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Millions of deaths, and markers to remember, yet we still march on in tragic directions of the past!

1/29/2018

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Last week's comments included a reference to the 2013 US government shutdown.  These  ended with the hopes that the 2018 shutdown would not last as long as the last one.

The blog appeared in the first day of the shutdown, and it came to an end the following day. Feel free to send thanks for the power this blog must have. HeHe

On a more serious note, the people of Canada and the United States have enjoyed a  most warm, caring  and prosperous relationship since day one. The elephant in the room has rocked a few times and we have usually squeaked out, but for the best of times we have gotten along great.

This is well illustrated with the historic fact that, in both World Wars, when Canada went to battle we took along thousands of non-Canadians. Coming from many parts of the world, thousands also came from the United States.

They would all do the same training and then cross the pond to do their bit to return peace in the world. Some of the Americans  would stay with the Canadians throughout the war and some would switch back to join their native brothers and sisters when the US later entered both wars.

With Canadian training under their belt, some Americans like Robert Guy Robinson, Lewis Millett, John Carey Morgan, Bellenden Hutcheson, George Coppins, William Metcalf, George Mullin, Ralph Zengel and others would teach the world what our Canadian forefathers taught them.

The incredible bravery of each would result in their being bestowed with either the Medal of Honor or the Victoria Cross and many other most prestigious medals. Hopefully you have read their stories in this space in the past. if not, it is not too late. Use the search engine in upper right of this website.

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Above are just two of these heroes. The first being Gunnery Sergeant Robert Guy Robinson, MOH,  and below, Colonel Lewis Millett, wearing his Medal of Honor around his neck.

I am proud to say I have visited the Robinson grave at Arlington and actually attended the Millett funeral at Riverside California, with kind permission of family.

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John Siegel was born in Germany, immigrated to Canada with family and later moved to the US, and still later, as reported in earlier blogs, was awarded the Medal Of Honor shown above. Robinson received one of these models also.

This is a rare medal, about only 20 were awarded. It was designed  the Tiffany Company and thus, became known as the Tiffany Cross, but is just another of the various forms of the actual Medal of Honor. But due to unpopularity for several reasons, including the fact that it looked too much like the German Iron Cross, it was taken out of service. Before that happened about 20% came to those with Canadian connections.

Last week I shared with you some of the story of 94 year old  Warrant Officer Hershel "Woody" Williams, of the United States Marine Corps, and last living soldier from the battle of Iwo Jima. Like most MOH recipients, he tells any that ask, that the medal belongs not to him but to those who's lives were cut short by wars around the world.

The blog also told of his incredible efforts to keep the stories of those lost, alive with his work with the the Gold Star families of the United States.

I will return to Woody later, but now turn your attention to a fellow you have probably never heard of before.

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This is George Vaughan Seibold of Washington DC. He is about 23 in the picture and wears the uniform of a 1st Lieutenant in the US's 148th Aero Squadron in 1917. With the lack of American training facilities and planes at that time, he and many others were sent to Canada to get it. He'd then be sent off with his new found Canadians friends, numbering well over 20,000, to England and later to France as part of the British Flying Corps and other entities.

George would often write home to his parents George and  Grace Darling Seibold. From these letters her compassion led her to making routine visits to the Walter Reed General Hospital there in DC to care for the wounded.

But all of a sudden the letters stopped coming in.. She'd ask the military what was going on but got no answers. He was with the British and thus the yank officials had no info to share. Soon the routine hospital visits became daily visits in the hopes that she'd be on hand if and when an injured airman arrived, without identification but proving to be her son.  But such was not to be!

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Hospital staff, getting concerned about Grace, shown above, and always at the hospital, soon put her to work on the very wards where the wounded and dying desperately needed the love and care that she had to offer.

It would not be until 11 October 1918 that George and Grace would learn, via the mail, that their son had been killed.

The message came by way of a box of his effects arriving at her doorstep!

