Why remember? It has been more than 100 years since the newspaper headlines read “War Declared By All.” In 1914, The Canadian Corps, were little more than a collection of civilians in military uniform. They marched off to battle with only six weeks of training, carrying rifles that jammed when they needed them most. They faced rats, lice, thigh-deep mud, and infectious disease. They were shot at, bombed and attacked with poisonous gas. For the first time in their lives, they both witnessed and were responsible for death. The final death toll for the First World War was more than 13 million people. Canadians lost one in 10 men who served. Many returned home broken in mind and body.
How is it possible to comprehend the horror of the war? Perhaps it is easier to understand when you are able to place names and faces to the individuals who sacrificed so much.
One of our treasured artifacts at the museum is the framed, hand-written “Bowen Island Roll of Honor” dedicated to the World War One Veterans. This document is the focus of the 2014 Remembrance Day exhibit. It is sobering to read the names of the Bowen men who volunteered to serve. Out of a population of approximately 90 people there are 15 names carefully written out in calligraphy. They are fathers and sons, uncles and friends.
Frederick Billington
Charles Brewer
Ernest Brewer
Walter Brewer
James Collins
Jacob Dorman
Alfred Dorman
George Dorman
Miles Green
Joseph Lessard
Basil Malaher
Fred Magee
Charles Redmond
Cameron Smith
Norman Vickery
We are fortunate to have photographs and histories to go with many of these recorded names.
James Collins and his brother-in-law Fred Magee joined the 242nd Battalion C.E.F. on September 6, 1916. They served in France together along with Isaac Miller. The Magee and Collins farms were close to each other, and before they left, Fred and James cut a new trail and a narrow road linking the two, so the families would have easier access to each other. In the fall of 1916 Irene Collins, with three children, Margaret, Bertha, and Jimmy went down to the float in Deep Bay to watch as James and Fred boarded a small boat and headed off to war.
In the exhibit there is a lovely photo of Irene Laura Collins holding the daughter that James would not meet until he returned from the war.
Frederick Albert Billington and his wife Annie Laurie moved to Bowen in 1905 to work with Isaac Miller on his 145-acre property. They eventually settled in Grafton Bay. He farmed the land, discovering like so many others that farming on Bowen was difficult. Fortunately deer were plentiful as were grouse. An abundance of trout populated Grafton Lake. The sea provided early settlers with herring, salmon, catfish and dogfish. And the logging operations provided a way of making a living for some homesteaders. The war would change his life forever.
In 1915 Frederick joined the 72nd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force – the Seaforth Highlanders. They were involved in some of the bloodiest battles of the war including Ypres, the Somme, and Vimy Ridge. He was wounded at the battle of Vimy Ridge in April of 1917. While it was a victory, the cost for the Canadian Corps was huge. There were 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.
Cameron Linklater Smith moved with his parents, Herbert and Margaret Smith (nee Linklater), to Bowen prior to 1901. He was the only son out of the six children. Cameron was as an outstanding marathon runner. He participated in numerous races, won the Goldseal and B.C. Open in 1912, the Winnipeg race in 1913, and numerous trophies and medals. Margaret Foughberg (nee Collins), remembered Cameron as a kind uncle who left behind money for Christmas gifts for his sisters’ children before he went overseas. It was Margaret who delivered the telegram that announced Cameron’s death. He was killed in action April 9, 1917 at Vimy Ridge.
Jacob Dorman was a steam operator by trade. He once ran a merry-go-round with a calliope that played three tunes at the Snug Cove picnic grounds. Jacob served in the British Army and in 1914 at the age of 58 he served at the Vernon Internment Camp that opened September 18, 1914 and closed February 20, 1920. His son’s Alfred and George served overseas.
The Brewer family history is vague. Charles and his two sons, Ernest and Walter, listed Bowen Island as their home address on their Attestation papers. Charles was a carpenter and both sons were farmers. However, all that exists in our archives is a photo of Ernest and Walter.
On November 11, the museum’s Remembrance exhibit is dedicated to remembering the lives of these veterans. We are very fortunate to include a variety of WW1 items loaned to us for this exhibit, including a “Dead man’s penny,” regimental badges, censored mail, a military cross, a German kerosene lamp, a saber and many more artifacts that these veterans owned (or were awarded posthumously).
Please join use at the museum after the ceremony at the cenotaph to see our digital presentation and to learn more about our veterans.
We are open November 11 until 3:00.
