Did Not Survive War

Dear Mary DuBois,

Will you kindly accept my sincere sympathy and condolence in the decease of that worthy citizen and heroic soldier, Sargent Jacques DuBois, in the Battle of Passchendaele. While one cannot too deeply mourn the loss of such a brave comrade, there is a consolation in knowing he did his duty fearlessly and well, and gave his life for the protection of his country and the cause of Liberty. He served very well in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and he will be remembered. Again extending to you my heartfelt sympathy.

                                                                                                             Faithfully,

                                                                                               Major General Louis Lipsett
                                                                                                3^rd Canadian Division, CEF

I Meet Arthur Currie

To my one true love,

 Mary, how are you? How are the children? And the farm? You will not believe what has happened! I got the wonderful, exciting opportunity to meet General Arthur Currie! Yes dear, he is the great man who made the Battle of Vimy Ridge successful as he led the 1^st Canadian Division in the battle! But not only that, he is also the very first Canadian to command Canadian troops without any direction from the British army. He has served in many battles and has worked hard to achieve his position. Just meeting him inspires me to serve my nation and be prideful. He is my role model dear, I look up to him. Arthur Currie is truly an amazing, respectable man full with honour. I got to hear his tactful, strategic thinking as now we are getting ready for another battle soon to come. I promise you after our next battle I will be home to you and our beautiful children. I love you so much, Mary. Take care, I will write to you very soon.

 

Jacques DuBois 

 

 

Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

 

 

 

 

 

Battle of Vimy Ridge

My beautiful wife Mary,

I apologize that I have not written to you for a while. I am sure you know from the local newspaper that I was off fighting in the Battle of Vimy Ridge with one of the leaders as my very own General, Major General Louis Lipsett. We won! We captured the German army’s fort, a task that no other army from any nation could accomplish, but we did. Our General is very proud of our army and us. He led the 3^rd Canadian Division in Northern France over the La Folie Farm straight to Vimy. Splitting the Canadian divisions up and allowing them to attack separately was a very useful strategy used. It tired the enemy down as we crossed No Man’s Land. Thankfully, my friends and I managed to survive the chaos and the attacks. We stuck together, keeping our heads down, but moving forward. The casualty rates were high in this battle and many were injured but I’ve heard this battle will help a lot towards building Canada’s reputation worldwide. I know you will be very proud of me love, as I am of myself for the first time during war.

 

Jacques DuBois

 

 

 

Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/canadaww1/a/vimyridge.htm

Weapons

Dear Mary,

 

Our world is full of so much violence. Every day we are introduced to new, improvised weapons. Weapons that can kill more people in less time. Technology is definitely advancing but not in a positive way. We mainly machine guns in trench warfare or whenever trying to capture an enemy fort. They have an astonishing long rage firing rate, killing over 10 people per minute! They are also very useful if the enemy is crossing over No Man’s Land. That leaves rifles and pistols for battlefields. We are supplied with the latest version of these guns every now and then, each time a lighter, faster version. Rifle grenades are also often used in warfare; they cause all the explosions we hear commonly as we sit in the trenches. Now, we have even more operative weapons such as the tank. The tanks used before were very heavy and slow. The 3 men inside were deaf from the loud noise it made while firing and the force thrown back during firing shook the men’s bones. Now, the tanks are much more improved and bigger, carrying up to 8 men, but at the same time more comfortable. They also have better bodies that are immune to machine gun fire. As you already know Mary, chlorine gas is also used in warfare, and this colourless, poisonous gas is very deadly as you suffocate and are blinded easily. Thank God, they give us masks for protection. And don’t get me started on the torpedoes and submarines that are used in the sea! They blow up ships in minutes! I’ve heard many stories about them. U-Boats are scattered all around and prevent soldiers moving from one place to another by ship. I know Mary, it is all very fascinating but at the same time devastating. I can’t wait for this war to be over, I want to come back home.

Jacques DuBois

Sources:
Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor
http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/

 

 

Women's Role

To my dearly missed wife,

How are you doing love? And our daughter? How is she? Today, I developed a new image of looking at women. I see them in a more respectful manner and I am humble towards them. I have always loved you darling, but after hearing about the different jobs you are doing back home and taking care of the children, it only makes me proud to be your husband. So you have taken on two jobs? That’s great! It’s very surprising you are able to work in a munitions factory. I’ve always thought of you as so fragile darling, but you are much stronger than I expected. I’m sure a lot of women have taken on men’s tasks in the factories since all the men are out at war. I also heard you farm and harvest food for people serving in the army. That is quite understandable as our nutrition needs are growing as time passes. Your role is very vital in today’s society dear. Women here are also working very hard. They serve as nurses and tend to our needs. They are mentally as well as physically strong and it motivates us to keep going when we see them. Women are also serving in the Royal Air Forces! That is very amazing. I know that you wished to do Civil Service too, but you are tied down and must take care of our children. It’s alright Mary, what you are currently doing is enough and when our girl grows up and sees how much you contributed to the war, she’ll be astonished. I have also heard women are now allowed to vote! Wow, much as changed since I have been at war. I must go now, but please take care and don’t overwhelm yourself.