Official word did not arrive until 4 November 1918. He was shot down somewhere over France on 26 August.. almost 2 1/2 months earlier. No remains have ever been recovered!

Grace continued to provide care at Walter Reed. But she went beyond this by seeking out other mothers who had lost their son(s) or daughter(s) in the war. Each no doubt displaying the banner with a gold star  in their windows.

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The blue stared banner at left represents the home of a family where one of the household is serving in the military. The silver, at center,  represents a member who has been wounded and the Gold representing the member who became Missing in Action, or who paid the ultimate sacrifice  by losing their life for their country and the world.

Meeting others in the DC area led to more organized visits to hospitals. But it also led to the thought that rather than limiting the morning to their own loses, greater efforts ought to be extended to those who had no where locally to go to morn their losses. Many had sons and daughters buried in far away places. (By war's end over 100,000 Americans had not only lost their lives, but they laid at rest  outside of the United States.)

On 4 June 1918 Grace Darling Seibold and 24 other mothers of lost military children started the national group called the American Gold Star Mothers Inc. This group would see many changes over the years, including the removal of an original membership prerequisite of being an American born, the addition of those Missing In Action,  the opening of arms to the fathers and still later all families, and also those service members dying from causes other than battlefield actions.

Grace's name is one of those well recognized within the Gold Star community. And there is another!. Her name was Aletta Sullivan from Iowa. She had five sons who signed up for naval service in WW ll, but insisted that at no time would they be split up. All were assigned to the USS Juneau, named in honour of that city in Alaska.

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Their tragic  story happened about 1 12 months after the loss of Canadian born Douglas Munro at Guadalcanal. He was a Ist Class Signalman in the US Coast Guard,  and subject of many blogs in this space. At the cost of his life, he played a major role in the saving of some 500 marines and would posthumously became the first... and only... Medal of Honor recipient serving in the US Coast Guard at the time. (Another who served with the Guard, later joined the army and then earned a MOH)  (Enter the "SNAKE" at this site's search engine for that story.)

Today's story took place near the Munro incident but involved the USS Juneau on 13 November 1942.

In a horrible naval battle that day Japanese and American planes, destroyers and subs fought it out in terrible weather, night time darkness, problems with orders and more. Soon enemy faced enemy only thousands of feet apart.

The Juneau suffered a broadside torpedo from an enemy destroyer, started to list and take on water but managed to withdraw, and limp away in hopes of finding safety and repairs close bye. But an enemy sub found her first and  launched another torpedo that hit in about the same place as the first. She immediately broke in two and within 20 seconds had slipped below the surface  taken almost 700 crew, including the Sullivan brothers down with her.

Forced radio silence prevented initial calls for aid. With the appearance of such massive explosions, a sub or more than one in the same area, and little hopes of survivors, rescue efforts were not launched to the area where the Juneau sank.

The horror was that there were survivors. Three of the brothers and just over 100 more struggling in frigid waters, trying to save themselves. Most succumbed to the cold and attacking sharks. It would be several days before any rescue attempts were launched. In  the end about a dozen were still alive to be rescued. This was  about 8 days after  being adrift in open seas.

The three remaining brothers were no more!

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There were at least two Canadians on-board the warship when it sank. Seaman First Class Alden D Graham of St Stephen NB, and  Fireman First Class Murray Glen Allan from Meaford Ontario.  They, the Captain and rest of crew may have walked their last piece on earth, when they visited Canada's east coast, at Fox Harbour Newfoundland just five months earlier. (Technically Nfld was a British Colony until 1949.)
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In February of 1943 the US Office of War Information produced this naval recruiting poster. Note it's title has the brothers "Missing In Action" which called for gold stars but the above looks more like blue than gold. not also the inverted V being turned over and that slight changes in the image show that it was taken  in sequence with the first  picture shown.
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In 1947 the US Congress approved the issuing of the Gold Star Mother's pin, (shown above) and also called a button. The following year the US Post Office printed over 77 MILLION stamp sheets, with 50 per page and with a value of three cents each. The very first sheet was presented to Mrs Sullivan.

