WW1: Albert Bertram Mudge, Ontario 1915

Name: Linda M. Shea
E- mail: shaylin@telus.net

Belgium,
April 28, 1915

Mrs. R. Mudge,
41 Queen St., W.,
Guelph, Ontario

Dearest Mother and the rest;

I suppose you are anxiously awaiting the receipt of this letter to know if I am all right. Well, I am as fit as a fiddle thanks to my good health and God’s help and mercy in sparing me. By the time you will have received this letter the papers will have told, as best they know how of the way the Canadians brought honour to the country that sent them here, but the half will never be known of the individual heroism displayed during the charge and the days that followed.

I had gone to an important city near our billets about 5 o’clock and was in a store when suddenly there was an awful roar and all the windows were broken and the goods on the shelves fell on the floor. About a hundred yards up the street on the other side a “Jack Johnson” (18 inch shell) had demolished a house. It is wonderful the damage one shell can do. They have been dropping them into this town steadily for two days -- a case of wanton destruction, as the town was demolished last November, this just seems like heaping insult on injury. Our captain came along then, a fine man, whom we lost in the charge, and who sent us ahead to tell the officers to have the men fall in at once. Shortly afterwards we were ready to march off, after having filled our water bottles and gathered some grub into our haversacks, a wise precaution, not taken by all companies. On our way to the position we were to attack we met the French on the road coming back, gasping for breath from the effects of the gas bombs that were used by the dastardly Germans, in their attack.

One cannot blame the French for not being able to face it, as it made our eyes smart when we were half a mile from the trenches, almost an hour after it was used. The success of our attack depended on it being a complete surprise which it surely was. As one prisoner we captured said “We had thousands of men in reserve at this point ready to continue the advance at daybreak, and never in the least expected a counter attack so soon.” Our boys advanced in extended order, with fixed bayonets. (as per instructions received in Salisbury Plains) As they came through the hedge 150 yards in front of the trenches the enemy has almost completed, they were met by a hail of bullets from rifle and machine guns through which it would seem impossible for a man to pass alive, but some of us did, other poor fellows only got part way. As we got within a few yards of the trenches, the Huns beat it, for they will not stand and face cold steel when backed up by a “Tommie.”

As we stopped for breath in the trench, I found myself sitting on a big strapping Hun, who was crouching down in a corner. We took his rifle and ammunition from him and one of the boys stayed with him. We made other prisoners there too, who held up their hands pleading not to be bayoneted. Our Colonel Lockie then led us through the woods and out the other side. We lost a number there, and also captured many besides two large French guns, which has been captured. Dawn broke at 3:30 a.m. and found the Canadians “standing to” ready for a counter attack in trenches that had been dug within the last two hours. We were shelled something fierce all day and early the next morning were relieved by fresh troops. We went back about ½ mile and dug ourselves in for reserves for the excitement still continued as far as the shelling goes. They dropped them all about us all day long, and all night, but we were safe unless a shell happened to drop right in close to our dug out.

There are fresh troops and big guns here now so just watch our “smoke” save the day. At what cost I cannot say yet until it is official, but the losses later would have been far worse, if we had not checked them that night.

Mother, dear, you would not know me now. I haven’t washed in five days and am covered with mud from head to foot, and am writing this in a hole 3 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. deep, with plenty of straw and a horse blanket to cover me, and a couple of green shutters for a roof. The paper was supplied me by W. Forgie our Y.M.C. secretary who brought it to us with the shells bursting all about him but he knew we wanted to write home and let our folks know we were safe. Our officers were bricks and there are none better in the British army when it comes to going right into it, leading the men.

Well, mother, dear, I will have to close for this time. Let my friends know I am safe, as I cannot write more now. By God’s grace I came through thus far safely and I am leaving to Him the final outcome. Be brave, mother, dear and trust Him to see me safely home. Give my love to all and tell them that Canada has need to be proud of her boys, and to send more like them.

Yours lovingly, Bert

Notes: My granduncle Albert Bertram Mudge was b. 14 Nov. 1894 in Peterborough, Ontario the eldest son of Richard Mudge & Minnie Ellen Crossley. The family moved to Guelph around 1901. He was a private in the 16th battalion, Canadian Scottish Highlanders. After the war he moved to Winnipeg where he married Verta Eileen Meacham, 21 April 1920 and had one son. Uncle Bert worked for Eaton's from 1919 until 1958 when he retired. He died 28 Nov. 1968 in Winnipeg.