Letters From the Front

Lt. Hugh Atkinson Barwick (mother of)

Capture of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) at the 2nd battle of Ypres, April 1915

Toronto Star

Lt. Hugh A. Barwick was a graduate of Upper Canada College. A photo of Barwick with a group of other officers held at Bischofswerda P.O.W. camp in Saxony appeared in Upper Canada College's Roll of Honour which was published after the war. Below follows the transcription of introduction to this letter as it appeared in the original newspaper article.

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TOLD TO USE BAYONET AS LAST RESORT

48th Told They Might Retire, But None Left the Trenches.

Letters have been received by Mrs. Walter Barwick from her son and son-in-law who are prisoners of war at Bischofswerda, Saxony. Capt. Ewart Osborne¹ and Lieut. Barwick were officers with the 48th Highlanders at Langemarck.

Writing from London, to her sister, Mrs. Warren Burton, of Toronto, Mrs. Barwick says:

Dated: June 2, 1915

You will see Hugh's letter. He has not asked for as much as some of the others, but we must get parcels off often. We sew them in canvas and the smaller parcels are sent through the general post office free. Our letters are also free. We have to value and list everything sent, and I believe the parcels are opened on the border so there is no knowing whether everything will reach them.

You will like to hear that Hugh has said nothing about a wound and Ewart says he is only slightly wounded across his nose and has a shrapnel wound in his shoulder. However, he has written cheerfully and ordered clothes from his tailor here. So evidently he expects to receive things.

I saw Col. Currie² on Friday. He did not know until he got to London that any of the 48th who were surrounded were saved. He said they were 'gassed' again the morning they were taken.

The Colonel says when he told Ewart the trenches were to be held, Ewart said: 'What shall we do when our ammunition gives out?' He answered: 'Then take to your bayonets." He also sent an order that any who wished might retire. I have not heard of one officer who did.

The Colonel seems to have had a terrible shock, and is almost cast down because he got no wounds, and so are Major Marshall and the doctor. They were under fire and were, strange to say, never touched. The Colonel says they were both wonders they way they fought and worked.

¹Lt.-Col. James Ewart Kerr Osborne was a native of Brantford, Ontario.

²Col. John A. Currie returned to Toronto during the war and wrote a book about the 48th Highlanders (15th Battalion C.E.F.) and their experiences from Valcartier to the 2nd battle of Ypres. The Red Watch was published in 1916. Online edition.

Transcribed by: M. I. Pirie