones, men who had died Battalion on 17 March 1917; by 29 when out scouting, no doubt, before March he had experienced “the four the advance, and killed, and perhaps no one knew about it, or perhaps hottest days of my life. The artillery they were unable to get the body in. bombardments were terrific, and There is one mine crater which I the talk was that there were more think will remain as long as the guns than at the Somme.” Safety earth remains. It must be two was down a “funk-hole, a place hundred or more feet across at the about thirty feet underground, a top, and at least a hundred feet regular mine, in fact, where it was deep. Thousands of pounds of impossible for any shell to explosives were used to blow it, and penetrate.” He was very soon back it looks like what I imagine a at the Front, coming out three days volcano crater looks like. before the successful first advance In his letters there are several at Vimy Ridge on 9 April. recurring subjects, but none more common than leave. “There are only Two days after the advance, he two things we look forward to here, wrote: i.e. going out of the trenches at the I was not in that “show”, but my end of a tour, and leave.” At that Battalion was. We Canadians were point, Alex had been with the two very proud to see in the papers that battalions for seven months, and the victory is considered one of the had his hopes dashed again and greatest in the war, and that the Canadians are greatly responsible again. Visiting relatives in Scotland, for it. or seeing Paris, were plans; or going anywhere He remarked on the sight of 500 prisoners of war being marched I could have a little tennis to keep me in exercise, and bathing, and along the road, “mostly quite happy, resting, and good sleeps between as the war had ended as far as they real sheets. We get sleep only in are concerned, and they will be snatches up the line, and then one well-treated.” gets so that sleep is impossible Another experience also left its almost. The loss of, and irregular sleep has a sort of nervous strain on mark: one.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 23 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Weather was another major Major T.W. McDowell (an officer in concern, particularly during the the 38th who had won a Victoria winter. By the end of February, the Cross), which “brought tears to the troops had endured the longest cold eyes of strong men;” plus a spell in France in 25 years. Snow valedictory parade for Sir Julian was “falling nearly every day,” as of Byng, the Commanding Officer of April 11. “It is very surprising what the Canadian Corps. an effect the weather has on a By mid-June 1917, activity along the person’s spirits.” front line had increased, and the The Vimy Ridge advance had moved men of the 38th were back in the the front line two miles ahead, to trenches, doing “line duties.” In a what had been German territory letter, Alex expressed the thought since the beginning of the war. The that “we look and long for peace, 38th Battalion had been reorg- but at the same time feel that, anized, with six officers now although it is sure to come sooner assigned to each of four companies: or later, it may come too late for us the Officer Commanding, the second individually.” However, in other in command, and one for each of the June letters, he wrote that the four platoons. By the end of June, there would be 1,004 men in the battalion. A former German dugout became the headquarters for “D” Company, where Lieut. Rowat was the acting Company Commander. Thirty feet down a winding staircase, to his amazement, he found a piano in an elaborate structure, with a beamed ceiling! Tours in the trenches continued in late April and May, then a two-week rest back of the lines in a reserve position. During early June, four “inspiring” and “dramatic” events took place: a military tattoo with nearly 300 pipes and drums; a presentation of decorations for “conspicuous gallantry,” with the Figure 2: Lieut. Rowat’s headstone in Villers Station Cemetery, France circumstances described; an Source: The War Graves Photographic Project “impressive ceremony” honouring Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 24 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 “spirit of the boys is wonderful,” made pilgrimages there, as has his and that he had seen an American great-nephew. officer. “It shows they mean business.” For three days beginning 26 June, the 38th Battalion met stubborn resistance, suffering 250 casualties. Sadly, Lieut. Alex Rowat was among them. According to a Circumstances of Death report, Lieut. Rowat was in command of our “D” Company during the operation which resulted in the capture of La Coulotte and Avion. He had done very fine work, and while at his Company Headquarters on the 28th June, just after a successful advance by his Company, he was instantly killed by shell fire. The tributes began immediately, with their Chaplain noting that “by his winning way, he had succeeded in becoming one of our most popular officers.” Others came from friends and colleagues, one writing “a man in the best sense of the Figure 3: National War Memorial, Ottawa word,” and another, “a strong arm Source: Dr. David Rowat to assist, or the kindly word to In Canada, Great-Uncle Alex is cheer and advise.” remembered by a brass plaque in In France, Lieut. Rowat’s body rests Athelstan Presbyterian Church. He in Villers Station Cemetery, in the was one of five members of that hamlet of Villers-au-Bois, 10 community who did not return from kilometres north of Arras. The the war. A remarkable number of 21 cemetery contains the graves of young residents had volunteered. 1,207 Commonwealth soldiers, of Students in McGill’s Faculty of Law which 1,009 are Canadian, most of are reminded of his sacrifice with whom served in the Battle of Vimy the awarding of the Thomas Ridge. It is a peaceful setting, Alexander Rowat Prize, given in surrounded by pasture land. His perpetuity by his brother, Donald. two brothers and a sister have all