The above stamps were made available in time for that year's Gold Star Mother's Day, held on the last Sunday of September, as ordered by President Roosevelt back in  June of 1936, and proclaimed by the serving President each year since.

There is still more to this story, but I will bring that to you next Sunday,

cheers till then,
Bart

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Blog to be published on  Monday.

1/28/2018

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Continuing research, requests for assistance on several fronts, and the preparation and delivery of a mini class on how to research American military heritage has caused a delay in completing today's blog.

I expect that the finishing touches will be done tomorrow and the blog posted by day's end.

Cheers
Bart

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"That Medal Does Not Belong To You..."

1/21/2018

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Pick your sides as you will, but yet again The United States Government has shown that deal makers are sometimes not!

It was just over 4 years ago when l was on a several week trip to the US to do research for this blog. My daily entries at the time, told of progress as I had to venture back and forth between Gettysburg and Washington DC for various aspects of this work.

And sure enough, whilst there the government bolted the doors to one of the  most important repositories of the secrets I hoped to unveil. Those of the National Archives and Records Administration, NARA for short.

Several successful days of search produced real gems. But  about 1/3rd of my planned research came to a screeching halt as the government shut down and locked out many services to those who voted them into office.

I can remember like it was yesterday, the veterans wanting to get into various areas to see monuments of remembrance to those they fought with it, and they were none to happy.

Luckily the nation's most famous cemetery at Arlington was still open and many Canadian graves on my list were located. But there too,  were plenty of disgruntled workers, some being forced to work without expectation of a payday in the near future. One fellow, I believe being a National Parks  policeman, was about to tow my rental vehicle off because it had wondered into an unauthorized area.

I say unauthorized as all are given passes that indicate where the driver will be visiting.  I was going from one area to another in this very large cemetery to see yet another grave when I came along side of the Unknown Soldier and decided that I must visit this. But alas, it was not on my pass.

On looking at graves close to this national monument, and moving towards it, I looked back at my car to see the policeman writing up a ticket. On approaching and asking what was going on, he was  none to happy and seemed little interested in my story on why that specific location was not on my pass. Nor in my cursing the heat, the frustration of not find some graves and then this.

He then gave me a lecture about his having being forced to work, and told me would not be getting paid for his work. with no idea when the next pay check was coming, Such of course was not the case. It was simply WHEN he would next get his wages. The encounter was not very pleasant for either of us, but in the end I escaped with a stern warning.

This year I see that yet again many services will be performed with possibilities of delayed, but probably not cancelled payments for services provided. Nevertheless this no doubt throws family finances for a real spin in many cases.

Hopefully the men and women on capital hill with soon, put antics behind them, on both sides, and remember that their actions, or failures may well come back to bite them sooner than later.

In 2013 it took 16 days. Let's hope this one takes less!

Moving along, but still with government service to the nation, I most recently saw an article on the net that can teach each of us quite  a lot about humility. It also notes that we have an obligation to serve those around us.

Governments at DC and indeed, all across North America should heed its message!

I have borrowed the article word for word, because I believe you should read every word in the message. Further, it should be widely circulated and given serious thought, by all. Please pass it on.

Here it is. 

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It  might be easier to read the above on line at...
http://www.dyess.af.mil/News/Commentaries/Display/Article/1191446/the-call-of-a-hero/

Hershel (Woody) Williams Is the last living Medal of Honor recipient of almost 30, being awarded a MOH for heroism during the deadly fighting  at Iwo Jima back in 1945. He is now 94 years young.

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He is shown above with his flame thrower back in the 1940's. By the age of 21 he would be standing in front of President Harry Truman as the Medal of Honor was draped around his neck. (Shown below)
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He'd obviously come a long way from an initial rejection for war service. At 5 ft. 6 inches, he was too short for enlistment. But soon the height restriction was lowered and Woody would come to show all that he could stand very tall. A message many of today's lawmakers at DC could learn from.

