F10291_0038

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April 24th - 26th.

Sat. 24th. Office. Papers tell of a big battle & Mr Egg at the office told me the [10th?] [battl.?] had suffered heavily. Made some enquiries, of Capt. Houston before leaving in the aft. but he couldn't remember any names. Major [unclear] Armstrong was there & I introduced myself as he is an old St. A. boy. Stayed over at No. 21. in the eve.

Sun. 25th. Rather a cold wet day. In fact it poured occasionally. Went to service at St. Saviours. 'Phoned Capt. Houston. [unclear] was the only name he remembered - wounded. Felt very sorry. The Canadians have been in the thick of the fighting & made a splendid charge - saved the day after the French had been driven back by poisonous gas fumes the Germans are using. 4-4'[7?] [grens?] were left behind as the Canadians had to return at first when the French did, but they went back & got there again. Very heavy casulaties.
I went to lunch with Miss Wansall at her flat which she shares with her mother. Then I took the underground to Golder's Green & had tea with the Orchards. Went to eve. service at Trinity.

Mon. 26th. Had a terrible morning at the office. Capt. Dowding came to me with news of casualties of our regiment - every few minutes it seemed. I saw [unclear] Davis, Reggie Tupper & Goodall among the list of wounded - then Capt. Dowding came up & said "Merrit & Fleming have gone". I cried. Later he told me that Rae had been killed but felt it was not true. However I came home then as I felt I could not stand any more. Went back late as I wanted to hear if there was any more news by then. Saw. Sergt. Major Kelly & he said Capt. Rae was not mentioned & felt very glad of that. Heard there were my four officers left standing in the regiment - Bertie, Jack, Capt. Rae & [unclear]. The papers are full of the brave fight of the Canadians who saved the Allies line, Miss [Tarnoski?] came in & talked to me for a while in the eve. Felt pretty exhausted after such an awful day.

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Hugo M. Coulombe

Entry dated 24 April 1915. 'St. A.' likely stands for St Alban's School for Boys in Brockville. Edith's sister, Florence Mainwaring (née Leckie) was married to A.G.M. Mainwaring who was St Alban's headmaster. Florence & Max lived at Somerset House on the grounds of St. Alban's. The school closed in 1949.

Hugo M. Coulombe

Entry dated 26 April 1915: Capt. Rae was Lieutenant-Colonel William Rae, the commander of the Number 2 Company of the 16th Battalion. See page below for more details: https://wardiaries.ca/s/operationcanada/page/vancouver-diarist-london-war-office