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 25 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Lastly, every Remembrance Day, May the generations to come Lieut. Rowat’s great-nephews and continue to remember him. nieces in Ottawa read his letters Reference Note again; in 2008, three also made the 1 “Soldiers of the First World War: effort of staying out until the small 1914–1918,” RG 150, Accession hours of the morning to see his 1992–93/166 Box 8506-20, Library name projected onto the National and Archives Canada, Ottawa. War Memorial. ©2014 Andrew Billingsley

John Henry McVittie: Before, During and After World War I

BY BRIAN LATHAM

Brian Latham, a retired civil servant in Yellowknife, NT, spends his time researching his family, skiing, volunteering and walking in Europe. This article is a revision of ”John Henry McVittie: from Dublin to Hilton Beach,” published by the Sault Ste. Marie & District Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, in Sault Channels, December 2011.

o my brother Gary and me, he way through the suitcase of photos was Uncle John. To our and papers I inherited from my aunt T parents and aunt, he was just Katie via her sister, my mother, John, but to the folks in 1920s and Mary Maxwell Tonner-Latham '30s Hilton Beach and Milford (1911–1998). The pieces began to Haven on St. Joseph Island, Ontario, fall into place as I learned how an he was “Mac.” His full name was Irish boy came to be buried in St. John Henry McVittie. John’s Cemetery in far-off little Hilton Beach, Ontario. But what was his life story? My childhood memories are a jumble of John Henry McVittie was born 24 references to Dunnville, Guinness, January 1889 at 60 Rialto Buildings, Cockburn Island, the North Atlantic, Dublin, Ireland, son of James Lake Nipigon, logging, hunting, the McVittie, a labourer from County Caufields and the Whichers. It was Cavan, and Rebecca Ievers.1 In 1903, time to put the pieces together. at the age of 14, he accepted a job in the shipping department of the The opportunity and impetus to do famous Guinness brewery, later that came as I finally worked my

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 26 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 telling us of memorizing all the Reserve station names in order on the as an railway from there north. ordinary stoker, or For an unknown reason, in 1912, he engine decided to leave for Canada, trying tender, in to book passage on the most a patrol modern of the White Star Line’s ship in the fleet, but he was too late and North reluctantly took a sailing arriving a Atlantic, week earlier.2 His disappointment sailing was short-lived when he learned out of that on 15 April 1912 his favoured Halifax.3 ship sank with 1,517 casualties, But from mostly in the steerage class that he then until could afford. It was the Titanic. the end of Figure 1: John McVittie He found work on a farm at December ca. WW I Attercliffe Station, Haldimand he was Source: author County, near Dunnville, Ontario. The assigned to similar duties on HMCS farm’s owner is unknown but it may Niobe, Canada's major or only East be more than a coincidence that the Coast warship, probably for 1911 census shows a Seneca training. Within a month, on 6 Township farm near this post office December, the SS Mont-Blanc, a worked by James Whicher [1869–?], French ship loaded with explosives, his wife Ella Kelly, [1868–1918], and the SS Imo, a Norwegian vessel five children and his parents, John picking up relief supplies for and Lucretia. The name Whicher Belgium, collided in the Halifax would figure greatly in John’s later Explosion. The blast caused huge life. He told us stories of fields of destruction, killed more than 1,600 corn tall enough to hide both a people and injured over 9,000. horse and plough. Honed here was the skill with a scythe I saw as he The Niobe, moored as a depot ship rhythmically mowed the small field apparently very close to the between Hilton Beach, Ont.’s war explosion at the Hospital Wharf on memorial, the creek by Ernie the north end of the Dockyard, Kitchen’s place, the hotel fence and suffered "serious damage," but John our summer cottage. was safe and may have assisted survivors onshore.4 The ship he World War I changed all that. usually served on, HMCS Margaret, On 2 November 1917 he joined the which was moored about 2 km Royal Canadian Naval Voluntary away from the blast, was only

