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94 and Still Waving the US Flag Cross Country!

2/11/2018

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Over the past few weeks I have been talking about the heroism of Woody Williams, a Medal of Honor recipient from his days on the island of Iwo Jima.

The stories started with the US Air Force woman who won a contest to get to meet Woody at a ceremony and how she was so impressed with his gift of gab. A gift spent not on  the war, or what he did in it or why he was awarded the Medal  Honor. But a message of hope for the nation and one that emphasized  those left behind at the home front when a loved one has not come home from battle. .

Much was said about the Gold Star mothers, and later fathers, and still later the families, as it should be. But in my description of the gold star itself, the banner of the same name, the blue and silver stars and their banners, also called service flags, I have come to realize that I had missed something.

I never told you about the banner that started it all. And that story involves this man...
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Though difficult to read, the signature is of Robert L Queisser,  born in Indiana in 1866 and educated there before moving to Ohio. Before the  Great War he served in  the 5th and 7th Ohio National Guard regiments then back to the 5th and still later would become the Aide De Camp for the state Governor.

While with the 5th he obtained the rank of Captain. He and sons, Charles and Robert Jr, 1st Lt and 2 Lt respectively, are shown below while all served in  the 5th.
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Captain Queisser is shown with his 2 sons, all in service of the 5th and along the Mexican border at El Paso on 30 December 1916.  The Captain is at left and beside son Charles, a 1st Lt. At right is son Robert Jr., a 2nd Lt.

Both sons would leave home to join the Great War not long after this photo was taken. While fighting in  the front lines, their father decided to show the family pride in the boys by making a banner he hung in his window. It had two blue stars, one for each officer "Doing Their Bit" for home and country. The stars appeared on a white background with the edge of the banner or flag having a red  border.

Neighbours would see this and so would the military families. Others soon made their own and community after community jumped on board so  much so that the state on 24 September 1917 officially adopted the flag as a symbol  for military families to display the pride they had in sons and daughters who had gone off to war for the country.

Captain Queisser not only designed and made the flag but he also sent off details to Washington with a sketch and indication that he wanted a patent on his creation.  On 6 November 1917 two patents were granted to the Captain. Number D0051463 for a 2 stared flag and D0051464 for another with 4 flags on it.
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While  not the original sketch these images depict what was sent to the Patent Office. The blue is supposed to represent hope and pride.

By 1918 an Indiana group called the the American War Mothers had been wearing a black arm band with a gold star on it  in honour of sons lost in battle. That year the Womens' Committee of National Defense lobbied President Wilson  for the formal approval, of the black armband and gold star  and in May got it. The gold then representing the cause of liberty and freedom and the costs and sacrifice in seeking this.

I am going to leave two important initiatives started by Woody Williams till Next Sunday in order to cover to other timely matters this week.

The first being the importance next Thursday of the day in our history. It is of course February 15th.

At precisely 12 noon of 15 February 1965 the old Red Ensign flag was lowered and Canada's new Maple Leaf flag was flown for the first time ever at the Peace Tower in Ottawa. The crowds sang Oh Canada, and God Save the Queen no doubt louder than many a heckler of the day,  and gave great cheers. But this, only after months and months of debate, more than 300 speeches in the Houses of Parliament  and after close examination of more than 5,900 designs, that a vote if parliament  that carried 163 to 78, to adopt the new flag.

Canadians from Coast to Coast will be celebrating the very day, proclaimed by Parliament as National Flag of Canada Day on Thursday. No doubt it will add some excitement at the Winter Olympics as well as across the country.
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 A little hard to read but well worth the effort.

And speaking of hard to read, I personally find it hard to accept that after all the coverage I have given to the story of the incredible heroism of Joseph Noil in this space, I have yet to see any news about him this February, It being Black History Month in Canada, and in fact the US as well.