The stern looking fellow standing, and beside the Woody image above, is Lt. General Alexander Vandegrift, commandant of the Marine Corp in 1945. When Williams was seen by the General the day after he was presented his MOH, Woody got a stern lecture.

Details can be seen in the wonderful 7 minute U Tube video at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGts5WeLEgk

He was told that..."That medal does not belong to you. It belongs to all the Marines that did not get to come home." He added that Woody had better not... "do anything that would tarnish it." The General well knew of the responsibility of wearing that medal, because he too carried the same obligation as a fellow recipient.

Next weekend I will bring you an interesting story about the Gold  Star families that Woody dedicated so much time to support.

Hope you will join me,
Bart

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Thousands of Americans, Part lll

1/14/2018

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This is the third and concluding blog about the WWl heroism of Captain (Doctor) Bellenden Hutcheson, VC, MC.

His actions were taken under very heavy fire repeatedly to provide medical aid to the wounded. This including 100 seriously wounded enemy soldiers, whom had been abandoned by their own comrades. This heroism resulted in his being awarded both the Victoria Cross and the Military Cross, each then being pinned on his chest by HRH  King George V  at Buckingham Palace.

Today I will pick up with his being demobilized after the war and having returned to Toronto. 

Before heading off to war Bellenden had met a nurse practicing in Nova Scotia. The relationship became serious but "not wanting to leave a widow behind," he saved marriage till return from military service. He and Francis Adelia Young, possibly from the Digby area of the province, soon would be married and back in the United States, at  Mount Carmel Illinois, his place of birth.

Returning back to health  care, the doctor and surgeon would find work at St Mary's hospital. He would also be the Health Officer for Mound City, and for two different railroads to boot.

In June of 1939 he traveled to Washington in order to be presented to HRH King George Vl and Queen Elizabeth at the British Embassy. He would then be requested to join the royal couple on a visit to the Tomb of the US Unknown Soldier, and presentation of wreaths.

The Unknown Soldier had been presented posthumously with a Victoria Cross back on its unveiling in 1921. He also received many other top bravery medals from nations around the world.

Past blogs have told about Canadian involvement in that ceremony and of attendance of 2 VC recipients and our Prime Minisyter of the day  as well. The Unknown Soldier's VC presented in 1921 was on behalf of George Vl's father, the very head of Monarch that presented Hutcheson with his VC and MC at Buckingham Palace.

Doctor Hutcheson passed away after a lengthy illness at Cairo Illinois in 1954 and lay at rest today beside his wife at the Rose Hill Cemetery back in Mount Carmel.  (In the same cemetery also at rest, I presume, is Al Capone and a few gang members.)

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But the marker was missing something important. And it was noticed by BIll, a dedicated and long time VC researcher in  Eastern Canada. It was also noticed by another Bill, a very active  and fellow member of the Medal Of Honor Historical Society Of The US, of which I am a member. Both noted the marker tells nothing of Bellenden Hutcheson's heroism. And they did what had to be done to fix this, as evidenced below.
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This wonderful plaque shows the post nominal initials for the Victoria Cross and the Military Cross.

As recently noted, my research has now identified 10 VC connections to the US. Eight of these would be for actions in WWl.  And it might be interesting to note that of the approximate 600 VC's awarded for WWl actions, about 40% of those went to non English, or Irish born.

Mount Carmel Chamber of Commerce has also taken steps to keep the story of Doctor Hutcheson alive.  They have displayed this memorial outside the entrance to the chamber.

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The county courthouse has also taken great interest in the Hutcheson story as well.
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Here is the building. At front and center is their war memorial. But look closely to the bottom right of the picture. See the grey and black plaque. Here's a better picture...
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This plaque was unveiled in June 1991 by the Wabash County Historical Society,  family and others.

