Sergeant Robert Brooks
746277
116th Battalion
Lived in Zephyr, ON
Killed in Action at the Battle of Amiens on Aug 8, 1918
“Rolling fields and autumn furrows, acres of ripened corn, fruit-laden orchards, stubble lots and meadows through which sleek cattle roam in the warm September sunshine, are but part of the attractions of a 100 acre farm about a mile southwest of the village, which itself is forty-five miles northeast of Toronto in the township of Scott. Robert F. Brooks read the name on the mailbox at the lane entrance, which “Bob” passed through the last time three years ago.
104 years have passed since this majestic setting was relayed to readers of a Toronto-based newspaper. While what was described would be unfamiliar to most of us modern day city-folk, it would have been recognizable to so many readers at the time as it reflected the pervasive circumstances shared by so many in so many communities across our country. However, in describing what was left behind was not the pertinent message, rather was meant to reveal something else. It was meant to remind readers of the chilling, eerie reality many of them found in their own homes and farms. It was mean to share the feeling of emptiness left by these lost men.
Years prior, fathers or sons, or brothers…from hired hands to individual proprietors took the last walk down their dusty lane. Decked out in their patriotic best, these men wagered their lives in exchange for the cause of protecting the ones they loved the most. And thus, as so beautifully portrayed in the piece, with their departure life was left to anxiously await for their quick return.
The piece went on to state how the ‘fat pigs’ and the ‘industrious hens’ were left to their business and the fact that ‘Tige’, Bob Brooks’ border collie welcomed every stranger who wandered up their dusty lane. Tige, made it into the piece as he (or she) probably greeted the journalist as they visited Bob’s farm.
Robert Brooks was born in Zephyr, ON. It also happened to be the town where the founder of the 116th Battalion lived, Lt. Col. Samuel Simpson Sharpe. Bob would have been considered a highly-successful person by his friends and associates. At 30 years of age, he managed to run the farm passed onto him by his father, built himself a new barn and held livestock. Bob’s operation even grew to require additional hired help and he employed a gent from Drumdinright, Ireland, Joseph Newell to help on the farmstead.
As the winds of war whipped its’ way through the county…and more than likely reasserted by the local Lt. Col who lived in town, in the winter of 1916 Bob decided to enlist in the 116th Battalion. With his enlistment, he did so with the full understanding that he may not return. Thus, Bob sold all his farm equipment and left management of the farm to his sister and husband. With Bob’s enlistment, his hired man, Joe, stated “I’ve hired with Bob Brooke and if he is willing to go, I can go too.”
As successful Bob was in his life and occupation, he showcased this earnestness in his approach to military service. Upon joining the 116th, Bob was successively promoted from Private to Corporal, then Lance Sergeant and finally full Sergeant. Each of these promotions in rank demonstrated his desire to do whatever he could to serve his country and community of Zephyr and was on full display at the Battle of Amiens. August 8th, 1918 was called the ‘black day’ of the German Army. The 116th was positioned on the southern sector of the battlefield assigned to the 3rd Canadian Division. The 116th was ordered to advance upon a section of front approximately 5 kms in length and 1 kms in width. The final objective was a wood called Hamon Wood. It was the battalion’s duty to attack along the breadth of the front, eliminate any of the German machine gun nests that protected the approach and then take the guns entrenched within Hamon Wood itself.
With the bellowing of the guns in the early morning, Bob joined his men as they advanced towards the objective. It is not defined where he was killed or when…other than ‘early in the monging of August 8th”, however Robert Brooks was killed in the battle. Afterwards, the Lt. Col. of the 116th Battalion, George Pearkes, wrote his sister, Mrs. Janet Myers, informing her that Bob “led his platoon to their objective, and well past it but was killed early in the morning of August 8th in the third battle of the Somme while helping a wounded comrade to safety. He was a good soldier, keen and showed marked ability in the leadership of men. His loss to the company cannot be overestimated.”
As detailed in the article that informed their fellow villagers of his loss, the death of Bob Brooks would have shocked the tiny community. However, as it was experienced at the time, these small towns and villages suffered most by the losses of their men. Prior to Bob’s death, the community of Zephyr experienced their first loss with the death of community leader, lawyer and Member of Parliament, Lt. Col. Samuel Simpson Sharpe. Soon after notice that Bob was killed, a second telegram arrived. This one informed the town’s blacksmith that his son, Pte. Clarence Lehman Myers of the 52nd Battalion was killed in combat (Aug 28th, 1918 at Boiry Notre Dame). Each death would act as a significant blow to the family of the lost soldier and the entire community they lived within. However, as proved to over time with the end of the war, not all those who went off to war would be killed in the conflict. With their slow and gradual return, communities like Zephyr, Ontario would excitedly greet the return of their son and fathers as they walked back up their dusty lanes.
However, while wives and children, brothers, sisters, neighbours and friends would have all rushed to greet their returning soldiers with open arms and great smiles, in laneway after laneway, from long winding dusty lanes on farmsteads to stout porches in cities and town, dogs like Tige, would sit and patiently, loyally await the return of their master.