I have taken great efforts to bring you his story of service in the US Navy, his being awarded the US Medal of Honor, his being buried under the wrong name for well over 100 years and his unveiled new marker with wonderful coverage a few years ago. But since then, little in the press last year or this re this man, born In Nova Scotia  and the only man of colour from Canada to be so awarded a MOH, one would think someone in the Black communities across the country  would take up the cause and keep his story alive.

But heck, Black History Month is only 1/3rd over. Maybe our communities will  be shocked yet!

Back next week,

Bart
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"I am Just a Caretaker of the Medal."

2/4/2018

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The last two blogs in this space started to bring you the story of Hershel "Woody" Williams, a US World War ll Medal of Honor recipient who was honoured for actions at Iwo Jima.

They have told of how this Marine Corps Corporal not only became a military hero, but after war service, he became a hero again, and again, and again. This for his life long journey in  recognition of not only the medaled, but for those who did not come home from war.

And yet further, those left behind on the home front that were then destined to a lifetime of loss and emptiness  when their brother or sister, mother or father or child, distant relative, neighbour or other loved one could no more live and share a life of hopes and dreams.

The blogs brought forth some of the tragedies that led others to move on, with the creation of the blue, silver and gold banner programs, and the powerful Gold Cross network of families.

If you missed these I would encourage you to go back to them and read of these important events in US history.

Here's a picture that everyone should recognize, put sadly I suspect too many do not. Can you tell me what it is??? 
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Maybe this image can help...
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Here's a hint. It is in Washington DC.

It is of course at the WWll National Memorial. You might think that every one of those GOLD STARS represented a service member who lost their lives, or became one of the MIA's  in their service to the country. But you would be very wrong.

Each Star actually represents ONE HUNDRED of these fallen or missing heroes. And there are more than 4 thousand stars at this memorial.

Here's a thought. With all the talk of building a wall, perhaps the location should be shifted to DC, and surrounding the greater metro area. A requirement should have all visitors standing in front of this most important reminder of war's past, and saluting it. Then they would get a stamped receipt evidencing the viewing required before being allowed to exit the walled area.

A small tax on all those with incomes beyond a million bucks would have it paid for by next Wednesday at noon, and just think of all the jobs it would create.
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This is a air photo of the National Memorial. The above wall is at left center..
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Here is the full shot of the curved wall. The sign in front proclaims ..."Here we Mark the Price of Freedom."
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This marker tells that the 4,048 Gold Stars represent the 405,399 killed or Missing in Action during WWll. It also notes that with such high numbers of losses and missing, the numbers where second only to the 1861-65 Civil War where over 600,000 were lost.

While the marker notes American deaths, one should keep in mind that a significant number of these may well have been non-American born.

For decades Woody Williams has dedicated considerable time and probably money by playing a leading role in the recognition of those families left behind to mourn their lost service members.

Clearly it is a miracle that his own family did not have to morn his own loss of life. He claims he was being watched over from above. 

He  began life on a dairy farm and grew up milking the cows and running a delivery service of the family product to the neighbourhood.  Odd jobs like driving trucks and even taxis's would bring in some money. Often he would be required to deliver the terrible news to families from the  Western Union that brought them to their knees with the message that a son or daughter or other family member had been either Missing or lost in the war effort.

He'd recall his school teacher making sure that he and his classmates knew that they had a duty to stand up when needed and that the freedoms they enjoyed did not come from the end of a pen.

When Pearl Harbour was attacked Woody knew what he had to do. But height restrictions barred his entry for about a year. But when it dropped he signed up with the United States Marine Corps. Knowing nothing about the USMC he saw them on furlough always wearing their uniforms, (a requirement of the day), and "guys in uniform always got the girl," he would later claim. And so it was to the Marines he would join.
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This is an actual telegram telling the recipient that a serviceman had gone Missing in Action.

Woody expected to be on the home guard but soon was sent overseas to an island he had never heard off. The Solomons and beyond. It would be at the Island of Iwo Jima, that he had landed just 2 days earlier, that Woody would earn his Medal of Honor.

