NUMBER 52 JANUARY, 1951 25c PER COPY inuary, 1951 THE FORTY-NINER Telling The World About ALBERTA The Department of PUBLICATIONS Economic Affairs prepared by the maintains many important services Publicity Department that combine to provide essential services for the industrial and cul- DEPARTMENT OF tural development of Alberta. ECONOMIC @ FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHIC BRANCH AFFAIRS supplying pictorial matter to illustrate newspaper and magazine articles on Industrial Newsletter Alberta. @ CULTURAL ACTIVITIES Annual Oil Review BRANCH Within Our Borders to stimulate interest in the fine arts in particular and recreation generally. The publicity department @ IMMIGRATION BRANCH maintains close co-operation to look after the screen of applicants, with all government depart- welfare of immigrants, etc. ments on advertising- and ^ INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT publicity with a view to in- AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH forming the public of Gov- BRANCH ernment activities and pub- for the purposes of solving technical licizing the province through- problems relating to industries coming to out the world. Alberta. And other services include PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE @ AGENT GENERAL IN LONDON @ PUBLICITY BUREAU ^ SOUTHERN ALBERTA BRANCH @ALBERTA TRAVEL BUREAU DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS HON. A. J. HOOKE, RALPH R. MOORE, Minister Deputy Minister. The Forty-Miner Number Fifty-Two EDMONTON, ALBERTA January, 1951 EDITORIAL comd. on his task, he set off to pick up his men and begin the long, dusty march back to the coast. We are pleased to publish the following I noticed that he was limping slightly and suspicious, editorial by Brigadier R. S. Malone, O.B.E., I called him back and told him to take off his E.D., Managing Editor of the Winnipeg Free boots. His socks were sodden with blood. The salt Press. At one time Brigadier Malone was Bri- water during the wade ashore followed by the gade-Major of the Second Infantry Brigade heavy day's march had lifted the skin from the which was the formation in which the Loyal entire sole of his foot. He had accepted the order, Edmonton Regiment fought in World War II. however, with no word of complaint and protested ' It offers some timely advice on the manner of violently when I suggested calling Col. Jefferson our international thinking in these days of for a replacement. That we were finally able to stress. lift his platoon on a couple of tanks back to the coast is incidental@the typical Edmonton spirit, DON'T DISCOUNT TRADITION is the fact that remains in memory. The privilege of contributing to the "Forty- That a unit can only be good when it has good Niner" holds a great temptation for a former officers and NCO's is well established. It is perhaps member of 2CIB ... a temptation to yarn over not out of place to suggest that if the spirit and that time at Brighton or Eastbourne (who shot tradition of the Edmonton's is to be maintained, down the FW-190) or 'at Inveraray, Leonforte, there must be a continuing intake and training of Campobasso, Ortona, et al. A traditional claim, junior officers and NCO's of the proper calibre. however, is that veterans are prone to think too Surely this can be, in part, a responsibility of the much in terms of past wars rather than study the Association. r present. One also hears these days the old prediction By the time. "Forty-Miner" goes to press, the that infantry has had its day. The air force, rockets outlook in Korea may be improved ... let us and atom bombs are making it obsolete. How often hope so. At this writing, however, it raises shades have we heard that the enemy defences would be of a Christmas six years ago when Von Rundsted so flattened by preparatory bombardment that we sent our forces hurtling back from the Ardennes. could simply walk over their positions. Even at Certainly, it is a gloomy prospect for 1951 and the Somme and Passchendaele, this legend was cur- perhaps fitting to consider briefly the purpose and rent. The artillery were to do the whole job then constructive value of such groups as your Regi- single-handed@as was the air force during 1939-45 mental Association. @and even more recently in Korea. Yes, in the past we heard Air Marshal Harris predict that with True our Regimental Associations perpetuate 1000 bombers a night over Germany the war would comradeships that were welded under the severest tests and'their existence is more than justified on end in six months. Or in Douhet's "Command of the grounds of goodwill and good fellowship. Let the Air"@how that air power would force nations us consider