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 27 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 lightly damaged and lost only two of Nevertheless, I recall a picture of a small ship on the wall above the television that might have been the Margaret. We did not keep it. And there was a story told frequently by his wife, my aunt, and my parents that his medals were stolen and sold by his wife's son. These have never surfaced and we didn’t know at that time what they were, whether they were Figure 2: HMCS Niobe engraved (so they could be Source: Wikipedia identified) or even where and when its crew, who had gone ashore. they had been sold, although we From 1 January 1918 he was part of guessed it would have been in Sault that ship's complement until he was Ste. Marie, Ontario in the early demobilized on 30 May 1919. 1950s.5 But what of his stories and However, two memories do come to recollections of his service? John mind, both on the negative side. I’m was a quiet, thoughtful fellow, not sure he mostly kept these to himself given to talking much about himself, or confided them only to his wife, probably because he'd spent many but in off moments they did come hours alone in a ship’s bowels. As a out. civilian, he could be lost in reading or while he built things, tended The first was the recognition he was engines or just pondered life and given for his service. He was in the the world around him. Royal Naval Canadian Voluntary Reserve, a "citizen navy" made up of For us, growing up some 30 years part-time volunteers who were after the fact in the 1950s and ‘60s, assigned to protect Canada’s coasts when our elders were trying to and to assist in the training of forget the Second World War, we Canadian Navy officers.6 John felt would hear very few tales of the that he was not given sufficient First World War from him and his credit by "true" navy sailors for part in it. Sadly, as children, we putting his life in danger by were not aware of how interesting patrolling the North Atlantic coast his life had been and did not ask of Canada while ships were being him about his time on the North sunk by the enemy. Atlantic. Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 28 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Secondly, as an Irishman, he was saddened and angered as much as I ever saw him by the fact that Ireland had provided assistance to the German military during one or both of the wars. As a loyal British subject and a proud Irish citizen, he could not understand how this could be possible, no matter how much the Irish government may have hated the English. If this did Figure 3: John in Milford Haven, 1930s occur in WW I, it may explain his Source: author late entry into the war. been.8 He had regrets but held no grudges. After leaving the naval reserve, John joined several others (Ed, C.H. and With the logging of the 1920s Wilf Whicher, Lillian Gatis, Kathleen behind him, he may have spent the Strapp, J.J. Tyson, WT Parke, and 1930s in Hilton Beach, Ontario, H.H. Bell) in 1921 by putting $1,500, working for fellow war veteran mostly his severance pay, into Albert Edward “Ab” Caufield (1893– shares of the Whicher Lumber 1970), an Island-born general Company of Colpoy’s Bay in the merchant who had married Hilda Bruce Peninsula. He added sweat Whicher, a.k.a. Annie Hilda (1903– equity by working for the company 1964) on 22 November 1922. John’s from 1920 to 1931.7 photo collection had mostly winter pictures in Hilton, which may He told stories of logging out of indicate that this was seasonal Milford Haven, St. Joseph Island, 1920s work too. I remember one of Ontario, often filling it shore to a snow plane in front of Ab’s store. shore with logs, while hunting deer Basically a propeller run by a Ford and other game on St. Joseph and car engine mounted on a skid, it was Cockburn islands in upper Georgian apparently designed and built by Bay. John, down to carving the propeller. But it was all for naught, as the Whatever he did in the 1930s, company was a casualty of the things were probably difficult and Depression; it was taken over by TL he began to look for outside work in Durocher and Company of Detour, the 1940s. In 1941, at the age of 52, Michigan. Although a director, John he was an oiler with the Abitibi was not at the final meeting on 19 Paper Company on the Orient Bay January 1933. His investment was tug booming in Lake Nipigon from gone and some said he was not May to December for $3.30 a treated as well as he might have Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 29 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 workday, plus board.9 Then in Sault entrepreneur in Hong Kong, retiring Ste. Marie an undated picture shows to Hollywood, California. After him with three others working for John’s retirement from Algoma, Wallace McLean, a heating contract- probably in 1954, Katie worked to or at 121 Brock St., while probably supplement his small pensions, first boarding at 24 Hughes St.10 at the small nearby Red & White market at Great Northern and Old Garden River Roads in Sault Ste. Marie, and then at Evelyn and Charles Sherk’s Store in Hilton Beach. John was a quiet, methodical fellow from an earlier generation—a frightening driver in his later years; short yet muscularly solid well into his seventies; a crack shot with shotgun or