Bad intel did not tell the troops that the Japanese had about 20 miles of underground tunnels and pill boxes that, because of construction and concealment, where most difficult to take out by bombers and tanks getting caught up at water's edge. Many of the Marines were being killed by machine gunners in the bunkers.

Woody, now a Corporal and in charge of a detonations team that included flame throwers was among many NCO's and a few officers rallying to figure out how to take out the bunkers. Soon Woody would find himself with the flame thrower and about 70 pounds of gasoline, a  moving target if ever there was such a thing, and with 4 Marines as personal guards, being sent out to try and destroy the enemy in the bunkers.

Each flame thrower, if used at full blast, only had enough fuel to last a few minutes. He'd soon gone through his first and 2nd... .and yet another 5 and would kill the enemy in seven bunkers that gave the marines a clear path to move forward. For this he would have the Medal of Honor draped around his neck by the President of the United States. A medal that he had never heard of, and knew nothing about till being the proud owner of one.

But as today's title suggests, Woody Williams felt very strongly that the medal did not belong to him. It belonged to the two Marines he lost protecting him, and to all the others that never got to come home. 

Next Sunday's conclusion will tell of his efforts to recognize the families of those lost and missing in war.

Hope you will join me  then,

Bart
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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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Seasons Greetings

12/31/2017

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Hope all have had a great Xmas, and about to start celebrating the beginning of a new year.

Some finishing touches are still needed on a news story, a few weeks old, that will be covered in my next blog. While it ought to have appeared today, further refinements will see it published by Wednesday. Sorry for the delay but life happens.

In the mean time I am reminded of a great CBC radio event of some time ago, but is still timely for this military audience.

I encourage you to go to...  http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-the-shepherd-edition-2017-1.4455219/fireside-al-maitland-reads-frederick-forsyth-s-the-shepherd-1.4458378

Turn the speakers on and click  the "listen button."

This is a great story sent to me from the East Coast and it is very moving and needs a careful listening for about 30 minutes. If you like the work being done at this site, you will love this audio tape.

Enjoy, and I will be back in a few days.

cheers and have a happy and safe New Year's...

Bart
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Status Quo... Part lV

12/9/2017

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This summer marked the 160th anniversary since HRH Queen Victoria reached down from her horse to pin the first ever Victoria Cross on a hero's chest.

The medal is known world wide and, many would claim, the most prestigious. it has been awarded 1358 times. Three of these  times it was awarded twice to the same hero.

Many blogs in this space over the years have brought you  the story of another, less known but probably as valuable an award  and called the Queens Scarf. These blogs have told that there were only EIGHT of these Scarfs awarded, and each was hand stitched  by HRH Queen Victoria. Each also contained the 3 lettered Royal Cipher VRI (Victoria Regina Imperatrix) also stitched onto the end of the garment.

A Scarf  was presented to  each of the  Canadian, South African,  Australian and the New Zealand contingents who fought for the commonwealth in the later Boer War. Four would also be split between two of the British regular force regiments also battling in that conflict.

Each was to go to the bravest of the bravest in each of the above, and was to be voted on and selected by the men of the units. Not their officers!

The last three blogs have brought images of 7 of the 8 recipients and also shown Scarfs of all but one received.The  missing Scarf and image have yet to emerge to this writer. The blogs  also shared actual news clips that directly quoted the Duchess of York, and her father-in law, King Edward Vll shortly after the death of Queen Victoria. Quotes containing details of the Royal Order  stating that  the Scarfs were not only equal to the Victoria Cross but were also to come with a Gold Clasp to be worn on less formal occasions.

King Edward Vll would also add that, the wearer was to be saluted, that each could use the post nominal initials ..QS.. and that each would be receiving an autographed letter from the King, giving the details of the awarding of the scarf and that such a letter would become a family heirloom in  the years to come.

For those not reading the past three blogs,  you may not fully grasp today's material and I suggest these be read before moving on to today's.

