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MORSE & THE GREAT WAR
The Great War was one of the most destructive and bloody wars in human history. A brutal war of attrition that saw 650,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders wear the uniform. Sadly, out of those 650,000, 66,000 plus gave their lives for King and Country, while another 172,000 suffered wounds. There was not a village, town, or city across Canada that was not affected by it and Morse was no different.
A World at War
In 1914 Canada was still a colony of the British Empire and as such when war was declared
Morse Answers the Call
Many members of our community answered the call of duty and served during the Great War. Sadly,
252134 Private Clarence Ralph May
Private Clarence May (seated) and a unnamed fellow soldier.
Credit: Saskatchewan. Morse Museum and Cultural Centre/ PA-740
Clarence May
An Engineer before the war, Clarence Ralph May was born on the 1st of December 1893 to Thomas and Susan May in Eldon Victoria County, Ontario. The family came west in the early 1900's and settled at Windhorst, SK. At the time of his enlistment in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in late November 1915, he was living and working in Morse.
Clarence originally joined the 128th Overseas Battalion (HQed out of Moose Jaw) but transfered to the 209th "Swift Current" Battalion in Febuary of the following year. He underwent his basic training in Swift Current and his advanced training at Camp Hughes before embarking from Halifax aboard the HMT Caronia in November 1916. After having disembarked at Liverpool alongside his comrades, Clarence was stationed at Schorncliffe Camp in Kent.
Wounded
After the disbandment of the 209th Battalion that December, he was transfered to the 102nd Battalion. Clarence arrived at the Canadian Base Depot in France on the 6th and joined up with his new unit in the field in early January 1917.
Like many of his fellow former 209th Comrades, Clarence had his baptism by fire at the now famous Battle of Vimy Ridge. It would be his first and last major action on the deadly Western Front. During the assault on the 9th of April 1917, Clarence was critrically wounded.
Shot through the neck near the base of the skull by a German sniper, Clarence fell to the ground unconcious and remained so for six days. He was initially treated for his wound at the No. 23 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, then sent to the No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. Due to the serious nature of his wound Clarence was invalided back to England for treatment.
Photo: Stretcher barears and German prisoners bringing in wounded at Vimy Ridge during the battle of vimy ridge
Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-001021
Views taken on Christmas Day, 1917, at Granville Special Hospital, Buxton
Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/ PA-005568
Recovery
While in hospital Clarence finally awoke dazed and confused. By all measure after having suffered such a severe wound, Clarence should have been dead. He was lucky the bullet, which entered an inch behind the lower tip of his left ear, passing through his neck, missing his spine, and extiting four inches behind his right ear was a through and through wound.
While his gunshot wound was fully healed by 10th of May, the wound caused many follow on medical issues with his head and neck. Including pain while trying to sleep, pain while walking or riding on a train, pain when he sung his left arm. Message seemed to help but after having stopped regular treatments the pain would return. Pain would come and go and despite some improvement he seemed to be at a standstill.
While stationed in England for further treatment of his wound, Clarence had several operations done on his neck and spent time at several different medical centres, including the General Military Hospital in Colchester, Henham Hall, the Canadian Convolcent Hospital Woodcote Park at Epsom, the No. 4 Canadian General Hospital at Basingstoke, and the Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Buxton.
During his time back in England, Clarence was attached to the British Columbia Regimental Depot and the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot. In early 1918 he was slated to return to Canada.
The Journey Home
After having been discharged from the Granville Special Hospital, he remained in Buxton and was attached to the No. 1 Canadian Discharge Depot while he awaited repatraition to Canada. On the 8th of April 1918, Clarence boarded the HMT Mauretania in Liverpool and sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Clarence arrived back on Canadian soil on the 15th and made his way to Saskatchewan, where he was posted to the No. 12 Battalion, Canadian Garrisson Regiment in Regina. That August he was discharged from the Canadin Expeditionary Force via the reason of returning to civil employment.
In total Clarence spent four and a half months on the Western Front. He went on to have a full life. In 1920 he married Retta Saigeon and had a family. Together they farmed and lived at Windhorst, Prelate, and Morse. Though the rest of his life he was very active in the ag sector. Sadly, Clarence passed away in 1974 at the age of 81/82 and is buried in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Swift Current.
Maruretania in her launch colours, under easy steam after leaving the Tyne.
Credited: 'Sedgwick' (possibly Frederick J. Sedgwick, photographer; 1853-1929) - Cunard Turbine-Driven Quadruple-Screw Atlantic Liner "Mauretania", Reprinted from 'Engineering' (Illustrated Weekly Journal). Volume 84 (July-December 1907), 8 November 1907.
Recruitment in Morse
Several units recruited from the Morse and District Area, such as
27th Light Horse
128th Battalion
209th Battalion
On the 17th of March 1916, the 209th "Swift Current" Battalion travelled to Morse in order to recruit local men for the unit. The town under the leadership of Deputy Mayor Brown made the soldiers feel very welcome in the community. The Deputy Mayor presented the soldiers with a silver key to the town and the ladies of the Morse Red Cross put on a turkey supper.
The Morse Key was a token the soldiers planned to carry with them when they deployed overseas.