rifle. He was a jack-of- Figure 4: the Orient Bay crew, 1941 all-trades: from a mechanic who Source: author dismantled his 1951 Pontiac’s engine every year to a woodworker By 1943 he had obtained a job with who built or repaired our toys. He Algoma Steel in the electrical read Rosicrucian literature and the generation room and married (on Bible, quoted Shakespeare, sang 23 July 1943, in Sault Ste. Marie, parts of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Michigan) the 20-years-younger Pinafore and coaxed vegetables out Catherine Bell “Katie” Tonner of the unresponsive sand in the (1909–1981), who was divorced “back forty” of their lot. and had a teenaged son, Lawrence Stanley Wagner (1928–1977). Their A man content within himself, he sat lives were happy but frugal, living at down on the couch, as he regularly first 219 Walnut, Sault Ste. Marie, did, after supper one evening just then on the Great Northern Road on before Christmas in 1969. To a the lot later occupied by the Purple question from the kitchen by his Lantern Restaurant and finally two beloved Katie, he did not reply: his places in Hilton Beach, one beside life had ended in the same steady the old jail and the other beside the way he had lived it. old school. Thank you to Garry Bishop of the Despite their ages, for five years in St. Joseph Island Historical Society, the early 1950s, they fostered one Dennis Thompsett and Gary Latham of Katie’s grandsons, who became for memories and information an international advertising details. Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 30 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Reference Notes stretchers and any assistance we 1 Birth certificate, issued 24 January carried cases to what remained of a 1903 as a condition of work at stone jetty. . . Thirty cases were Guinness'. Birth registered in South conveyed in this manner to the City No. 1 district, Dublin, Ireland, No. hospital ship Old Colony. The whole of 3, 18 February 1889. In the author’s the rescue work was made difficult possession. owing to flames, smoke and falling timbers . . . At 2:45 all possible rescue 2 No ship's manifest found. Details are work had ceased in the vicinity of the from a passenger entry declaration to fire and I returned to jetty alongside Canada, St. John NB, 16 Apr 1920. SS Niobe. ” Source: Michael J. Bird, The Minnedosa p. 9, line 22 (ancestry.ca). Town That Died, London: Souvenir 3 Military records of JH McVittie, in the Press, 1962. author's possession. A map in an interesting and frank 4 The Nova Scotia Maritime Museum's private study of the event (www.svp webpage "Ships of the Halifax productions.com/halifaxexplosion/ Explosion" (https://maritimemuseum. blastcloud1.html) shows the dock- novascotia. ca/research/ships-halifax- yards but not the location of the Niobe. explosion) says the HMCS Niobe, a The location of the Margaret, "Pier 2," depot ship at the Hospital Wharf at the is one to two miles from the blast site. north end of the Dockyard, suffered 5 His service record states that he serious damage. Several crew, includ- received the War Badge, Class AA No. ing the entire pinnace (shore launch) 3310, awarded 9 March 1921, and the crew were killed and the surviving Victory and British War Medals, crew assisted ashore. awarded 4 September 1924. The CBC’s story (cbc.ca/Halifax 6 For a history of the Royal Canadian explosion/he9_textonly/he3_devastati Naval Voluntary Reserve, see Gimblett, on.html) said, “When the fire broke Richard H, and Hadley, Michael L, eds, out on Mont-Blanc, [Niobe and Citizen Soldiers: Chronicles of Canada’s Highflyer] sent a small boat and crew Naval Reserve, Toronto: Dundurn to investigate and help. No one knew Press, 2010. The Margaret is shown on what Mont-Blanc carried. They joined p. 14. the . . . tug Stella Maris as they tried first to fight the fires, and then to tow 7 Personal files of JH McVittie included a Mont-Blanc away from the wharf. The share certificate for 15 shares at $100 seven men from Niobe were never each, copies of the last two company found.” Of the recovery, Lieutenant annual meeting reports and a Sidney W. Baker, RNR, reported: “On recommendation from Ed Whicher for landing I received orders to employ the 1920–31 period (probably written my division in rescue work which in the 1940s). comprised clearing debris and 8 Ralph Nelson memoirs on the St. extracting bodies from ruins. Many Joseph Island Historical Society cases were badly injured and survived website (http://freepages.geneal minutes only. With improvised ogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~island Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 31 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 bishop/sjhs.htm): "John Lemcke got of Hilton. There are many misspellings out of the Co. before he lost his shirt of Lemcke in the records. but two other fine gentlemen didn't 9 J.H. McVittie's Abitibi employment fare so well, Harry Bell and John contract, in the author's possession. McVittie." Note: John Lemcke’s (1884– ?) sister Sophia (1877–1963) married 10 Sault Ste. Marie city directories, Edmund Ernest “Ed” Whicher (1880– 1942–43, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1945– 1969) on 30 July 1902, in Grey County. 46. I question the accuracy of the Ed and Sophia were lifelong residents addresses after his 1943 marriage.

