Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-08-07

dian FORCES. After my talk with MN
decided to 60 up to Canada and look
things over. I arrived at the Windsor
hotel, In Montreal, at 8 o'clock IN the
morning q couple Of days later, and at
10 o'clock that morning I was sworn
In as q private In the Canadian Grena-
der guards, Eightyseventh overseas
battalion, Lieutenant Colonel B. g.
Meighen commanding. They were just
getting under way. making soldiers out
Of the troops I enlisted with, and dis-
cipline was quite Lax.
They at once gave me q weeks leave
to come down to New York and settle
up some personal affairs. and over.
stayed It five days All that my COM
pany commander said to me when !
got back was that I seemed to have
picked up Canadian habits very quick
V. At review one day In our train
Ing camp heard major say:
"Boys. for Gods sake don't call me
Harry or spit In the ranks. Here comes
the generalT'
We found out eventually that there
was q reason for the slackness Of dis
cipline. The trouble was that men
would enlist to get $1.1O day with.
out working for 1t and would desert
as soon as any one made It unpleasant
for them. Our officers knew what they
were about. Conditions changed In.
stantly we went on shipboard. DiscL
pline frightened up on us like a tie rope
on q colt.
We trained In sort Of casual, easy
way In Canada from Nov. 4 to the fol-
lowing April. We had good deal Of
trouble keeping our battalion up to
strength, and I was sent out several
times with other "noncoms" on re-
cruiting detail. While we were In the
training camp at st. Johns I made the
acquaintance Of a young Canadian who
became my pal" He was Campbell
Mcfarland. nephew of George McFar-
land, the actor who is SO well known
on the American musical stage. he
was a sergeant. When first knew
him he was one Of the most delightful
and amusing young fellows you could
imagine.
The war changed him entirely. He
became extremely quiet and seemed to
be borne down with the sense Of the
terrible things which he saw. He nev-
er lost the good fellowship which was
Inherent in him and was always ready
20 do aNything to oblige me, but he
formed the habit of sitting, alone and
silent, for hours at time, just think
Ing. 1t seemed US If he had a Fremont
ton about himself, though he never
showed fear and never spoke OF the
dangers we were going into. as the
other fellows did. He was killed In
the Somme action in which ! was
wounded.
I also had been made sergeant on
account of the fact that / had been
at school in the Virginia Military In.
stitute-that is, l was an acting ser.
geant. It was explained to me that
my appointment would have to be
confirmed in England and then recon
frmed after three months service In
France. Under the regulations Of the
Canadian forces a noncommissioned
officer, after final confirmation In his
grade, can be reduced to the ranks
only by a general court martial. though
he can escape q court martial. when
confronted with charges, by revertine
to the ranks at his own request.
Forty-two hundred Of US sailed fol
England on the Empress Of Britain.
sister ship to the Empress Of Ireland.
which was sunk in the st. Lawrence
river. The steamer was, of course.
very crowded and uncomfortable, and
the eight day trip across was most un
pleasant We had tripe to eat until
we were sick of the sight OF It. A
sergeant reported one morning. Eight
men and twenty-five breakfasts alb
sent" There were two other troop
ships in our convoy. the Baltic and the
Metagama. A British cruiser escorted
us until we were 400 miles of the coast
Of Ireland. Then each ship picked up
q destroyer which had come out to
meet her. At that time a notice was
posted In the purser's Office informing
US that we were in the war zone and
that the ship would not stop for any
thing, even for man overheard. That
day q soldier fell OF the Metagama
With 500 in his pocket, and the ship
hever even hesitated. They left him
where he had no chance In the world
to spend bis money.