Letters From the Front

Sgt. Bertram John Parker, 7697, 2nd Battalion C.E.F.

Experiences at the Front near Ypres - March & April 1915

Toronto Evening Telegram Published: May 3, 1915

The following is a transcription of the introduction that appeared in the newspaper article that included the publication of Sgt. Parker's letter home:

LAID DOWN FACE IN MUD WHEN SHELLS SCREAMED

Sgt. Bert Parker Officially Reported Wounded in Last Big Battle - In a Letter to His Mother He Passed Through Thrilling Experiences Under an Awful Shell Fire

"Sincerely regret to inform you 7697, Sergt. Bertram John Parker, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade, officially reported wounded. Futher particulars when received will be sent."

The above private messages was received by Mrs. John E. Parker, 85 Fern avenue, Parkdale, yesterday, informing her that her son had been wounded in the gallant charge made by the Canadians against the Germans at Langemarck.

Sergt. Parker, although only twenty-five years of age, had belonged to the 9th Mississauga Horse for nine years. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted, and left Canada with the first Canadian expeditionary force.

Since leaving Canada his wife took ill, and after an illness of five weeks died last October. He has one little boy, who at present is with his grandmother.

Sergt. A. W. Seddon, a brother-in-law of Sergt. Parker, who was in in the hospital for some time, is now reported well, and has been able to leave the hospital. He was in No. 6 General, France.

Corp. Percy G. Parker, another son of Mrs. John E. Parker, is also at the front on transport, 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade.

Private S. H. Seddon, a brother of Sergt. Seddon, is also at the front at headquarter's general's guard. He is a big soldier, standing over six feet. No word has been received from him, but it is thought that he is safe.

THE BIG CHARGE

Sergt. Bert Parker has passed through some thrilling experiences, and not until this last great charge did a German shell or bullet strike him.

Dated: May 3, 1915

We have been in billets for three weeks getting ready for the next big move against the devils, which I hope will be the last for them. We have had a couple of reviews lately, and one last Friday, in which our own General Alderson, attended.

As for keeping my head down, leave that to me. I have had enough experiences in the trenches now to look after myself. I was lifting a man who was shot in the shoulder when a bullet came right under my arm, and another knocked my hat over to one side. We get used to them in time.

CHICKEN HUNTING

The worst scare I have had yet was when we went out to shoot rabbits behind the trenches. Another sergeant and myself went through a couple of fields. We got a chicken and killed it. We then put it beside an old house which had been partly blown to pieces. We had only moved about ten yards when a shell screamed through the air. We fell on our faces and got smothered in dust. Nothing hit us that time, so we went back and dug out the chicken. We started for our dug-out, and had only gone about twenty yards when another came over. We thought that our time had come. We could not see it coming, but it made an awful scream. My chum gave a holler and fell on his face. I did the same thing. The shell burst twelve feet away and we nearly got buried by the dirt it threw up. It was a minute before I could get my chum to move. We then ran one hundred yards. We heard another coming. We jumped into a trench with water up to our chests. Several more came close.

With the water of the trench and the sweat I was pretty wet. My comrade said it was his last dynamiting expedition he would go on if he never had another chicken to eat. We enjoyed it when it was cooked you bet.

All the individuals mentioned in this letter appear to have survived the war.

Transcribed by: M. I. Pirie