Techniques and Resources

The Cream of the Crop Top items from recent posts on the Anglo-Celtic Connections and Family Tree Knots blogs BY JOHN D. REID AND KEN MCKINLAY “Art from war— Alexander descendants of Grewan Grant, WW I soldiers Reginald Frank sought for St Mundy, and Paul’s commem- Harold George oration” is the Sadler, (all born in title of a news the U.K.) can item posted on easily be linked to the website of London’s St Paul's their attestation papers online at Cathedral at www.stpauls. co.uk/. Library and Archives Canada. The cathedral is looking for direct BIFHSGO President Glenn Wright descendants of 133 soldiers badly has identified some others on the injured during the conflicts as the list as Canadians: Hedley G. Brasnett Cathedral prepares to display a (born in Norfolk, England), Harold unique piece of embroidery, an altar Erskine Crosby, Harold L. Gibson, cloth that the men crafted for the Edward Hodder (born in Lough- cathedral. borough, England), William Oswald The cathedral has identified six of Hoodless (born in Lincoln, England), those as Canadian: Clark, Clay, Joseph Allan Lynas (born in Thorne, Eades, Grant, Mundy and Sadler. Yorkshire), James Ernest Muth, Four of these, George Eades, George Arthur Perry, Charles Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 32 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 William Russell, and Harold and dates, vessel name and Wallace. registration, and even deaths at sea. A little sleuthing found Malcolm Records are included for Miramichi, Muth, son of James Earnest Muth, New Brunswick (1828–1914); living in Port Dover. Reached by Richibucto, New Brunswick (1880– phone he told me his father was 1914); Saint John, New Brunswick injured several times, and had (1820–1914); St. John’s, mentioned having embroidered a Newfoundland (1820–1936) tulip for St Paul’s but thought the Halifax, Nova Scotia (1812–1889); tapestry had been destroyed in WW Sydney, Nova Scotia (1820–1914); II bombing. Pictou, Nova Scotia (1820–1914); Windsor, Nova Scotia (1849–1914); Making that connection provided a Yarmouth, Nova Scotia (1840– sense of satisfaction. If you know of 1914); Charlottetown, Prince a relative of a Canadian soldier by Edward Island (1787–1914). Those one of those names who was included are not just from Atlantic hospitalized in England during Canada; a wide variety of birth- WW I, check out the contact places are given: Canada 40,790; information at the St Paul’s website. England 32,686; USA 19,583; Seafarers of the Atlantic Ireland 13,769; Scotland 12,352; Provinces Wales 2,882. The new “Canada, Seafarers of the Canadian Genealogist Atlantic Provinces, 1860–1899” Magazine database from Ancestry comprises Between 1979 and 1988 the 282,032 records. The source is the Canadian Genealogist published 38 Index of Surnames from the Ships quarterly issues. These issues have and Seafarers of Atlantic Canada, a been digitized and placed online by CD-ROM, from the Maritime History the Ontario Genealogical Society. Archive, Memorial University of The PDFs can be downloaded from Newfoundland, in St. John’s. http://www.ogs.on.ca/services/ This index-only collection, contain- cdn_genealogist.php. ing records of crew members, masters, and ship owners for Saskatchewan, Probate Estate vessels registered in Newfoundland, Files, 1887–1931 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and BIFHSGO Secretary Anne Sterling Prince Edward Island, is fully was delighted to find files for two of searchable by name and other her family members among the particulars. The records include 41,261 records in this collection, birth and residence, rank, wages, recently added to FamilySearch. voyage departure and arrival places Indexed in partnership with the