though the more active values possible to capitulate even before armies and navies could be mobilized. More recently Seversky in "Air Power in our associations. @Key to Survival" tries to perpetuate the myth of Few soldiers had a greater concept of Regimental complete victories by air alone. tradition than the late Lord Wavell, gained through No, unfortunately, the days of the Infantry or years of campaigning in all parts of the world. of the Loyal Edmontons are not numbered. We will Speaking in 1949 at the London School of Econ- not secure peace in our time by air alone nor by omics, he had this to say: "There is a tendency in unsupported debates at United Nations. some quarters nowadays to discount the value of Infantry tactics, weapons and organization may Regimental tradition. It will be disastrous for the change. They may be transported by means not British Army if it ever succeeds. Any soldier of yet visualized and be supported by vastly different experience can tell you of how pride in his regiment, weapons of science but there is still a task ahead engendered by knowledge of its history and tradi- for the Edmontons, even should it be found in tions, can carry a man through difficulties and preparedness alone. dangers that he would have hesitated to face with- Should diplomacy prevail in our present Korean out its inspiration." problem@should even a temporary respite be gained This is by no means a new thought. An historian from the threat of World War III@we cannot now of ancient Greece put it this way: "Of all the afford to delay our preparations. forces which are of influence in war, the spirit of A state of readiness will be the major factor the warrior is the most decisive." in preventing a general conflict. In the prospect The spirit of the Edmontons during the last that we may yet again be lulled by phoney peace war is too widely recognized to really require any appeals and the false resolutions of peace councils elaboration here. But oddly enough, one passing @I will close with a quotation from an ancient incident in Sicily, of little consequence, seems, to philosopher in 1650: typify the Edmonton spirit particularly in my mind. "My son, do not fear to be strong because Shortly after the landings at Pachino (yes., the men have ta'en oath to be mild, For the arm that temptation to reminisce), units of the 2nd Bde. can fell the great bull can uphold the faint form were some 20 miles inland when an order was of a child. If they say, 'Oh my brother, be still, received for a detachment to return to the beaches lo! the world shall let blood nevermore', do thou and clear out a coast defence battery on our left answer, 'So be it' and place fifty thousand more boundary. Chris Vokes called for a platoon from pikes in store!" the Edmontons. After I had briefed the platoon @DICK MALONE. 3 January, 1951 THE FORTY-NINER Brig. E. B. Wilson, O.B.E., E.D., Forty-Nimw Rejoins Army Edmonton, Alberta. Raoul Esmonde, 5405 107 street, clerk at the Dear Ernie@ court house, is returning to service with the Can- Last October, Bill Stillman asked me about doing a piece for the magazine of your Regimental adian army with the rank of major, Mr. E'smo'nde expects to go to Calgary as an instructor. He has Association to which I agreed. He asked me to forward the piece direct to served Hi years in the active forces in two wars you by December 1st. Although I am a few days and 25 years in reserve units. In 1915, at the age of 15, Mr. Esmonde joined behind schedule, I hope the enclosed will meet your the 49th. He served with it overseas, originally as needs ... if not, chop it down or if not suitable, a bandsman, until .1.917 when he transferred to the chuck in the waste basket. Royal Flying Corps. He was discharged as a lieuten- It has been a tremendous long time since we ant in 1918. Between wars he served with militia have met but do hope all is going well with you. Thinking of the Edmontons brings back memories units. In 1939 he was called to active service and was of many damn good friends. Only wish I had a posted to Currie Barracks at Calgary as an instruc- chance to see a few of them more often. tor. He served there throughout the war and at- Please give my regards to any who might re- member me and best of luck at the next reunion tained the rank of major. In 1946 he was discharged to the supplementary reserve and last June was of your Association. taken on strength of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. Regards, @DICK. Three Boer War V.C.'s Honoured REGIMENTAL MEMORIAL CHAPEL Loyals Colours Rested Viscount Alexander unveiled a memorial plaque In the Editorial of June, 1950, in "The Lanca- on a 12-pounder gun last November.