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Elgin Regiment - Lads from World War 1
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1914
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Location
- C8 Sh4 B1 F1 178
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Creator
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Description Level
- Item
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 105
- Storage Location
- C8 Sh4 B1 F1 178
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1914
- Series
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds - Elgin Regiment file
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 25 cm
- Scope and Content
- Black and white photograph used in St. Thomas-Times Journal article published September 12, 1953 with caption: "The Lads Who Answered the Call to Arms at the Outbreak of World War 1 - Here is a picture that will bring back memories to many of the older residents of St. Thomas, as they study the faces and recognize friends and acquaintances. The men in this photograph, taken in front of the Elgin County courthouse, off Wellington street, early in August 1914, were members of area volunteers for the 1st Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, many of whom made up the original First Battalion sent from Canada in the First World War. All those wearing uniforms and helmets, in the two front rows, were members of the old 25th Elgin Regiment, who volunteered for active service, shortly after the outbreak of war. The Times-Journal is obliged to William Wall, 15 Beverly Street, St. Thomas, for the loan of this rare old photograph. Mr. Wall very recently retired on pension from the blacksmithing department of the New York Central shops. He appears sixth from the left in the front row in the photograph. Allan Chapman, retired letter carrier, may be seen, fourth from the right in the front row. Among the many other St. Thomas men who probably will be recognized are Sid Chamberlain, with the Public Utilities Commission for many years; Fred Hall, formerly in the M.C.R. shops, now with the London Life in London, Ont., and William Madison, a veteran of the M.C.R. car shops. A day or two after this picture was taken, the company left for Valcartier, for intensive training. Some of them failed to survive the grind; the others went overseas to take further training in England and were actually in overseas service on February 7, 1915. Mr. Wall suffered critical wounds in the lower parts of his body at the Battle of Givenchy, in December, 1914. His wounds took him out of active service for the remainder of the war and necessitated many long months of hospitalization. With him the day he was wounded was Lieutenant George Metcalfe of St. Thomas, the officer in charge of his company. Lieut. Metcalfe was fatally wounded at the same time. "We were walking close together over a mine-field when a land mine let go," Mr. Wall related. "Poor George Metcalfe really got it that day. He was almost blown to pieces." There are many men in this old picture who Mr. Wall has found it difficult to recognize. Some of them had been sent here from other parts of the district."
- The original 1953 caption from the St. Thomas Times-Journal was wrong: the photograph date is 1914, not 1917. Also, it is area volunteers for the 1st Battalion, CEF, not D company of the 14th Platoon.
- Name Access
- St. Thomas (Ont.)
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins)
- Elgin Regiment
- Subject Access
- Newspapers
- Military
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