I can find no information suggesting that any of the 8 recipients knew the others, nor had a chance to speak to the others about their own Scarf. They came from many parts of the world  and may well have thus returned after their war duties were over. Some may not have even learned of the stir-up re the further promises made by the King. Nor can I find any info verifying the Gold Stars promises were awarded, or letters of keepsake, clasps and ribbons existing, as noted in past blogs.

But lack of discovery does not equate to their non-existence!

The promises above mentioned repeatedly appeared in Australian and New Zealand papers of the day. But of the eight recipients it appears that the Australian recipient Private Alfred Dufrayer led, if not alone, the battle to have the promises fulfilled.

It was his Scarf, as readers will recall, that was noted with frayed ends by the Duchess, who later asked her husband's father, the King to issue the Gold Star, From that,  within weeks came the King's promise for the Star and other items above noted.
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In the earliest years, some of the recipients had taken to using the initials..or affix... QS... after their names. Clearly an assumption that at least a few had heard of the King's orders, about the Scarf and the VC being equivalent and the other items promised, and while awaiting official action probably took to acting on  their own to use the initials.

While New Zealand recipient Henry D Coutts had his Scarf listed in formal documentation in that country for some time,  things changed in  1902. The government wrote to London requesting permission to list the Queens Scarf in their official Army List of decorations and other formal documents. The Secretary of State apparently refused the request.

Think back to a past column where I discussed the authority of the Crown, not government, as having the final say on matters involving the Victoria Cross. Since reports exist that the King had declared the Scarf equal to the VC, would it not be fare to assume that the Kings orders of one equaling the other, would trump the government's denial re the requested listing?

Moving on and back to Australia, their War Museum website has some very interesting details on the subject of the Queens Scarf. From these I borrow the following paragraph...

"In December, 1938, Dufrayer, then living in Tanganyika, wrote to Queen Mary requesting that she forward to King George VI for consideration, the matter of a pension equal to the V.C. and the grant of a special ribbon which he contended was promised to the recipients of the Scarves. The letter was forwarded by Her Majesty's Private Secretary to the War Office. This Department informed the Private Secretary that "although there are no official records kept at the War Office, during the South African war a number of scarves made by Her late Majesty Queen Victoria were presented to certain selected soldiers as a mark of Her Majesty's personal interest in their welfare" and "There is no question, as far as I know of a special ribbon or pension being granted at the same time of the scarf". This reply was sent to Dufrayer by Queen Mary's Private Secretary, who regretted being unable to send a more favourable reply."

Most interesting!   In reply I say...  

As noted in the last blog, the King apparently told his son, the future George V, and the son as Duke, told  Dufrayer that there would also be a ribband (ribbon) that would be issued with the Gold Star. 

THIRTY SEVEN years later we see a response to an inquiry, and the writer says that the answer it is based on the fact that  the office itself has… “no official records (kept) at the War Office.” 

The response continues with... "there is no question..”AS FAR AS I KNOW”  of a ribbon or pension…"  There is no source provided for this OPINION, and as such seems little more than preserving the Status Quo.

Is the history of the Queens Scarf, the heritage and pride of country and family, to be based on opinions when, at the same time, the writer admits  that no files are held about the subject matter????

The writer further states that certain conditions did not exist at the time of the Scarf. If talking about the date of award, or early date of creation of the very Scarfs, and prerequisites put in place by the Late Queen Victoria, the response is correct.

However, the argument is mute!

No longer was it the time of the Scarf. It was a year later. And in that year, the queen passed away, and the King issued a new order. One that then ordered that the Scarf was equal to the VC, called for the ribbon, right to use the Post Nominals QS,  right of a salute,  Gold Star and hasp, and a letter personally signed and to be provided to each recipient.     
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Returning to the Australia War Museum's quoted article  in May of 1901, I again borrow some of one of its paragraph's.

