Corporal Earlby Gordon Shannon

Corporal Earlby Gordon Shannon

868015

Born 1896 Islington, ON

Killed in Action, Aug 8th, 1918 at Amiens

At the tender age of 20, for Earlby Shannon it appeared that all the cards were falling in place for him. He recently graduated from Humberside Collegiate (located just north of High Park in central Etobicoke/Toronto) Humberside Collegiate. Right out of high school he landed a job as a banker at the Union Bank (now RBC). To top it off he was in the service of his country with the 12th York Rangers. A bright future awaited the young lad. Then...as the war reached out and touched every town and village in Canada, it reached out and touched young Earlby. On Feb 25th, 1916 he travelled out to Whitby to put his name to paper and enlist in Lt. Col Cockburn’s newly formed 182nd Battalion.

While he did enlist as a Private when he joined the 182nd, his sights were set on a leadership position in the Canadian military. This was represented by him passing the qualification exam to earn his stripes as a Lieutenant (Oct 28th, 1916). However, possibly due to glut of officers, it can be surmised that Earlby elected to forgo seeking out the commission. He did, however, get promoted to Acting Sergeant directly before the men departed for England. Upon arrival in England, Sergeant Shannon was transferred between the 3rd Reserve Battalion and then the 208th Irish Canadians. Once again, he reverted to his permanent grade of Private. Earlby was then moved to the 116th in February of 1918 as a draft of new men were integrated into the 116th already training in France.

As the Battalion readied itself for the impending Big Push planned for later that summer, Shannon was promoted to Corporal. As evidence of the evolution in military warfare and battlefield tactics, his new role would be to lead a diversified group of specialists in the impending attacks. The next major attack would be at Amiens where his leadership skills and ultimately his life would be put to the test.

On the morning of August 8th, 1916, the 116th emerged from their protective positions in the trenches and behind a massive artillery bombardment executed the transition to open warfare. The 116th’s orders were to proceed on a front of about 1000 yards starting around the Village of Hourges and take as much as they can get….5000 yards of territory was expected, but nothing was stopping them from taking more if they could. It was early in to his thrust, just south of the town of Demuin and east of Hourges when the young stalwart Corporal was wounded by German shellfire. He would succumb to his wounds later that day and his remains were buried at Hourges Orchard Cemetery alongside 134 of his countrymen who also fell that day.

Lest we forget

Lieutenant John Anderson

Lieutenant John Anderson

754026

Born: 1883, Knaresborough, England

Lived in Sault Ste Marie, ON

Killed in Action: Aug 8, 1918 – Battle of Amiens

The Great War touched every region, every town and every city in Canada. No person or place was immune to the rush and drive to enlist men to help build up a fighting force capable to pushing back the Germans. By February 1916, the beginning of the third year of the war, great plans were being made to ramp up the attacks on the Western Front. However, the allies needed one key thing to ensure they could take advantage of any success realized in battle…namely, they needed more men.

Lt Col Thomas Percival Rowland was responsible for the drive to sign up new soldiers in the Algoma-Sault Ste Marie region. However, his first task was to put a team in place to manage the recruitment drive and assist in turning these woodsmen, miners, natives and mariners into soldiers. On Jan 17, 1916, local bookkeeper, John Anderson, former reservist of the 51st Soo Rifles, enlisted to join TP Rowland’s team. As Lieutenant, he would assist in the recruitment of and in leading the men for Canada’s newest northern Battalion, the 119th Algoma Battalion.

The following is a remarkable letter sent to the men of the Algoma-Manitoulin-Sault Ste Marie region by Lt. Col Thomas Rowland. This letter was used as a call out to single or married men and convince them to do their duty to their country, their king and to their community and join the 119th.

Dear Sir:

You are, I believe, of military age, physically fit and unmarried. As such, I address this letter to you, with the appeal that you will consider it, and will come forward and enlist in the 119th Overseas Battalion.

You are absolutely needed. Every man, married or single, of military age and fitness, in the great countries of France, Russia and Italy, is enrolled and subject to call on a moment's notice, to fight. In Great Britain, through conscription, every single man qualified to join her fighting forces, is about to be brought into her armies. Canada has just raised the strength of her fighting forces to half a million men.

Is there any doubt now in your mind that you are needed? That, if you do not volunteer; someone else-perhaps a married man whose wife and children need him-must take your place?

Have you considered who should make the sacrifices entailed by enlisting-The single men or the married men? Britain, through conscription, say the single men should. The world over the sentiment is the same; and is not less pronounced in Canada than elsewhere?

Numbers of young men have left their homes in this District to fight for Canada-That means, for you and for your parents, and for yours and their property. You know many of these men. WAS IT-IS IT-THEIR DUTY TO GO, any more than yours? Is it fair they should sacrifice everything, their positions, their earnings for a year or more, all their home comforts, to enable you to hold down your job and to enjoy your ease and comfort?

DO YOU THINK THEY SHOULD FIGHT-FOR YOU?

After the war is over you will be only two or three years older than you are today. The Boys will know that You will be surrounded by those who enlisted, and fought, and returned. They will want to know what you did. What will be your answer? And what, your answer in the long years to come? And to your children, and their children?