In 2009 Hutcheson's old unit, the 75th, now the well respected and storied Toronto Scottish, moved from the Fort York Armouries to the west end of the city in an area known as Etobicoke and a brand new facility shared by the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force. It is named the Captain B.S.Hutcheson VC Armoury.

Therein today and well protected I suspect, are the hero's medals. I expect that his portrait still hangs most prominently in their officers' mess. And I hope on entry, members are still required to give it the salute is so preciously deserves.

Five years later, on 6 November 2014, during the Royal tour of North America, Princess Anne and husband, a Vice Admiral, visited the famous Arlington cemetery in DC. While there they presented the plaque shown below in honor of SOME of the US WWl Victoria Cross recipients.  That story has been told in past blogs.

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A few days later the Royal entourage traveled to Ottawa where they unveiled the Canadian plaque in honour of the WWl VC recipients. Again some names are missing. And as you can see from both, some are duplicated on both plaques. 

Here's the Ottawa plaque. mounted at the British High Commission building.

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Captain Hutcheson's name is bellow the middle in the 2nd column..

Returning now to Mount Carmel Illinois, it would be a former employee at city hall that would move on another front to keep the Hutcheson story alive. Many years ago Don was on the receiving end of a call from England. Someone wanted information of the Hutcheson grave. He visited the site and gathered details for the caller. Since then several similar calls had been fielded  and Don got to thinking more ought to be done to bring recognition to the story.

He decided there should be a day proclaimed by council in honor of the doctor and his deed. He approached  council and soon favour was gathered. He'd write up the very proclamation he wanted, presented it and was thrilled to later learn that it had been accepted.

Here is that proclamation... word for word...

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And here is Mayor Hudson signing the document in December of 2016 declaring that December 16th, exactly 133 years to the day he was born, the day in the city will be known as Captain Bellenden S Hutcheson VC MC MD Day, and that further, such a day shall be in effect every December 16th from 2016 forth.

A local newspaper of the day gave wonderful coverage of both the Hutcheson war story and the proclamation. Here 's an image of the day's paper... 

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Bellenden Hutcheson was a doctor first, and a soldier second. The skills taken to the field under direct fire and the compassion shown to those laying wounded and dying, regardless of colour of uniform were rewarded by the highest of possible awards. 

One ought to give thought to the fact that at Passcheandaele  his helmet was blown off his head while caring for the wounded. Rifle, machine gun or artillery explosions and back blast knocked him off his feet at one point. At another, possibly Ypres, bullets or schrapnell would pierce his clothing. But regardless of personal safety, he'd be still in the thick of battle caring for those desperately in need of compassion, and medical aid.

Lets keep his service and so many  others' bravery in mind as we visit VC graves, and Medal of Honor graves across North America.

Most impressive memorials to the long list of Canada's VC men  can be found, as noted in past blogs, at Barrie and Toronto and also at Edmonton.

If you know of others, please let me know.

And in the mean time this blog, like almost 450 others have been produced at my own expense and massive time investment. You can help pay for this by taking some steps to let others known about these blogs so that these stories can be even more widely circulated. You can also let your local press known about this work.

Thanks, and before signing off, I want to thank the two Bills, Ron, other officials at Mount Carmel and so many others behind the scenes that play such an important role in bringing me these pieces for the forever non ending puzzle of these heroes on both sides of the US/Canada border.

See you next weekend.

Bart

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January 07th, 2018

1/7/2018

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A few days ago I brought you the first of 2 blogs on Bellenden Hutcheson, a US born medical doctor who sought war time experience in dressing of wounds.

As the US had not entered the war yet, he came to Canada, enlisted and was sent off to England and, in short order, to France where he served in  the Canadian Medical  Corps. They in turn had him attached  to the 75th Battalion, now known as the Toronto Scottish Regiment. The very regiment I proudly served with for over a decade in the late 1960's and 70's before moving on to 2 other regiments before leaving the military.