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 33 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, (Finglas and St Margaret), the estate records contain loose Cappawhite, Carlingford, Carling- papers relating to the settlement of ford and Omeath, Carnaross, estates, including such matters as Castlebar, Castleconnor, Claddagh- provision for heirs (including minor duff (Omey and Ballindoon), Clifden, children) as well as distribution of Coalisland, Cooley, Crossmolina, funds, land and property. One of the Darver, Donaghmore, Easkey, Emly, files Anne examined had 100 pages. Golden, Golden and Kilpack, Many have over 30 images each; Inishboffin, Kilcloon, Kilcommon one for a deceased First World War Erris, Kilcurry, Kilcurry soldier I browsed had left only a (Bridgeacrin), Kilcurry (Faughart), military will and mentioned a Kilglass, Kill, Killala, Killursa, grandfather, cousin and the legal Kilmacshalgan, Knockmore and description of land owned. Rathduff, Lackagh, Lacken, Louisburgh, Louisburgh (Kilgeever), FamilySearch makes frequent Louth, Magherafelt, Malahide, additions to its collections: a Moneymore, Mountrath, Moy, Moy monthly average of four new or (Clonfeacle), Mullingar, Naas, updated databases for England and Portlaoise (Maryborough), Wales, and two for Canada, so far Rathangan, Rathvilly, Skreen and this year. Dromard, Summerhill, Termon- Irish Catholic Records maguirc, Tinryland, Tourlestrane, Ancestry, which seems to be on a Tourlestrane (Kilmactigue), Tullow, campaign to add Irish records, has and Westland Row. added Catholic confirmation, Information Wanted baptism, marriage and burial When our Irish ancestors records. In most cases these include immigrated to the United States and images of the original entry; some Canada they often lost touch with are transcriptions. their families in the old country. The 544,651-record database “Birth Between October 1831 and October and Baptism Registers, 1763–1912” 1921 the Boston Pilot newspaper is the largest. It includes the printed a “Missing Friends” column parishes of Addergoole, Allen, with advertisements from people Annacarty, Armagh, Aughrim, Backs, looking for their lost friends and Ballina (Ardnaree), Ballina relatives in the New World. Boston (Kilmoremoy), Ballinakill, Ballon College has created a searchable and Rathoe, Ballyadams, Bally- database of these 41,129 bricken, Ballyconneely, Ballyfin, advertisements, called Information Baltinglass, Bangor Erris, Belmullet, Wanted, at http://infowanted. Beragh, Caherlistrane (Donagh- bc.edu/. patrick and Kilcooney), Canice's Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 34 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 1939 U.K. National eight weeks. A second batch of Registration 3,987 digitized First World War unit A major announcement from DC war diaries from France and Thomson Family History (own Flanders is now online and available findmypast) and The National for tagging via www.operation Archives (U.K.) is of a joint project wardiary.org/. to make 40 million wartime British Genealogy à la carte Blog records in the 1939 Register Welcome Gail Dever, BIFHSGO available online. Once digitized, it is webmaster and speaker at our estimated that the collection will September conference, to the comprise almost 1.2 million blogosphere. Gail says that scanned full-colour images of "Genealogy à la carte is based on documents covering the entire conversations with friends over civilian population of England and lunch, coffee—and via email. It is Wales at the outbreak of the Second about family history news, World War. resources, trends, issues, education, The 1939 Register, taken on 29 and the occasional story, all from a September, contains the address, Montreal point de vue. While many full name, date of birth, sex, marital of the posts will be about Quebec status and occupation of indiv- genealogy, the focus of the blog will iduals, as well as changes of name. not be limited to Quebec." Although the Register is literally It's great to see the blossoming of within living memory for many family history blogs by BIFHSGO people, information about living members, each with a unique individuals will be kept closed for perspective: 100 years from their year of birth, or until proof of death has been Elizabeth Kipp's English Research authenticated. You can register to from Canada: kippeeb.blogspot.ca/ be kept informed of progress at Elizabeth Lapointe's Canadian www.1939register.co.uk/. Genealogy: genealogycanada.blogspot.ca/ Operation War Diary Ken McKinlay's Family Tree Knots: Crowdsourcing is becoming familytreeknots.blogspot.ca/ increasingly fashionable. The first and now part of a crowdsourcing project Gail Dever's Genealogy à la carte: between The National Archives, the genealogyalacarte.wordpress.com/. Imperial War Museums and Zooniverse saw over 10,000 people And let’s not overlook Al Lewis’ across the globe enlist to tag around website, bytown.net/, which he calls 50,000 names, places and activities “A Digital History of Eastern Ontario in 200 WW I war diaries in just and Western Quebec, Canada, Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 35 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 Including the Cities of Ottawa and an essential resource frequently Hull/Gatineau, 1600 to 2014.” It is updated. The Bookworm

