MOOSe JAW — Thousands of patriotic residents crowded Moose Jaw’s train station, hoping for one last look at the soldiers departing for the training grounds of Quebec and — eventually — the battlefields of Europe.
The enthusiastic send-off that residents gave the men on that Sunday, Aug. 23, 1914, hadn’t been seen since 1899 when Great Britain had asked Canada for support to fight in the Second Boer War in South Africa.
Now, 15 years later, after war had broken out in Europe on Aug. 4, 1914 — 110 years ago — the Motherland was calling again, and Canadians were responding by the thousands.
In Moose Jaw, residents — allegedly the entire community — turned out to see the volunteers of the 60th Rifles and 27th Light Horse board the special train to Valcartier, Que., for training, and from there, by ship across the Atlantic.
The 60th was comprised of men from Moose Jaw, while the 27th was filled with men from rural communities.
“There was no feeling of loyalty lacking, but it almost seemed as though the great crowd, brought face to face with the grim reality of war, hesitated to part with the flower of the country’s manhood … ,” the Moose Jaw Evening Times reported on Monday, Aug. 24.
“Strong men and brave women felt the burning of tears in their eyes as they clasped the hand of brother, father, husband, friend or sweetheart, and the sudden awful thought came that perhaps it might be the last hand claps and the last goodbye,” the article continued.
The troops boarded the train, and as the engine bell began ringing and a deafening outburst of cheers arose, the engine headed east. There were many prayers on the lips of those who lined the platform, hoping for the safe return of their loved ones.
Time to leave
The men of the 60th Rifles and 27th Light Horse had been waiting nearly two weeks to depart for Valcartier when they finally received notice that the time had come.
So, on that Sunday morning, 225 members of the 60th formed up at the armouries, where thousands of people began gathering around 9:30 a.m. By 12:30 p.m., with the 60th Rifles’ band leading the way, the troops marched down Main Street to the train station.
“As the first of the men entered the station yard, the crowd, pressed back by the local police and fire department, swarmed onto the special train and into the cars and onto the roofs of the cars … ,” the Evening Times reported.
“Cheer upon cheer rose from the immense crowd. For upwards of half an hour, the men were kept waiting on the station platform,” the article continued, “but finally the order was given to entrain, and then the police were unable to hold back the crowd any longer and men, women and children broke through the ranks to say last goodbyes.”
Around 3 p.m., a similar scene repeated itself as 25 soldiers with the 27th Light Horse marched to the station and boarded the train, which bore 190 red-coated men who had enlisted from west and southwest Saskatchewan.
The mayor extended godspeed to the officers and men and gave a $150 donation to the commanding officer, Col. Tuxford, to support the men at Valcartier.
Meanwhile, the colonel told the crowd that he had some of the finest men under his command, and if they reached the front line, the crowd would hear nothing but good things about them, while “if they had to die, it would be facing the guns and as heroes.”
Tuxford’s patriotic enthusiasm “enflamed the crowd,” while every effort he made to speak thereafter led to great bursts of cheering that lasted for 30 minutes. By then, the signal came, and the train left the station, with hundreds of people lining the tracks on both sides as far east as the 11th Avenue subway.
A fitting send-off
The community held a civic send-off ceremony at the armouries on Saturday, Aug. 22, the night before the men departed, with nearly 2,000 people packing the venue to hear five speeches, “all breathing with patriotic fervour and urging the men on to do their duty.”
“We expect you to do your duty,” Mayor Pascoe said, “and we are sure you will do it, for we all have confidence in the boys from Moose Jaw.”
His Worship pointed out that the men must prove that “the old fighting spirit of the Anglo-Saxon was just as prominent, while the blood course through their veins, was just as rich as in the days of their forefathers who fought and died for the principles for which the old flag stood for today.”
Pascoe added that residents’ prayers would “be mingled with your own for your preservation.”
John Crawford, the vice-president of the board of trade, said it was a “great pity that the very best blood of their manhood” had to leave their peaceful occupations and fight “in that unholy war, which had been forced on civilized humanity.” However, everyone was proud that the men were willing to fight in the interests of “higher civilization.”
Crawford promised that, on behalf of Moose Jaw’s mercantile men, the soldiers’ dependents would be supported.
Maj. J.D. Simpson, the 27th Light Horse’s commanding officer, explained that he wasn’t joining his men because “the persuasive powers of his wife had prevailed.” However, he said the biggest hope was that the war would be short and the contingent would return soon and be “crowned with glory for the deeds of valour they had accomplished.”
“I wish you all godspeed and a safe return,” he concluded. “I only hope that I will be able to meet you here again without a single exception.”
Rev. W.G. Wilson, on behalf of the community’s ministerial association, said the men had high-calibre characters, and he hoped they upheld the honour of the city and province. He also hoped they never lost their identity of being connected with Saskatchewan.
Wilson pointed out that Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, said peace sometimes had to be established with the sword. So, he hoped the men’s contributions brought the war to a speedy end with a lasting peace through their unselfish volunteerism and readiness to bear arms for King and country.
The priest jokingly added that he was sorry to see some men leave who were good candidates for the priesthood.
