The Detroit times., 1916-05-23
COL. WIGLE
BACK FROM
THE TRENCHES
Continues ,ren Pas. o.e,

going back TO the trenches In spirit
aid recounting their tgaredies. Rath.
er. his thoughts were OF peaee.
IT'S great 10 meet a fellow from
home when you're in the trenches"
said the colonel. Yes, IL certainly
IL great. remember che day when
was leaving the trench and was
walking back toward the officers
billet when | heard shout and
SOME one called out, Hey. hello,
Ernie
II knew right away that II was
some one from home. and I'll tell
you that Ernie sure did sound good
I'd been called nothing but colonel
fer months, and when | heard my
name called in that old familiar way.
away OF there so far from old Wind
sor, well IL just felt mighty good,
that's ALL
lit was Lieut.. Archie Mcdonnell
who greeted me. haGnt seen him
since leaving Windsor. and We sat
down and had great chat togeth-
err"
Lieut.. Mcdonnell Is the son Of
the late S. s. Mcdonnell. former
mayor of Windsor.
Another day" Col. Wigie contin-
ued reminiscently. II ran into fell
low who came up to me and shook
hands and asked me II I knew him.
After a while, when We got to talk
ing discovered that he was an old
college chum Of mine. hadn't seen
him since 1888. when he both left
Trinity university. It's not such
big world afterall. Is it,"
The only time the colonel describ-
ed anything smacldng OF the grim
mer side OF tho war was when he
told Of the farmers blowing In the
fields in the vicinity OF the trenches,
witn shells falling around them.
IT saw one old fellow plowing
away In a field behind the trenches
when one of the big German shells
landed within a short distance OF
him tearing An immense hole In the
field. The old man simply turned
around. looked calmly In the direc-
tor Of the hole, then placidly re
sumed his blowing. They are get
ting so used TO them that they don't
pay any attention to the shells any
more, although occasionally che OF
them Is picked OF.
Illustrating the truly human side
of life in the trenches, Col. Wigle
brought back with him a picture of
two gray cats that had llven with
hiin II. his dug-out. The picture was
painted in water colors by Capt. V.
I. Pimm, at Essex man. and was
done in the lull between battles.
There is a picture Of my two
trench pals" my little mascots,
Tommy and Jenny" said the colonel,
indicating the cats. They've been
my companions ever since last No
vember, and I've grown to Ike EN-
40 well that I wouldn't take a hum
dred dollars for either Of them.
Now. Tommy, there-vhy I've
got him trained so that he VIII jump
off a shelf Il feet away and land on
nv shoulder. And ever since got
EN- I didn't have a mouse or rat
In my trerch.
Just think OF II. away out there
In the trenches, in the middle OF
cannon FIRE and smoke and destFuc-
ton. and here a man, a man from
home, by tina way, sits down ana
paints that picture. Why, wouldn't
take $500 for IT, spent an hour
every night training those kittens
and they knew me 80 we'll they
could tell I was coming halfa-
block away
Col. Wiele said that his son
Douglas. who IL with the battalion.
was in good spirits when he left.
Other Canadian. particularly Wind.
sor boys, he mentioned were Ken
meth Mckay. son OF J. 4 Mckay,
publisher OF the Windsor Record,
who IL sick in a French hospital
from nervous shock; Lieut.. James
Baxter, son OF r. J. Baxter, OF Wind
sor. sick IN tho hospital from ex.
haustion, and Walter Cow. Toronto
attorney, brother Of Alexander and
DR.. James Ccw. OF Windsor, officer
in the Nineteenth battalion Youn;,
Mckay, he said. had distinguished
himself for bravery ard clever scout
ing service. Lieut. Baxter also hal
done fne work.