BY BETTY WARBURTON

This is a revision Lloyd, Alan. The War in the Trenches of an earlier (the British at War). Book Club Bookworm Associates, 1976 (940.4144 LLO). column that As the author records the events on appeared in the the Western Front, he also describes Winter 2012 issue life in the trenches. of Anglo-Celtic MacDonagh, Michael. The Irish at Roots. Because the theme of the the Front. Hodder & Stoughton, current issue is World War I, it 1916. seems appropriate to print these suggestions again with a few Masefield, John. The Old Front Line additions. It should be noted that with an Introduction to the Battle of most of these books about the Great the Somme by Col. Howard Green. War deal with the British Army. Pen & Sword, 2006 (940.4272 MAS). It includes John Masefield's General Overview description of the battlefield after Bridger, Geoff. The Great War his tour in 1916, as well as Green's Handbook: a Guide for Family account of the battle along the Historians and Students of the Somme River. Conflict. Pen and Sword, 2009 (940.41242 BRI). If you know little Westlake, Ray. Tracing British about the conflict, this is the book Battalions on the Somme. Pen and for a good introduction. It gives the Sword, 2009 (940.4272 WES). Using reader an overview of events, the war diaries, the author summarizes structure of the British Army and the movements of each battalion of the meaning of some of the terms British regiments participating in used, such as "stand to," as well as the Battle of the Somme. describing sources to consult. Wolf, Leon. In Flanders Fields: the Histories of the Great War 1917 Campaign. Penguin, 1958 Tuchman, Barbara. The Guns of (940.431 WOL). August. Bantam Books, 1962 Cave, Nigel. Passchendaele: the Fight (940.444 TUC). A detailed account for the Village. Leo Cooper, 1997 of the events of August 1914. (940.4144. CAV). The author limits

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 36 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 his account of the fight for the Heron-Allen, Edward. Brian W. village of Passchendaele to the Harvey and Caroline Fitzgerald, eds. participation of the New Zealand From Sussex Shore to Flanders and the Canadian Corps. Fields: Edward Heron-Allen's Journal of the Great War. Heron-Allen Histories of Regiments describes in detail day-to-day Banks, T. M. and R. A. Chell. With the experiences in the stringent 10th Essex in France. Guy & conditions of wartime Britain, as Hancock, 1924 (940.414242 BAN). well as his experiences with the Ewing, John. The History of the Ninth Sussex Volunteer Regiment. (Scottish) Division 1914–1919. Naval McMillan, David. Trench Tea and and Military Press, 2009 Sandbags. R. McAdam, 1996 (940.4123411 EWI). (940.48171 MCM). A brief account The Home Front of the army service of the author's Grieves, Keith. Sussex in the First great-uncle in a Canadian Highland World War. Sussex Record Society, regiment during the First World 2004. The author uses a wide range War. of sources to describe life in Britain Spagnoly, Tony and Ted Smith. during the war. Salient Points: Cameos of the Kennedy, J. H. Attleborough in Western Front; Ypres Sector 1914– Wartime—1919. Archive CD Books 1918. Leo Cooper, 1998 (940.4481 Canada, 2008 (CD-ROM 001055). A SPA). history of the war and how it Aids to Finding Your affected a Norfolk town. WW I Ancestor Personal Narratives Holding, Norman. Revised and Arthur, Max. Forgotten Voices of the updated by Iain Swinnerton. Great War. Ebury Press, 2002 Location of British Army Records (940.48141 ART). Veterans from 1914–1918: 4th ed. Federation of Britain, Germany, America, Family History Societies, 1999 Australia and Canada were inter- (929.341 HOL). viewed about their day-to-day The library also has Holding's World experiences on and off the Front. War I Ancestry and More Sources of Bongard, Ella Mae. Eric Scott, ed. World War I Ancestry, which offer Nobody Ever Wins a War: the World more resources. Both are published War I Diaries of Ella Mae Bongard. by the Federation of Family History Janeric Enterprises, 1997 Societies and have the call number (94048171 BON). The diary of a 929.341 HOL. Canadian nurse who served in

France.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 37 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 National Roll of the Great War 1914– Swinnerton, Iain. Identifying Your 1918: London. CD Archive Books, World War I Soldier from Badges 2001 (CD-ROM 001034). If your and Photographs. Federation of ancestor lived in London, you may Family History Societies, 2001 find him here. (355.14 SWI). Raymond, Stuart A. War Memorials Tomaselli, Phil. Tracing Your Royal on the Web; Part 1, Southern Air Force Ancestors. Pen and Sword, England, the Marches and Wales. 2007 (929.1072 TOM). Federation of Family History Tracing Your Family History: Royal Societies, 2003 (011.77 RAY V. 1). Navy. Imperial War Museum, 1999 Raymond, Stuart A. War Memorials (929.1072 TRA). on the Web, Part 2: the Midlands, Wright, Glenn. Canadians at War Northern England and East Anglia. 1914–1918: a Research Guide to Federation of Family History World War One Service Records. Societies, 2003 (011.77 RAY V. 2). Global Heritage Press, 2010 (929.1072 WRI).