 

Jacques DuBois

 

 

 

Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

Women's Roles in the World Wars - Wikipedia

 

Medical Treatment

My Lovely Mary,

This war has compelled me to see things that one would only see in their nightmares. As the rate of casualties in our unit increased, I was assigned to help the stretcher-bearers transfer the wounded bodies of our soldiers to the nearby hospital. Some of the bodies were ones of my friends who had gone over No Man’s Land. It was sickening to see them suffering. If hell could ever be on Earth, this is it Mary. I saw my fellow boys with every type of injury one could imagine. They were wounded so severely! One’s flesh was cut so cruelly and deeply, you could see his veins and organs. Another had third degree burns on his back and spine I couldn’t imagine how he had survived so long. It was not easy to identify if an individual was dead or alive either. Some had to wait hours and days wounded and laying on the muddy ground until we got to them! We carried these soldiers to the casualty clearing station in the trenches or field hospitals nearby, one by one, which took hours. Many strong and respected women who were nurses handled the patients, tending to their needs all day long, urging them to keep fighting and to keep their heart beating. If the soldier has received basic medical surgery and his chances are looking good, they are later transferred to a larger base hospital usually by truck. The sanitation in the casualty clearing station is very, very poor. More soldiers here die of disease than of the injuries themselves. Most of these soldiers suffer from ‘shell shock’ where they are so psychologically disturbed that no one can help them except themselves. I think those individuals refuse to live anymore. Other very common diseases here are trench foot, trench fever, diseases from rats, and symptoms from poison gas. Trench foot is a painful infection caused by the muddy, cold water grounds in the trenches. Trench fever is caused by the lice. I am grateful I have not gotten anything close to this yet. I am also thankful that I have not yet experienced the horrors of ‘going over the top’. I don’t want to end up lying in these hospitals, Mary. Not before I come back home first.

Jacques DuBois

Sources:
Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/stories/the_age_of_the_mass/04.ST.01/?scene=5

Prisoner of War

My dearly missed wife,

How are you? I truly miss you so very much. I’m quite surprised I’m still alive but my fellow boys and I have fallen into a weekly routine. I’m used to the strong odour, the pests, the scarce food, everything. I am just thankful I am still alive. Today, we have captured some German soldiers. Surprisingly, our General has decided to put them to work. My colleagues have informed me that the German and British army has an agreement that no POW’s will be used at front lines. The soldiers we have captured will first be shipped off to Germany and then be assigned work and paid with a salary equal to how much a soldier of our own would receive. Most of the German soldiers captured are well treated in England. Some are sent to our home country in Canada. They will work around the Northern Ontario and Quebec region, building roads, railways etc. Unfortunately, our soldiers have also been captured by the German army and they are not treated as well as our prisoners of war. They are not given enough food, and mistreated. Some of them are starved! This way they are so weak, and the Germans expect them to work?! It boils my blood to hear such cruel things. But again, I must remind myself, at the end we are all humans and no one deserves to be punished.

 

Jacques DuBois

 

 

Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

World War 1: Prisoners of War - Wikipedia

Life in the Front Lines

To my darling,

I have just retired from the front lines and all I can say is that that experience has been utterly horrifying. Hell. That place was hell. I have never dreaded 48 hours more than I had in there. My fellow soldiers and I spent our times in fear and distress, as the realization dawned upon us that any second we could be issued to ‘go over the top’, over No Man’s Land. We were always on our guard in the front trenches, as we were always in danger of getting killed. Our enemy has a vast amount of supply of gas shells. I’ve heard what that gas can do, and it is not a pretty picture. Apart from the panic, it causes a lot of agony, as one is easily blinded from the heavy gas that sinks into our trenches. If the poisonous gas fills into one’s lungs, consider them dead. We never know when it’s coming either; with all the smoke from the gas flames, fires, and explosions, it could be easily mixed up. Mercifully, we have been handed out gas masks that we are to wear at all times for prevention. The worst thing in the front lines is not the mustard gas, the mud, the explosions, the pests.. it is the dead bodies of all the soldiers, who were once just like me. We all come from different places but we all serve the same purpose; to fight for our nation, for our people, for our country’s pride. All these people, they don’t deserve to die. My friend Marc was shot yesterday; he was commanded to pass No Man’s Land. His other friends have gone into shell shock, barely eating or communicating with anyone. In fact, many soldiers are in that depressing psychological state. All the talk that took place before is gone. You can’t blame them though, watching your friends die like that, anyone would be. Higher ranks call them cowards, I personally call them heroes. The generals don’t permit us to move the bodies yet. Although the odour and rotting of the cold, pale faces is unbearable; the bodies themselves still keeps us safe, acting as a shield, as we are still quite exposed to danger. I finally get to rest for four days in the reserve trenches before I am pulled up again to the supporting and front lines. I hope time can somehow slow down, delaying my duties in the front.

