Sergt. McMaster tells
of Casualties
Ptes. Sloat and Doudney
killed, others wounded
The following letter from Sergt.
M. McMaster, who is in charge of the first contingent from Simcoe,
gives further particulars of Norfolk County boys who have been
sacrificed for the honor of Canada and the Empire. The letter was
written to Mrs. Sloat from France, June 15, 1915.
"I received you letter
today, and am sorry to have to inform you that poor Nile did not
live long after being injured. I did not see him myself, but one
of the men was with him at the finish.
"His injuries were in the
stomach and he was scarcely conscious. Beyond asking for water he
did not say anything. Poor boy, he was a good soldier and one of
my friends, but not directly under me or I would have seen him.
"Since that battle we were
in another one for ten days with less casualies. Norfolk County
lost another good man -- Jack Doudney. He was in the stretcher
bearer corps, and had his head shot clean off while carrying a
wounded man to safety.
"Some of the wounded at
Langemack are back with us again. Lankey, a chum of Nile's got
shot through the neck and was back in three weeks. Cormack,
another Simcoe man, came back today, and has gone right up to the
firing line.
"I am writing this in an
open field about four miles from the trenches. One cannot hear
anything but the roar of the big guns. They are going off on all
sides at the rate of almost sixty a minute.
"I have been to the trenches
twice today, and we were shelled both times, but with no more
serious loss than that of a horse.
"By the time you receive
this letter, you will have seen something of the 4th Batt. again
in the papers. We are not allowed to write much, but our next move
is a big one.
"Please excuse more and
accept my deepest sympathy with you and yours in your bereavement,
but remember Nile was a little hero and a good soldier."