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 38 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 BIFHSGO News

Membership Report

BY KATHY WALLACE

BIFHSGO Members 9 Feb 2014–20 May 2014 Member No. Name Address 1548 Ona Anderson Nepean, ON 1651 Lynda Gibson Ottawa, ON 1652 John Byers Perth, ON 1652 Jocelyn Gordon Perth, ON 1653 Lynda Ann Muir Ottawa, ON 1654 Maureen Manningham Russell, ON 1654 Richard Manningham Russell, ON 1655 Dale Crichton Nepean, ON 1655 Tig Shafto Nepean, ON 1656 Richard Campbell Ottawa, ON 1657 Patricia Harvey Ottawa, ON 1658 Joan Mollon Mississauga, ON 1659 Neil Johnstone Gloucester, ON 1660 Suzanne Dawes Ottawa, ON 1661 Sylvia Hasbury Kincardine, ON 1662 Bill Horne Ottawa, ON 1663 Marianne Rasmus Ottawa, ON 1664 Susan Murdock Ottawa, ON 1665 Bruce Allen Ottawa, ON

Several resources for doing First World War research are available on www.bifhsgo.ca; go to “Research and Databases,” click on “Links to Online Resources,” and choose the category “Military Records.”

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 39 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 40 Volume 20, Number 2 • Summer 2014 BIFHSGO Board of Directors 2013–2014 President Glenn Wright 613-521-2929 Recording Secretary Anne Sterling 613-596-2955 Treasurer Marnie McCall 613-736-1101 Research & Projects David Cross 613-258-3934 Membership Kathy Wallace 613-746-6796 Communications Susan Davis 819-568-0081 Publicity Mary-Lou Simac 613-837-8256 Programs Jane Down 613-741-1463 Education Mary Donnelly 613-445-3432 Past President Mary Anne Sharpe 613-562-4570

Associate Directors 2013–2014 Editor Anglo-Celtic Roots Jean Kitchen E-newsletter Editor Christine Woodcock Web Managers Gail Dever Photographer Dena Palamedes Associate Treasurer Cliff Adams Publication Sales Brian Chamberlain Librarian Betty Warburton Queries Mary Anne Sharpe Voicemail Ann Adams Conference 2014 John Reid, Gloria Tubman Auditor (interim) Craig O’Blenis The Society The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) is an independent, federally incorporated society and a registered charity (Reg. No. 89227 4044 RR0001). Our purpose is to encourage, carry on and facilitate research into, and publication of, family histories by people who have ancestors in the British Isles. We have two objectives: to research, preserve, and disseminate Canadian and British Isles family and social history, and to promote genealogical research through a program of public education, showing how to conduct this research and preserve the findings in a readily accessible form. We publish genealogical research findings and information on research resources and techniques, hold public meetings on family history, maintain a reference library, and participate in the activities of related organizations. Membership dues for 2014 are $40 for individuals, $50 for families, and $40 for institutions. Members enjoy four issues of Anglo-Celtic Roots, ten family history meetings, members-only information on bifhsgo.ca, friendly advice from other members, and participation in special interest groups.

BIFHSGO Calendar of Events Saturday Morning Meetings Library and Archives Canada 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa

13 Sept 2014 Preparing for a Research Trip to Scotland—Christine Woodcock will look in-depth at the records in the major repositories only available in Scotland that will help to move you along in your research. She will also discuss where to stay, planning an itinerary and discovering your own Scottish heritage. 11 Oct 2014 Assisted Emigration to Escape the Great Famine of Ireland—three terrible choices were open to Irish tenants: hope not to be evicted, go to the workhouse, or emigrate to Canada. Ann Burns will review the conditions they faced, whether staying or leaving. 8 Nov 2014 Who Was the Canadian Soldier?—Since 1919, historians have given us what seemed like a clear picture of Canada’s participation in the First World War. Dr. Jonathan Vance will describe this conventional wisdom and discuss how a return to the records of the Canadian Expeditionary Force is producing a dramatically different picture. Schedule 9:00–9:30 Before BIFHSGO Educational Sessions: check www.bifhsgo.ca for up-to-date information. 9:30 Discovery Tables 10:00–11:30 Meeting and Presentation 12:00–1:00 Writing Group For information on meetings of other special interest groups (Scottish, Irish, DNA, Master Genealogist Users), check www.bifhsgo.ca. Articles for Anglo-Celtic Roots Articles and illustrations for publication are welcome. For advice on preparing manuscripts, please email the Editor, at [email protected]. The deadline for publication in the Fall issue is 25 July 2014.