Jacques DuBois

 

 

Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/trenchlife.htm

Trench Warfare

My Dearest Mary,

Everything is gone. All that excitement and anticipation that had built up before arriving to our destination has now vanished into thin air. Two days. That’s all the time that has passed by so far in these horrible trenches. With full assertion, I can say that these days have been the most nightmarish time of my entire life. It is just so awful, I cannot think of where to begin. It rains quite often. It is raining now, and I must say I don’t appreciate the rain as much as I did back home. You see, the rain pours down to our trenches from above, mixing with mud as it floods our homes. It hammers against the rocks, the bodies, everything and anything that lies on the bare ground. Quite soon, it will reach our knees and once again I’ll wonder what would happen if it never stopped. Now that I think about it, I’m surprised I can hear the rain today. Usually, one can only hear the explosions and gunfire nearby, or the new aircrafts buzzing overhead. These sounds are so frequent that they are barely noticeable anymore. Love, if that sends shivers up and down your spine; imagine lice swarming all over your clothes and skin, sucking on blood, which fills them with life. That is exactly what is happening as I write this. I’ve already lost so much blood from the injuries in warfare, and I doubt I have any left in my veins. But those little pests just don’t understand, do they?  My fellow boys and I pick them out whenever we have time, usually in the sunlight. All our clothes are already infested by these nuisances. We know it’s no use, they’ll just keep coming back; it just gives us something to take our mind off of other things from. No wonder soldiers have short hair here. There is no need of any more infestations then what we are already dealing with. As if that’s not enough, we are also accompanied by rats that scurry around in these deep trenches in search of food. I know love you may be thinking, what food would they find down here? Food is quite scarce. However, they feed on the meat of the dead, lifeless bodies that surround us. These pale faces bring the realization that any one of them could be me. Two days, only 48 hours and my life has completely changed. It is now time to shift into the front trenches. I’ve heard many drastic stories about the front lines... I guess I’ll have to experience them myself now. Don’t worry though Mary, you know me. I’m quite strong, and I ain’t going anywhere without seeing your lovely face again.

 

Jacques DuBois

 

 

 

 

Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/trenchlife.htm

Propaganda

Dear Mary,

I have never felt so deceived in my entire life. Lies! All those posters back home consists of lies! Being recruited here, I have now finally realized this. The government has been using these posters and slogans to brainwash us into believing that serving for our nation brings exciting opportunities. I assure you they are very wrong. The grass is not always greener on the other side as they make it seem. The newspapers, radio, and posters that are spread all throughout the country are used to change our perspective of war and make us believe, have hope. I’ve heard from others that the common types of methods they use are plain folks, or ‘jumping on the bandwagon’. If everyone else is doing it, why shouldn’t I? That’s what one thinks when they see that poster. I’ve heard the government also uses something called, name calling, which arouses hatred in our blood towards the Germans. Honey, when I look at the German army during warfare, I don’t see monsters as I depicted from the posters. Instead, I see humans losing lives. We are all equal, so why are we fighting? My love, I have never felt more hopeless than I do now. It’s taking all of my will to keep myself together and trust myself to return to you. I love you, Mary. Please take care.

 

Jacques DuBois

 

 

 



Sources:

Canadians at War 1911-1918 By: Donald M. Santor

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/propaganda_and_world_war_one.htm

 

 

Enlistment

To my wonderful wife Mary,

I always knew a day would come where I would have to leave you and our beloved children. I promise I won’t be gone long; I will surely be back soon. There was absolutely nothing we could do anyways, our Prime Minister, Robert Borden was in a situation where he was compelled to pass the Military Service Act. After all the horrifying casualties and number of Canadian soldiers dead, no one would want to go to war and risk their lives. Therefore conscription was necessary. I realize that it was originally for single men, but as the need for more soldiers in the army increased, they had to extend the bill for married men as well. Of course, not everyone is forced to fight. We all undergo a medical examination first, which determines our health. No army wants a weak soldier. Another way to get out of conscription is if a recruit’s religion and beliefs are severely against war. I’ve heard of many men lying about their religion to get out of becoming a soldier. I bet that has created much chaos and a lot of riots back home. Take care of that darling, be careful. I am currently enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, the CEF. Our general, Major General Louis Lipsett, is quite ambitious I must say. He is a good man though. We are treated fairly, we are served meals daily, and mostly it is meat, vegetables and anything that helps build our strength. We are also served a lot of bread every day. I haven’t gone in the trenches yet but I’ve heard the food there is quite repulsive in comparison. I remember a few months back how the young men of our countries often lied about their age to get into the army. They were all so motivated to fight for our Nation, to explore the vast countries that lay outside our continent, and to meet new people. For them, this whole trip was an adventure, was it not? Eventually their thinking changed after the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme as they started to realize how dangerous and serious it actually is to join the army.

Jacques DuBois

Sources:
Recruitment to the British Army during the First World War - Wikipedia
http://www.canadahistory.com/sections/war/wwi/recruitment.htm