Join this Battalion, and to you the road to promotion is open. Show aptitude and military efficiency, and promotion will be given you. Show great efficiency, and higher promotion will be given you. There is nothing in this Battalion you cannot achieve. If you have been examined by the Medical Officer since the 1st of December 1915, and have been refused, write me and I will give you a certificate, which I am authorized to issue, showing you have patriotically volunteered, and unfortunately have been rejected.

If you have not been examined go to the Medical Office nearest your home, who is examining recruits for this Battalion, be examined and then be attested. By so doing you will do your duty, and will have taken a step you will never regret.

I will be glad to hear from you in answer to this appeal.

Yours Faithfully,

T.P. Rowland, Lt-Co

Commanding 119th, O.S.Ba. C.E.F.

John Anderson helped lead the men of the 119th through recruitment and training in Canada, transport to England in the summer of 1916 and stayed with the men until he was transferred to the 8th Reserve Battalion over a year later in Nov 1917. As the battalion was ramping up its readiness for a soon-to-be-planned push against the German, on April 30th, 1918 John joined the 116th.

42 men from the 116th along with a total of 1036 Canadians died on Aug 8th, 1918. This was the first day of battle for the campaign known as the 100 Day Offensive or the 100 Day Push…or now referred to as Canada’s 100 Days. John Anderson was killed participating in this offensive. His remains are interred at the Hourges Orchard Cemetery at Domart-Sur-La-Luce.

Lest we forget.

Private Benjamin Thomas Cole

Private Benjamin Thomas Cole

642058

Born: South Shields, Durham, England

Lived in Orillia, ON

Killed in Action – August 8, 1918 Amiens, France

Buried at Hourges Orchard Cemetery, Domart Sur la Luce

The conversation held at the dinner table that evening still resonates a century later. Similar conversations were held at dinner tables across Canada at that same time. One can reimagine the eyes of the innocent staring up at their mommy and daddy while they blissfully gobbled down the delectable Sunday feast. The children would be blithely unaware that the conversation taking place between their parents would be the most effectual of their young life. However, they would notice the sudden dramatic change in the countenance of their mother…her tears, the look of concern and uncertainty on her face followed by feigned attempt to disguise her fear and ensure them that all was ok. But for many of these children, especially for two Orillia tots, it would not be ok….it would never be the same.

Two and a half year later, the brothers in question, Benjamin and Frank Cole would come to learn the tragic impact of that most difficult dinner that took place a long time ago. This would be the day that with a ring at the door, followed by the delivery of a telegram, the lads would learn that their father would not be coming home.

One can surmise that Benjamin Thomas Cole and his wife Edith had that most difficult conversation in the winter of 1915/16. At this time speeches from the lectern at St. James Anglican Church, amongst friends at community gatherings or within conversations at work would be all about the war. The pressure to enlist would be incredibly high. However, it should be noted that those who were needed to help produce goods and services for the war effort or those who has familial responsibilities were typically not expected to sign up. Yet with ex-pats like Benjamin Cole, the urge to join up was too great and he decided to do his duty and sign up for the war effort. He enlisted with the 157th Simcoe Foresters Battalion on Jan 4th, 1916.

Benjamin would say a final goodbye to his wife and sons, departing for England and arriving on Oct 28th, 1916. The 157th was quickly absorbed into the 116th Battalion and a month later, on Feb 11th, 1917 touched down in France. The nature of Private Cole’s experienced in the war are not known, however once can gain a better understanding of his experiences by the impacts on his health.

On September 14th 1917, Benjamin sought medical care for treatment of what referred to as P.U.O. or Pyrexia of an Unknown Origin. The reference is included in many, many service records of Great War soldiers…both of those who died over there and those who survived the horrors of battle and returned safely home. The reference is rather vague and non-descript as the symptoms could be varied. This became known as Trench Fever, now commonly known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This type of injury was one of the most common and also the most misunderstood. Benjamin would have had to endure great stresses on his body, brain and mind from the constant exposure to concussion caused by exploding artillery ordinances. By September of 1917 the battalion would have fought at Vimy, the Raid at Avion and Hill 70 at Lens. This meant his brain was forced to absorb the effects of constant shellfire for six straight months.

Either out of compassion or reward for his efforts, Benjamin was granted two leaves of 2 weeks each to England in early 1918. This was very uncommon for a Private soldier. Yet, did his return and joined the battalion as they prepared for the massive affair planned for late summer.

On the day of his death, August 8th, 1918, the Battalion Diary would ironically declare that the day was ‘highly successful’. Together they were able to achieve the objectives assigned to the Battalion and secured 16 field guns, 40 machine guns while taking 450 prisoners. However, in the early hours of the morning while the men were massing and ready to attack, the forward company was subject to artillery fire incurring a number of casualties. It was presumed that here, the father of Benjamin and Thomas and the husband of Edith, was struck by shrapnel from incoming shellfire. He would not survive to share in the glories of that ‘highly successful’ day.

Lest we forget.

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