"There is certainly nothing available to support the extravagant claims of "Promoted to Captain", "Promises from the Duchess", "Proclaimed to the populace by the Duke that whenever the Scarf was seen or worn within the British Empire it should receive the salute of Present Arms", "Public Holiday proclaimed in his (Dufrayer's) honour", (There was a Public Holiday on the following Monday, but that was on account of that day being the Duke's birthday) or that Dufrayer joined the Royal Household for the remainder of the Royal Tour of Australia."

Searching for the quoted article, the one I found makes no references to most of the above.

The newspaper article only appeared the day before the recipient received his Scarf. Its frayed condition was not noticed until a month later by the Duchess, and thus could not have added  anything meaningful to the quoted source.

And the justification was presented almost 60 yrs later, from an office with no records.

Noteworthy is also the fact that the argument was introduced that The King could not have made such promises of  Dufrayer  being due a salute in 1901. While claimed not entitled to such honour of respect, He in fact was promoted  to Lieutenant prior to getting the Scarf and was CLEARLY entitled to the salute like any other commissioned officer.

Yet further, a claim, the source of which is unknown, that he was to be promoted to captain, may also be mute..as HE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN SEVERAL MONTHS LATER.

On 29 May the Duchess or Duke had not yet noticed the frayed condition of the Scarf. That happened on or about  24 June..a  month later. And the promises, did not come from the Duchess.,. but the King through his son the Duke.,. and  around 6 July to boot.  

And finally, another point regarding the writer's claims that the news article calls for  “the salute of present arms..” and that same was never promised Dufrayer or the other recipients. 

The non military readers of this blog should recall first, that is was not the Duchess,,,but the Duke who passed on the information to Dufrayer.  Yet further, the promise called for EITHER a salute OR a Present Arms. Two different forms of salute. The writer just quotes one.

I can find no source of any claim by Dufrayer of the announcing of a public holiday in his favour, nor the authority to join in with the Royal Tour.   Here's the news article I could find of the same day and paper above quoted.   
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Many months ago another source of information revealed itself to history. It involved the Colclough Queens Scarf that came up for auction in Texas. With the Scarf were  several medals and some papers, which I would love to see some day. But from this, the auction pulled some materials and put together a brief history of the Scarf and recipient. The items were not auctioned off and the entire package was relocated to London where I believe it still it awaits another  auction.

From the US site I again take the liberty to borrow a paragraph which is as enlightening as most of the above materials. Here it is...

"This is the sixth accounted for and identified Queen's Scarf of the original eight. This scarf has not seen the light of day since an attempt in 1965 to place it on loan with either the Canadian government or the Devonshire Regiment. Over the years there has been some confusion with the status of the Queen's Scarf in the hierarchy of British military awards, with an attempt to compare it to the Victoria Cross. Indeed, there were 78 awards of the Victoria Cross during the Second Anglo-Boer War against the award of 8 Queen's scarves. However, the Queen's Scarf was never intended to be a substitute for any valor award. The Assistant Keeper of the Queen's Archives states that the only papers in the Royal Archives which refer to this matter come from an extract from a note made in the Royal Archives dated May 26, 1956. In reads in part: "In a certain sense the scarves may be regarded as a greater honour stitched as they were by the hands of The Queen herself, and strictly limited in number. But whatever their relative status, they can hardly be treated as the precise equivalent of the V.C. In the first place, they were not (so the Stationery Office informs us) gazetted. Secondly, they were awarded on a different basis from the V.C. One was to go to the bravest soldier in each of the four Colonial contingents fighting in South Africa. To be the bravest soldier in a particular contingent is not, in itself, sufficient qualification for the award of the V.C. Clearly, then, they must be treated as a separate honours." (* i.e., than the Victoria Cross). This note to the Royal Archives was made presumably on account of the confusion arising as to the status of the scarf caused by a controversy at the time of the Centenary of the Victoria Cross Celebrations."

From the above I am pulling a few quotes and offering comments for consideration.

"Over the years there has been some confusion with the status of the Queen's Scarf in the hierarchy of British military awards, with an attempt to compare it to the Victoria Cross."
 