Doctor Hutcheson, who had already received promotions to Lieutenant and Captain, would be awarded for bravery,  and as important, humanitarian service, about 80 miles north of Paris during very heavy enemy bombings.

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During mopping up operations after the 8 August 1918 attack in and around Quesnel, shown at top of blue line above, the doctor and his crew of medical assistants had to repeatedly go out into open territory to dress the wounded and then evacuate to safety and further medical aid so desperately needed.

As this was going on, they were under the watchful eye of the enemy in balloons above. From there, the enemy would direct artillery fire. So when the first shell was dropped, the balloon would redirect German artillery by giving better target information.

Within minutes.. while Hutcheson and  others were dressing the wounded, a handful of more shells would drop and any soldier within about 15-30 yards of that landing point was probably yet another casualty needing immediate attention by the medics.

Captain Hutcheson's actions on that day and many others saw him repeatedly in the field under direct fire and still providing care to those in need. 

Within days of the Quesnel bombings Hutcheson and others in the immediate area also came across an abandoned enemy medical tent. Inside were about 100 wounded German soldiers, abandoned by their comrades. Hutcheson's crew would never-the-less also provide medical attention to these soldiers and take steps to also evacuate them to further recovery stations and aid as required.

His battalion learned on 7 October that these actions had resulted in Captain Bellenden Hutcheson being awarded the Military Cross. Here is the formal announcement of 29 November in the London Gazette. 


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In a later letter  with regards to the award, Bellenden would comment on the treatment he gave to the enemy soldiers noting that..."they were very grateful."
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While not his MC, this is an image of a British WWl Military Cross, that he'd later receive.

About 3 weeks later Captain Hutcheson would again be crawling out under heavy enemy fire to rescue the wounded. This time, it would be about 80 miles north east of Le Quesnel, as shown in  map below. 

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The 75th had fought their way through the Droucourt Quent line, running up and down the left side of the map above. Having passed through, they were advancing near Cagnicourt at top centre, when the doctor again showed his heroism.

That 2 December action  is highlighted in the London Gazette's 14 December 1918 announcement of the Hutcheson award of the Victoria Cross. This issue of the Gazette noted that some 30 Victoria Crosses had been awarded. Five coming to Canadians. Here is the portion dealing with the Hutcheson award ... 

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And here of course is the readily recognized Victoria Cross of WWl and ll, slightly different to Canada's of today.
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HRH King George V pinned the VC and MC to Captain Bellenden Hutcheson's chest at Buckingham Palace on  22 May 1919. It was apparently the first Victoria Cross awarded to anyone in the 11th Brigade during the Great War.

About 6 months later this hero would sail from Liverpool,   back to Halifax and to a new posting of about 5 months at Quebec City. He was then off to Toronto and demobilized with the end of the war, the one that was said to end all wars.

Hmmm!

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Here we see a portrait of Captain (Doctor) Hutcheson, VC and MC proudly wearing the collar dog insignia of the Canadian Medical Corps and the ribbons for the Victoria Cross and the Military Cross.

Next Sunday I will conclude with updates on further acknowledgements of his military and civilian dedication to those he took an oath to serve.

Bart


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Thousands of Americans doned Canadian uniforms in WWl. Several came home with the Medal of Honor, others with the Victoria Cross!

1/3/2018

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When Britain declared war on Germany in August of 1914, Canada automatically also went to war. The US chose not declare war until 2 1/2 years later. But it must be recognized that behind the scenes they were involved far sooner than most give them  credit for. That being said, over 35,000 Americans, for a wide range of reasons traveled north, joined up with numerous  air, sea and land units and  sailed off to their destiny.

Past blogs have told many a story of an American born being trained in Canada and shipping off to do their bit. Later, when the US officially entered the fracas, many of these would be allowed to switch over to American units, and several of these would later earn their Medals of Honor. (One would even proudly brag that the skills that brought him the MOH were learned while trained in Canada.) 

