Private Peat

ve been through it with the Boers, and here's one

was old enough, boys," said he, "I'd go. Look at young

hree months, as they said it would, or five years, as I thought it would, knowi

Edmonton, Alberta. War had been declared ten days before, and there had been a ca

er all, is some risk, and quite an undertaking as well. But I had lived at the McLellens' for years and knew y

d just declared his intention rather positively, so I was

doctor first. I'm pretty sure I can ge

me, said, "I can imagine almost anything in t

Ken," I replied, and with t

doing, as word had just come from Ottawa to stop recruiting. It was on the twenty-second of Aug

he "once over" while

l around the chest

, have a

you." That was disappointment number two. I walked out and reported to Bill

hest or no chest. Before morning I had evolved many plans and adopted one. I counted on my appearance to put me through.

nother try. At twelve-thirty I was seated on Major Farquarhson's veran

ppeared, "but I'm sure you would pass

snapped

y the Germans in Belgium, and my mother and siste

ld the major speak to me in French? I

arquarhson replied, as he walked into the house,

ill-Bill Ravenscroft-and m

loomin' war will be over in three months." Not alone was this Bill's opinion, or that of the men o

l and out, we are taught what WE can do, and not what the other fellow can do. This belief in our

adian men to the mobilization camp at Valcartier, in answer to the first

eling of pride came over me, and I am sure over all the boys on that eventful Thursday night, August 27,

aphazard, motley, rummy crowd, we might have been classed for anything but soldiers. At least, we

those women, those mothers, dream that this was the last look they would have at

nton, but from every city and town in Canada

e townsfolk declared the day a public holiday, and Chapelou in Northern Ontario, where we had our first parade of the trip. There was a tremendous crowd to meet us here, a great concourse of peopl

ve the command. Such a feat, o

t, Sergeant,"

and the sergeant raved. Finally our captain straightened us out

anything but a pleasant one. My body was black and blue from lying on the hard boards, and I was eager, as was ever

ht: tents everywhere one looked; all around little white marquees. I said to Bill, "Is this the regular trai

camp of this size in such splendid shape in so short a time. We were finally settled in our quarter

ly. Of course I did not know an "assembly" from a mess call

n a horse. Bill said he was the colonel. He ma

e ... "but we are unorganized, and w

, "What's a non-com

ant it. "A sergeant, a corporal-a

ary experience fall out," commanded the col

litary experience, Bill?"

"We'll just stay here and ma

iers yet. When the adjutant came around, he gave me a look as much as to say: "That kid certainly has got a lot of nerve." He off

med. Not only in our own battalion but nearly anywhere in the regiment almost anybody could have been a non-commissioned

soldiering, after all, was no snap. There was the d

econd is the mail-call. The call that annoyed me most at first was "reveille." I had been used to getting up at nine o'clock in the morning; rising now at five-thir

t when we got tea, pork and beans, and a slice of bread. From eight to twelve saw us forming fours and on the right form companies. From twelve to half past one mor

And we were all very enthusiastic, there is no doubt about that. Soon we began to realize that

ration. Scene from the Phot

enemy calls the Canadian a "Souvenir Hunter."

Colonel Sir Sam Hughes ... the then minister of militia for Canada. We had about three miles of continuous rifle range; and good ranges they were, considering they were

and our badges, and had been given a number, and instructe

not very long before those little "somethings" which are no respecters of persons, be he private, non-com, commissioned officer or general, found their way into the camp. I'

g that we made a bonfire out of it one bright September night, and found it more entertaining as a conflagration tha

examination, but could not get out of the inoculation. We were promised three shots in the arm, but after the first I resolved

. The excitement certainly told on some of the boys. In my regiment no less than nine, I guess they were ex-homesteaders, went "nutty."

was sure funny the way some of the boys looked when they first put them on, for many of them got the lower part of t

le. However, before many days the majority of us were ready to vote for puttees permanently, as they proved warmer,

salute to the Duke of Connaught, who was accompanied by Sir Sam Hughes. After this

e leaving for the front to-day," but when the next day arrived we were still leaving. I sent my mother six telegrams on six different

that was about right. Physically we were perfect; morally, we were as good as the next, and, taken all in all, there were no better shots on earth. Equipped to the minute, keen as hu

eastern coast of Canada, where we joined the other transports. Here thirty-two ships with as many thous

hree long lines. Each ship was about a quarter of a mile from her companion ahead or behind, and guarded on each side by cruisers. I have mem

nd Lancaster. The transports were in Line Number One: S.S. Manatic, Ruthenian,

Tyrolia, Tunissian, Laurentic, Milwaukee; Line Number Three: The Scotian, Arcadian, Zeela

population to draw on, had made a world record in sending the greatest armada that had ever sailed from one port to another in the history of man. Personally, I felt very proud because of the thirty-three thousan

were a long time crossing, because the fastest transport had to cut her speed down to that of the slowest, and the voyage was anything but