Existence of confusion is not evidence of non equality.

Further, why is their a need to compare one with the other? It falls not to the Secretary  of State of  War, or the Prime Minister or a Lt Governor or Governor or you or I to make a determination. The head of the Monarch  makes that determination.

While HRH Queen Victoria laid out the initial qualifications for the Scarf, after her death her heir, King Edward Vll  clearly stated, as widely published in the papers of the day, that the Scarf was equal to the Victoria Cross. Period !

I can find no evidence in the same papers that the  Monarch, regardless of ANY other opinion, had declared the press wrong.

"However, the Queen's Scarf was never intended to be a substitute for any valor award." 

The records are  not clear on this.  Regardless, it was not the Queen, but the Monarch’s  heir AFTER SHE DIED that made the change, and thus her intentions were not the deciding factor, it was those of the current Monarch when the change was made.  Surely the above posted US auction house opinion seems to simply repeat the status quo.  

"The Assistant Keeper of the Queen's Archives states that the only papers in the Royal Archives which refer to this matter come from an extract from a note made in the Royal Archives dated May 26, 1956"

Surely this ought to be a red flag to any reader. It screams.. Hey,  our re records or sparce and probably do not contain all the details needed. 

"...whatever their relative status, they can hardly be treated as the precise equivalent of the V.C."

Evidence tells us that HRH King Edward Vll ordered that was exactly what they were. Other than lots of opinion, I can not find any EVIDENCE that he did not say this. Nor evidence from a head of Monarch saying that  Scarfs are not equal to the VC. Not then, and not now, unless I am missing something.

"In the first place, they were not (so the Stationery Office informs us) gazetted."

The first four words (2 para's up) clearly say that there IS A RELATIVE Status. They just don’t know what. Lack of knowledge does not in itself remove the status.

Regarding the lack of gazetting, most if not all of the recipients had MID’s.. Mentions in Dispatches, for their bravery. Deeds in  which many other received the  VC for.

These entries are obviously  GAZETTED. At least two of Lord Roberts’ gazette entries in the London Gazette, had the names of the Scarf recipients.  Clearly they WERE GAZETTED. 

Furthermore with the King’s statement of equivalency , there was no requirement for gazetting. They received a Scarf that did not call for gazetting.. like the VC.
 
"Secondly, they were awarded on a different basis from the V.C. One was to go to the bravest soldier in each of the four Colonial contingents fighting in South Africa. To be the bravest soldier in a particular contingent is not, in itself, sufficient qualification for the award of the V.C. Clearly, then, they must be treated as a separate honours." (* i.e., than the Victoria Cross)". 
 
These comments are offered by the Assistant  Keeper of the Queen’s Archives about 55 years after the fact. The claim that the Scarfs  were awarded on different circumstances is irrelevant because the Monarch later ordered that the Scarf was equal to the VC. Period! 

Further in checking the war records of each of the 8, 4 will be found to have received the DSC for their heroism, several had more than one MID’s and files suggest that at least 3 were recommended for the Victoria Cross.

The actions performed by at least 7 that I can find details on, were very similar and probably equivalent to the same deeds that others performed and later awarded the VC for.

So the argument about qualifications calling for bravery  is simplistic. It called for the bravest of the bravest. To say bravery does not equate to valourism, under the circumstances that resulted in the awarding of these Scarfs is a disservice to each of the recipients.

Much more in depth research is needed on this issue, but  from the materials presented over the past several weeks I hope you will agree that there is far more to the story than the old cop out.. the one we call the  Status Quo.    

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While there are a few extra candles, on Tuesday the 12th this blog celebrates its 5th birthday. It has been a very long and interesting journey and I hope you are getting the same joy out of this work that I am in doing it.

Comments are always welcome.

I am taking two weeks off, to do more research and a little relaxing. I will return with the blog on the 31st

Let's meet again on the 31st...

And to all a very merry Christmas  and to all a good night...

Bart
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