Archive Archives - Legion Magazine

Liberation

Stephen J. Thorne — Mon, 02 May 2022 19:32:56 +0000

Feted with parades and banquets, flowers and wine, the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands was a joyous time—though not far from the shadow of war Beginning in September 1944, Canadian troops fought their way across the Netherlands, canal by canal, village by village, to end a brutal five-year occupation by the forces of Nazi Germany. …

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Brass Hats in Red Tape

Legion Magazine — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:47:14 +0000

Brass Hats in Red Tape By Wilfrid Bovey February 1954 The task of the officers responsible for the administration of the Canadian troops in Britain in the early days of the First World War was complicated by enough red tape to tie us all up in knots. The over-riding factor was that the only real …

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A Lucky Presentiment

Legion Magazine — Thu, 14 May 2015 17:13:55 +0000

A Lucky Presentiment By G.A. Mitchell (D Company, 78th Battlalion, C.E.F.) January 1954 Undoubtedly there are many who do not believe in presentiment, but a large number of soldiers, especially those of the First World War, were firm believers in it and I for one can vouch for this from actual experience. It was June …

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Letter From Vimy

Legion Magazine — Thu, 07 May 2015 15:52:44 +0000

Letter From Vimy By Gordon MacKinnon April 1992 The envelope of my grandfather’s last letter to my uncle, Private Ronald MacKinnon of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, dated April 5, 1917, is marked “Return to Sender: Deceased: Killed in Action 9.4.17.” He was one of 3,598 Canadians killed in the epic battle that marked …

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Uncle’s Song

Legion Magazine — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 13:59:54 +0000

Uncle’s Song By Dr. R. Byrnes Fleuty April 1989 ‘We would sooner f— than fight.’ That’s Uncle’s favourite song these days. He says he doesn’t know why the song came back to him; “guess it’s just one of them things.” I arrive at his door unannounced and ring the doorbell. While I wait, I notice …

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FRANCE: THE FIRST TIME

Legion Magazine — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 13:55:46 +0000

FRANCE: THE FIRST TIME By Hugh Laughlin April 1989 School principal Hugh Laughlin of Chilliwack, B.C., pulled no punches in letters home from the front lines during the First World War. He enlisted with the 196th (Western Universities) Battalion, formed at Winnipeg. These excerpts were culled from letters written to his brother concerning the …

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Tait McKenzie: One of the Immortals

Legion Magazine — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 04:01:43 +0000

Tait McKenzie One of the Immortals By: Ernest Rivers Macpherson January 1957 Last June a large gathering of Scots and Canadians of Scottish extraction met at the Old Mill of Kintail near Almonte, Ontario. The meeting, held under the aegis off the Clan Chattan Association, was arranged in order to pay homage to the memory …

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Mobilizing for War

Legion Magazine — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 04:01:29 +0000

Mobilizing for War By Wilfrid Bovey October, 1953 Before July, 1914, was over, militia regiments all through the country were alerted for the coming trial by battle. The source of power was a human atomic engine whom hundreds of us had met, Colonel Sam Hughes of Lindsay, Ontario, the Minister of Militia. “Sam” was first, …

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What Made Vimy So Memorable?

Legion Magazine — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 04:01:03 +0000

What Made Vimy So Memorable? By D. E. Macintyre April 1960 Canadians fought and won hard battles in the First World War, fought them without hate but with a cold and relentless endurance that carried them from 1914 to victory at Mons in 1918. They suffered losses that were sore for a young nation …

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Tragi-Comedies of Error

Legion Magazine — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 04:01:25 +0000

Tragi-Comedies of Error By Wilfrid Bovey December 1953 The First Canadian Contingent left Valcartier for Britain; their armada, convoyed by ships of the Royal Navy, finally sailed from Gaspé on October 3rd, 1914. After that we over here knew very little, but rumours flew on wings about the streets. The most extraordinary tale – which …

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