Many as well would stay with Canadian units. It has been widely recognized, that 6 Americans would earn the Victoria Cross, four while in Canadian uniform. Five of the 6 were awarded for heroism in 1918, and one back during Civil War days, but outside of the US. 

Future blogs will bring stories of new information leaned that the number 6, needs to increase to 10. But I will save those stories for future blogs. 

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This poster depicts what looks like a no-nonsense mean looking Non Commissioned Officer seeking recruits for the 237th overseas battalion. It was probably in early 1916 and in New Brunswick. It was one of several battalions set up for American recruits,  but it never went overseas. Its men were distributed as reinforcements for another American battalion formed in Toronto and known as the 97th. 

But these two units were certainly not the first consisting mainly of American men. As early as October 1914 about 800 had already sailed overseas with the first contingent. Probably the first of the 35,000 to make the same journey.

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Above are some of the men attracted to the Canadian uniform. After great successes with recruitment drives and raising four full battalions, Canada  started to look at 4 more but by that time the American authorities decided to stop closing a blind eye. They wanted men to stay in the US, perhaps foreseeing their own need in the months or years to come.

They had allowed the earlier enlistments. But in doing so requested that any who gave up their citizenship upon joining, would be encouraged to return to the US and take up citizenship again.

Bellenden was one of those men. He'd give up his citizenship, signed up and go to war and came back home to Toronto, then back to his real home in Illinois. The very state that would claim a connection to Medal of Honor hero's Charles Asten, Thomas Higgins, George Houghton, Alonzo Pickle and Wesley Powers. All names you have hopefully read here in past blogs. 

Bellenden came from Mount Carmel Illinois, and had taken secondary schooling and then medical training and was a practicing doctor and surgeon when the Great War began. He would later claim that his future, as you shall soon read about, was in fact due to a desire to get war experience in the cleaning up of wounds made by others.

He was further influenced by the fact that, being of English descent, he was very sympathetic to the Allied cause. He would write in later life that in addition to this, his G. Grandfather fought under Nelson at Trafalgar and lost an eye and his Grand-father, having moved to the US, had fought as an officer in the Civil War.

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By November of 1915 Bellenden had moved to the Hamilton area of Ontario and by the 6th he was sworn in and then became known as Lieutenant Bellenden S Hutcheson, MD with the 13th Battalion, the "Royal Regiment." But one wonders if he was with them long enough to get issued the helmet plate for the 13th, as shown above.

Shortly after that he found himself at the grounds of today's famous Canadian National Exhibition grounds, but during the war is was better known as Camp Exhibition.

By either 14 November or 14 December, depending on documents looked at, Bellenden had been moved to Toronto and enlisted with  the 97th Overseas Battalion of the Expeditionary Forces, and better known as the "Toronto Americans."

Being a good Toronto regiment, the 97th apparently were not unknown for raucous activities. Perhaps it was because they were anxious to be getting to the battlefields, but  after many months of training the regiment shipped to Halifax and sailed with about 30 officers and 800 men to Europe in mid September 1916.

Upon arrival in Britain the unit was broken up and men went out to several units as reinforcements. It is believed that Lt. Hutcheson may have done some of his battlefield work whilst attached to the PPCLI and also the RCR. soon he was promoted to captain and transferred into the Canadian Medical Corps. 
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As a doctor with the Medical Corps he was sent out as an attachment to the old Mississauga  Horse, (thus the horse in the above crest at right) but  then known in the Great War war as the 75th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The Mississauga's were an earlier First Nations people  in the area, now named in their honour, and being just west of greater Toronto. The Medical Corps officer's cap badge is at left.

It would be whilst attached to the 75th, that doctor  Bellenden S Hutcheson would become famous, not only for his heroism, but his compassion for all those in need of medical help.

And I will bring you that part of this story on Sunday.

see you then.

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    Author;
    Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
    Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers 

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